# High-quality genome assembly and annotation of five bacteria isolated from the Abu Dhabi sabkha-shore region

## TL;DR

This study provides complete genome sequences of five bacteria from the extreme Abu Dhabi sabkha environment, which could help in developing microbes for industrial and agricultural uses.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the high-quality genome assembly and annotation of five bacterial isolates from a polyextreme environment.

## Key findings

- Five bacterial isolates were identified and assigned to species including Staphylococcus capitis and Bacillus spizizenii.
- Hybrid sequencing techniques produced complete, gap-free genome sequences ranging from 2.4 Mb to 5.05 Mb.
- The genomes may aid in engineering microbes for bioremediation and plant growth under salinity stress.

## Abstract

Sabkhas represent polyextreme environments characterized by elevated salinity levels, intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, and extreme temperature fluctuations. In this study, we present the complete genomes of five bacterial isolates isolated from the sabkha-shore region and investigate their genomic organization and gene annotations. A better understanding of the bacterial genomic organization and genetic adaptations of these bacteria holds promise for engineering microbes with tailored functionalities for diverse industrial and agricultural applications, including bioremediation and promotion of plant growth under salinity stress conditions.

We present a comprehensive genome sequencing and annotation of five bacteria (kcgeb_sa, kcgeb_sc, kcgeb_sd, kcgeb_S4, and kcgeb_S11) obtained from the shores of the Abu Dhabi Sabkha region. Initial bacterial identification was conducted through 16 S rDNA amplification and sequencing. Employing a hybrid genome assembly technique combining Illumina short reads (NovaSeq 6000) and Oxford Nanopore long reads (MinION), we obtained complete annotated high-quality gap-free genome sequences. The genome sizes of the kcgeb_sa, kcgeb_sc, kcgeb_sd, kcgeb_S4, and kcgeb_S11 isolates were determined to be 2.4 Mb, 4.1 Mb, 2.9 Mb, 5.05 Mb, and 4.1 Mb, respectively. Our analysis conclusively assigned the bacterial isolates as Staphylococcus capitis (kcgeb_sa), Bacillus spizizenii (kcgeb_sc and kcgeb_S11), Pelagerythrobacter marensis (kcgeb_sd), and Priestia aryabhattai (kcgeb_S4).