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Cai F, Li S, Chen J, Li R. Gansulinema gen. nov. and Komarkovaeasiopsis gen. nov.: Novel Oculatellacean genera (Cyanobacteria) isolated from desert soils and hot spring. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2024; 60:432-446. [PMID: 38197868 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
To increase the understanding of simple thin filamentous cyanobacteria in harsh environmental areas, we previously isolated and identified four strains (XN101, XN102, GS121, NX122) from desert soils and hot spring in China. As a result, two new Oculatellacean genera of these four strains, Gansulinema gen. nov. and Komarkovaeasiopsis gen. nov., are described based on a polyphasic approach. The ultrastructure of these strains showed a similar arrangement of peripheral thylakoids with three to four parallel layers, indicating that they belonged to the orders Nodosilineales, Oculatellales, or Leptolyngbyales. In the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, two sequences of the Gansulinema strains and the two sequences of the Komarkovaeasiopsis strains formed two independent and robust clusters, within the order Oculatellales. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains of Komarkovaeasiopsis and Gansulinema showed low identity to each other (≤93.2%) and to other sequences of the Oculatellacean genera (≤94.5% and ≤93.3%, respectively). Furthermore, the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer rRNA region secondary structures of strains of Komarkovaeasiopsis and Gansulinema were not consistent with all existing descriptions of Oculatellacean taxa. These data suggest that cyanobacterial communities are rich sources of new taxa in under-exploited areas, such as desert soils and hot spring in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Cai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuheng Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiaxin Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
| | - Renhui Li
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
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Joseph J, Ray JG. A critical review of soil algae as a crucial soil biological component of high ecological and economic significance. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2024; 60:229-253. [PMID: 38502571 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13444] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Aero-terrestrial algae are ecologically and economically valuable bioresources contributing to carbon sequestration, sustenance of soil health, and fertility. Compared to aquatic algae, the literature on subaerial algae is minimal, including studies of distinctive habitats such as forest soils, agricultural fields, deserts, polar regions, specific subaerial zones, artificial structures, and tropical soils. The primary goal here was to identify the gaps and scope of research on such algae. Accordingly, the literature was analyzed per sub-themes, such as the "nature of current research data on terrestrial algae," "methodological approaches," "diversity," "environmental relationships," "ecological roles," and "economic significance." The review showed there is a high diversity of algae in soils, especially members belonging to the Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria) and Chlorophyta. Algal distributions in terrestrial environments depend on the microhabitat conditions, and many species of soil algae are sensitive to specific soil conditions. The ecological significance of soil algae includes primary production, the release of biochemical stimulants and plant growth promoters into soils, nitrogen fixation, solubilization of minerals, and the enhancement and maintenance of soil fertility. Since aero-terrestrial habitats are generally stressed environments, algae of such environments can be rich in rare metabolites and natural products. For example, epilithic soil algae use wet adhesive molecules to fix them firmly on the substratum. Exploring the ecological roles and economic utility of soil and other subaerial algae could be helpful for the development of algae-based industries and for achieving sustainable soil management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jebin Joseph
- Department of Botany, St Berchmans College, Changanacherry, Kerala, India
- Laboratory of Ecology and Plant Science, School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
| | - Joseph George Ray
- School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
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Jung P, Briegel-Williams L, Werner L, Jost E, Schultz M, Nürnberg DJ, Grube M, Lakatos M. A direct PCR approach with low-biomass insert opens new horizons for molecular sciences on cryptogam communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0002424. [PMID: 38349146 PMCID: PMC10952543 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00024-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular sequence data have transformed research on cryptogams (e.g., lichens, microalgae, fungi, and symbionts thereof) but methods are still strongly hampered by the small size and intermingled growth of the target organisms, poor cultivability and detrimental effects of their secondary metabolites. Here, we aim to showcase examples on which a modified direct PCR approach for diverse aspects of molecular work on environmental samples concerning biocrusts, biofilms, and cryptogams gives new options for the research community. Unlike traditional approaches, this methodology only requires biomass equivalent to colonies and fragments of 0.2 mm in diameter, which can be picked directly from the environmental sample, and includes a quick DNA lysis followed by a standardized PCR cycle that allows co-cycling of various organisms/target regions in the same run. We demonstrate that this modified method can (i) amplify the most widely used taxonomic gene regions and those used for applied and environmental sciences from single colonies and filaments of free-living cyanobacteria, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens, including their mycobionts, chlorobionts, and cyanobionts from both isolates and in situ material during co-cycling; (ii) act as a tool to confirm that the dominant lichen photobiont was isolated from the original sample; and (iii) optionally remove inhibitory secondary lichen substances. Our results represent examples which highlight the method's potential for future applications covering mycology, phycology, biocrusts, and lichenology, in particular.IMPORTANCECyanobacteria, green algae, lichens, and other cryptogams play crucial roles in complex microbial systems such as biological soil crusts of arid biomes or biofilms in caves. Molecular investigations on environmental samples or isolates of these microorganisms are often hampered by their dense aggregation, small size, or metabolism products which complicate DNA extraction and subsequent PCRs. Our work presents various examples of how a direct DNA extraction and PCR method relying on low biomass inserts can overcome these common problems and discusses additional applications of the workflow including adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Laura Briegel-Williams
