1
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Guido A, Calcagnile M, Talà A, Tredici SM, Belmonte G, Alifano P. Microbial consortium involved in ferromanganese and francolite biomineralization in an anchialine environment (Zinzulùsa Cave, Castro, Italy). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 936:173423. [PMID: 38797412 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Tidally-influenced subterranean settings represent natural geomicrobiological laboratories, relatively unexplored, that facilitate the investigation of new biomineralization processes. The unusual water chemistry of Zinzulùsa Cave and its oligotrophic and aphotic conditions have allowed the development of a unique ecosystem in which complex bacterial activities induce rare biomineralization processes. A diversified microbial community develops on centimeter-thick crusts that form in the submerged part of the cave. The crusts are formed of Ca-phosphate minerals, mostly carbonate-fluoroapatite (francolite), covered by a black crust, few microns in thickness, composed of ferromanganiferous oxides (hematite and vernadite). Diffuse coccoidal and filamentous bacteria and amorphous organic matter are mixed with the minerals. The micromorphologies and comparative 16S rRNA gene-based metabarcoding analyses identify a "core microbiota" also common to other natural environments characterized by FeMn and Ca-phosphate mineralization. The microbiota is characterized by nitrifying, sulfide/sulfur/thiosulfate-oxidizing and sulfate/thiosulfate/sulfur-reducing bacteria. In addition, manganese-oxidizing bacteria include the recently described "Ca. Manganitrophus noduliformans" and an abundance of bacteria belonging to the Planctomycetes-Verrucomicrobia-Chlamydiae (PVC) superphylum, as well as Haliangiales (fruiting body-forming bacteria) and Hyphomicrobiales (stalked and budding bacteria) that are known to produce extracellular polymers that trap iron and manganese oxides. 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding analysis showed the presence of bacteria able to utilize many organic P substrates, including Ramlibacter, and SEM images revealed traces of fossilized microorganisms resembling "cable bacteria", which may play a role in Ca-phosphate biomineralization. Overall, the data indicate biomineralization processes induced by microbial metabolic activities for both ferromanganiferous oxide and francolite components of these crusts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Guido
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Cosenza, Italy.
| | - Matteo Calcagnile
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| | - Adelfia Talà
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| | | | - Genuario Belmonte
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| | - Pietro Alifano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
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2
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Havlena ZE, Hose LD, DuChene HR, Baker GM, Powell JD, Labrado AL, Brunner B, Jones DS. Origin and modern microbial ecology of secondary mineral deposits in Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park, NV, USA. GEOBIOLOGY 2024; 22:e12594. [PMID: 38700397 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Lehman Caves is an extensively decorated high desert cave that represents one of the main tourist attractions in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Although traditionally considered a water table cave, recent studies identified abundant speleogenetic features consistent with a hypogenic and, potentially, sulfuric acid origin. Here, we characterized white mineral deposits in the Gypsum Annex (GA) passage to determine whether these secondary deposits represent biogenic minerals formed during sulfuric acid corrosion and explored microbial communities associated with these and other mineral deposits throughout the cave. Powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD), scanning electron microscopy with electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and electron microprobe analyses (EPMA) showed that, while most white mineral deposits from the GA contain gypsum, they also contain abundant calcite, silica, and other phases. Gypsum and carbonate-associated sulfate isotopic values of these deposits are variable, with δ34SV-CDT between +9.7‰ and +26.1‰, and do not reflect depleted values typically associated with replacement gypsum formed during sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Petrographic observations show that the sulfates likely co-precipitated with carbonate and SiO2 phases. Taken together, these data suggest that the deposits resulted from later-stage meteoric events and not during an initial episode of sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Most sedimentary and mineral deposits in Lehman Caves have very low microbial biomass, with the exception of select areas along the main tour route that have been impacted by tourist traffic. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that microbial communities in GA sediments are distinct from those in other parts of the cave. The microbial communities that inhabit these oligotrophic secondary mineral deposits include OTUs related to known ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosococcales and Thaumarchaeota, as well as common soil taxa such as Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria. This study reveals microbial and mineralogical diversity in a previously understudied cave and expands our understanding of the geomicrobiology of desert hypogene cave systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoë E Havlena
- Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA
| | - Louise D Hose
- Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | | | | | - J Douglas Powell
- Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely Ranger District, Nevada, USA
| | - Amanda L Labrado
- The Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Benjamin Brunner
- Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Daniel S Jones
- Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA
- National Cave and Karst Research Institute, Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA
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3
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Martin-Pozas T, Cuezva S, Fernandez-Cortes A, Gonzalez-Pumariega M, Elez J, Duarte E, de la Rasilla M, Canaveras JC, Saiz-Jimenez C, Sanchez-Moral S. Adaptive response of prokaryotic communities to extreme pollution flooding in a Paleolithic rock art cave (Pindal Cave, northern Spain). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171137. [PMID: 38401719 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
A flood event affecting Pindal Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage site, introduced a substantial amount of external sediments and waste into the cave. This event led to the burial of preexisting sediments, altering the biogeochemical characteristics of the cave ecosystem by introducing heightened levels of organic matter, nitrogen compounds, phosphorus, and heavy metals. The sediments included particulate matter and waste from a cattle farm located within the water catchment area of the cavity, along with diverse microorganisms, reshaping the cave microbial community. This study addresses the ongoing influence of a cattle farm on the cave ecosystem and aims to understand the adaptive responses of the underground microbial community to the sudden influx of waste allochthonous material. Here, we show that the flood event had an immediate and profound effect on the cave microbial community, marked by a significant increase in methanogenic archaea, denitrifying bacteria, and other microorganisms commonly associated with mammalian intestinal tracts. Furthermore, our findings reveal that one year after the flood, microorganisms related to the flood decreased, while the increase in inorganic forms of ammonium and nitrate suggests potential nitrification, aligning with increased abundances of corresponding functional genes involved in nitrogen cycling. The results reveal that the impact of pollution was neither recent nor isolated, and it was decisive in stopping livestock activity near the cave. The influence of the cattle farm has persisted since its establishment over the impluvium area, and this influence endures even a year after the flood. Our study emphasizes the dynamic interplay between natural events, anthropogenic activities, and microbial communities, offering insights into the resilience of cave ecosystems. Understanding microbial adaptation in response to environmental disturbances, as demonstrated in this cave ecosystem, has implications for broader ecological studies and underscores the importance of considering temporal dynamics in conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Martin-Pozas
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Soledad Cuezva
- Spanish Geological Survey (IGME-CSIC), 28003 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | | | - Javier Elez
- Department of Geology, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Elsa Duarte
- Department of History, University of Oviedo, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - Juan Carlos Canaveras
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Alicante, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain.
| | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil and Water Protection, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Sergio Sanchez-Moral
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Moldovan OT, Carrell AA, Bulzu PA, Levei E, Bucur R, Sitar C, Faur L, Mirea IC, Șenilă M, Cadar O, Podar M. The gut microbiome mediates adaptation to scarce food in Coleoptera. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:80. [PMID: 37957741 PMCID: PMC10644639 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00537-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Beetles are ubiquitous cave invertebrates worldwide that adapted to scarce subterranean resources when they colonized caves. Here, we investigated the potential role of gut microbiota in the adaptation of beetles to caves from different climatic regions of the Carpathians. The beetles' microbiota was host-specific, reflecting phylogenetic and nutritional adaptation. The microbial community structure further resolved conspecific beetles by caves suggesting microbiota-host coevolution and influences by local environmental factors. The detritivore species hosted a variety of bacteria known to decompose and ferment organic matter, suggesting turnover and host cooperative digestion of the sedimentary microbiota and allochthonous-derived nutrients. The cave Carabidae, with strong mandibula, adapted to predation and scavenging of animal and plant remains, had distinct microbiota dominated by symbiotic lineages Spiroplasma or Wolbachia. All beetles had relatively high levels of fermentative Carnobacterium and Vagococcus involved in lipid accumulation and a reduction of metabolic activity, and both features characterize adaptation to caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana Teodora Moldovan
- Cluj-Napoca Department, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Clinicilor 5, Cluj- Napoca, 400006, Romania.
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, V. Fulicea 3, Cluj-Napoca, 400022, Romania.
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, CENIEH, Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, Burgos, 09002, Spain.
| | - Alyssa A Carrell
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Paul-Adrian Bulzu
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Erika Levei
- Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation subsidiary, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Donath 67, Cluj-Napoca, 400293, Romania
| | - Ruxandra Bucur
- Cluj-Napoca Department, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Clinicilor 5, Cluj- Napoca, 400006, Romania
| | - Cristian Sitar
- Cluj-Napoca Department, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Clinicilor 5, Cluj- Napoca, 400006, Romania
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, V. Fulicea 3, Cluj-Napoca, 400022, Romania
- Zoological Museum, Babeș Bolyai University, Clinicilor 5, Cluj-Napoca, 400006, Romania
| | - Luchiana Faur
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, V. Fulicea 3, Cluj-Napoca, 400022, Romania
- Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, 13 Septembrie 13, Bucharest, 050711, Romania
| | - Ionuț Cornel Mirea
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, V. Fulicea 3, Cluj-Napoca, 400022, Romania
- Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, 13 Septembrie 13, Bucharest, 050711, Romania
| | - Marin Șenilă
- Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation subsidiary, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Donath 67, Cluj-Napoca, 400293, Romania
| | - Oana Cadar
- Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation subsidiary, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Donath 67, Cluj-Napoca, 400293, Romania
| | - Mircea Podar
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
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5
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Martin-Pozas T, Fernandez-Cortes A, Cuezva S, Cañaveras JC, Benavente D, Duarte E, Saiz-Jimenez C, Sanchez-Moral S. New insights into the structure, microbial diversity and ecology of yellow biofilms in a Paleolithic rock art cave (Pindal Cave, Asturias, Spain). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165218. [PMID: 37419360 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
In the absence of sunlight, caves harbor a great diversity of microbial colonies to extensive biofilms with different sizes and colors visible to the naked eye. One of the most widespread and visible types of biofilm are those with yellow hues that can constitute a serious problem for the conservation of cultural heritage in many caves, such as Pindal Cave (Asturias, Spain). This cave, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its Paleolithic parietal art, shows a high degree of development of yellow biofilms that represents a real threat to the conservation of painted and engraved figures. This study aims to: 1) identify the microbial structures and the most characteristic taxa composing the yellow biofilms, 2) seek the linked microbiome reservoir primarily contributing to their growth; 3) seed light on the driving vectors that contribute to their formation and determine the subsequent proliferation and spatial distribution. To achieve this goal, we used amplicon-based massive sequencing, in combination with other techniques such as microscopy, in situ hybridization and environmental monitoring, to compare the microbial communities of yellow biofilms with those of drip waters, cave sediments and exterior soil. The results revealed microbial structures related to the phylum Actinomycetota and the most characteristic bacteria in yellow biofilms, represented by the genera wb1-P19, Crossiella, Nitrospira, and Arenimonas. Our findings suggest that sediments serve as potential reservoirs and colonization sites for these bacteria that can develop into biofilms under favorable environmental and substrate conditions, with a particular affinity for speleothems and rugged-surfaced rocks found in condensation-prone areas. This study presents an exhaustive study of microbial communities of yellow biofilms in a cave, which could be used as a procedure for the identification of similar biofilms in other caves and to design effective conservation strategies in caves with valuable cultural heritage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Martin-Pozas
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Soledad Cuezva
- Department of Geology, Geography and Environment, University of Alcala, Campus Cientifico-Tecnologico, 28802 Alcala de Henares, Spain.
