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About the Authors:
Morgan M. Steffen
Affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
Zhou Li
Affiliation: Graduate School of Genome Science & Technology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
T. Chad Effler
Affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
Loren J. Hauser
Affiliations Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America, Graduate School of Genome Science & Technology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States of America
Gregory L. Boyer
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
Steven W. Wilhelm
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
Introduction
The theory that microbial community structure dictates the function of that community has recently been called into question [1], [2]. Previously, laboratory studies using enzyme assays and 16S rRNA gene phylogeny provided evidence for the importance of phylogenetic identity to community function [3], [4]. A shift to whole community shotgun metagenomics has, however, allowed for a more comprehensive examination of microbial functional genes present in a wealth of natural environments. This technique circumvents the need for culture-based analysis and is more representative of natural community structure and functional potential. The trend emerging from this work indicates that the function of microbes within the environment is often more highly conserved than their phylogenetic/taxonomic identity [1], [5].
One environment of particular concern is the freshwater systems that have in recent years been increasingly inundated by toxic cyanobacterial blooms. These blooms have been responsible for the deterioration of freshwater systems with increasing frequency and intensity and are commonly dominated by colonial cyanobacteria of the genus Microcystis [6]–[8]. Toxins produced by bloom-associated cyanobacteria have been shown to adversely affect health of animals and humans. The microcystins, cyclic secondary metabolites produced by members of the genera Anabaena, Microcystis, and Planktothrix, are hepatotoxins that have been associated with human liver and colorectal cancers [9]–[11]. Other secondary metabolites produced by Microcystis have been linked to phytoestrogenic effects in fish [12]. Microcystis...