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Lina Werner
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Emily Jost
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Matthias Schultz
- Institute for Plant Science and Microbiology, Herbarium Hamburgense, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dennis J. Nürnberg
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Dahlem Centre for Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Michael Lakatos
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
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Savaglia V, Lambrechts S, Tytgat B, Vanhellemont Q, Elster J, Willems A, Wilmotte A, Verleyen E, Vyverman W. Geology defines microbiome structure and composition in nunataks and valleys of the Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1316633. [PMID: 38380088 PMCID: PMC10877063 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1316633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the relation between terrestrial microorganisms and edaphic factors in the Antarctic can provide insights into their potential response to environmental changes. Here we examined the composition of bacterial and micro-eukaryotic communities using amplicon sequencing of rRNA genes in 105 soil samples from the Sør Rondane Mountains (East Antarctica), differing in bedrock or substrate type and associated physicochemical conditions. Although the two most widespread taxa (Acidobacteriota and Chlorophyta) were relatively abundant in each sample, multivariate analysis and co-occurrence networks revealed pronounced differences in community structure depending on substrate type. In moraine substrates, Actinomycetota and Cercozoa were the most abundant bacterial and eukaryotic phyla, whereas on gneiss, granite and marble substrates, Cyanobacteriota and Metazoa were the dominant bacterial and eukaryotic taxa. However, at lower taxonomic level, a distinct differentiation was observed within the Cyanobacteriota phylum depending on substrate type, with granite being dominated by the Nostocaceae family and marble by the Chroococcidiopsaceae family. Surprisingly, metazoans were relatively abundant according to the 18S rRNA dataset, even in samples from the most arid sites, such as moraines in Austkampane and Widerøefjellet ("Dry Valley"). Overall, our study shows that different substrate types support distinct microbial communities, and that mineral soil diversity is a major determinant of terrestrial microbial diversity in inland Antarctic nunataks and valleys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Savaglia
- InBioS Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sam Lambrechts
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bjorn Tytgat
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Josef Elster
- Faculty of Science, Centre for Polar Ecology, University of South Bohemia České Budějovice and Institute of Botany, Třeboň, Czechia
| | - Anne Willems
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annick Wilmotte
- InBioS Research Unit, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Elie Verleyen
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Vyverman
- Laboratory of Protistology and Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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McKay JA, Crown M, Bashton M, Pearce D, Entwistle JA, Sangal V. Environmental microbiome in the home and daycare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and potential risk of non-communicable disease in children. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13233. [PMID: 38217304 PMCID: PMC10866607 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
An exposure to diverse microbial population early in life is important for the development of immunity against various non-communicable diseases including asthma, childhood leukaemia and other cancers. Social mixing in daycare settings helps with exposure to a variety of microbes. However, social isolation and a high emphasis on workplace hygiene during the COVID pandemic may have affected children's exposure to diverse microbiota. The structure of microbial communities and their role in developing immunity to various diseases are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the structure of microbial communities in daycare and home settings during the pandemic. Interestingly, microbial diversity was relatively higher in dust samples collected from homes, with human-associated taxa being more prevalent compared to those from daycare settings. Environmental microbes were more abundant in dust samples from daycare providers. These results potentially suggest that cleaning practices during the pandemic may have influenced the diversity and microbial abundance of the daycare samples. Several bacterial taxa detected in both the environments are known to induce anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, conferring protection from various diseases. Therefore, exposure to diverse microbial population in early childhood may play an important role in developing immunity against various non-communicable and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill A. McKay
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Matthew Crown
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Matthew Bashton
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - David Pearce
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Jane A. Entwistle
- Faculty of Environment and EngineeringNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Vartul Sangal
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
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Jusko BM, Johansen JR. Description of six new cyanobacterial species from soil biocrusts on San Nicolas Island, California, in three genera previously restricted to Brazil. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2024; 60:133-151. [PMID: 38070138 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
As the taxonomic knowledge of cyanobacteria from terrestrial environments increases, it remains important to analyze biodiversity in areas that have been understudied to fully understand global and endemic diversity. This study was completed as part of a larger algal biodiversity study of the soil biocrusts of San Nicholas Island, California, USA. Among the taxa isolated were several new species in three genera (Atlanticothrix, Pycnacronema, and Konicacronema) which were described from, and previously restricted to, Brazil. New taxa are described herein using a polyphasic approach to cyanobacterial taxonomy that considers morphological, molecular, ecological, and biogeographical factors. Morphological data corroborated by molecular analysis including sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and the associated 16S-23S ITS rRNA region was used to delineate three new species of Atlanticothrix, two species of Pycnacronema, and one species of Konicacronema. The overlap of genera from San Nicolas Island and Brazil suggests that cyanobacterial genera may be widely distributed across global hemispheres, whereas the presence of distinct lineages may indicate that this is not true at the species level. Our data suggest that based upon global wind patterns, cyanobacteria in both Northern and Southern hemispheres of the Americas may have a more recent common ancestor in Northern Africa, but this common ancestry is distant enough that speciation has occurred since transatlantic dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Jusko
