Genome-based metabolic and phylogenomic analysis of three Terrisporobacter species

Acetogenic bacteria are of high interest for biotechnological applications as industrial platform organisms, however, acetogenic strains from the genus Terrisporobacter have hitherto been neglected. To date, three published type strains of the genus Terrisporobacter are only covered by draft genome sequences, and the genes and pathway responsible for acetogenesis have not been analyzed. Here, we report complete genome sequences of the bacterial type strains Terrisporobacter petrolearius JCM 19845(T), Terrisporobacter mayombei DSM 6539(T) and Terrisporobacter glycolicus DSM 1288(T). Functional annotation, KEGG pathway module reconstructions and screening for virulence factors were performed. Various species-specific vitamin, cofactor and amino acid auxotrophies were identified and a model for acetogenesis of Terrisporobacter was constructed. The complete genomes harbored a gene cluster for the reductive proline-dependent branch of the Stickland reaction located on an approximately 21 kb plasmid, which is exclusively found in the Terrisporobacter genus. Phylogenomic analysis of available Terrisporobacter genomes suggested a reclassification of most isolates as T. glycolicus into T. petrolearius.