| | - Juan Carlos Cañaveras
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Alicante, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain.
| | - David Benavente
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Alicante, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain.
| | - Elsa Duarte
- Department of History, University of Oviedo, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil and Water Protection, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Sergio Sanchez-Moral
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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6
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Nicolosi G, Gonzalez-Pimentel JL, Piano E, Isaia M, Miller AZ. First Insights into the Bacterial Diversity of Mount Etna Volcanic Caves. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:1632-1645. [PMID: 36750476 PMCID: PMC10497698 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02181-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
While microbial communities in limestone caves across the world are relatively understood, knowledge of the microbial composition in lava tubes is lagging behind. These caves are found in volcanic regions worldwide and are typically lined with multicolored microbial mats on their walls and ceilings. The Mount Etna (Sicily, S-Italy) represents one of the most active volcanos in the world. Due to its outstanding biodiversity and geological features, it was declared Natural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2013. Despite the presence of more than 200 basaltic lava tubes, the microbial diversity of these hypogean systems has never been investigated so far. Here, we investigated bacterial communities in four lava tubes of Mount Etna volcano. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was carried out for the morphological characterization and detection of microbial features. We documented an abundant presence of microbial cells with different morphotypes including rod-shaped, filamentous, and coccoidal cells with surface appendages, resembling actinobacteria reported in other lava tubes across the world. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the colored microbial mats collected were mostly composed of bacteria belonging to the phyla Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexota, and Cyanobacteria. At the genus level, the analysis revealed a dominance of the genus Crossiella, which is actively involved in biomineralization processes, followed by Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Chujaibacter, and Sphingomonas. The presence of these taxa is associated with the carbon, nitrogen, and ammonia cycles, and some are possibly related to the anthropic disturbance of these caves. This study provides the first insight into the microbial diversity of the Etna volcano lava tubes, and expands on previous research on microbiology of volcanic caves across the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Nicolosi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Centro Speleologico Etneo, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Elena Piano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ana Z Miller
- HERCULES Laboratory, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal.
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales Y Agrobiologia de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC), Seville, Spain.
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7
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Moldovan OT, Carrell AA, Bulzu PA, Levei E, Bucur R, Sitar C, Faur L, Mirea IC, Enilă M, Cadar O, Podar M. The gut microbiome mediates adaptation to scarce food in Coleoptera. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.12.540564. [PMID: 37214959 PMCID: PMC10197664 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.540564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Beetles are ubiquitous cave invertebrates worldwide that adapted to scarce subterranean resources when they colonized caves. Here, we investigated the potential role of gut microbiota in the adaptation of beetles to caves from different climatic regions of the Carpathians. The beetles' microbiota was host-specific, reflecting phylogenetic and nutritional adaptation. The microbial community structure further resolved conspecific beetles by caves suggesting microbiota-host coevolution and influences by local environmental factors. The detritivore species hosted a variety of bacteria known to decompose and ferment organic matter, suggesting turnover and host cooperative digestion of the sedimentary microbiota and allochthonous-derived nutrients. The cave Carabidae, with strong mandibulae adapted to predation and scavenging of animal and plant remains, had distinct microbiota dominated by symbiotic lineages Spiroplasma or Wolbachia . All beetles had relatively high levels of fermentative Carnobacterium and Vagococcus involved in lipid accumulation and a reduction of metabolic activity, and both features characterize adaptation to caves.
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8
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Liu X, Wang H, Wang W, Cheng X, Wang Y, Li Q, Li L, Ma L, Lu X, Tuovinen OH. Nitrate determines the bacterial habitat specialization and impacts microbial functions in a subsurface karst cave. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1115449. [PMID: 36846803 PMCID: PMC9947541 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1115449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Karst caves are usually considered as natural laboratories to study pristine microbiomes in subsurface biosphere. However, effects of the increasingly detected nitrate in underground karst ecosystem due to the acid rain impact on microbiota and their functions in subsurface karst caves have remained largely unknown. In this study, samples of weathered rocks and sediments were collected from the Chang Cave, Hubei province and subjected to high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The results showed that nitrate significantly impacted bacterial compositions, interactions, and functions in different habitats. Bacterial communities clustered according to their habitats with distinguished indicator groups identified for each individual habitat. Nitrate shaped the overall bacterial communities across two habitats with a contribution of 27.2%, whereas the pH and TOC, respectively, structured bacterial communities in weathered rocks and sediments. Alpha and beta diversities of bacterial communities increased with nitrate concentration in both habitats, with nitrate directly affecting alpha diversity in sediments, but indirectly on weathered rocks by lowering pH. Nitrate impacted more on bacterial communities in weathered rocks at the genus level than in sediments because more genera significantly correlated with nitrate concentration in weathered rocks. Diverse keystone taxa involved in nitrogen cycling were identified in the co-occurrence networks such as nitrate reducers, ammonium-oxidizers, and N2-fixers. Tax4Fun2 analysis further confirmed the dominance of genes involved in nitrogen cycling. Genes of methane metabolism and carbon fixation were also dominant. The dominance of dissimilatory and assimilatory nitrate reduction in nitrogen cycling substantiated nitrate impact on bacterial functions. Our results for the first time revealed the impact of nitrate on subsurface karst ecosystem in terms of bacterial compositions, interactions, and functions, providing an important reference for further deciphering the disturbance of human activities on the subsurface biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China,School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China,School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Hongmei Wang, ;
| | - Weiqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China,School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China,School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Lu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Liyuan Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaolu Lu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Olli H. Tuovinen
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Caballero JRI, Lalande BM, Hanna JW, Klopfenstein NB, Kim MS, Stewart JE. Genomic Comparisons of Two Armillaria Species with Different Ecological Behaviors and Their Associated Soil Microbial Communities. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:708-729. [PMID: 35312808 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01989-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Armillaria species show considerable variation in ecological roles and virulence, from mycorrhizae and saprophytes to important root pathogens of trees and horticultural crops. We studied two Armillaria species that can be found in coniferous forests of northwestern USA and southwestern Canada. Armillaria altimontana not only is considered as a weak, opportunistic pathogen of coniferous trees, but it also appears to exhibit in situ biological control against A. solidipes, formerly North American A. ostoyae, which is considered a virulent pathogen of coniferous trees. Here, we describe their genome assemblies and present a functional annotation of the predicted genes and proteins for the two Armillaria species that exhibit contrasting ecological roles. In addition, the soil microbial communities were examined in association with the two Armillaria species within a 45-year-old plantation of western white pine (Pinus monticola) in northern Idaho, USA, where A. altimontana was associated with improved tree growth and survival, while A. solidipes was associated with reduced growth and survival. The results from this study reveal a high similarity between the genomes of the beneficial/non-pathogenic A. altimontana and pathogenic A. solidipes; however, many relatively small differences in gene content were identified that could contribute to differences in ecological lifestyles and interactions with woody hosts and soil microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bradley M Lalande
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
- Forest Health Protection, USDA Forest Service, Gunnison, CO, 81230, USA
| | - John W Hanna
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Moscow, ID, 83843, USA
| | - Ned B Klopfenstein
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Moscow, ID, 83843, USA.