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Johansen
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, USA
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Wang Y, Berthold DE, Hu J, Lefler FW, Huang IS, Laughinghouse HD. Novel diversity within Roseofilum (Desertifilaceae, Cyanobacteria) from marine benthic mats with description of four new species. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:1147-1165. [PMID: 37824435 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are natural phenomena in marine environments. Reports of BCMs occurring across coastal marine environments have increased, partly driven by nutrient loading and climate change; thus, there is a need to understand the diversity involved in the proliferations and potential toxicity of the BCMs. Furthermore, marine cyanobacterial mats are observed growing on and affecting the health of corals with one specific cyanobacterial genus, Roseofilum, dominating the microbial mats associated with black band disease (BBD), a destructive polymicrobial disease that affects corals. To explore the diversity of Roseofilum, cyanobacterial mats from various marine habitats were sampled, and individual isolates were identified based on morphology, 16S rRNA gene phylogenies, 16S-23S ITS rRNA region sequence dissimilarities, and phylogenomics. Four novel species of Roseofilum were isolated from benthic marine mats, three from the coasts of Florida, United States (R. capinflatum sp. nov., R. casamattae sp. nov., and R. acuticapitatum sp. nov.) and one from the coast of France (R. halophilum sp. nov.). Our analyses revealed that Roseofilum associated with coral BBD and those not associated with corals but rather from coastal benthic mats are systematically distinct based on both phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and LC-MS data indicated that microcystin production was found in one of the four species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida - IFAS, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - David E Berthold
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida - IFAS, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - Jing Hu
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida - IFAS, Davie, Florida, USA
- Department of Marine Science, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, People's Republic of China
| | - Forrest W Lefler
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida - IFAS, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - I-Shuo Huang
- Office of Regulatory Science, United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - H Dail Laughinghouse
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida - IFAS, Davie, Florida, USA
- Department of Botany, National Musuem of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
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Akagha MU, Pietrasiak N, Bustos DF, Vondrášková A, Lamb SC, Johansen JR. Albertania and Egbenema gen. nov. from Nigeria and the United States, expanding biodiversity in the Oculatellaceae (cyanobacteria). JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:1217-1236. [PMID: 37696506 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the tropical terrestrial cyanobacterial flora from the African continent is still limited. Of 31 strains isolated from soil and subaerial samples collected in Lagos State, Nigeria, three were found to be in the Oculatellaceae, including two species in a new genus. Subsequently, isolates from microbial mats in White Sands National Park in New Mexico, United States, and from a rock near the ocean in Puerto Rico, United States, were found to belong to the new genus as well. Cyanobacterial isolates were characterized microscopically, sequenced for the 16S rRNA gene and associated ITS region, and phylogenetically analyzed. Egbenema gen. nov., with three new species, as well as two new species of Albertania were differentiated from all other Oculatellaceae. Both genera belong to a supported clade within the Oculatellaceae that includes Trichotorquatus and Komarkovaea. The two new species of Albertania, A. egbensis and A. latericola, were from the same sample, but were evolutionarily separate based on 16S rRNA gene phylogenies, percent identity below the 98.7% threshold, and ITS rRNA percent dissimilarity >7.0%. Egbenema aeruginosum gen. et sp. nov. was phylogenetically separated from Trichotorquatus and Albertania but was in a clade with other strains belonging to Egbenema. The two Egbenema strains from the United States are here named Egbenema epilithicum sp. nov. and Egbenema gypsiphilum sp. nov. Our results support the hypothesis that further species discoveries of novel cyanobacteria will likely be made in soils and subaerial habitats, as these habitats continue to be studied, both in tropical and temperate biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred U Akagha
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, USA
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Plant & Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
| | - David F Bustos
- US DOI White Sands National Park, Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA
| | - Alžběta Vondrášková
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Sandra C Lamb
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria
| | - Jeffrey R Johansen
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, USA
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Antonaru LA, Selinger VM, Jung P, Di Stefano G, Sanderson ND, Barker L, Wilson DJ, Büdel B, Canniffe DP, Billi D, Nürnberg DJ. Common loss of far-red light photoacclimation in cyanobacteria from hot and cold deserts: a case study in the Chroococcidiopsidales. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:113. [PMID: 37857858 PMCID: PMC10587186 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00319-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Deserts represent an extreme challenge for photosynthetic life. Despite their aridity, they are often inhabited by diverse microscopic communities of cyanobacteria. These organisms are commonly found in lithic habitats, where they are partially sheltered from extremes of temperature and UV radiation. However, living under the rock surface imposes additional constraints, such as limited light availability, and enrichment of longer wavelengths than are typically usable for oxygenic photosynthesis. Some cyanobacteria from the genus Chroococcidiopsis can use this light to photosynthesize, in a process known as far-red light photoacclimation, or FaRLiP. This genus has commonly been reported from both hot and cold deserts. However, not all Chroococcidiopsis strains carry FaRLiP genes, thus motivating our study into the interplay between FaRLiP and extreme lithic environments. The abundance of sequence data and strains provided the necessary material for an in-depth phylogenetic study, involving spectroscopy, microscopy, and determination of pigment composition, as well as gene and genome analyses. Pigment analyses revealed the presence of red-shifted chlorophylls d and f in all FaRLiP strains tested. In addition, eight genus-level taxa were defined within the encompassing Chroococcidiopsidales, clarifying the phylogeny of this long-standing polyphyletic order. FaRLiP is near universally present in a generalist genus identified in a wide variety of environments, Chroococcidiopsis sensu stricto, while it is rare or absent in closely related, extremophile taxa, including those preferentially inhabiting deserts. This likely reflects the evolutionary process of gene loss in specialist lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Antonaru
