Genes of NAD+-Dependent Formate Dehydrogenases in Taxonomy of Aerobic Methylotrophic Bacteria of the Genus Ancylobacter

Comparative phylogenetic analysis of NAD(+)-dependent formate dehydrogenases (NAD(+)-FDH) genes, which have been detected in all available genomes of methylotrophs of the genera Ancylobacter, Starkeya, and Angulomicrobium, as well as in other members of the family Xanthobacteraceae (Xanthobacter, Aquabacter, Azorhizobium), was carried out. The position of Xanthobacteraceae on the tree constructed based on comparison of NAD(+)-FDH amino acid sequences was found to correlate with the 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny. The sequences of the NAD(+)-FDH proteins of the genera Ancylobacter, Starkeya, and Angulomi-crobium exhibited 87.8-98.3% identity, indicating that this protein is very conservative within this group of methylotrophs. For the first time, analysis of the NAD(+)-FDH functional genes is recommended as a supplementary criterion for interspecies differentiation between methylotrophic bacteria of the genus Ancylobacter.

Automated summary

This study conducted a comparative phylogenetic analysis of NAD(+)-dependent formate dehydrogenases (NAD(+)-FDH) genes in methylotrophs. The analysis showed that the position of the Xanthobacteraceae family on the phylogenetic tree correlates with the 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny. The conservation of NAD(+)-FDH proteins within certain genera of methylotrophs was also observed.