1
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Casero MC, Herrero MÁ, De la Roche JP, Quesada A, Velázquez D, Cirés S. Effect of salinity on scytonemin yield in endolithic cyanobacteria from the Atacama Desert. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9731. [PMID: 38679613 PMCID: PMC11056366 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60499-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria inhabiting extreme environments constitute a promising source for natural products with biotechnological applications. However, they have not been studied in-depth for this purpose due to the difficulties in their isolation and mass culturing. The Atacama Desert suffers one of the highest solar irradiances that limits the presence of life on its hyperarid core to endolithic microbial communities supported by cyanobacteria as primary producers. Some of these cyanobacteria are known to produce scytonemin, a UV-screening liposoluble pigment with varied biotechnological applications in cosmetics and other industries. In this work we carried out a strain selection based on growth performance among 8 endolithic cyanobacteria of the genera Chroococcidiopsis, Gloeocapsa and Gloeocapsopsis isolated from non-saline rocks of the Atacama Desert. Then we investigated the influence of NaCl exposure on scytonemin production yield. Results in the selected strain (Chroococcidiopsis sp. UAM571) showed that rising concentrations of NaCl lead to a growth decrease while triggering a remarkable increase in the scytonemin content, reaching maximum values at 20 g L-1 of NaCl over 50-fold higher scytonemin contents than those obtained without NaCl. Altogether, these findings point out to cyanobacteria from the Atacama Desert as potentially suitable candidates for pilot-scale cultivation with biotechnological purposes, particularly to obtain scytonemin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antonio Quesada
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28014, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Velázquez
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28014, Madrid, Spain
| | - Samuel Cirés
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28014, Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Mohanta TK, Mohanta YK, Kaushik P, Kumar J. Physiology, genomics, and evolutionary aspects of desert plants. J Adv Res 2024; 58:63-78. [PMID: 37160225 PMCID: PMC10982872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the exposure to arid environmental conditions across the globe ultimately hampering the sustainability of the living organism, few plant species are equipped with several unique genotypic, biochemical, and physiological features to counter such harsh conditions. Physiologically, they have evolved with reduced leaf size, spines, waxy cuticles, thick leaves, succulent hydrenchyma, sclerophyll, chloroembryo, and photosynthesis in nonfoliar and other parts. At the biochemical level, they are evolved to perform efficient photosynthesis through Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and C4 pathways with the formation of oxaloacetic acid (Hatch-Slack pathway) instead of the C3 pathway. Additionally, comparative genomics with existing data provides ample evidence of the xerophytic plants' positive selection to adapt to the arid environment. However, adding more high-throughput sequencing of xerophyte plant species is further required for a comparative genomic study toward trait discovery related to survival. Learning from the mechanism to survive in harsh conditions could pave the way to engineer crops for future sustainable agriculture. AIM OF THE REVIEW The distinct physiology of desert plants allows them to survive in harsh environments. However, the genomic composition also contributes significantly to this and requires great attention. This review emphasizes the physiological and genomic adaptation of desert plants. Other important parameters, such as desert biodiversity and photosynthetic strategy, are also discussed with recent progress in the field. Overall, this review discusses the different features of desert plants, which prepares them for harsh conditions intending to translate knowledge to engineer plant species for sustainable agriculture. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW This review comprehensively presents the physiology, molecular mechanism, and genomics of desert plants aimed towards engineering a sustainable crop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan Kumar Mohanta
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 611, Oman.
| | - Yugal Kishore Mohanta
- Dept. of Applied Biology, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, Baridua, Meghalaya 793101, India
| | - Prashant Kaushik
- Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, 125004, India
| | - Jitesh Kumar
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, United States
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3
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Molina-Montenegro MA, Egas C, Ballesteros G, Acuña-Rodríguez IS, San Martín F, Gianoli E. Sunspot activity influences tree growth: Molecular evidence and ecological implications. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e16813. [PMID: 36479720 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Solar activity has a significant influence on Earth's climate and may drive many biological processes. Here, we measured growth in 11 tree species distributed along an ≈600-km latitudinal gradient in South-Central Chile, recording the width of their growth-rings among periods of maximum (highest number of sunspots) and minimum (lowest number of sunspots) solar activity. In one of these species, Quillaja saponaria, we experimentally assessed three ecophysiological traits (CO2 fixation through photosynthesis [Amax], growth and leaf production) as well as the expression of five genes related to cell wall elongation and expansion following exposure to high and low levels of UV-B radiation, simulating scenarios of maximum and minimum solar activity, respectively. We found lower tree growth during the periods of maximum solar activity, with this trend being more evident at lower latitudes, where UV-B radiation is higher. Exposure of Q. saponaria to higher levels of UV-B affected the ecophysiological parameters, revealing a decrease in Amax, growth and leaf production. In addition, higher levels of UV-B led to repression in four of the five genes studied. Our results may help foresee environmental scenarios for different plant species associated with solar activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A Molina-Montenegro
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Claudia Egas
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Gabriel Ballesteros
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I3), Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Ian S Acuña-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I3), Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca, Chile
| | - Filoromo San Martín
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ernesto Gianoli
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile
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4