| | - Mee-Sook Kim
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
| | - Jane E Stewart
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
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10
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Farda B, Vaccarelli I, Ercole C, Djebaili R, Del Gallo M, Pellegrini M. Exploring structure, microbiota, and metagenome functions of epigean and hypogean black deposits by microscopic, molecular and bioinformatic approaches. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19405. [PMID: 36371463 PMCID: PMC9653421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24159-9] [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: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study revealed how Bacteria and Archaea communities and their metabolic functions differed between two groups of black deposits identified in gorge and cave environments. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to analyse the presence of microbial biosignatures and the elemental composition of samples. Metabarcoding of the V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA was used to investigate Bacteria and Archaea communities. Based on 16S rRNA sequencing results, PICRUSt software was used to predict metagenome functions. Micrographs showed that samples presented microbial biosignatures and microanalyses highlighted Mn concretions and layers on Al-Si surfaces. The 16S rRNA metabarcoding alpha-diversity metrics showed similar Simpson's and Shannon indices and different values of the Chao-1 index. The amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) analysis at the different taxonomic levels showed a diverse genera composition. However, the communities of all samples shared the presence of uncultured ASVs belonging to the Gemmatales family (Phylogenesis: Gemmataceae; Planctomycetes; Planctomycetota; Bacteria). The predicted metagenome functions analysis revealed diverse metabolic profiles of the Cave and Gorge groups. Genes coding for essential Mn metabolism were present in all samples. Overall, the findings on structure, microbiota, and predicted metagenome functions showed a similar microbial contribution to epigean and hypogean black deposits Mn metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Farda
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Ilaria Vaccarelli
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Claudia Ercole
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Rihab Djebaili
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Maddalena Del Gallo
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Marika Pellegrini
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
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11
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Zhu HZ, Jiang CY, Liu SJ. Microbial roles in cave biogeochemical cycling. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:950005. [PMID: 36246268 PMCID: PMC9554484 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.950005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Among fundamental research questions in subterranean biology, the role of subterranean microbiomes playing in key elements cycling is a top-priority one. Karst caves are widely distributed subsurface ecosystems, and cave microbes get more and more attention as they could drive cave evolution and biogeochemical cycling. Research have demonstrated the existence of diverse microbes and their participance in biogeochemical cycling of elements in cave environments. However, there are still gaps in how these microbes sustain in caves with limited nutrients and interact with cave environment. Cultivation of novel cave bacteria with certain functions is still a challenging assignment. This review summarized the role of microbes in cave evolution and mineral deposition, and intended to inspire further exploration of microbial performances on C/N/S biogeocycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Zhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng-Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang-Jiang Liu,
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12
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Martin-Pozas T, Cuezva S, Fernandez-Cortes A, Cañaveras JC, Benavente D, Jurado V, Saiz-Jimenez C, Janssens I, Seijas N, Sanchez-Moral S. Role of subterranean microbiota in the carbon cycle and greenhouse gas dynamics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154921. [PMID: 35364174 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Subterranean ecosystems play an active role in the global carbon cycle, yet only a few studies using indirect methods have focused on the role of the cave microbiota in this critical cycle. Here we present pioneering research based on in situ real-time monitoring of CO2 and CH4 diffusive fluxes and concurrent δ13C geochemical tracing in caves, combined with 16S microbiome analysis. Our findings show that cave sediments are promoting continuous CH4 consumption from cave atmosphere, resulting in a significant removal of 65% to 90%. This research reveals the most effective taxa and metabolic pathways in consumption and uptake of greenhouse gases. Methanotrophic bacteria were the most effective group involved in CH4 consumption, namely within the families Methylomonaceae, Methylomirabilaceae and Methylacidiphilaceae. In addition, Crossiella and Nitrosococcaceae wb1-P19 could be one of the main responsible of CO2 uptake, which occurs via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and reversible hydration of CO2. Thus, syntrophic relationships exist between Crossiella and nitrifying bacteria that capture CO2, consume inorganic N produced by heterotrophic ammonification in the surface of sediments, and induce moonmilk formation. Moonmilk is found as the most evolved phase of the microbial processes in cave sediments that fixes CO2 as calcite and intensifies CH4 oxidation. From an ecological perspective, cave sediments act qualitatively as soils, providing fundamental ecosystem services (e.g. nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration) with direct influence on greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Martin-Pozas
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Soledad Cuezva
- Department of Geology, Geography and Environment, University of Alcalá, Scientific Technological Campus, 28802 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; Plants and Ecosystems, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | | | - Juan Carlos Cañaveras
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig Campus, 03690 Alicante, Spain.
| | - David Benavente
- Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig Campus, 03690 Alicante, Spain.
| | - Valme Jurado
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil Conservation, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Department of Agrochemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Soil Conservation, Institute of Natural Resources and Agricultural Biology (IRNAS-CSIC), 41012 Seville, Spain.
| | - Ivan Janssens
- Plants and Ecosystems, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Naomi Seijas
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Sergio Sanchez-Moral
- Department of Geology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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13
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Zhou Z, Meng H, Gu W, Li J, Deng M, Gu JD. High-throughput sequencing reveals the main drivers of niche-differentiation of bacterial community in the surface sediments of the northern South China sea. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 178:105641. [PMID: 35594805 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Studies on marine bacterial communities have revealed endemism in local communities, yet the underlying mechanisms remained elusive. Environmental gradient settings can benefit the straightaway study of community composition changes and the mechanisms explaining them. Here, MiSeq-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on 12 surface sediment samples from the northern South China Sea (nSCS) revealing that shallow-sea samples had a higher alpha diversity than deep-sea samples, and were differentiated from them significantly based on beta diversity. Temperature, seawater depth, and salinity were the top three influential factors. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene abundance was positively correlated with temperature, and negatively correlated with salinity. Sulfate-reducing bacteria including Desulfobacteraceae, Desulfobulbaceae, and Syntrophobacteraceae were enriched in shallow-sea sediments, co-abundant with nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira and potential sulfur-oxidizing shallow-sea specific Woeseiaceae/JTB255 clade. Meanwhile, the co-existing and co-abundant of marine anammox and n-damo bacteria were enriched in deep-sea sediments, which was firstly evidenced in this study. The global deep-sea cosmopolitans, OM1 clade, and deep-sea specific Woeseiaceae/JTB255 clade were also found enriched in deep-sea sediments of nSCS. The discovery of novel taxa which were differentially enriched in shallow-/deep-sea sediments not only shed light on enigmatic physiological properties and the natural selection mechanism, but also provided the potential ecological-functional links which invoked further genomics-based metabolic characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Zhou
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Han Meng
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, 122 Ninghai Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Wenjie Gu
- Insitute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer in South Region, Ministry of Agriculture/Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nutrient Cycling and Farmland Conservation/Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Soil Microbes and Cultivated Land Conservation, 66 Jinying Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510640, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Food and Bioengineering, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510300, China
| | - Maocheng Deng
- Department of Food and Bioengineering, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510300, China
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Environmental Engineering, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials and Technologies for Energy Conversion, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China.
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14
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Gorovtsov A, Demin K, Sushkova S, Minkina T, Grigoryeva T, Dudnikova T, Barbashev A, Semenkov I, Romanova V, Laikov A, Rajput V, Kocharovskaya Y. The effect of combined pollution by PAHs and heavy metals on the topsoil microbial communities of Spolic Technosols of the lake Atamanskoe, Southern Russia. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2022; 44:1299-1315. [PMID: 34528142 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-01059-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The contamination with organic and inorganic pollutants changes significantly soil microbial community structure. These shifts indicate anthropogenic pressure and help to discover new possibilities for soil remediation. In this study, the microbial community structure of Spolic Technosols formed at the territory of a former industrial sludge reservoir near the Kamensk-Shakhtinsky (Southern Russia) was studied using a metagenomics approach. The studied soils contain high concentrations of heavy metals (HM) (up to 72,900 mg kg-1) and 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (up to 6670 mg kg-1). Its microbial communities demonstrate an excellent adaptability level reflected in their complexity and diversity. As shown by the high values of alpha diversity indices (Shannon values up to 10.1, Chao1 values from 1430 to 4273), instead of decreasing quantitatively and qualitatively on the systemic level, microbial communities tend to undergo complex redistribution. Regardless of contamination level, the share of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria was consistently high and varied from 20 to 50%. Following the results of the Mann-Whitney U test, there were significant changes of less abundant phyla. The abundance of oligotrophic bacteria from Gemmatimonadetes and Verrucomicrobia phyla and autotrophic bacteria (e.g., Nitrospira) decreased due to the high PAH's level. And abundance of Firmicutes and amoebae-associated bacteria such as TM6 and soil Chlamydia increased in highly contaminated plots. In the Spolic Technosols studied, the influence of factors on the microbial community composition decreased from PAHs concentration to soil characteristics (organic carbon content) and phylum-phylum interactions. The high concentrations of HMs influenced weakly on the microbial community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Gorovtsov
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | - Konstantin Demin
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | - Svetlana Sushkova
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090.
| | - Tatiana Minkina
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | | | - Tamara Dudnikova
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | - Andrey Barbashev
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | - Ivan Semenkov
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation, 119991
| | | | | | - Vishnu Rajput
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation, 344090
| | - Yulia Kocharovskaya
- Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Pushchino, Moscow region, Russian Federation, 142290
- The Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education, Pushchino State Institute of Natural Science, Pushchino, Moscow region, Russian Federation, 142290
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15
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Bendia AG, Callefo F, Araújo MN, Sanchez E, Teixeira VC, Vasconcelos A, Battilani G, Pellizari VH, Rodrigues F, Galante D. Metagenome-Assembled Genomes from Monte Cristo Cave (Diamantina, Brazil) Reveal Prokaryotic Lineages As Functional Models for Life on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:293-312. [PMID: 34694925 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities have been explored in various terrestrial subsurface ecosystems, showing metabolic potentials that could generate noteworthy morphological and molecular biosignatures. Recent advancements in bioinformatic tools have allowed for descriptions of novel and yet-to-be cultivated microbial lineages in different ecosystems due to the genome reconstruction approach from metagenomic data. Using shotgun metagenomic data, we obtained metagenome-assembled genomes related to cultivated and yet-to-be cultivated prokaryotic lineages from a silica and iron-rich cave (Monte Cristo) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The Monte Cristo Cave has been shown to possess a high diversity of genes involved with different biogeochemical cycles, including reductive and oxidative pathways related to carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and iron. Three genomes were selected for pangenomic analysis, assigned as Truepera sp., Ca. Methylomirabilis sp., and Ca. Koribacter sp. based on their lifestyles (radiation resistance, anaerobic methane oxidation, and potential iron oxidation). These bacteria exhibit genes involved with multiple DNA repair strategies, starvation, and stress response. Because these groups have few reference genomes deposited in databases, our study adds important genomic information about these lineages. The combination of techniques applied in this study allowed us to unveil the potential relationships between microbial genomes and their ecological processes with the cave mineralogy and highlight the lineages involved with anaerobic methane oxidation, iron oxidation, and radiation resistance as functional models for the search for extant life-forms outside our planet in silica- and iron-rich environments and potentially on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda G Bendia
- Biological Oceanography Department, Oceanographic Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flavia Callefo
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Maicon N Araújo
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Evelyn Sanchez
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil
| | - Verônica C Teixeira
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Vasconcelos
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil
| | - Gislaine Battilani
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil
| | - Vivian H Pellizari
- Biological Oceanography Department, Oceanographic Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio Rodrigues
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Douglas Galante
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, Brazil
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16
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Zada S, Xie J, Yang M, Yang X, Sajjad W, Rafiq M, Hasan F, Hu Z, Wang H. Composition and functional profiles of microbial communities in two geochemically and mineralogically different caves. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:8921-8936. [PMID: 34738169 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11658-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Microbial communities in cave ecosystems have specific survival strategies, which is far from being well explicated. Here, we reported the genetic and functional diversity of bacteria and archaea in typical limestone (Kashmir Cave) and silicate-containing (Tiser Cave) caves. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analyses revealed the different geochemical and mineral compositions of the two caves. Amplicon barcode sequencing revealed the dominancy of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in Kashmir and Tiser Caves. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in Tiser Cave, and the abundance is relatively small in Kashmir Cave. Archaea was also abundant prokaryotes in Kashmir Cave, but it only accounted for 0.723% of the total prokaryote sequences in Tiser Cave. Functional analysis based on metagenomic sequencing data revealed that a large number of functional potential genes involved in nutrient metabolism and biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in Tiser and Kashmir Cave samples could significantly influence the biogeochemical cycle and secondary metabolite production in cave habitats. In addition, the two caves were also found to be rich in biosynthetic genes, encoding bioactive compounds, such as monobactam and prodigiosin, indicating that these caves could be potential habitats for the isolation of antibiotics. This study provides a comprehensive insight into the diversity of bacteria and archaea in cave ecosystems and helps to better understand the special survival strategies of microorganisms in cave ecosystems.Key points• Geochemically distinct caves possess unique microbial community structure.• Cavernicoles could be important candidates for antibiotic production.• Cavernicoles are important for biogeochemical cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahib Zada
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Jianmin Xie
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Min Yang
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Yang
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Wasim Sajjad
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Engineering and Management Sciences, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Quetta, Pakistan
| | - Fariha Hasan
- Department of Microbiology, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zhong Hu
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Institute of Marine Sciences, Shantou University, Shantou, China.
