Wide Distribution of Phycisphaera-like Planctomycetes from WD2101 Soil Group in Peatlands and Genome Analysis of the First Cultivated Representative

Phycisphaera-like WD2101 'soil group' is one of the as-yet-uncultivated phylogenetic clades within the phylum Planctomycetes. Members of this clade are commonly detected in various terrestrial habitats. This study shows that WD2101 represented one of the major planctomycete groups in 10 boreal peatlands, comprising up to 76% and 36% of all Planctomycetes-affiliated 16S rRNA gene reads in raised bogs and eutrophic fens respectively. These types of peatlands displayed clearly distinct intra-group diversity of WD2101-affiliated planctomycetes. The first isolate of this enigmatic planctomycete group, strain M1803, was obtained from a humic lake surrounded by Sphagnum peat bogs. Strain M1803 displayed 89.2% 16S rRNA gene similarity to Tepidisphaera mucosa and was represented by motile cocci that divided by binary fission and grew under micro-oxic conditions. The complete 7.19 Mb genome of strain M1803 contained an array of genes encoding Planctomycetal type bacterial microcompartment organelle likely involved in l-rhamnose metabolism, suggesting participation of M1803-like planctomycetes in polysaccharide degradation in peatlands. The corresponding cellular microcompartments were revealed in ultrathin cell sections. Strain M1803 was classified as a novel genus and species, Humisphaera borealis gen. nov., sp. nov., affiliated with the formerly recognized WD2101 'soil group'.