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Villar-dePablo M, Ascaso C, Rodríguez-Pérez E, Urizal M, Wierzchos J, Pérez-Ortega S, de Los Ríos A. Innovative approaches to accurately assess the effectiveness of biocide-based treatments to fight biodeterioration of Cultural Heritage monuments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165318. [PMID: 37422225 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165318] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of diagnostic methods to accurately assess the effects of treatments on lithobiont colonization remains a challenge for the conservation of Cultural Heritage monuments. In this study, we tested the efficacy of biocide-based treatments on microbial colonization of a dolostone quarry, in the short and long-term, using a dual analytical strategy. We applied a metabarcoding approach to characterize fungal and bacterial communities over time, integrated with microscopy techniques to analyze the interactions of microorganisms with the substrate and evaluate the effectiveness. These communities were dominated by the bacterial phyla Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria, and the fungal order Verrucariales, which include taxa previously reported as biodeteriogenic agents and observed here associated with biodeterioration processes. Following the treatments, changes over time in the abundance profiles depend on taxa. While Cyanobacteriales, Cytophagales and Verrucariales decreased in abundance, other groups, such as Solirubrobacteriales, Thermomicrobiales and Pleosporales increased. These patterns could be related not only to the specific effects of the biocide on the different taxa, but also to different recolonization abilities of those organisms. The different susceptibility to treatments could be associated with the inherent cellular properties of different taxa, but differences in biocide penetration to endolithic microhabitats could be involved. Our results demonstrate the importance of both removing epilithic colonization and applying biocides to act against endolithic forms. Recolonization processes could also explain some of the taxon-dependent responses, especially in the long-term. Taxa showing resistance, and those benefiting from nutrient accumulation in the form of cellular debris following treatments, may have an advantage in colonizing treated areas, pointing to the need for long-term monitoring of a wide range of taxa. This study highlights the potential utility of combining metabarcoding and microscopy to analyze the effects of treatments and design appropriate strategies to combat biodeterioration and establish preventive conservation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Villar-dePablo
- Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology Department, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ascaso
- Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology Department, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Rodríguez-Pérez
- Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology Department, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology Department, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Pérez-Ortega
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), Plaza Murillo 2, E-28014 Madrid, Spain
| | - Asunción de Los Ríos
- Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology Department, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Serrano 115 dpdo., E-28006 Madrid, Spain.
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Khakhar A. A roadmap for the creation of synthetic lichen. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 654:87-93. [PMID: 36898228 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.02.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Lichens represent a charismatic corner of biology that has a rich history of scientific exploration, but to which modern biological techniques have been sparsely applied. This has limited our understanding of phenomena unique to lichen, such as the emergent development of physically coupled microbial consortia or distributed metabolisms. The experimental intractability of natural lichens has prevented studies of the mechanistic underpinnings of their biology. Creating synthetic lichen from experimentally tractable, free-living microbes has the potential to overcome these challenges. They could also serve as powerful new chassis for sustainable biotechnology. In this review we will first briefly introduce what lichen are, what remains mysterious about their biology, and why. We will then articulate the scientific insights that creating a synthetic lichen will generate and lay out a roadmap for how this could be achieved using synthetic biology. Finally, we will explore the translational applications of synthetic lichen and detail what is needed to advance the pursuit of their creation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Khakhar
- Biology Department, Colorado State University, 251 West Pitkin Drive, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA.
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Garvie LAJ, Németh P, Trif L. An exceptionally stable and widespread hydrated amorphous calcium carbonate precipitated by the dog vomit slime mold Fuligo septica (Myxogastria). Sci Rep 2022; 12:3642. [PMID: 35256681 PMCID: PMC8901774 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07648-9] [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: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is typically metastable and can rapidly transform through aging, dehydration, and/or heating to crystalline calcium carbonate. Gaining insight into its structure and properties is typically hampered by its tendency to crystallize over short time periods once isolated from the host organism, and also by the small quantities that are usually available for study. Here we describe an exceptionally stable hydrated ACC (HACC) precipitated by the cosmopolitan slime mold Fuligo septica (L.) F.H. Wigg. (1780). A single slime mold can precipitate up to a gram of HACC over the course of one night. Powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, transmission electron microscopy images, infrared absorption spectra, together with the lack of optical birefringence are consistent with an amorphous material. XRD simulations, supported by thermogravimetric and evolved gas analysis data, are consistent with an intimate association of organic matter with ~ 1-nm-sized ACC units that have monohydrocalcite- and calcite-like nano-structural properties. It is postulated that this association imparts the extreme stability of the slime mold HACC by inhibiting loss of H2O and subsequent crystallization. The composition, structure, and thermal behavior of the HACC precipitated by F. septica collected over 8000 km apart and in markedly different environments, suggests a common structure, as well as similar biochemical and biomineralization mechanisms.