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17
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Guerrero-Cruz S, Vaksmaa A, Horn MA, Niemann H, Pijuan M, Ho A. Methanotrophs: Discoveries, Environmental Relevance, and a Perspective on Current and Future Applications. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:678057. [PMID: 34054786 PMCID: PMC8163242 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.678057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane is the final product of the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. The conversion of organic matter to methane (methanogenesis) as a mechanism for energy conservation is exclusively attributed to the archaeal domain. Methane is oxidized by methanotrophic microorganisms using oxygen or alternative terminal electron acceptors. Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria belong to the phyla Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, while anaerobic methane oxidation is also mediated by more recently discovered anaerobic methanotrophs with representatives in both the bacteria and the archaea domains. The anaerobic oxidation of methane is coupled to the reduction of nitrate, nitrite, iron, manganese, sulfate, and organic electron acceptors (e.g., humic substances) as terminal electron acceptors. This review highlights the relevance of methanotrophy in natural and anthropogenically influenced ecosystems, emphasizing the environmental conditions, distribution, function, co-existence, interactions, and the availability of electron acceptors that likely play a key role in regulating their function. A systematic overview of key aspects of ecology, physiology, metabolism, and genomics is crucial to understand the contribution of methanotrophs in the mitigation of methane efflux to the atmosphere. We give significance to the processes under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions for both aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidizers. In the context of anthropogenically influenced ecosystems, we emphasize the current and potential future applications of methanotrophs from two different angles, namely methane mitigation in wastewater treatment through the application of anaerobic methanotrophs, and the biotechnological applications of aerobic methanotrophs in resource recovery from methane waste streams. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that may lead to opportunities to harness further the biotechnological benefits of methanotrophs in methane mitigation and for the production of valuable bioproducts enabling a bio-based and circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Guerrero-Cruz
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
- Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Annika Vaksmaa
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, ’t Horntje, Netherlands
| | - Marcus A. Horn
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, ’t Horntje, Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Maite Pijuan
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
- Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Adrian Ho
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
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18
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Gonzalez-Pimentel JL, Martin-Pozas T, Jurado V, Miller AZ, Caldeira AT, Fernandez-Lorenzo O, Sanchez-Moral S, Saiz-Jimenez C. Prokaryotic communities from a lava tube cave in La Palma Island (Spain) are involved in the biogeochemical cycle of major elements. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11386. [PMID: 34026356 PMCID: PMC8121065 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lava caves differ from karstic caves in their genesis and mineral composition. Subsurface microbiology of lava tube caves in Canary Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, is largely unknown. We have focused the investigation in a representative lava tube cave, Fuente de la Canaria Cave, in La Palma Island, Spain, which presents different types of speleothems and colored microbial mats. Four samples collected in this cave were studied using DNA next-generation sequencing and field emission scanning electron microscopy for bacterial identification, functional profiling, and morphological characterization. The data showed an almost exclusive dominance of Bacteria over Archaea. The distribution in phyla revealed a majority abundance of Proteobacteria (37-89%), followed by Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Candidatus Rokubacteria. These four phyla comprised a total relative abundance of 72-96%. The main ecological functions in the microbial communities were chemoheterotrophy, methanotrophy, sulfur and nitrogen metabolisms, and CO2 fixation; although other ecological functions were outlined. Genome annotations of the especially representative taxon Ga0077536 (about 71% of abundance in moonmilk) predicted the presence of genes involved in CO2 fixation, formaldehyde consumption, sulfur and nitrogen metabolisms, and microbially-induced carbonate precipitation. The detection of several putative lineages associated with C, N, S, Fe and Mn indicates that Fuente de la Canaria Cave basalts are colonized by metabolically diverse prokaryotic communities involved in the biogeochemical cycling of major elements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Valme Jurado
- Environmental Microbiology, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
- Environmental Microbiology, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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19
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Vijayan A, Vattiringal Jayadradhan RK, Pillai D, Prasannan Geetha P, Joseph V, Isaac Sarojini BS. Nitrospira as versatile nitrifiers: Taxonomy, ecophysiology, genome characteristics, growth, and metabolic diversity. J Basic Microbiol 2021; 61:88-109. [PMID: 33448079 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202000485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The global nitrogen cycle is of paramount significance as it affects important processes like primary productivity and decomposition. Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, is a key process in the nitrogen cycle. The knowledge about nitrification has been challenged during the last few decades with inventions like anaerobic ammonia oxidation, ammonia-oxidizing archaea, and recently the complete ammonia oxidation (comammox). The discovery of comammox Nitrospira has made a paradigm shift in nitrification, before which it was considered as a two-step process, mediated by chemolithoautotrophic ammonia oxidizers and nitrite oxidizers. The genome of comammox Nitrospira equipped with molecular machineries for both ammonia and nitrite oxidation. The genus Nitrospira is ubiquitous, comes under phylum Nitrospirae, which comprises six sublineages consisting of canonical nitrite oxidizers and comammox. The single-step nitrification is energetically more feasible; furthermore, the existence of diverse metabolic pathways in Nitrospira is critical for its establishment in various habitats. The present review discusses the taxonomy, ecophysiology, isolation, identification, growth, and metabolic diversity of the genus Nitrospira; compares the genomes of canonical nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira and comammox Nitrospira, and analyses the differences of Nitrospira with other nitrifying bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ardhra Vijayan
- Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Rejish Kumar Vattiringal Jayadradhan
- Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, India.,Department of Aquaculture, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Devika Pillai
- Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Preena Prasannan Geetha
- National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Valsamma Joseph
- National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Bright Singh Isaac Sarojini
- National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India
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20
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Anda D, Szabó A, Kovács-Bodor P, Makk J, Felföldi T, Ács É, Mádl-Szőnyi J, Borsodi AK. In situ modelling of biofilm formation in a hydrothermal spring cave. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21733. [PMID: 33303927 PMCID: PMC7729855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78759-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Attachment of microorganisms to natural or artificial surfaces and the development of biofilms are complex processes which can be influenced by several factors. Nevertheless, our knowledge on biofilm formation in karstic environment is quite incomplete. The present study aimed to examine biofilm development for a year under controlled conditions in quasi-stagnant water of a hydrothermal spring cave located in the Buda Thermal Karst System (Hungary). Using a model system, we investigated how the structure of the biofilm is formed from the water and also how the growth rate of biofilm development takes place in this environment. Besides scanning electron microscopy, next-generation DNA sequencing was used to reveal the characteristic taxa and major shifts in the composition of the bacterial communities. Dynamic temporal changes were observed in the structure of bacterial communities. Bacterial richness and diversity increased during the biofilm formation, and 9-12 weeks were needed for the maturation. Increasing EPS production was also observed from the 9-12 weeks. The biofilm was different from the water that filled the cave pool, in terms of the taxonomic composition and metabolic potential of microorganisms. In these karstic environments, the formation of mature biofilm appears to take place relatively quickly, in a few months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dóra Anda
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Attila Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Petra Kovács-Bodor
- Department of Geology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Makk
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Felföldi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Ács
- Danube Research Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, Budapest, 1113, Hungary.,Faculty of Water Sciences, National University of Public Service, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca, 12-14, 6500, Baja, Hungary
| | - Judit Mádl-Szőnyi
- Department of Geology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea K Borsodi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary. .,Danube Research Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, Budapest, 1113, Hungary.
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21
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Microbial community profiling of ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacterial enrichments from brackishwater ecosystems for mitigating nitrogen species. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5201. [PMID: 32251334 PMCID: PMC7090006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62183-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen species such as ammonia and nitrite are considered as major stressors in modern aquaculture practices. We developed enrichments of ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB) for effective mitigation of nitrogenous wastes in the shrimp culture operations. The objective of this study was to understand the microbial community composition of AOB and NOB enrichments using the V3-V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The analysis revealed 2948 and 1069 OTUs at 97% similarity index and Shannon alpha diversity index of 7.64 and 4.85 for AOB and NOB enrichments, respectively. Comparative analysis showed that a total of 887 OTUs were common among AOB and NOB enrichments. The AOB and NOB enrichment were dominated by Eubacteria at 96% and 99.7% respectively. Proteobacterial phylum constituted 31.46% (AOB) and 39.75% (NOB) and dominated by α-Proteobacteria (20%) in AOB and γ-Proteobacteria (16%) in NOB. Among the species in AOB enrichment (2,948) two sequences were assigned to ammonia oxidising bacterial group belonging to Nitrosomonas, and Nitrosococcus genera and two belonged to archaeon group comprising Nitrosopumilus and Candidatus Nitrososphaeraea genera. The NOB enrichment was predominated by Nitrospiraceae and Thermodesulfovibrionaceae. Further, the data revealed the presence of heterotrophic bacteria contributing to the process of nitrification and form microcosm with the AOB and NOB. PICRUSt analysis predicted the presence of 24 different nitrogen cycling genes involved in nitrification, denitrification, ammonia and nitrogen transporter family, nitrate reduction and ammonia assimilation. The study confirms the presence of many lesser known nitrifying bacteria along with well characterised nitrifiers.