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Reverdy A, Hathaway D, Jha J, Michaels G, Sullivan J, McAdoo DD, Riquelme C, Chai Y, Godoy-Carter V. Insights into the diversity and survival strategies of soil bacterial isolates from the Atacama Desert. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1335989. [PMID: 38516016 PMCID: PMC10955380 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1335989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The Atacama Desert, the driest, with the highest radiation, and one of the most ancient deserts in the world, is a hostile environment for life. We have a collection of 74 unique bacterial isolates after cultivation and confirmation by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Pigmentation, biofilm formation, antimicrobial production against Escherichia coli MG1655 and Staphylococcus aureus HG003, and antibiotic resistance were assessed on these isolates. We found that approximately a third of the colonies produced pigments, 80% of isolates formed biofilms, many isolates produce growth inhibiting activities against E. coli and/or S. aureus, and many were resistant to antibiotics. The functional characterization of these isolates gives us insight into the adaptive bacterial strategies in harsh environments and enables us to learn about their possible use in agriculture, healthcare, or biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jessica Jha
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | | | - Daniela Diaz McAdoo
- Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Carlos Riquelme
- Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Yunrong Chai
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
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5
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Runzheimer K, Lozano C, Boy D, Boy J, Godoy R, Matus FJ, Engel D, Pavletic B, Leuko S, Armengaud J, Moeller R. Exploring Andean High-Altitude Lake Extremophiles through Advanced Proteotyping. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:891-904. [PMID: 38377575 PMCID: PMC10913102 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Quickly identifying and characterizing isolates from extreme environments is currently challenging while very important to explore the Earth's biodiversity. As these isolates may, in principle, be distantly related to known species, techniques are needed to reliably identify the branch of life to which they belong. Proteotyping these environmental isolates by tandem mass spectrometry offers a rapid and cost-effective option for their identification using their peptide profiles. In this study, we document the first high-throughput proteotyping approach for environmental extremophilic and halophilic isolates. Microorganisms were isolated from samples originating from high-altitude Andean lakes (3700-4300 m a.s.l.) in the Chilean Altiplano, which represent environments on Earth that resemble conditions on other planets. A total of 66 microorganisms were cultivated and identified by proteotyping and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Both the approaches revealed the same genus identification for all isolates except for three isolates possibly representing not yet taxonomically characterized organisms based on their peptidomes. Proteotyping was able to indicate the presence of two potentially new genera from the families of Paracoccaceae and Chromatiaceae/Alteromonadaceae, which have been overlooked by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing approach only. The paper highlights that proteotyping has the potential to discover undescribed microorganisms from extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Runzheimer
- Department
of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace
Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Clément Lozano
- Département
Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), CEA,
INRAE, SPI, Université, Paris-Saclay, F-30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Diana Boy
- Institute
of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jens Boy
- Institute
of Soil Science, Leibniz University Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Roberto Godoy
- Instituto
de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad
Austral de Chile, 509000 Valdivia, Chile
| | - Francisco J. Matus
- Laboratory
of Conservation and Dynamics of Volcanic Soils, Department of Chemical
Sciences and Natural Resources, Universidad
de La Frontera, 4811230 Temuco, Chile
- Network
for Extreme Environmental Research (NEXER), Universidad de La Frontera, 4811230 Temuco, Chile
| | - Denise Engel
- Department
of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace
Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bruno Pavletic
- Department
of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace
Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Stefan Leuko
- Department
of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace
Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jean Armengaud
- Département
Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), CEA,
INRAE, SPI, Université, Paris-Saclay, F-30200 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Department
of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace
Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
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6
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Komaei A, Soroush A, Fattahi SM, Ghanbari H. Influence of environmental stresses on the durability of slag-based alkali-activated cement crusts for wind erosion control. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166576. [PMID: 37633383 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Wind erosion is a significant environmental challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, and artificial crust creation on the soil surface has emerged as an effective approach to mitigate this phenomenon. Various methods of crust formation have been proposed to combat wind erosion in these regions. However, a comprehensive study assessing the durability of these crusts against environmental stresses has been lacking. Hence, the primary objective of the present study is to address this critical issue by evaluating the erodibility and surface strength of alkali-activated slag crusts in response to various environmental stressors. These stressors encompass ultraviolet radiation, heating and cooling cycles, wetting and drying cycles, and freezing and thawing cycles. Through wind tunnel tests, erosion rates were measured under different wind velocities and saltation bombardment conditions, while penetrometer tests were conducted to analyze surface strength. The results demonstrate that alkali-activated cementation produced robust crusts, exhibiting an impressive reduction of over 99.9 % in erosion rates compared to untreated samples. However, the introduction of environmental stresses led to a fivefold increase in erosion rates. Freeze and thaw cycles had the most detrimental effect on the alkali-activated cement crusts while heating and cooling cycles had a relatively minor impact. The wetting and drying cycles and UV radiation ranked second and third, respectively, in terms of their destructive effects on crust erodibility. Despite the observed effects, the crusts maintained their efficiency even when subjected to severe environmental stresses. Notably, the erosion rate of the treated crusts after enduring the most severe studied stress, that is five freeze and thaw cycles, was over 250 times lower than that of the untreated samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Komaei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Soroush
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Mohammad Fattahi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hesam Ghanbari
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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7