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Vera M Selinger
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Jung
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Giorgia Di Stefano
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicholas D Sanderson
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Leanne Barker
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel J Wilson
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Daniel P Canniffe
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Dennis J Nürnberg
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Hansen FA, James DK, Anderson JP, Meredith CS, Dominguez AJ, Pombubpa N, Stajich JE, Romero-Olivares AL, Salley SW, Pietrasiak N. Landscape characteristics shape surface soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1135800. [PMID: 37350785 PMCID: PMC10282155 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1135800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Soil microbial communities, including biological soil crust microbiomes, play key roles in water, carbon and nitrogen cycling, biological weathering, and other nutrient releasing processes of desert ecosystems. However, our knowledge of microbial distribution patterns and ecological drivers is still poor, especially so for the Chihuahuan Desert. Methods This project investigated the effects of trampling disturbance on surface soil microbiomes, explored community composition and structure, and related patterns to abiotic and biotic landscape characteristics within the Chihuahuan Desert biome. Composite soil samples were collected in disturbed and undisturbed areas of 15 long-term ecological research plots in the Jornada Basin, New Mexico. Microbial diversity of cross-domain microbial groups (total Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Archaea, and Fungi) was obtained via DNA amplicon metabarcode sequencing. Sequence data were related to landscape characteristics including vegetation type, landforms, ecological site and state as well as soil properties including gravel content, soil texture, pH, and electrical conductivity. Results Filamentous Cyanobacteria dominated the photoautotrophic community while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria dominated among the heterotrophic bacteria. Thaumarchaeota were the most abundant Archaea and drought adapted taxa in Dothideomycetes and Agaricomycetes were most abundant fungi in the soil surface microbiomes. Apart from richness within Archaea (p = 0.0124), disturbed samples did not differ from undisturbed samples with respect to alpha diversity and community composition (p ≥ 0.05), possibly due to a lack of frequent or impactful disturbance. Vegetation type and landform showed differences in richness of Bacteria, Archaea, and Cyanobacteria but not in Fungi. Richness lacked strong relationships with soil variables. Landscape features including parent material, vegetation type, landform type, and ecological sites and states, exhibited stronger influence on relative abundances and microbial community composition than on alpha diversity, especially for Cyanobacteria and Fungi. Soil texture, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, lichen cover, and perennial plant biomass correlated strongly with microbial community gradients detected in NMDS ordinations. Discussion Our study provides first comprehensive insights into the relationships between landscape characteristics, associated soil properties, and cross-domain soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our findings will inform land management and restoration efforts and aid in the understanding of processes such as desertification and state transitioning, which represent urgent ecological and economical challenges in drylands around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A. Hansen
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Darren K. James
- Jornada Experimental Range Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - John P. Anderson
- Jornada Experimental Range Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | | | - Andrew J. Dominguez
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Nuttapon Pombubpa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | | | - Shawn W. Salley
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
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11
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Strunecký O, Ivanova AP, Mareš J. An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:12-51. [PMID: 36443823 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial taxonomy is facing a period of rapid changes thanks to the ease of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and established workflows for description of new taxa. Since the last comprehensive review of the cyanobacterial system in 2014 until 2021, at least 273 species in 140 genera were newly described. These taxa were mainly placed into previously defined orders and families although several new families were proposed. However, the classification of most taxa still relied on hierarchical relationships inherited from the classical morphological taxonomy. Similarly, the obviously polyphyletic orders such as Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales were left unchanged. In this study, the rising number of genomic sequences of cyanobacteria and well-described reference strains allowed us to reconstruct a robust phylogenomic tree for taxonomic purposes. A less robust but better sampled 16S rRNA gene phylogeny was mapped to the phylogenomic backbone. Based on both these phylogenies, a polyphasic classification throughout the whole phylum of Cyanobacteria was created, with ten new orders and fifteen new families. The proposed system of cyanobacterial orders and families relied on a phylogenomic tree but still employed phenotypic apomorphies where possible to make it useful for professionals in the field. It was, however, confirmed that morphological convergence of phylogenetically distant taxa was a frequent phenomenon in cyanobacteria. Moreover, the limited phylogenetic informativeness of the 16S rRNA gene, resulting in ambiguous phylogenies above the genus level, emphasized the integration of genomic data as a prerequisite for the conclusive taxonomic placement of a vast number of cyanobacterial genera in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otakar Strunecký