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22
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He H, Fu L, Liu Q, Fu L, Bi N, Yang Z, Zhen Y. Community Structure, Abundance and Potential Functions of Bacteria and Archaea in the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, Xisha, South China Sea. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2404. [PMID: 31681249 PMCID: PMC6813542 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sansha Yongle Blue Hole is the deepest blue hole in the world and exhibits unique environmental characteristics. In this paper, Illumina sequencing and qPCR analysis were conducted to obtain the microbial information in this special ecosystem. The results showed that the richness and diversity of bacterial communities in the hole was greater than those of archaeal communities, and bacterial and archaeal communities were dominated by Proteobacteria and Euryarchaeota, respectively. Temperature and nitrate concentration significantly contributed to the heterogeneous distribution of major bacterial clades; salinity explained most variations of the archaeal communities, but not significant. A sudden increase of bacterial 16S rRNA, archaeal 16S rRNA, ANAMMOX 16S rRNA, nirS and dsrB gene was noticed from 90 to 100 m in the hole probably due to more phytoplankton at this depth. Sulfur oxidation and nitrate reduction were the most abundant predicted ecological functions in the hole, while lots of archaea were predicted to be involved in aerobic ammonia oxidation and methanogenesis. The co-occurrence network analysis illustrated that a synergistic effect between sulfate reduction and sulfur oxidation, and between nitrogen fixation and denitrification, a certain degree of coupling between sulfur and nitrogen cycle was also observed in the hole. The comparisons of bacterial and archaeal communities between the hole and other caves in the world (or other areas of the South China Sea) suggest that similar conditions are hypothesized to give rise to similar microbial communities, and environmental conditions may contribute significantly to the bacterial and archaeal communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui He
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Lulu Fu
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Qian Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
| | - Liang Fu
- Sansha Trackline Institute of Coral Reef Environment Protection, Sansha, China
| | - Naishuang Bi
- College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Zuosheng Yang
- College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Zhen
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Qingdao, China
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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23
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Zhu HZ, Zhang ZF, Zhou N, Jiang CY, Wang BJ, Cai L, Liu SJ. Diversity, Distribution and Co-occurrence Patterns of Bacterial Communities in a Karst Cave System. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1726. [PMID: 31447801 PMCID: PMC6691740 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Caves are typified by their permanent darkness and a shortage of nutrients. Consequently, bacteria play an important role in sustaining such subsurface ecosystems by dominating primary production and fueling biogeochemical cycles. China has one of the world’s largest areas of karst topography in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, yet the bacteriomes in these karst caves remain unexplored. In this study, bacteriomes of eight karst caves in southwest China were examined, and co-occurrence networks of cave bacterial communities were constructed. Results revealed abundant and diversified bacterial communities in karst caves, with Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes being the most abundant phyla. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in bacteriomes among the eight caves. However, a PCoA plot did show that the bacterial communities of 128 cave samples clustered into groups corresponding to sampling types (air, water, rock, and sediment). These results suggest that the distribution of bacterial communities is driven more by sample types than the separate caves from which samples were collected. Further community-level composition analysis indicated that Proteobacteria were most dominant in water and air samples, while Actinobacteria dominated the sediment and rock samples. Co-occurrence analysis revealed highly modularized assembly patterns of the cave bacterial community, with Nitrosococcaceae wb1-P19, an uncultured group in Rokubacteriales, and an uncultured group in Gaiellales, being the top-three keystone members. These results not only expand our understanding of cave bacteriomes but also inspires functional exploration of bacterial strains in karst caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Zhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Feng Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Mycology at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng-Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Eco-Envorinmental Sciences-Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Joint-Lab of Microbial Technology for Environmental Science, Beijing, China
| | - Bao-Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Eco-Envorinmental Sciences-Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Joint-Lab of Microbial Technology for Environmental Science, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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24
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Enyedi NT, Anda D, Borsodi AK, Szabó A, Pál SE, Óvári M, Márialigeti K, Kovács-Bodor P, Mádl-Szőnyi J, Makk J. Radioactive environment adapted bacterial communities constituting the biofilms of hydrothermal spring caves (Budapest, Hungary). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 203:8-17. [PMID: 30844681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The thermal waters of Gellért Hill discharge area of the Buda Thermal Karst System (Hungary) are characterized by high (up to 1000 Bq/L) 222Rn-activity due to the radium-accumulating biogeochemical layers. Samples were taken from these ferruginous and calcareous layers developed on spring cave walls and water surface. Accumulation of potentially toxic metals (e.g. As, Hg, Pb, Sn, Sr, Zn) in the dense extracellular polymeric substance containing bacterial cells and remains was detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The comparison of bacterial phylogenetic diversity of the biofilm samples was performed by high throughput next generation sequencing (NGS). The analysis showed similar sets of mainly unidentified taxa of phyla Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes; however, large differences were found in their abundance. Cultivation-based method complemented with irradiation assay was performed using 5, 10 and 15 kGy doses of gamma-rays from a 60Co-source to reveal the extreme radiation-resistant bacteria. The phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria (classes Alpha- Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria), Bacteriodetes and Deinococcus-Thermus were represented among the 452 bacterial strains. The applied irradiation treatments promoted the isolation of 100 different species, involving candidate novel species, as well. The vast majority of the isolates belonged to bacterial taxa previously unknown as radiation-resistant microorganisms. Members of the genera Paracoccus, Marmoricola, Dermacoccus and Kytococcus were identified from the 15 kGy dose irradiated samples. The close relatives of several known radiation-tolerant bacteria were also detected from the biofilm samples, alongside with bacteria capable of detoxification by metal accumulation, adsorption and precipitation in the form of calcium-carbonate which possibly maintain the viability of the habitat. The results suggest the establishment of a unique, extremophilic microbiota in the studied hydrothermal spring caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nóra Tünde Enyedi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Dóra Anda
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary; Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Andrea K Borsodi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary; Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Attila Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Sára Eszter Pál
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Mihály Óvári
- Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29, H-1113, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Analytical Chemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/A, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Károly Márialigeti
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Petra Kovács-Bodor
- Department of Physical and Applied Geology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit Mádl-Szőnyi
- Department of Physical and Applied Geology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit Makk
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
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25
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Mateos-Rivera A, Øvreås L, Wilson B, Yde JC, Finster KW. Activity and diversity of methane-oxidizing bacteria along a Norwegian sub-Arctic glacier forefield. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4956520. [PMID: 29617984 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane (CH4) is one of the most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and identification of its sources and sinks is crucial for the reliability of climate model outputs. Although CH4 production and consumption rates have been reported from a broad spectrum of environments, data obtained from glacier forefields are restricted to a few locations. We report the activities of methanotrophic communities and their diversity along a chronosequence in front of a sub-Arctic glacier using high-throughput sequencing and gas flux measurements. CH4 oxidation rates were measured in the field throughout the growing season during three sampling times at eight different sampling points in combination with laboratory incubation experiments. The overall results showed that the methanotrophic community had similar trends of increased CH4 consumption and increased abundance as a function of soil development and time of year. Sequencing results revealed that the methanotrophic community was dominated by a few OTUs and that a short-term increase in CH4 concentration, as performed in the field measurements, altered slightly the relative abundance of the OTUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Mateos-Rivera
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, NO-5020, Bergen, Norway.,Faculty of Engineering and Science, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, NO-6851, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Lise Øvreås
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, NO-5020, Bergen, Norway.,University Centre in Svalbard, NO-9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Bryan Wilson
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, NO-5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jacob C Yde
- Faculty of Engineering and Science, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, NO-6851, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Kai W Finster
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark.,Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark
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26
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Bioavailability of a Novel Form of Microencapsulated Bovine Lactoferrin and Its Effect on Inflammatory Markers and the Gut Microbiome: A Pilot Study. Nutrients 2018; 10:nu10081115. [PMID: 30126153 PMCID: PMC6115941 DOI: 10.3390/nu10081115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine lactoferrin, extracted from milk or whey, is used in a range of products to enhance immunity and support digestive health, iron absorption, and homeostasis. This study examined the absorption and effect of Progel (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) microencapsulated bovine lactoferrin (InferrinTM, Bega Bionutrients, Victoria, Australia) on immune markers and the microbiome. A double-blind randomised, cross-over trial was conducted with 12 healthy males randomised to one of two doses, equivalent to 200 mg or 600 mg lactoferrin, for two four-week supplementation arms, with a two-week washout period. Subjects received either standard bovine lactoferrin or InferrinTM for each arm. Baseline and post each trial arm, CD69+ activation on CD4+ and CD8+ cells was analysed, bovine and human lactoferrin contents of faecal and serum samples were reported, and the gut microbiome was analysed using 16S sequencing and metagenomic sequencing. The mean level of CD69+ activation on the CD4+ cells was lower after supplementation regardless of the form or dose of lactoferrin. This was statistically significant for the 200 mg dose. A higher level of bovine lactoferrin was found post-supplementation in those taking InferrinTM, although this was not statistically significant. Changes in phylum-level microbial community profiling were detected post-supplementation in the second trial arm, particularly in those receiving InferrinTM. Metagenomic sequencing showed changes in the volumes of the top 100 species of bacteria present before and after all treatment arms. Results suggest that lactoferrin supplementation may have beneficial effects on the microbiome and immune system, and that the use of InferrinTM improves absorption. Larger detailed studies are needed to ascertain the potential positive effects of bovine lactoferrin supplementation.