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Maintenance of a fruit colour polymorphism along an elevational gradient in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Oecologia 2023; 201:83-90. [PMID: 36416931 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05287-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many plants produce colour-polymorphic fruits. However, the processes responsible for the evolution and maintenance of fruit colour polymorphisms are poorly understood. We investigated the fruit colour polymorphism in Gaultheria depressa var. novae-zealandiae (Ericaceae), a predominantly bird-dispersed, alpine shrub from New Zealand, by testing whether colour morph frequencies vary geographically to maximise fruit-foliage colour contrasts. We also conducted a seed germination experiment to test whether fruit colour morphs vary in their susceptibility to UV damage. Results showed that 'red' fruits were more abundant at lower elevations, while 'white' fruits were predominant at higher elevations. Leaf colours shifted from 'green' in appearance at lower elevations to 'red' at higher elevations. Analyses of fruit-foliage colour contrasts showed that 'red' fruits were more conspicuous at lower elevations, and 'white' fruits were more conspicuous at higher elevations, which was consistent with the hypothesis that colour morph frequencies vary geographically to maximise their conspicuousness to dispersers. However, 'red' fruits were generally more conspicuous than 'white' fruits, regardless of elevation, indicating that the maintenance of the polymorphism could not be attributed to fruit-foliage colour contrasts alone. The seed germination experiment showed that 'white' fruits were more resistant to UV damage, suggesting the preponderance of 'white' fruited individuals in the landscape results from a greater degree of protection from UV damage. The fruit colour polymorphism in Gaultheria depressa var. novae-zealandiae therefore appears to be maintained by trade-offs between conspicuousness to dispersers and tolerance to UV damage, advocating a pluralistic approach to the problem in the future.
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8
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Naz N, Liu D, Harandi BF, Kounaves SP. Microbial Growth in Martian Soil Simulants Under Terrestrial Conditions: Guiding the Search for Life on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1210-1221. [PMID: 36000998 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The search for life elsewhere in the Universe goes together with the search for liquid water. Life as we know it requires water; however, it is possible for microbial life to exist under hyperarid conditions with a minimal amount of water. We report on the ability of two typical terrestrial bacteria (Escherichia coli B and Eucapsis sp) and two extremophiles (Gloeocapsa-20201027-1 sp and Planococcus halocryophilus) to grow and survive in three martian soil (regolith) simulants (Mohave Mars Simulant-1 [MMS-1] F, Mars Global Simulant-1 [MGS-1], and JSC Mars-1A [JSC]). Survival and growth were assessed over a 21-day period under terrestrial conditions and with water:soil (vol:wt) ratios that varied from 0.25:1 to 5:1. We found that Eucapsis and Gloeocapsa sp grew best in the simulants MMS and JSC, respectively, while P. halocryophilus growth rates were better in the JSC simulant. As expected, E. coli did not show significant growth. Our results indicate that these martian simulants and thus martian regolith, with minimal or no added nutrients or water, can support the growth of extremophiles such as P. halocryphilus and Gloeocapsa. Similar extremophiles on early Mars may have survived to the present in near-surface ecological niches analogous to those where these organisms exist on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neveda Naz
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dongyu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bijan F Harandi
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samuel P Kounaves
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Vilo C, Dong Q, Galetovic A, Gómez-Silva B. Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY from the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1517. [PMID: 35893575 PMCID: PMC9332814 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found in Andean wetlands and have been consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms. However, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification, and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances concerning this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY in Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described, providing new insights regarding the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Vilo
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
| | - Qunfeng Dong
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA;
| | - Alexandra Galetovic
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
| | - Benito Gómez-Silva
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
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10
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Cordero RR, Feron S, Damiani A, Redondas A, Carrasco J, Sepúlveda E, Jorquera J, Fernandoy F, Llanillo P, Rowe PM, Seckmeyer G. Persistent extreme ultraviolet irradiance in Antarctica despite the ozone recovery onset. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1266. [PMID: 35075240 PMCID: PMC8786956 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Attributable to the Montreal Protocol, the most successful environmental treaty ever, human-made ozone-depleting substances are declining and the stratospheric Antarctic ozone layer is recovering. However, the Antarctic ozone hole continues to occur every year, with the severity of ozone loss strongly modulated by meteorological conditions. In late November and early December 2020, we measured at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula the highest ultraviolet (UV) irradiances recorded in the Antarctic continent in more than two decades. On Dec. 2nd, the noon-time UV index on King George Island peaked at 14.3, very close to the largest UV index ever recorded in the continent. On Dec. 3rd, the erythemal daily dose at the same site was among the highest on Earth, only comparable to those recorded at high altitude sites in the Atacama Desert, near the Tropic of Capricorn. Here we show that, despite the Antarctic ozone recovery observed in early spring, the conditions that favor these extreme surface UV events persist in late spring, when the biologically effective UV radiation is more consequential. These conditions include long-lasting ozone holes (attributable to the polar vortex dynamics) that often bring ozone-depleted air over the Antarctic Peninsula in late spring. The fact that these conditions have been occurring at about the same frequency during the last two decades explains the persistence of extreme surface UV events in Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl R Cordero
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile,, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Sarah Feron
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile,, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
- University of Groningen, Leeuwarden, 8911 CE, Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Damiani
- Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoicho, Inage Ward, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Alberto Redondas
- State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Izaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC), Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Jorge Carrasco
- University of Magallanes, Av. Manuel Bulnes 1855, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Edgardo Sepúlveda
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile,, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose Jorquera