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Na Sádkách 1780, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Pavlovna Ivanova
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Na Sádkách 1780, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mareš
- Biology Centre of the CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 702/7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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12
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Baldarelli LM, Pietrasiak N, Osorio-Santos K, Johansen JR. Mojavia aguilerae and M. dolomitestris - two new Nostocaceae (Cyanobacteria) species from the Americas. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2022; 58:502-516. [PMID: 35727130 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13275] [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: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
While nostocacean cyanobacteria are ubiquitous and play critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems, their taxonomy and biogeography still entail mysteries. We isolated two Nostoc-like cyanobacteria from biological soil crusts of the Atacama (Chile) and Mojave (USA) Deserts. An initial 16S rRNA gene phylogeny placed both in monophyly with Mojavia pulchra. Here, we describe two new species of the previously monotypic Mojavia using a polyphasic approach including morphology, 16S rRNA phylogenies, secondary structure, and percent similarity of the 16S-23S ITS region. Like M. pulchra, both new species produce compact microcolonies, arthrospore-like akinetes, and monocytes, traits characteristic of the genus. Mojavia aguilerae sp. nov. is morphologically distinct from both other species in producing bluntly conical end cells, abundant enlarged akinetes in multiseriate filaments, and gold-colored cells during senescence. Mojavia dolomitestris sp. nov. exhibited distinctly firm, light-colored, compartmentalized mucilage. M. dolomitestris is somewhat cryptic with M. pulchra, but has more densely packed microcolonies, rarity and later onset of brownish sheath pigmentation, and an origin from soils derived from dolomite. The two new species strengthened the position of Mojavia as a robust genus sister to Nostoc. Although 16S rRNA gene data could not separate the Mojavia species from each other, the three species showed distinct dissimilarities in secondary ITS structure and differed greatly from Nostoc sensu stricto. The high dissimilarities between their 16S-23S ITS regions suggest a long evolutionary history of the three species as separate lineages. Mojavia is an evolutionary and ecologically unique nostocacean genus, and its rarity and restricted habitat point to an urgent need for recognition and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Baldarelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242, USA
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, 945 College Drive. Las Cruces, New Mexico, 88003, USA
| | - Karina Osorio-Santos
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Colonia Coyoacán, Código Postal 04451070474, P.O. Box 70-474, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jeffrey R Johansen
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, 44118, USA
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
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13
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Vilo C, Dong Q, Galetovic A, Gómez-Silva B. Metagenome-Assembled Genome of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY from the Cyanosphere of Llayta, an Edible Andean Cyanobacterial Macrocolony. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1517. [PMID: 35893575 PMCID: PMC9332814 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found in Andean wetlands and have been consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms. However, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification, and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances concerning this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY in Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described, providing new insights regarding the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Vilo
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
| | - Qunfeng Dong
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Department of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA;
| | - Alexandra Galetovic
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
| | - Benito Gómez-Silva
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biomedical Department, Health Sciences Faculty and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile; (C.V.); (A.G.)
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14
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Jensen LZ, Glasius M, Gryning SE, Massling A, Finster K, Šantl-Temkiv T. Seasonal Variation of the Atmospheric Bacterial Community in the Greenlandic High Arctic Is Influenced by Weather Events and Local and Distant Sources. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:909980. [PMID: 35879956 PMCID: PMC9307761 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.909980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arctic is a hot spot for climate change with potentially large consequences on a global scale. Aerosols, including bioaerosols, are important players in regulating the heat balance through direct interaction with sunlight and indirectly, through inducing cloud formation. Airborne bacteria are the major bioaerosols with some species producing the most potent ice nucleating compounds known, which are implicated in the formation of ice in clouds. Little is known about the numbers and dynamics of airborne bacteria in the Arctic and even less about their seasonal variability. We collected aerosol samples and wet deposition samples in spring 2015 and summer 2016, at the Villum Research Station in Northeast Greenland. We used amplicon sequencing and qPCR targeting the 16S rRNA genes to assess the quantities and composition of the DNA and cDNA-level bacterial community. We found a clear seasonal variation in the atmospheric bacterial community, which is likely due to variable sources and meteorology. In early spring, the atmospheric bacterial community was dominated by taxa originating from temperate and Subarctic regions and arriving at the sampling site through long-range transport. We observed an efficient washout of the aerosolized bacterial cells during a snowstorm, which was followed by very low concentrations of bacteria in the atmosphere during the consecutive 4 weeks. We suggest that this is because in late spring, the long-range transport ceased, and the local sources which comprised only of ice and snow surfaces were weak resulting in low bacterial concentrations. This was supported by observed changes in the chemical composition of aerosols. In summer, the air bacterial community was confined to local sources such as soil, plant material and melting sea-ice. Aerosolized and deposited Cyanobacteria in spring had a high activity potential, implying their activity in the atmosphere or in surface snow. Overall, we show how the composition of bacterial aerosols in the high Arctic varies on a seasonal scale, identify their potential sources, demonstrate how their community sizes varies in time, investigate their diversity and determine their activity potential during and post Arctic haze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Z. Jensen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- iCLIMATE Aarhus University Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Sven-Erik Gryning