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27
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Mateos-Rivera A, Islam T, Marshall IPG, Schreiber L, Øvreås L. High-quality draft genome of the methanotroph Methylovulum psychrotolerans Str. HV10-M2 isolated from plant material at a high-altitude environment. Stand Genomic Sci 2018; 13:10. [PMID: 29686747 PMCID: PMC5898042 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-018-0314-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present the genome of Methylovulum psychrotolerans strain HV10-M2, a methanotroph isolated from Hardangervidda national park (Norway). This strain represents the second of the two validly published species genus with a sequenced genome. The other is M. miyakonense HT12, which is the type strain of the species and the type species of the genus Methylovulum. We present the genome of M. psychrotolerants str. HV10-M2 and discuss the differences between M. psychrotolerans and M. miyakonense. The genome size of M. psychrotolerans str. HV10-M2 is 4,923,400 bp and contains 4415 protein-coding genes, 50 RNA genes and an average GC content of 50.88%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Mateos-Rivera
- 1Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,2Faculty of Engineering and Science, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
| | - Tajul Islam
- 1Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ian P G Marshall
- 3Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lars Schreiber
- 3Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,5Present address: Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Lise Øvreås
- 1Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,4UNIS, the University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
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28
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Dhami NK, Mukherjee A, Watkin ELJ. Microbial Diversity and Mineralogical-Mechanical Properties of Calcitic Cave Speleothems in Natural and in Vitro Biomineralization Conditions. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:40. [PMID: 29472898 PMCID: PMC5810276 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural mineral formations are a window into important processes leading to carbon storage and mineralized carbonate structures formed through abiotic and biotic processes. In the current study, we made an attempt to undertake a comprehensive approach to characterize the mineralogical, mechanical, and microbial properties of different kinds of speleothems from karstic caves; with an aim to understand the bio-geo-chemical processes in speleothem structures and their impact on nanomechanical properties. We also investigated the biomineralization abilities of speleothem surface associated microbial communities in vitro. Mineralogical profiling using techniques such as X-ray powder Diffraction (XRD) and Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA) demonstrated that calcite was the dominant mineral in the majority of speleothems with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDS) indicating a few variations in the elemental components. Differing proportions of polymorphs of calcium carbonate such as aragonite and vaterite were also recorded. Significant variations in trace metal content were recorded through Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed differences in morphological features of the crystals which varied from triangular prismatic shapes to etched spiky forms. Microbial imprints and associations were seen in a few sections. Analysis of the associated microbial diversity showed significant differences between various speleothems at Phylum level; although Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were found to be the predominant groups. Genus level microbial associations showed a relationship with the geochemistry, mineralogical composition, and metal content of the speleothems. The assessment of nanomechanical properties measured by Nanoindentation revealed that the speleothems with a dominance of calcite were stronger than the speleothems with mixed calcium carbonate polymorphs and silica content. The in vitro metabolic activity of the microbial communities associated with the surfaces of the speleothems resulted in calcium carbonate crystal precipitation. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated these populations, in contrast to the populations seen in natural systems. The precipitation of calcium carbonate crystals in vitro indicated that microbial metabolic activity may also play an important role in the synthesis and dissociation of biominerals in the natural environment. Our study provides novel evidence of the close relationship between mineralogy, microbial ecology, geochemistry, and nanomechanical properties of natural formations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navdeep K. Dhami
- Biologically Activated Materials Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Abhijit Mukherjee
- Biologically Activated Materials Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Elizabeth L. J. Watkin
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute-Biosciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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29
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Karwautz C, Kus G, Stöckl M, Neu TR, Lueders T. Microbial megacities fueled by methane oxidation in a mineral spring cave. ISME JOURNAL 2017; 12:87-100. [PMID: 28949325 PMCID: PMC5739006 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2017.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Massive biofilms have been discovered in the cave of an iodine-rich former medicinal spring in southern Germany. The biofilms completely cover the walls and ceilings of the cave, giving rise to speculations about their metabolism. Here we report on first insights into the structure and function of the biofilm microbiota, combining geochemical, imaging and molecular analytics. Stable isotope analysis indicated that thermogenic methane emerging into the cave served as an important driver of biofilm formation. The undisturbed cavern atmosphere contained up to 3000 p.p.m. methane and was microoxic. A high abundance and diversity of aerobic methanotrophs primarily within the Methylococcales (Gammaproteobacteria) and methylotrophic Methylophilaceae (Betaproteobacteria) were found in the biofilms, along with a surprising diversity of associated heterotrophic bacteria. The highest methane oxidation potentials were measured for submerged biofilms on the cavern wall. Highly organized globular structures of the biofilm matrix were revealed by fluorescent lectin staining. We propose that the extracellular matrix served not only as an electron sink for nutrient-limited biofilm methylotrophs but potentially also as a diffusive barrier against volatilized iodine species. Possible links between carbon and iodine cycling in this peculiar habitat are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Karwautz
- Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Günter Kus
- Bavarian Environment Agency (LfU), Department 10: Geological Survey, Hof/Saale, Germany
| | - Michael Stöckl
- Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Thomas R Neu
- Department of River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tillmann Lueders
- Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
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30
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Imchen M, Kumavath R, Barh D, Azevedo V, Ghosh P, Viana M, Wattam AR. Searching for signatures across microbial communities: Metagenomic analysis of soil samples from mangrove and other ecosystems. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8859. [PMID: 28821820 PMCID: PMC5562921 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09254-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we categorize the microbial community in mangrove sediment samples from four different locations within a vast mangrove system in Kerala, India. We compared this data to other samples taken from the other known mangrove data, a tropical rainforest, and ocean sediment. An examination of the microbial communities from a large mangrove forest that stretches across southwestern India showed strong similarities across the higher taxonomic levels. When ocean sediment and a single isolate from a tropical rain forest were included in the analysis, a strong pattern emerged with Bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria being the prominent taxon among the forest samples. The ocean samples were predominantly Archaea, with Euryarchaeota as the dominant phylum. Principal component and functional analyses grouped the samples isolated from forests, including those from disparate mangrove forests and the tropical rain forest, from the ocean. Our findings show similar patterns in samples were isolated from forests, and these were distinct from the ocean sediment isolates. The taxonomic structure was maintained to the level of class, and functional analysis of the genes present also displayed these similarities. Our report for the first time shows the richness of microbial diversity in the Kerala coast and its differences with tropical rain forest and ocean microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madangchanok Imchen
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Periye, Padanakkad P.O, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671314, India
| | - Ranjith Kumavath
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Periye, Padanakkad P.O, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671314, India.
| | - Debmalya Barh
- Centre for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology, Nonakuri, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, 721172, India.,Xcode Life Sciences, 3D Eldorado, 112 Nungambakkam High Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600034, India.,Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vasco Azevedo
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Preetam Ghosh
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Marcus Viana
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alice R Wattam
- Biocomplexity Institute, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, USA.
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Tait AW, Gagen EJ, Wilson S, Tomkins AG, Southam G. Microbial Populations of Stony Meteorites: Substrate Controls on First Colonizers. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1227. [PMID: 28713354 PMCID: PMC5492697 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding fresh, sterilized rocks provides ecologists with a clean slate to test ideas about first colonization and the evolution of soils de novo. Lava has been used previously in first colonizer studies due to the sterilizing heat required for its formation. However, fresh lava typically falls upon older volcanic successions of similar chemistry and modal mineral abundance. Given enough time, this results in the development of similar microbial communities in the newly erupted lava due to a lack of contrast between the new and old substrates. Meteorites, which are sterile when they fall to Earth, provide such contrast because their reduced and mafic chemistry commonly differs to the surfaces on which they land; thus allowing investigation of how community membership and structure respond to this new substrate over time. We conducted 16S rRNA gene analysis on meteorites and soil from the Nullarbor Plain, Australia. We found that the meteorites have low species richness and evenness compared to soil sampled from directly beneath each meteorite. Despite the meteorites being found kilometers apart, the community structure of each meteorite bore more similarity to those of other meteorites (of similar composition) than to the community structure of the soil on which it resided. Meteorites were dominated by sequences that affiliated with the Actinobacteria with the major Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) classified as Rubrobacter radiotolerans. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the next most abundant phyla. The soils were also dominated by Actinobacteria but to a lesser extent than the meteorites. We also found OTUs affiliated with iron/sulfur cycling organisms Geobacter spp. and Desulfovibrio spp. This is an important finding as meteorites contain abundant metal and sulfur for use as energy sources. These ecological findings demonstrate that the structure of the microbial community in these meteorites is controlled by the substrate, and will not reach homeostasis with the Nullarbor community, even after ca. 35,000 years. Our findings show that meteorites provide a unique, sterile substrate with which to test ideas relating to first-colonizers. Although meteorites are colonized by microorganisms, the microbial population is unlikely to match the community of the surrounding soil on which they fall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair W. Tait
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, MelbourneVIC, Australia
| | - Emma J. Gagen
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. LuciaQLD, Australia
| | - Sasha Wilson
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, MelbourneVIC, Australia
| | - Andrew G. Tomkins
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, MelbourneVIC, Australia
| | - Gordon Southam
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. LuciaQLD, Australia
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He Z, Cai C, Wang J, Xu X, Zheng P, Jetten MSM, Hu B. A novel denitrifying methanotroph of the NC10 phylum and its microcolony. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32241. [PMID: 27582299 PMCID: PMC5007514 DOI: 10.1038/srep32241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The NC10 phylum is a candidate phylum of prokaryotes and is considered important in biogeochemical cycles and evolutionary history. NC10 members are as-yet-uncultured and are difficult to enrich, and our knowledge regarding this phylum is largely limited to the first species ‘Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera’ (M. oxyfera). Here, we enriched NC10 members from paddy soil and obtained a novel species of the NC10 phylum that mediates the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to nitrite reduction. By comparing the new 16S rRNA gene sequences with those already in the database, this new species was found to be widely distributed in various habitats in China. Therefore, we tentatively named it ‘Candidatus Methylomirabilis sinica’ (M. sinica). Cells of M. sinica are roughly coccus-shaped (0.7–1.2 μm), distinct from M. oxyfera (rod-shaped; 0.25–0.5 × 0.8–1.1 μm). Notably, microscopic inspections revealed that M. sinica grew in honeycomb-shaped microcolonies, which was the first discovery of microcolony of the NC10 phylum. This finding opens the possibility to isolate NC10 members using microcolony-dependent isolation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanfei He
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chaoyang Cai
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinhua Xu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Zheng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Baolan Hu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Gulecal-Pektas Y. Bacterial Diversity and Composition in Oylat Cave (Turkey) with Combined Sanger/Pyrosequencing Approach. Pol J Microbiol 2016; 65:69-75. [PMID: 27281996 DOI: 10.5604/17331331.1197277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiology of caves is an important topic for better understanding subsurface biosphere diversity. The diversity and taxonomic composition of bacterial communities associated with cave walls of the Oylat Cave was studied first time by molecular cloning based on Sanger/pyrosequencing approach. Results showed an average of 1,822 operational taxonomic units per sample. Clones analyzed from Oylat Cave were found to belong to 10 common phyla within the domain Bacteria. Proteobacteria dominated the phyla, followed by Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae. Shannon diversity index was between to 3.76 and 5.35. The robust analysis conducted for this study demonstrated high bacterial diversity on cave rock wall surfaces.
