Large, filamentous sulfur bacteria of the Beggiatoaceae family play important roles in the cycling of sulfur in many different environments. Genomic explorations of these organisms will provide important knowledge regarding the range of metabolic potential for these organisms and their distribution capabilities across different estuarine and ocean seafloor habitats.. Insights into the genomes of large sulfur bacteria from the Beggiatoaceae family

From seep systems to coastal sediments, large filamentous sulfur bacteria within the family Beggiatoaceae is a common member of microbial mats that aids in the cycling of various elements. Few species have been cultivated from this lineage, particularly from marine environments. However, the advancement of sequencing technologies has revealed a large phylogenetic diversity of these organisms and suggested they may contain more functional potential than originally estimated. In this study, we compare the diversity in functional potential of Beggiatoaceae genomes that originate from coastal estuarine environments, seep systems, and freshwater isolates. The genomes presented differences for potential substrate utilization that may be required to meet their energetic and growth needs, and show that filamentous sulfur bacteria Beggiatoaceae likely contain a great deal of genetic diversity to uncover.