- DTU Wind and Energy Systems, Technical University of Denmark, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Andreas Massling
- iCLIMATE Aarhus University Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Kai Finster
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tina Šantl-Temkiv
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- iCLIMATE Aarhus University Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Tina Šantl-Temkiv,
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Salty Twins: Salt-Tolerance of Terrestrial Cyanocohniella Strains (Cyanobacteria) and Description of C. rudolphia sp. nov. Point towards a Marine Origin of the Genus and Terrestrial Long Distance Dispersal Patterns. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050968. [PMID: 35630411 PMCID: PMC9144741 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to adapt to wide ranges of environmental conditions coupled with their long evolution has allowed cyanobacteria to colonize almost every habitat on Earth. Modern taxonomy tries to track not only this diversification process but also to assign individual cyanobacteria to specific niches. It was our aim to work out a potential niche concept for the genus Cyanocohniella in terms of salt tolerance. We used a strain based on the description of C. rudolphia sp. nov. isolated from a potash tailing pile (Germany) and for comparison C. crotaloides that was isolated from sandy beaches (The Netherlands). The taxonomic position of C. rudolphia sp. nov. was evaluated by phylogenetic analysis and morphological descriptions of its life cycle. Salt tolerance of C. rudolphia sp. nov. and C. crotaloides was monitored with cultivation assays in liquid medium and on sand under salt concentrations ranging from 0% to 12% (1500 mM) NaCl. Optimum growth conditions were detected for both strains at 4% (500 mM) NaCl based on morpho-anatomical and physiological criteria such as photosynthetic yield by chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Taking into consideration that all known strains of this genus colonize salty habitats supports our assumption that the genus might have a marine origin but also expands colonization to salty terrestrial habitats. This aspect is further discussed, including the ecological and biotechnological relevance of the data presented.
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Mikhailyuk T, Vinogradova O, Holzinger A, Glaser K, Akimov Y, Karsten U. Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. from sand dunes of the Baltic Sea, Germany, and emendation of Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) based on an integrative approach. PHYTOTAXA 2022; 532:192-208. [PMID: 35330967 PMCID: PMC7612531 DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.532.3.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Timaviella Sciuto & Moro is a recently established cryptic genus of cyanobacteria separated from the morphologically close Leptolyngbya due to clear differences in the 16S rRNA gene sequence and the 16S-23S ITS region secondary structure. Conducting research on biological soil crusts in coastal ecotopes of Ukraine and Germany, we repeatedly observed thin filamentous cyanobacteria morphologically corresponding to the common terrestrial species Leptolyngbya edaphica (Elenkin) Anagnostidis & Komárek. Molecular data based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison of the original strains of the morphospecies indicated unambiguous assignment to the genus Timaviella. Based on this finding, we proposed the new nomenclatural combination Timaviella edaphica (Elenkin) O.M. Vynogr. & Mikhailyuk in our previous publication. Deeper molecular study of the four original strains which were morphologically identified as T. edaphica based on the 16S rRNA gene concatenated with the 16S-23S ITS region and 16S-23S ITS secondary structure analysis showed that they are not identical. Three of them (isolated from biocrusts of Black Sea coast and forest path near Kyiv, Ukraine) had high similarity both in 16S rRNA (99.7-100%) and 16S-23S ITS (99.8-100%) hence actually representing T. edaphica. The strain Us-6-3 isolated from biocrusts on sand dunes of Usedom Island in the Baltic Sea, Germany, differs both from original strains of T. edaphica and all published Timaviella species in 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, as well as in sequence and structure of the 16S-23S ITS region. Here we describe Timaviella dunensis sp. nov. and give an expanded description of T. edaphica based on morphological and molecular features. A tabular review of Timaviella species with data on their phenotypic and genotypic features, ecology and distribution is included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska Str. 2, Kyiv 01024, Ukraine
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, Rostock, D-18057, Germany
| | - Oksana Vinogradova
- M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska Str. 2, Kyiv 01024, Ukraine
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Karin Glaser
- University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, Rostock, D-18057, Germany
| | - Yuri Akimov
- M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska Str. 2, Kyiv 01024, Ukraine
| | - Ulf Karsten
- University of Rostock, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, Rostock, D-18057, Germany
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17
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Johansen JR, González-Resendiz L, Escobar-Sánchez V, Segal-Kischinevzky C, Martínez-Yerena J, Hernández-Sánchez J, Hernández-Pérez G, León-Tejera H. When will taxonomic saturation be achieved? A case study in Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix (Rivulariaceae, Cyanobacteria). JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2021; 57:1699-1720. [PMID: 34289115 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A number of heterocytous, mat-forming, tapering cyanobacteria in Rivulariaceae have recently been observed in both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in the rocky intertidal and supratidal zones. These belong to the genera Nunduva, Kyrtuthrix, and Phyllonema and have been the subject of several recent studies. Herein, two new species of Nunduva (N. komarkovae and N. sanagustinensis) and two new species of Kyrtuthrix (K. munecosensis and K. totonaca) are characterized and described from the coasts of Mexico. Genetic separation based on the 16S-23S ITS region was pronounced (>10% in all comparisons). Morphological differences between all existing species in these two genera were also observed, but the group is morphologically complex, and these taxa are considered pseudocryptic. Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix remain morphologically and phylogenetically separate even with the addition of new species. However, how long will this remain the case? Many new genera and species of cyanobacteria have recently been described. Will the taxonomy of cyanobacteria eventually become saturated? Will we start to see multiple populations for the same cryptic species, or will future taxonomists collapse multiple species into fewer species, or multiple genera into single genera. The description of even more Nunduva and Kyrtuthrix species causes us to pause and evaluate the future of cyanobacterial taxonomy. These same questions are faced by algal taxonomists studying other phyla, and the resolution may ultimately be similar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Johansen