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The Snotty and the Stringy: Energy for Subsurface Life in Caves. THEIR WORLD: A DIVERSITY OF MICROBIAL ENVIRONMENTS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28071-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Gasc C, Ribière C, Parisot N, Beugnot R, Defois C, Petit-Biderre C, Boucher D, Peyretaillade E, Peyret P. Capturing prokaryotic dark matter genomes. Res Microbiol 2015; 166:814-30. [PMID: 26100932 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Prokaryotes are the most diverse and abundant cellular life forms on Earth. Most of them, identified by indirect molecular approaches, belong to microbial dark matter. The advent of metagenomic and single-cell genomic approaches has highlighted the metabolic capabilities of numerous members of this dark matter through genome reconstruction. Thus, linking functions back to the species has revolutionized our understanding of how ecosystem function is sustained by the microbial world. This review will present discoveries acquired through the illumination of prokaryotic dark matter genomes by these innovative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrielle Gasc
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Céline Ribière
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Nicolas Parisot
- Biologie Fonctionnelle Insectes et Interactions, UMR203 BF2I, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Université de Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Réjane Beugnot
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Clémence Defois
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Corinne Petit-Biderre
- Université Blaise Pascal, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6023, F-63171 Aubière, France.
| | - Delphine Boucher
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Eric Peyretaillade
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Pierre Peyret
- Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, EA 4678 CIDAM, BP 10448, F-63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Bishop R, Humphreys WF, Longley G. Epigean and hypogean Palaemonetes sp. (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from Edwards Aquifer: An examination of trophic structure and metabolism. SUBTERRANEAN BIOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.3897/subtbiol.14.8202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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MARSHALL HATHAWAY JENNIFERJ, GARCIA MATTHEWG, BALASCH MONICAMOYA, SPILDE MICHAELN, STONE FREDD, DAPKEVICIUS MARIADELURDESNE, AMORIM ISABELR, GABRIEL ROSALINA, BORGES PAULOAV, NORTHUP DIANAE. Comparison of Bacterial Diversity in Azorean and Hawai'ian Lava Cave Microbial Mats. GEOMICROBIOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 31:205-220. [PMID: 26924866 PMCID: PMC4765387 DOI: 10.1080/01490451.2013.777491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, lava caves host colorful microbial mats. However, little is known about the diversity of these microorganisms, or what role they may play in the subsurface ecosystem. White and yellow microbial mats were collected from four lava caves each on the Azorean island of Terceira and the Big Island of Hawai'i, to compare the bacterial diversity found in lava caves from two widely separated archipelagos in two different oceans at different latitudes. Scanning electron microscopy of mat samples showed striking similarities between Terceira and Hawai'ian microbial morphologies. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed to determine the diversity within these lava caves. Fifteen bacterial phyla were found across the samples, with more Actinobacteria clones in Hawai'ian communities and greater numbers of Acidobacteria clones in Terceira communities. Bacterial diversity in the subsurface was correlated with a set of factors. Geographical location was the major contributor to differences in community composition (at the OTU level), together with differences in the amounts of organic carbon, nitrogen and copper available in the lava rock that forms the cave. These results reveal, for the first time, the similarity among the extensive bacterial diversity found in lava caves in two geographically separate locations and contribute to the current debate on the nature of microbial biogeography.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - MATTHEW G. GARCIA
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - MONICA MOYA BALASCH
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - MICHAEL N. SPILDE
- Institute of Meteoritics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - FRED D. STONE
- University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawai’i and Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawai’i, USA
| | - MARIA DE LURDES N. E. DAPKEVICIUS
- Food Technology Group, CITA-A, Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal
| | - ISABEL R. AMORIM
- Food Technology Group, CITA-A, Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal
- Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal
| | - ROSALINA GABRIEL
- Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal
| | - PAULO A. V. BORGES
- Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA, CITA-A) and Portuguese Platform for Enhancing Ecological Research and Sustainability (PEERS), Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Portugal
| | - DIANA E. NORTHUP
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Abstract
Advances in sequencing technologies have made the investigation of microbial ecology and community dynamics more tractable. The critical first step in such analyses is the efficient and representative recovery of PCR-competent DNA from complex environmental samples. All extraction protocols contain inherent biases, meaning that choice of method involves compromise between various factors, including efficiency, yield, universality, and representative extraction. Here, details are given for a routine method used in our laboratory to extract DNA from soils, sediments, biofilms, roots, and fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Gillings
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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40
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Making a living while starving in the dark: metagenomic insights into the energy dynamics of a carbonate cave. ISME JOURNAL 2013; 8:478-91. [PMID: 24030597 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Revised: 08/03/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Carbonate caves represent subterranean ecosystems that are largely devoid of phototrophic primary production. In semiarid and arid regions, allochthonous organic carbon inputs entering caves with vadose-zone drip water are minimal, creating highly oligotrophic conditions; however, past research indicates that carbonate speleothem surfaces in these caves support diverse, predominantly heterotrophic prokaryotic communities. The current study applied a metagenomic approach to elucidate the community structure and potential energy dynamics of microbial communities, colonizing speleothem surfaces in Kartchner Caverns, a carbonate cave in semiarid, southeastern Arizona, USA. Manual inspection of a speleothem metagenome revealed a community genetically adapted to low-nutrient conditions with indications that a nitrogen-based primary production strategy is probable, including contributions from both Archaea and Bacteria. Genes for all six known CO2-fixation pathways were detected in the metagenome and RuBisCo genes representative of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle were over-represented in Kartchner speleothem metagenomes relative to bulk soil, rhizosphere soil and deep-ocean communities. Intriguingly, quantitative PCR found Archaea to be significantly more abundant in the cave communities than in soils above the cave. MEtaGenome ANalyzer (MEGAN) analysis of speleothem metagenome sequence reads found Thaumarchaeota to be the third most abundant phylum in the community, and identified taxonomic associations to this phylum for indicator genes representative of multiple CO2-fixation pathways. The results revealed that this oligotrophic subterranean environment supports a unique chemoautotrophic microbial community with potentially novel nutrient cycling strategies. These strategies may provide key insights into other ecosystems dominated by oligotrophy, including aphotic subsurface soils or aquifers and photic systems such as arid deserts.
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Kostanjšek R, Pašić L, Daims H, Sket B. Structure and community composition of sprout-like bacterial aggregates in a Dinaric Karst subterranean stream. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2013; 66:5-18. [PMID: 23314097 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-012-0172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 12/25/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The Vjetrenica cave in the Dinaric Karst hosts a worldwide extraordinarily high cave biodiversity. Beside a diverse and specialized cave fauna, sprout-like formations attached to the bed of the cave stream were observed and described, but not further characterized, almost a century ago. Here we investigated these sprout-like microbial aggregates by the rRNA approach and detailed microscopy. Based on fluorescence in situ hybridization and ultrastructural analysis, the sprout-like formations are morphologically highly organized, and their core consists of a member of a novel deep-branching lineage in the bacterial phylum Nitrospirae. This organism displays an interesting cellular ultrastructure with different kinds of cytoplasmic inclusions and is embedded in a thick extracellular matrix, which contributes to the stability and shape of the aggregates. This novel bacterium has been provisionally classified as "Candidatus Troglogloea absoloni." The surface of the sprout-like aggregates is more diverse than the core. It is colonized by a bacterial biofilm consisting primarily of filamentous Betaproteobacteria, whereas other microbial populations present in the crust include members of the Bacteriodetes, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinombacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Planctomycetes, which are intermingled with mineral inclusions. This study represents the first thorough molecular and ultrastructural characterization of the elusive sprout-like bacterial aggregates, which are also found in other cave systems of the Dinaric Karst. The discovery of Ca. Troglogloea absoloni contributes to the known biodiversity of subterranean ecosystems and especially of macroscopic structures formed in caves by microorganisms, whose composition and ecological function often remain enigmatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rok Kostanjšek
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Life in the dark: metagenomic evidence that a microbial slime community is driven by inorganic nitrogen metabolism. ISME JOURNAL 2013; 7:1227-36. [PMID: 23426011 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Beneath Australia's large, dry Nullarbor Plain lies an extensive underwater cave system, where dense microbial communities known as 'slime curtains' are found. These communities exist in isolation from photosynthetically derived carbon and are presumed to be chemoautotrophic. Earlier work found high levels of nitrite and nitrate in the cave waters and a high relative abundance of Nitrospirae in bacterial 16S rRNA clone libraries. This suggested that these communities may be supported by nitrite oxidation, however, details of the inorganic nitrogen cycling in these communities remained unclear. Here we report analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon and metagenomic sequence data from the Weebubbie cave slime curtain community. The microbial community is comprised of a diverse assortment of bacterial and archaeal genera, including an abundant population of Thaumarchaeota. Sufficient thaumarchaeotal sequence was recovered to enable a partial genome sequence to be assembled, which showed considerable synteny with the corresponding regions in the genome of the autotrophic ammonia oxidiser Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1. This partial genome sequence, contained regions with high sequence identity to the ammonia mono-oxygenase operon and carbon fixing 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle genes of N. maritimus SCM1. Additionally, the community, as a whole, included genes encoding key enzymes for inorganic nitrogen transformations, including nitrification and denitrification. We propose that the Weebubbie slime curtain community represents a distinctive microbial ecosystem, in which primary productivity is due to the combined activity of archaeal ammonia-oxidisers and bacterial nitrite oxidisers.
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Interactions of nitrifying bacteria and heterotrophs: identification of a Micavibrio-like putative predator of Nitrospira spp. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:2027-37. [PMID: 23335755 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03408-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemolithoautotrophic nitrifying bacteria release soluble organic compounds, which can be substrates for heterotrophic microorganisms. The identities of these heterotrophs and the specificities of their interactions with nitrifiers are largely unknown. In this study, we incubated nitrifying activated sludge with (13)C-labeled bicarbonate and used stable isotope probing of 16S rRNA to monitor the flow of carbon from uncultured nitrifiers to heterotrophs. To facilitate the identification of heterotrophs, the abundant 16S rRNA molecules from nitrifiers were depleted by catalytic oligonucleotides containing locked nucleic acids (LNAzymes), which specifically cut the 16S rRNA of defined target organisms. Among the (13)C-labeled heterotrophs were organisms remotely related to Micavibrio, a microbial predator of Gram-negative bacteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed a close spatial association of these organisms with microcolonies of nitrite-oxidizing sublineage I Nitrospira in sludge flocs. The high specificity of this interaction was confirmed by confocal microscopy and a novel image analysis method to quantify the localization patterns of biofilm microorganisms in three-dimensional (3-D) space. Other isotope-labeled bacteria, which were affiliated with Thermomonas, colocalized less frequently with nitrifiers and thus were commensals or saprophytes rather than specific symbionts or predators. These results suggest that Nitrospira spp. are subject to bacterial predation, which may influence the abundance and diversity of these nitrite oxidizers and the stability of nitrification in engineered and natural ecosystems. In silico screening of published next-generation sequencing data sets revealed a broad environmental distribution of the uncultured Micavibrio-like lineage.