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile,, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Pedro Llanillo
- Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Penny M Rowe
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile,, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
- NorthWest Research Associates, Redmond, WA, USA
| | - Gunther Seckmeyer
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhauser Strasse 2, Hannover, Germany
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11
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Cordero RR, Feron S, Sepúlveda E, Damiani A, Carrera JM, Jorquera J, Alfonso JA, Fuenzalida R, Rivas M, MacDonell S, Seckmeyer G, Wang C, Ouyang Z, Lhermitte S. Evaluation of MODIS-derived estimates of the albedo over the Atacama Desert using ground-based spectral measurements. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19822. [PMID: 34615892 PMCID: PMC8494836 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98622-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface albedo is an important forcing parameter that drives the radiative energy budget as it determines the fraction of the downwelling solar irradiance that the surface reflects. Here we report on ground-based measurements of the spectral albedo (350-2200 nm) carried out at 20 sites across a North-South transect of approximately 1300 km in the Atacama Desert, from latitude 18° S to latitude 30° S. These spectral measurements were used to evaluate remote sensing estimates of the albedo derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We found that the relative mean bias error (RMBE) of MODIS-derived estimates was within ± 5% of ground-based measurements in most of the Atacama Desert (18-27° S). Although the correlation between MODIS-derived estimates and ground-based measurements remained relatively high (R= 0.94), RMBE values were slightly larger in the southernmost part of the desert (27-30° S). Both MODIS-derived data and ground-based measurements show that the albedo at some bright spots in the Atacama Desert may be high enough (up to 0.25 in visible range) for considerably boosting the performance of bifacial photovoltaic technologies (6-12%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl R Cordero
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sarah Feron
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile.
- University of Groningen, Wirdumerdijk 34, 8911 CE, Leeuwarden, Netherlands.
| | - Edgardo Sepúlveda
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alessandro Damiani
- Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Inage Ward, 1-33 Yayoicho, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Juan M Carrera
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose Jorquera
- Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. Bernardo O'Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan A Alfonso
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC), Apartado, Caracas, 20632, Venezuela
| | - Rosalino Fuenzalida
- Universidad Arturo Prat, Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Casilla 121, Iquique, Chile
| | - Miguel Rivas
- Universidad de Tarapacá, Avenida General Velásquez, 1775, Arica, Chile
| | - Shelley MacDonell
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas (CEAZA), La Serena, Chile
| | - Gunther Seckmeyer
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhauser Strasse 2, Hannover, Germany
| | - Chenghao Wang
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Zutao Ouyang
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Stef Lhermitte
- Department of Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
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12
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Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG, Silva CG, Carrizo D, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Arenas-Fajardo C, Fernández-Sampedro M, Gil-Lozano C, Sánchez-García L, Ascaso C, Wierzchos J, Rampe EB. Inhabited subsurface wet smectites in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert as an analog for the search for life on Mars. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19183. [PMID: 33154541 PMCID: PMC7645800 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The modern Martian surface is unlikely to be habitable due to its extreme aridity among other environmental factors. This is the reason why the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert has been studied as an analog for the habitability of Mars for more than 50 years. Here we report a layer enriched in smectites located just 30 cm below the surface of the hyperarid core of the Atacama. We discovered the clay-rich layer to be wet (a phenomenon never observed before in this region), keeping a high and constant relative humidity of 78% (aw 0.780), and completely isolated from the changing and extremely dry subaerial conditions characteristic of the Atacama. The smectite-rich layer is inhabited by at least 30 halophilic species of metabolically active bacteria and archaea, unveiling a previously unreported habitat for microbial life under the surface of the driest place on Earth. The discovery of a diverse microbial community in smectite-rich subsurface layers in the hyperarid core of the Atacama, and the collection of biosignatures we have identified within the clays, suggest that similar shallow clay deposits on Mars may contain biosignatures easily reachable by current rovers and landers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | | | - Daniel Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Carolina Gil-Lozano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Planetology and Geodynamics, Université de Nantes, 44322, Nantes, France
| | | | - Carmen Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth B Rampe
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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13
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Shen J, Smith AC, Claire MW, Zerkle AL. Unraveling biogeochemical phosphorus dynamics in hyperarid Mars-analogue soils using stable oxygen isotopes in phosphate. GEOBIOLOGY 2020; 18:760-779. [PMID: 32822094 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
With annual precipitation less than 20 mm and extreme UV intensity, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile has long been utilized as an analogue for recent Mars. In these hyperarid environments, water and biomass are extremely limited, and thus, it becomes difficult to generate a full picture of biogeochemical phosphate-water dynamics. To address this problem, we sampled soils from five Atacama study sites and conducted three main analyses-stable oxygen isotopes in phosphate, enzyme pathway predictions, and cell culture experiments. We found that high sedimentation rates decrease the relative size of the organic phosphorus pool, which appears to hinder extremophiles. Phosphoenzyme and pathway prediction analyses imply that inorganic pyrophosphatase is the most likely catalytic agent to cycle P in these environments, and this process will rapidly overtake other P utilization strategies. In these soils, the biogenic δ18 O signatures of the soil phosphate (δ18 OPO4 ) can slowly overprint lithogenic δ18 OPO4 values over a timescale of tens to hundreds of millions of years when annual precipitation is more than 10 mm. The δ18 OPO4 of calcium-bound phosphate minerals seems to preserve the δ18 O signature of the water used for biogeochemical P cycling, pointing toward sporadic rainfall and gypsum hydration water as key moisture sources. Where precipitation is less than 2 mm, biological cycling is restricted and bedrock δ18 OPO4 values are preserved. This study demonstrates the utility of δ18 OPO4 values as indicative of biogeochemical cycling and hydrodynamics in an extremely dry Mars-analogue environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxun Shen
