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Main Authors: Urayama, Syun-Ichi, Fukudome, Akihito, Mutz, Pascal, Matsushita, Yosuke, Takaki, Yoshihiro, Nishimura, Yosuke, Medvedeva, Sofia, Krupovic, Mart, Koonin, Eugene V, Nunoura, Takuro
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Nature communications 2026
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Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42010269/
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author Urayama, Syun-Ichi
Fukudome, Akihito
Mutz, Pascal
Matsushita, Yosuke
Takaki, Yoshihiro
Nishimura, Yosuke
Medvedeva, Sofia
Krupovic, Mart
Koonin, Eugene V
Nunoura, Takuro
author_facet Urayama, Syun-Ichi
Fukudome, Akihito
Mutz, Pascal
Matsushita, Yosuke
Takaki, Yoshihiro
Nishimura, Yosuke
Medvedeva, Sofia
Krupovic, Mart
Koonin, Eugene V
Nunoura, Takuro
Urayama, Syun-Ichi
Fukudome, Akihito
Mutz, Pascal
Matsushita, Yosuke
Takaki, Yoshihiro
Nishimura, Yosuke
Medvedeva, Sofia
Krupovic, Mart
Koonin, Eugene V
Nunoura, Takuro
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Identification of hot spring Obelisk-like RNA replicons and expanded diversity of the Obelisk superfamily. Urayama, Syun-Ichi Fukudome, Akihito Mutz, Pascal Matsushita, Yosuke Takaki, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Yosuke Medvedeva, Sofia Krupovic, Mart Koonin, Eugene V Nunoura, Takuro Replicon Hot Springs RNA Nucleic Acid Conformation Viroids Japan Molecular Sequence Data Phylogeny Base Sequence RNA, Double-Stranded Recent extensive metatranscriptome mining vastly expanded the range of apparently covalently closed circular (ccc) RNA replicons. A notable family of such replicons is Obelisks, ~1 kilobase (kb) cccRNAs encoding a protein with a unique fold, Oblin-1, and detected in diverse metatranscriptomes. To identify potential cccRNAs in a sequence similarity-independent manner, we adopt the Fragmented and primer-Ligated DsRNA Sequencing (FLDS) method to selectively sequence double-stranded (ds) RNAs, replicative intermediates of RNA replicons. We focus on candidates with predicted extensive intramolecular base-pairing, a hallmark of viroid-like elements. Using FLDS, we explore metatranscriptomes from acidic hot springs in Japan and discover a distinct family of Obelisks apparently associated with thermoacidophilic bacteria (Hot spring Obelisks, HsObs). Despite lacking sequence similarity to known Oblins, HsObs share key features, including ~1 kb genome size, rod-like RNA secondary structure, and the predicted fold of the encoded protein, HsOblin. A comprehensive metatranscriptome search for Oblin-1 and HsOblin homologs expands Obelisk diversity about two-fold, revealing multiple subfamilies sharing the same core fold,. some of which are also predicted to encode additional small proteins with simple alpha-helical folds. These findings highlight Obelisks as widespread and overlooked components of microbial ecosystems, expanding understanding of viroid-like RNA replicon diversity and evolution.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_42010269
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Nature communications
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Identification of hot spring Obelisk-like RNA replicons and expanded diversity of the Obelisk superfamily.
Urayama, Syun-Ichi
Fukudome, Akihito
Mutz, Pascal
Matsushita, Yosuke
Takaki, Yoshihiro
Nishimura, Yosuke
Medvedeva, Sofia
Krupovic, Mart
Koonin, Eugene V
Nunoura, Takuro
Replicon
Hot Springs
RNA
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Viroids
Japan
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Base Sequence
RNA, Double-Stranded
Identification of hot spring Obelisk-like RNA replicons and expanded diversity of the Obelisk superfamily. Urayama, Syun-Ichi Fukudome, Akihito Mutz, Pascal Matsushita, Yosuke Takaki, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Yosuke Medvedeva, Sofia Krupovic, Mart Koonin, Eugene V Nunoura, Takuro Replicon Hot Springs RNA Nucleic Acid Conformation Viroids Japan Molecular Sequence Data Phylogeny Base Sequence RNA, Double-Stranded Recent extensive metatranscriptome mining vastly expanded the range of apparently covalently closed circular (ccc) RNA replicons. A notable family of such replicons is Obelisks, ~1 kilobase (kb) cccRNAs encoding a protein with a unique fold, Oblin-1, and detected in diverse metatranscriptomes. To identify potential cccRNAs in a sequence similarity-independent manner, we adopt the Fragmented and primer-Ligated DsRNA Sequencing (FLDS) method to selectively sequence double-stranded (ds) RNAs, replicative intermediates of RNA replicons. We focus on candidates with predicted extensive intramolecular base-pairing, a hallmark of viroid-like elements. Using FLDS, we explore metatranscriptomes from acidic hot springs in Japan and discover a distinct family of Obelisks apparently associated with thermoacidophilic bacteria (Hot spring Obelisks, HsObs). Despite lacking sequence similarity to known Oblins, HsObs share key features, including ~1 kb genome size, rod-like RNA secondary structure, and the predicted fold of the encoded protein, HsOblin. A comprehensive metatranscriptome search for Oblin-1 and HsOblin homologs expands Obelisk diversity about two-fold, revealing multiple subfamilies sharing the same core fold,. some of which are also predicted to encode additional small proteins with simple alpha-helical folds. These findings highlight Obelisks as widespread and overlooked components of microbial ecosystems, expanding understanding of viroid-like RNA replicon diversity and evolution.
title Identification of hot spring Obelisk-like RNA replicons and expanded diversity of the Obelisk superfamily.
topic Replicon
Hot Springs
RNA
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Viroids
Japan
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Base Sequence
RNA, Double-Stranded
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42010269/