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio, 44118, USA
- Department of Botany, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, Česke Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Laura González-Resendiz
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana- Cuajimalpa, Av. Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Ciudad de México, C.P. 053000, Mexico
| | - Viviana Escobar-Sánchez
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Claudia Segal-Kischinevzky
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - José Martínez-Yerena
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Joaquín Hernández-Sánchez
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Hernández-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Hilda León-Tejera
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Código Postal, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
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18
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Jung P, Brust K, Schultz M, Büdel B, Donner A, Lakatos M. Opening the Gap: Rare Lichens With Rare Cyanobionts - Unexpected Cyanobiont Diversity in Cyanobacterial Lichens of the Order Lichinales. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:728378. [PMID: 34690969 PMCID: PMC8527099 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.728378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The last decades of research led to a change in understanding of lichens that are now seen as self-sustaining micro-ecosystems, harboring diverse microbial organisms in tight but yet not fully understood relationships. Among the diverse interdependencies, the relationship between the myco- and photobiont is the most crucial, determining the shape, and ecophysiological properties of the symbiotic consortium. Roughly 10% of lichens associate with cyanobacteria as their primary photobiont, termed cyanolichens. Up to now, the diversity of cyanobionts of bipartite lichens resolved by modern phylogenetic approaches is restricted to the filamentous and heterocytous genera of the order Nostocales. Unicellular photobionts were placed in the orders Chroococcales, Pleurocapsales, and Chroococcidiopsidales. However, especially the phylogeny and taxonomy of the Chroococcidiopsidales genera remained rather unclear. Here we present new data on the identity and phylogeny of photobionts from cyanolichens of the genera Gonohymenia, Lichinella, Peccania, and Peltula from a broad geographical range. A polyphasic approach was used, combining morphological and cultivation-depending characteristics (microscopy, staining techniques, life cycle observation, baeocyte motility, and nitrogen fixation test) with phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS gene region. We found an unexpectedly high cyanobiont diversity in the cyanobacterial lichens of the order Lichinales, including two new genera and seven new species, all of which were not previously perceived as lichen symbionts. As a result, we describe the novel unicellular Chroococcidiopsidales genera Pseudocyanosarcina gen. nov. with the species Pseudocyanosarcina phycocyania sp. nov. (from Peltula clavata, Australia) and Compactococcus gen. nov. with the species Compactococcus sarcinoides sp. nov. (from Gonohymenia sp., Australia) and the new Chroococcidiopsidales species Aliterella compacta sp. nov. (from Peltula clavata, Australia), Aliterella gigantea sp. nov. (from Peltula capensis; South Africa), Sinocapsa ellipsoidea sp. nov. (from Peccania cerebriformis, Austria), as well as the two new Nostocales species Komarekiella gloeocapsoidea sp. nov. (from Gonohymenia sp., Czechia) and Komarekiella globosa sp. nov. (from Lichinella cribellifera, Canary Islands, Spain). Our study highlights the role of cyanolichens acting as a key in untangling cyanobacterial taxonomy and diversity. With this study, we hope to stimulate further research on photobionts, especially of rare cyanolichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Katharina Brust
- Ecology Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Matthias Schultz
- Institute for Plant Science and Microbiology, Herbarium Hamburgense, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Antje Donner
- Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Michael Lakatos
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
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19
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Unravelling unknown cyanobacteria diversity linked with HCN production. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 166:107322. [PMID: 34626811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are ecologically versatile microorganisms, occupying diverse habitats, from terrestrial caves to coastal shores and from brackish lakes to thermal springs. Cyanobacteria have also been linked with hydrogen cyanide (HCN), mainly for their ability to catabolize HCN by the nitrogenase enzyme. In this context, we sampled disparate environments, spanning from Canary Islands and Iceland to Estonia and Cyprus. Eighty-one (81) strains were isolated and characterised with taxonomic indices and molecular markers (16S-23S rRNA region and cpcBA region), whilst their ability to produce HCN was evaluated. This approach resulted in the description of five new genera (Speleotes, Haliplanktos, Olisthonema, Speos, and Iphianassa) and their type species (S. anchialus, H. antonyquinny, O. eestii, S. fyssassi, I. zackieohae) representing Chroococcales, Chroococcidiopsales, Oscillatoriales, Synechococcales, and Nostocales orders, respectively. We also found unique lineages inside the genera Komarekiella, Stenomitos, Cyanocohniella, and Nodularia, describing four new species (K. chia, S. pantisii, C. hyphalmyra, N. mediterannea). We report for the first time a widespread production of HCN amongst different taxa and habitats. Epilithic lifestyle, where cyanobacteria are more vulnerable to grazers, had the largest relative frequency in HCN production. In this work, we show novel cyanobacteria diversity from various habitats, including an unexplored anchialine cave, and possible correlation of cyanobacteria chemo- with species diversity, which may have implications on strategic focusing of screening programs on underexploited taxa and/or habitats.