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Andrew C Smith
- NERC Isotope Geosciences Facilities, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, UK
| | - Mark W Claire
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Aubrey L Zerkle
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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14
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Vicuña L, Klimenkova O, Norambuena T, Martinez FI, Fernandez MI, Shchur V, Eyheramendy S. Postadmixture Selection on Chileans Targets Haplotype Involved in Pigmentation, Thermogenesis and Immune Defense against Pathogens. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:1459-1470. [PMID: 32614437 PMCID: PMC7487163 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of positive selection signatures in populations around the world is helping to uncover recent human evolutionary history as well as the genetic basis of diseases. Most human evolutionary genomic studies have been performed in European, African, and Asian populations. However, populations with Native American ancestry have been largely underrepresented. Here, we used a genome-wide local ancestry enrichment approach complemented with neutral simulations to identify postadmixture adaptations underwent by admixed Chileans through gene flow from Europeans into local Native Americans. The top significant hits (P = 2.4×10-7) are variants in a region on chromosome 12 comprising multiple regulatory elements. This region includes rs12821256, which regulates the expression of KITLG, a well-known gene involved in lighter hair and skin pigmentation in Europeans as well as in thermogenesis. Another variant from that region is associated with the long noncoding RNA RP11-13A1.1, which has been specifically involved in the innate immune response against infectious pathogens. Our results suggest that these genes were relevant for adaptation in Chileans following the Columbian exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Vicuña
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile
| | - Olga Klimenkova
- National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tomás Norambuena
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe I Martinez
- Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research, School of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario I Fernandez
- Department of Urology, Clínica Alemana, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vladimir Shchur
- National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Susana Eyheramendy
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Investigación sobre los Fundamentos de los Datos (IMFD)
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15
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Golińska P, Świecimska M, Montero-Calasanz MDC, Yaramis A, Igual JM, Bull AT, Goodfellow M. Modestobacter altitudinis sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from Atacama Desert soil. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:3513-3527. [PMID: 32374252 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Three presumptive Modestobacter strains isolated from a high altitude Atacama Desert soil were the subject of a polyphasic study. The isolates, strains 1G4T, 1G51 and 1G52, were found to have chemotaxonomic and morphological properties that were consistent with their assignment to the genus Modestobacter. They formed a well supported clade in Modestobacter 16S rRNA gene trees and were most closely related to the type strain of 'Modestobacter excelsi' (99.8-99.9% similarity). They were also closely related to the type strains of Modestobacter caceresii (99.6 % similarity), Modestobacter italicus (99.7-99.9% similarity), Modestobacter lacusdianchii (98.4-99.2% similarity), Modestobacter marinus (99.4-99.5% similarity) and Modestobacter roseus (99.3-99.5% similarity), but were distinguished from their closest relatives by a combination of phenotypic features. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA:DNA hybridization similarities drawn from comparisons of draft genome sequences of isolate 1G4T and its closest phylogenetic neighbours mentioned above, were well below the threshold used to assign closely related strains to the same species. The close relationship between isolate 1G4T and the type strain of M. excelsi was showed in a phylogenomic tree containing representative strains of family Geodermatophilaceae. The draft genome sequence of isolate 1G4T (size 5.18 Kb) was shown to be rich in stress related genes providing further evidence that the abundance of Modestobacter propagules in Atacama Desert habitats reflects their adaptation to the harsh environmental conditions prevalent in this biome. In light of all of these data it is proposed that the isolates be assigned to a novel species in the genus Modestobacter. The name proposed for this taxon is Modestobacter altitudinis sp. nov., with isolate 1G4T (=DSM 107534T=PCM 3003T) as the type strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Golińska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87 100 Torun, Poland
| | - Magdalena Świecimska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87 100 Torun, Poland
| | | | - Adnan Yaramis
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Ridley Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Jose M Igual
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNASA-CSIC), c/Cordel de Merinas 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Alan T Bull
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, Kent, UK
| | - Michael Goodfellow
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Ridley Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
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16
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Brown biotechnology: a powerful toolbox for resolving current and future challenges in the development of arid lands. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42452-020-2980-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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17
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Aerts JW, Riedo A, Melton DJ, Martini S, Flahaut J, Meierhenrich UJ, Meinert C, Myrgorodska I, Lindner R, Ehrenfreund P. Biosignature Analysis of Mars Soil Analogs from the Atacama Desert: Challenges and Implications for Future Missions to Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:766-784. [PMID: 32167834 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The detection of biosignatures on Mars is of outstanding interest in the current field of astrobiology and drives various fields of research, ranging from new sample collection strategies to the development of more sensitive detection techniques. Detailed analysis of the organic content in Mars analog materials collected from extreme environments on Earth improves the current understanding of biosignature preservation and detection under conditions similar to those of Mars. In this article, we examined the biological fingerprint of several locations in the Atacama Desert (Chile), which include different wet and dry, and intermediate to high elevation salt flats (also named salars). Liquid chromatography and multidimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry measurement techniques were used for the detection and analysis of amino acids extracted from the salt crusts and sediments by using sophisticated extraction procedures. Illumina 16S amplicon sequencing was used for the identification of microbial communities associated with the different sample locations. Although amino acid load and organic carbon and nitrogen quantities were generally low, it was found that most of the samples harbored complex and versatile microbial communities, which were dominated by (extremely) halophilic microorganisms (most notably by species of the Archaeal family Halobacteriaceae). The dominance of salts (i.e., halites and sulfates) in the investigated samples leaves its mark on the composition of the microbial communities but does not appear to hinder the potential of life to flourish since it can clearly adapt to the higher concentrations. Although the Atacama Desert is one of the driest and harshest environments on Earth, it is shown that there are still sub-locations where life is able to maintain a foothold, and, as such, salt flats could be considered as interesting targets for future life exploration missions on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joost W Aerts
- Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Riedo
- Astrobiology Laboratory, Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel J Melton
- Astrobiology Laboratory, Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Simone Martini
- Astrobiology Laboratory, Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jessica Flahaut
- CRPG, CNRS/University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | - Uwe J Meierhenrich
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR 7272, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Cornelia Meinert
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice UMR 7272, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | | | - Robert Lindner
- Life Support and Physical Sciences Instrumentation Section, European Space Agency, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Astrobiology Laboratory, Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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18
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Häder DP, Cabrol NA. Monitoring of Solar Irradiance in the High Andes. Photochem Photobiol 2020; 96:1133-1139. [PMID: 32347559 DOI: 10.1111/php.13276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Solar radiation has been measured in the high Andes near Laguna Lejia (latitude 23° 26' 23.30" S, longitude 67° 38' 14.29" W) at an elevation of 4715 m between December 2016 and December 2017. Irradiances were monitored in four wavelength channels: PAR (400-700 nm), UV-A (315-400 nm), UV-B (295-315 nm) and short-wavelength UV-B (295-310 nm) with a new radiometer. In addition, ambient temperatures were recorded. Record values have been found for PAR (exceeding 600 W m-2 ), UV-A (close to 95 W m-2 ), UV-B (3.13 W m-2 ) and short-wavelength UV-B (0.144 W m-2 ) during Austral spring. The winter irradiance values slightly exceeded 50% of these values. Maximal cloud effects due to multiple reflections were 45, 38, 32 and 35% higher than values under cloudless skies for PAR, UV-A, UV-B and short-wavelength UV-B, respectively. Record irradiance for this site shows a UV index reaching and exceeding 20, which is due to low solar zenith angles, the altitude, low water vapor and aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere as well as low total column ozone concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donat-Peter Häder
- Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Möhrendorf, Germany
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19
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Ruginescu R, Purcărea C, Dorador C, Lavin P, Cojoc R, Neagu S, Lucaci I, Enache M. Exploring the hydrolytic potential of cultured halophilic bacteria isolated from the Atacama Desert. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5613365. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTConsidering that most industrial processes are carried out under harsh physicochemical conditions, which would inactivate enzymes from commonly isolated mesophilic organisms, current studies are geared toward the identification of extremophilic microorganisms producing enzymes resistant to extreme salt concentrations, temperature and pH. Among the extremophiles, halophilic microorganisms are an important source of salt-tolerant enzymes that can be used in varying biotechnological applications. In this context, the aim of the present work was to isolate and identify halophiles producing hydrolases from the Atacama Desert, one of the harshest environments on Earth. Isolates were recovered from halite samples and screened for the presence of seven different hydrolase activities (amylase, caseinase, gelatinase, lipase, pectinase, cellulase and inulinase) using agar plate-based assays. From a total of 23 halophilic bacterial isolates, most showed lipolytic (19 strains) and pectinolytic (11 strains) activities. The molecular identification of eight selected isolates showed a strong similarity to members of the Halomonas and Idiomarina genera. Therefore, the present study represents a preliminary, but essential, step to identify novel biological sources of extremozymes in an environment once thought to be devoid of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ruginescu
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Cristina Purcărea
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, 601 Angamos Av., Antofagasta, 1240000, Chile
| | - Paris Lavin
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, 601 Angamos Av., Antofagasta, 1240000, Chile
| | - Roxana Cojoc
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Simona Neagu
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Ioana Lucaci
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
| | - Mădălin Enache
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology Bucharest of the Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, 060031, Romania
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20
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Shen J, Zerkle AL, Stueeken E, Claire MW. Nitrates as a Potential N Supply for Microbial Ecosystems in a Hyperarid Mars Analog System. Life (Basel) 2019; 9:life9040079. [PMID: 31635024 PMCID: PMC6958444 DOI: 10.3390/life9040079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrate is common in Mars sediments owing to long-term atmospheric photolysis, oxidation, and potentially, impact shock heating. The Atacama Desert in Chile, which is the driest region on Earth and rich in nitrate deposits, is used as a Mars analog in this study to explore the potential effects of high nitrate levels on growth of extremophilic ecosystems. Seven study sites sampled across an aridity gradient in the Atacama Desert were categorized into 3 clusters—hyperarid, middle, and arid sites—as defined by essential soil physical and chemical properties. Intriguingly, the distribution of nitrate concentrations in the shallow subsurface suggests that the buildup of nitrate is not solely controlled by precipitation. Correlations of nitrate with SiO2/Al2O3 and grain sizes suggest that sedimentation rates may also be important in controlling nitrate distribution. At arid sites receiving more than 10 mm/yr precipitation, rainfall shows a stronger impact on biomass than nitrate does. However, high nitrate to organic carbon ratios are generally beneficial to N assimilation, as evidenced both by soil geochemistry and enriched culturing experiments. This study suggests that even in the absence of precipitation, nitrate levels on a more recent, hyperarid Mars could be sufficiently high to benefit potentially extant Martian microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxun Shen
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AL, Scotland, UK.