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Banerjee S, Joshi SR. Insights into Cave Architecture and the Role of Bacterial Biofilm. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s40011-012-0149-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Microbiological and environmental issues in show caves. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 28:2453-64. [PMID: 22806150 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-012-1070-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/21/2012] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cultural tourism expanded in the last half of the twentieth century, and the interest of visitors has come to include caves containing archaeological remains. Some show caves attracted mass tourism, and economical interests prevailed over conservation, which led to a deterioration of the subterranean environment and the rock art. The presence and the role of microorganisms in caves is a topic that is often ignored in cave management. Knowledge of the colonisation patterns, the dispersion mechanisms, and the effect on human health and, when present, over rock art paintings of these microorganisms is of the utmost importance. In this review the most recent advances in the study of microorganisms in caves are presented, together with the environmental implications of the findings.
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Baskar S, Baskar R, Thorseth IH, Ovreås L, Pedersen RB. Microbially induced iron precipitation associated with a neutrophilic spring at Borra Caves, Vishakhapatnam, India. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:327-346. [PMID: 22519973 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The present investigation uncovers various pieces of evidence for the possible biologically induced mineralization in iron mats associated with a pH-neutral spring in the Borra caves, Vishakhapatnam, India. Electron microscopy [scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)] demonstrated large numbers of (i) hollow tubes (diameter ∼1 μm) resembling sheaths of the iron-oxidizing bacteria Leptothrix, (ii) thin (diameter <<1 μm) solid fibers of uncertain origin, (iii) nanoscale subspherical to irregularly shaped particles encrusting tubes and fibers, and (iv) aggregates of broken and partially disintegrated sheaths, fibers, and particles embedded in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) occasionally including microbial cells. X-ray microanalyses by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that the mat accumulated largely Fe but also smaller amounts of Si and traces of P and Ca. Particles rich in Si and Al (possibly kaolinite) and Ca (carbonate) were also observed. High-resolution TEM/EDS of unstained ultrathin sections suggests that microbial sheaths were highly mineralized by amorphous to cryptocrystalline Fe-rich phases and less frequently by other fine-grained and fibrous authigenic claylike minerals. Total number of microorganisms in the iron mats was 5.8×10(5) cells, g sed(-1) (wet weight). Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene diversity revealed microorganisms assigned to eight different phyla [Proteobacteria (62%), Chloroflexi (8%), Bacteroidetes (7%), Planctomycetes (1%), Actinobacteria (5%), Acidobacteria (6%), Nitrospira (1%), Firmicutes (5%)]. Within the Proteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria was the predominant class, which accounted for 28% of the sequences. Within this class some obvious similarities between the obtained sequences and sequences from other cave systems could be seen, especially sequences affiliated with Leptothrix, Siderooxidans, Crenothrix, Comamonadaceae, Dechloromonas, and many uncultured Betaproteobacteria. Four (4%) of the sequences could not be assigned to phylum level but were affiliating with the candidate division TM7 (2%), candidate division OP11 (1%), and candidate division WWE3 (1%). The results allow us to infer a possible relationship of microbial sheaths, EPS, and the iron precipitates to microbial community diversity in the Borra cave springs. Understanding biogenic iron oxides in caves has important astrobiological applications as it provides a potential tool for the detection of extraterrestrial life.
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Calcite biomineralization by bacterial isolates from the recently discovered pristine karstic herrenberg cave. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 78:1157-67. [PMID: 22179248 DOI: 10.1128/aem.06568-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Karstic caves represent one of the most important subterranean carbon storages on Earth and provide windows into the subsurface. The recent discovery of the Herrenberg Cave, Germany, gave us the opportunity to investigate the diversity and potential role of bacteria in carbonate mineral formation. Calcite was the only mineral observed by Raman spectroscopy to precipitate as stalactites from seepage water. Bacterial cells were found on the surface and interior of stalactites by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Proteobacteria dominated the microbial communities inhabiting stalactites, representing more than 70% of total 16S rRNA gene clones. Proteobacteria formed 22 to 34% of the detected communities in fluvial sediments, and a large fraction of these bacteria were also metabolically active. A total of 9 isolates, belonging to the genera Arthrobacter, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Serratia, and Stenotrophomonas, grew on alkaline carbonate-precipitating medium. Two cultures with the most intense precipitate formation, Arthrobacter sulfonivorans and Rhodococcus globerulus, grew as aggregates, produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and formed mixtures of calcite, vaterite, and monohydrocalcite. R. globerulus formed idiomorphous crystals with rhombohedral morphology, whereas A. sulfonivorans formed xenomorphous globular crystals, evidence for taxon-specific crystal morphologies. The results of this study highlighted the importance of combining various techniques in order to understand the geomicrobiology of karstic caves, but further studies are needed to determine whether the mineralogical biosignatures found in nutrient-rich media can also be found in oligotrophic caves.
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Northup DE, Melim LA, Spilde MN, Hathaway JJM, Garcia MG, Moya M, Stone FD, Boston PJ, Dapkevicius MLNE, Riquelme C. Lava cave microbial communities within mats and secondary mineral deposits: implications for life detection on other planets. ASTROBIOLOGY 2011; 11:601-18. [PMID: 21879833 PMCID: PMC3176350 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2010.0562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 04/03/2011] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Lava caves contain a wealth of yellow, white, pink, tan, and gold-colored microbial mats; but in addition to these clearly biological mats, there are many secondary mineral deposits that are nonbiological in appearance. Secondary mineral deposits examined include an amorphous copper-silicate deposit (Hawai'i) that is blue-green in color and contains reticulated and fuzzy filament morphologies. In the Azores, lava tubes contain iron-oxide formations, a soft ooze-like coating, and pink hexagons on basaltic glass, while gold-colored deposits are found in lava caves in New Mexico and Hawai'i. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular techniques was used to analyze these communities. Molecular analyses of the microbial mats and secondary mineral deposits revealed a community that contains 14 phyla of bacteria across three locations: the Azores, New Mexico, and Hawai'i. Similarities exist between bacterial phyla found in microbial mats and secondary minerals, but marked differences also occur, such as the lack of Actinobacteria in two-thirds of the secondary mineral deposits. The discovery that such deposits contain abundant life can help guide our detection of life on extraterrestrial bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- D E Northup
- Biology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
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Tkavc R, Gostinčar C, Turk M, Visscher PT, Oren A, Gunde-Cimerman N. Bacterial communities in the 'petola' microbial mat from the Sečovlje salterns (Slovenia). FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2010; 75:48-62. [PMID: 21062327 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00985.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sečovlje saltern is one of the few remaining solar salterns for traditional, seasonal salt production. The bottom of the crystallizer ponds is covered with a microbial mat, known as the 'petola', that has continuously been cultivated from medieval times. Outside the salt production season, the petola is fertilized with anoxic marine mud and covered with saline water; during the season, it is covered by brine. Here, we have applied culture-independent techniques and microelectrode-based activity measurements to study the bacterial communities in three different layers of the petola during the peak of the harvesting season. For reference, we used nonactive petola that had been abandoned for several years. The upper 2 mm of the petola were dominated by the cyanobacterial species Coleofasciculus chthonoplastes and the Phormidium/Lyngbya group, and Gammaproteobacteria (Acinetobacter sp.), while the third anoxic layer was dominated by as yet uncultured phyla. The nonactive petola showed a higher biodiversity. Oxygen and sulfide concentrations differed between the mats studied, in terms of the depth of oxygen penetration and diel changes. This study provides the first molecular insight into the microbiology of the petola, and it represents an important contribution towards understanding the geomicrobiological cycles of the traditional Sečovlje saltern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rok Tkavc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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An insect herbivore microbiome with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. PLoS Genet 2010; 6:e1001129. [PMID: 20885794 PMCID: PMC2944797 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2010] [Accepted: 08/19/2010] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Herbivores can gain indirect access to recalcitrant carbon present in plant cell walls through symbiotic associations with lignocellulolytic microbes. A paradigmatic example is the leaf-cutter ant (Tribe: Attini), which uses fresh leaves to cultivate a fungus for food in specialized gardens. Using a combination of sugar composition analyses, metagenomics, and whole-genome sequencing, we reveal that the fungus garden microbiome of leaf-cutter ants is composed of a diverse community of bacteria with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. Comparison of this microbiome's predicted carbohydrate-degrading enzyme profile with other metagenomes shows closest similarity to the bovine rumen, indicating evolutionary convergence of plant biomass degrading potential between two important herbivorous animals. Genomic and physiological characterization of two dominant bacteria in the fungus garden microbiome provides evidence of their capacity to degrade cellulose. Given the recent interest in cellulosic biofuels, understanding how large-scale and rapid plant biomass degradation occurs in a highly evolved insect herbivore is of particular relevance for bioenergy. Leaf-cutter ants form massive subterranean colonies containing millions of workers that harvest hundreds of kilograms of leaves each year. They use these leaves to grow a mutualistic fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. By farming fungus in specialized garden chambers, these dominant Neotropical herbivores facilitate rapid large-scale plant biomass conversion. Our understanding of this degradation process, and the responsible microbial community, is limited. In this study, we track the degradation of plant polymers in leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens and characterize the microbial community potentially mediating this process. We show that cellulose and hemicelluloses are degraded in the fungus gardens and that a previously unknown microbial community containing a diversity of bacteria is present. Metagenomic analysis of this community's genetic content revealed many genes predicted to encode enzymes capable of degrading plant cell walls. The ability of leaf-cutter ants to maintain an external microbial community with high plant biomass-degrading capacity likely represents a key step in the establishment of these ants as widespread, dominant insect herbivores in the Neotropics. This system is an important model for understanding how microbial communities degrade plant biomass in natural systems and has direct relevancy for bioenergy, given recent interest in cellulosic biofuels.
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