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20
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Jung P, Azua-Bustos A, Gonzalez-Silva C, Mikhailyuk T, Zabicki D, Holzinger A, Lakatos M, Büdel B. Emendation of the Coccoid Cyanobacterial Genus Gloeocapsopsis and Description of the New Species Gloeocapsopsis diffluens sp. nov. and Gloeocapsopsis dulcis sp. nov. Isolated From the Coastal Range of the Atacama Desert (Chile). Front Microbiol 2021; 12:671742. [PMID: 34305839 PMCID: PMC8295473 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.671742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomy of coccoid cyanobacteria, such as Chroococcidiopsis, Pleurocapsa, Chroococcus, Gloeothece, Gloeocapsa, Gloeocapsopsis, and the related recent genera Sinocapsa and Aliterella, can easily be intermixed when solely compared on a morphological basis. There is still little support on the taxonomic position of some of the addressed genera, as genetic information is available only for a fraction of species that have been described solely on morphology. Modern polyphasic approaches that combine classic morphological investigations with DNA-based molecular analyses and the evaluation of ecological properties can disentangle these easily confusable unicellular genera. By using such an approach, we present here the formal description of two novel unicellular cyanobacterial species that inhabit the Coastal Range of the Atacama Desert, Gloeocapsopsis dulcis (first reported as Gloeocapsopsis AAB1) and Gloeocapsopsis diffluens. Both species could be clearly separated from previously reported species by 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS gene sequencing, the resulting secondary structures, p-distance analyses of the 16S–23S ITS, and morphology. For avoiding further confusions emendation of the genus Gloeocapsopsis as well as epitypification of the type species Gloeocapsopsis crepidinum based on the strain LEGE06123 were conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Daniel Zabicki
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | | | - Michael Lakatos
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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Sommer V, Mikhailyuk T, Glaser K, Karsten U. Uncovering Unique Green Algae and Cyanobacteria Isolated from Biocrusts in Highly Saline Potash Tailing Pile Habitats, Using an Integrative Approach. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1667. [PMID: 33121104 PMCID: PMC7692164 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Potash tailing piles caused by fertilizer production shape their surroundings because of the associated salt impact. A previous study in these environments addressed the functional community "biocrust" comprising various micro- and macro-organisms inhabiting the soil surface. In that previous study, biocrust microalgae and cyanobacteria were isolated and morphologically identified amongst an ecological discussion. However, morphological species identification maybe is difficult because of phenotypic plasticity, which might lead to misidentifications. The present study revisited the earlier species list using an integrative approach, including molecular methods. Seventy-six strains were sequenced using the markers small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Phylogenetic analyses confirmed some morphologically identified species. However, several other strains could only be identified at the genus level. This indicates a high proportion of possibly unknown taxa, underlined by the low congruence of the previous morphological identifications to our results. In general, the integrative approach resulted in more precise species identifications and should be considered as an extension of the previous morphological species list. The majority of taxa found were common in saline habitats, whereas some were more likely to occur in nonsaline environments. Consequently, biocrusts in saline environments of potash tailing piles contain unique microalgae and cyanobacteria that will possibly reveal several new taxa in more detailed future studies and, hence, provide new data on the biodiversity, as well as new candidates for applied research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Sommer
- Institute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (K.G.)
- upi UmweltProjekt Ingenieursgesellschaft mbH, 39576 Stendal, Germany
| | - Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine;
| | - Karin Glaser
- Institute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (K.G.)
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Institute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (K.G.)
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Biodiversity of Algae and Cyanobacteria in Biological Soil Crusts Collected Along a Climatic Gradient in Chile Using an Integrative Approach. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8071047. [PMID: 32674483 PMCID: PMC7409284 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocrusts are associations of various prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms in the top millimeters of soil, which can be found in every climate zone on Earth. They stabilize soils and introduce carbon and nitrogen into this compartment. The worldwide occurrence of biocrusts was proven by numerous studies in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, leaving South America understudied. Using an integrative approach, which combines morphological and molecular characters (small subunit rRNA and ITS region), we examined the diversity of key biocrust photosynthetic organisms at four sites along the latitudinal climate gradient in Chile. The most northern study site was located in the Atacama Desert (arid climate), followed by open shrubland (semiarid climate), a dry forest region (Mediterranean climate) and a mixed broad leaved-coniferous forest (temperate climate) in the south. The lowest species richness was recorded in the desert (18 species), whereas the highest species richness was observed in the Mediterranean zone (40 species). Desert biocrusts were composed exclusively of single-celled Chlorophyta algae, followed by cyanobacteria. Chlorophyta, Streptophyta and cyanobacteria dominated semiarid biocrusts, whereas Mediterranean and temperate Chilean biocrusts were composed mostly of Chlorophyta, Streptophyta and Ochrophyta. Our investigation of Chilean biocrust suggests high biodiversity of South American biocrust phototrophs.
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