| | - Aubrey L Zerkle
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AL, Scotland, UK.
| | - Eva Stueeken
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AL, Scotland, UK.
| | - Mark W Claire
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Exoplanet Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AL, Scotland, UK.
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21
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Sayed AM, Hassan MHA, Alhadrami HA, Hassan HM, Goodfellow M, Rateb ME. Extreme environments: microbiology leading to specialized metabolites. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 128:630-657. [PMID: 31310419 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of multidrug-resistant microbial pathogens due to the continued misuse and overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and medicine is raising the prospect of a return to the preantibiotic days of medicine at the time of diminishing numbers of drug leads. The good news is that an increased understanding of the nature and extent of microbial diversity in natural habitats coupled with the application of new technologies in microbiology and chemistry is opening up new strategies in the search for new specialized products with therapeutic properties. This review explores the premise that harsh environmental conditions in extreme biomes, notably in deserts, permafrost soils and deep-sea sediments select for micro-organisms, especially actinobacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi, with the potential to synthesize new druggable molecules. There is evidence over the past decade that micro-organisms adapted to life in extreme habitats are a rich source of new specialized metabolites. Extreme habitats by their very nature tend to be fragile hence there is a need to conserve those known to be hot-spots of novel gifted micro-organisms needed to drive drug discovery campaigns and innovative biotechnology. This review also provides an overview of microbial-derived molecules and their biological activities focusing on the period from 2010 until 2018, over this time 186 novel structures were isolated from 129 representatives of microbial taxa recovered from extreme habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Sayed
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - M H A Hassan
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - H A Alhadrami
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.,Special Infectious Agent Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Centre, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - H M Hassan
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.,Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - M Goodfellow
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - M E Rateb
- School of Computing, Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK
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22
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Carro L, Castro JF, Razmilic V, Nouioui I, Pan C, Igual JM, Jaspars M, Goodfellow M, Bull AT, Asenjo JA, Klenk HP. Uncovering the potential of novel micromonosporae isolated from an extreme hyper-arid Atacama Desert soil. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4678. [PMID: 30886188 PMCID: PMC6423291 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomic status, biotechnological and ecological potential of several Micromonospora strains isolated from an extreme hyper arid Atacama Desert soil were determined. Initially, a polyphasic study was undertaken to clarify the taxonomic status of five micromonosporae, strains LB4, LB19, LB32T, LB39T and LB41, isolated from an extreme hyper-arid soil collected from one of the driest regions of the Atacama Desert. All of the isolates were found to have chemotaxonomic, cultural and morphological properties consistent with their classification in the genus Micromonospora. Isolates LB32T and LB39T were distinguished from their nearest phylogenetic neighbours and proposed as new species, namely as Micromonospora arida sp. nov. and Micromonospora inaquosa sp. nov., respectively. Eluted methanol extracts of all of the isolates showed activity against a panel of bacterial and fungal indicator strains, notably against multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 while isolates LB4 and LB41 showed pronounced anti-tumour activity against HepG2 cells. Draft genomes generated for the isolates revealed a rich source of novel biosynthetic gene clusters, some of which were unique to individual strains thereby opening up the prospect of selecting especially gifted micromonosporae for natural product discovery. Key stress-related genes detected in the genomes of all of the isolates provided an insight into how micromonosporae adapt to the harsh environmental conditions that prevail in extreme hyper-arid Atacama Desert soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Carro
- Microbiology and Genetics Department, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. .,School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK.
