Oxygen-driven divergence of marine group II archaea reflected by transitions of superoxide dismutases.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anion, is a series of substances that cause oxidative stress for all organisms. Marine group II (MGII) archaea are mainly live in the surface seawater and exposed to considerable ROS. Therefore, it is important to understand the antioxidant capacity of MGII. Our research found that Fe/Mn- superoxide dismutase (Fe/MnSOD) may be more suitable for MGII to resist oxidative damage, and the changes in oxygen concentrations and SOD metallic cofactors play an important role in the selection of SOD by the 17 clades of MGII, which in turn affects the species differentiation of MGII. Overall, this study provides insight into the co-evolutionary history of these uncultivated marine archaea with the earth system.