Whole genome sequence of 'Dermacoccus abyssi' MT1.1 isolated from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench reveals phenazine biosynthesis locus and environmental adaptation factors

Dermacoccus abyssi strain MT1.1T is a piezotolerant actinobacterium that was isolated from Mariana Trench sediment collected at a depth of 10898 m. The organism was found to produce ten dermacozines (AÔÇÆJ) that belonged to a new phenazine family and which displayed various biological activities such as radical scavenging and cytotoxicity. Here we report on the isolation and identification of a new dermacozine compound, dermacozine M, the chemical structure of which was determined using 1D and 2D-NMR, and high resolution MS. A whole genome sequence generated from the strain contained six biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), including one responsible for the biosynthesis of a family phenazine of compounds. The pathway leading to the biosynthesis of dermacozines is proposed. Bioinformatic analyses of key stress-related genes provide an insight into how the organism adapted to the environmental conditions that prevail in the deep-sea.