| | - Jean Franco Castro
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK.,Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile.,Marine Biodiscovery Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Valeria Razmilic
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK.,Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - Imen Nouioui
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK
| | - Che Pan
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK
| | - José M Igual
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNASA-CSIC), Salamanca, Spain.,Grupo de Interacción Planta-Microorganismo, Universidad de Salamanca, Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Spain
| | - Marcel Jaspars
- Marine Biodiscovery Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Michael Goodfellow
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK
| | - Alan T Bull
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent Canterbury, Canterbury, UK
| | - Juan A Asenjo
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - Hans-Peter Klenk
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon Tyne, UK
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Bais AF, Bernhard G, McKenzie RL, Aucamp PJ, Young PJ, Ilyas M, Jöckel P, Deushi M. Ozone-climate interactions and effects on solar ultraviolet radiation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:602-640. [PMID: 30810565 DOI: 10.1039/c8pp90059k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This report assesses the effects of stratospheric ozone depletion and anticipated ozone recovery on the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) radiation at the Earth's surface. Interactions between changes in ozone and changes in climate, as well as their effects on UV radiation, are also considered. These evaluations focus mainly on new knowledge gained from research conducted during the last four years. Furthermore, drivers of changes in UV radiation other than ozone are discussed and their relative importance is assessed. The most important of these factors, namely clouds, aerosols and surface reflectivity, are related to changes in climate, and some of their effects on short- and long-term variations of UV radiation have already been identified from measurements. Finally, projected future developments in stratospheric ozone, climate, and other factors affecting UV radiation have been used to estimate changes in solar UV radiation from the present to the end of the 21st century. New instruments and methods have been assessed with respect to their ability to provide useful and accurate information for monitoring solar UV radiation at the Earth's surface and for determining relevant exposures of humans. Evidence since the last assessment reconfirms that systematic and accurate long-term measurements of UV radiation and stratospheric ozone are essential for assessing the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and adjustments. Finally, we have assessed aspects of UV radiation related to biological effects and human health, as well as implications for UV radiation from possible solar radiation management (geoengineering) methods to mitigate climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- A F Bais
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Campus Box 149, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - G Bernhard
- Biospherical Instruments Inc., 5340 Riley Street, San Diego, California, USA
| | - R L McKenzie
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, NIWA Lauder, PB 50061 Omakau, Central Otago, New Zealand
| | - P J Aucamp
- Ptersa Environmental Management Consultants, PO Box 915751, Faerie Glen, 0043, South Africa
| | - P J Young
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK and Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - M Ilyas
- School of Environmental Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Kangar, Malaysia
| | - P Jöckel
- Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut fuer Physik der Atmosphaere, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
| | - M Deushi
- Meteorological Research Institute (MRI), Tsukuba, Japan
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Filippidou S, Junier T, Wunderlin T, Kooli WM, Palmieri I, Al-Dourobi A, Molina V, Lienhard R, Spangenberg JE, Johnson SL, Chain PSG, Dorador C, Junier P. Adaptive Strategies in a Poly-Extreme Environment: Differentiation of Vegetative Cells in Serratia ureilytica and Resistance to Extreme Conditions. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:102. [PMID: 30804904 PMCID: PMC6370625 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly-extreme terrestrial habitats are often used as analogs to extra-terrestrial environments. Understanding the adaptive strategies allowing bacteria to thrive and survive under these conditions could help in our quest for extra-terrestrial planets suitable for life and understanding how life evolved in the harsh early earth conditions. A prime example of such a survival strategy is the modification of vegetative cells into resistant resting structures. These differentiated cells are often observed in response to harsh environmental conditions. The environmental strain (strain Lr5/4) belonging to Serratia ureilytica was isolated from a geothermal spring in Lirima, Atacama Desert, Chile. The Atacama Desert is the driest habitat on Earth and furthermore, due to its high altitude, it is exposed to an increased amount of UV radiation. The geothermal spring from which the strain was isolated is oligotrophic and the temperature of 54°C exceeds mesophilic conditions (15 to 45°C). Although the vegetative cells were tolerant to various environmental insults (desiccation, extreme pH, glycerol), a modified cell type was formed in response to nutrient deprivation, UV radiation and thermal shock. Scanning (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses of vegetative cells and the modified cell structures were performed. In SEM, a change toward a circular shape with reduced size was observed. These circular cells possessed what appears as extra coating layers under TEM. The resistance of the modified cells was also investigated, they were resistant to wet heat, UV radiation and desiccation, while vegetative cells did not withstand any of those conditions. A phylogenomic analysis was undertaken to investigate the presence of known genes involved in dormancy in other bacterial clades. Genes related to spore-formation in Myxococcus and Firmicutes were found in S. ureilytica Lr5/4 genome; however, these genes were not enough for a full sporulation pathway that resembles either group. Although, the molecular pathway of cell differentiation in S. ureilytica Lr5/4 is not fully defined, the identified genes may contribute to the modified phenotype in the Serratia genus. Here, we show that a modified cell structure can occur as a response to extremity in a species that was previously not known to deploy this strategy. This strategy may be widely spread in bacteria, but only expressed under poly-extreme environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevasti Filippidou
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
- Microbial Ecology Group, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
- Space Microbiology Research Group, Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Junier
- Vital-IT Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tina Wunderlin
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Wafa M. Kooli
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Ilona Palmieri
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Andrej Al-Dourobi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Veronica Molina
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | | | - Jorge E. Spangenberg
- Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Pilar Junier
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland
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