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Liu YR, Eldridge DJ, Zeng XM, Wang J, Singh BK, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Global diversity and ecological drivers of lichenised soil fungi. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:1210-1219. [PMID: 33914920 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Lichens play crucial roles in sustaining the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems; however, the diversity and ecological factors associated with lichenised soil fungi remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used a global field survey including information on fungal sequences of topsoils from 235 terrestrial ecosystems. We identified 880 lichenised fungal phylotypes across nine biomes ranging from deserts to tropical forests. The diversity and proportion of lichenised soil fungi peaked in shrublands and dry grasslands. Aridity index, plant cover and soil pH were the most important factors associated with the distribution of lichenised soil fungi. Furthermore, we identified Endocarpon, Verrucaria and Rinodina as some of the most dominant lichenised genera across the globe, and they had similar environmental preferences to the lichenised fungal community. In addition, precipitation seasonality and mean diurnal temperature range were also important in predicting the proportion of these dominant genera. Using this information, we were able to create the first global maps of the richness and the proportion of dominant genera of lichenised fungi. This work provides new insight into the global distribution and ecological preferences of lichenised soil fungi, and supports their dominance in drylands across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - David J Eldridge
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Xiao-Min Zeng
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Juntao Wang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith South DC, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, 41013, Spain
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Favero-Longo SE, Viles HA. A review of the nature, role and control of lithobionts on stone cultural heritage: weighing-up and managing biodeterioration and bioprotection. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:100. [PMID: 32607867 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02878-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Lithobionts (rock-dwelling organisms) have been recognized as agents of aesthetic and physico-chemical deterioration of stonework. In consequence, their removal from cultural heritage stone surfaces (CHSS) is widely considered a necessary step in conservation interventions. On the other hand, lithobiontic communities, including microbial biofilms ('biological patinas'), can help integrate CHSS with their environmental setting and enhance biodiversity. Moreover, in some cases bioprotective effects have been reported and even interpreted as potential biotechnological solutions for conservation. This paper reviews the plethora of traditional and innovative methodologies to characterize lithobionts on CHSS in terms of biodiversity, interaction with the stone substrate and impacts on durability. In order to develop the best management and conservation strategies for CHSS, such diagnosis should be acquired on a case-by-case basis, as generalized approaches are unlikely to be suitable for all lithobionts, lithologies, environmental and cultural contexts or types of stonework. Strategies to control biodeteriogenic lithobionts on CHSS should similarly be based on experimental evaluation of their efficacy, including long-term monitoring of the effects on bioreceptivity, and of their environmental safety. This review examines what is known about the efficacy of control methods based on traditional-commercial biocides, as well as those based on innovative application of substances of plant and microbial origin, and physical techniques. A framework for providing a balanced scientific assessment of the role of lithobionts on CHSS and integrating this knowledge into management and conservation decision-making is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Enrico Favero-Longo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Heather A Viles
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
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Sierra MA, Danko DC, Sandoval TA, Pishchany G, Moncada B, Kolter R, Mason CE, Zambrano MM. The Microbiomes of Seven Lichen Genera Reveal Host Specificity, a Reduced Core Community and Potential as Source of Antimicrobials. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:398. [PMID: 32265864 PMCID: PMC7105886 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The High Andean Paramo ecosystem is a unique neotropical mountain biome considered a diversity and evolutionary hotspot. Lichens, which are complex symbiotic structures that contain diverse commensal microbial communities, are prevalent in Paramos. There they play vital roles in soil formation and mineral fixation. In this study we analyzed the microbiomes of seven lichen genera in Colombian Paramos using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and provide the first description of the bacterial communities associated with Cora and Hypotrachyna lichens. Paramo lichen microbiomes varied in diversity indexes and number of OTUs, but were composed predominantly by the phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. In the case of Cora and Cladonia, the microbiomes were distinguished based on the identity of the lichen host. While the majority of the lichen-associated microorganisms were not present in all lichens sampled, sixteen taxa shared among this diverse group of lichens suggest a core lichen microbiome that broadens our concept of these symbiotic structures. Additionally, we identified strains producing compounds active against clinically relevant microbial strains. These results indicate that lichen microbiomes from the Paramo ecosystem are diverse and host-specific but share a taxonomic core and can be a source of new bacterial taxa and antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Sierra
- Molecular Genetics, Corporación CorpoGen – Research Center, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - David C. Danko
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tito A. Sandoval
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gleb Pishchany
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bibiana Moncada
- Licenciatura en Biología, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Roberto Kolter
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Ladrón de Guevara M, Gozalo B, Raggio J, Lafuente A, Prieto M, Maestre FT. Warming reduces the cover, richness and evenness of lichen-dominated biocrusts but promotes moss growth: insights from an 8 yr experiment. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 220:811-823. [PMID: 29380398 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the important role that biocrust communities play in maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning in drylands world-wide, few studies have evaluated how climate change will affect them. Using data from an 8-yr-old manipulative field experiment located in central Spain, we evaluated how warming, rainfall exclusion and their combination affected the dynamics of biocrust communities in areas that initially had low (< 20%, LIBC plots) and high (> 50%, HIBC plots) biocrust cover. Warming reduced the richness (35 ± 6%), diversity (25 ± 8%) and cover (82 ± 5%) of biocrusts in HIBC plots. The presence and abundance of mosses increased with warming through time in these plots, although their growth rate was much lower than the rate of lichen death, resulting in a net loss of biocrust cover. On average, warming caused a decrease in the abundance (64 ± 7%) and presence (38 ± 24%) of species in the HIBC plots. Over time, lichens and mosses colonized the LIBC plots, but this process was hampered by warming in the case of lichens. The observed reductions in the cover and diversity of lichen-dominated biocrusts with warming will lessen the capacity of drylands such as that studied here to sequester atmospheric CO2 and to provide other key ecosystem services associated to these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Ladrón de Guevara
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Beatriz Gozalo
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - José Raggio
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angela Lafuente
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - María Prieto
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Fernando T Maestre
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
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Terrestrial exposure of a fresh Martian meteorite causes rapid changes in hydrogen isotopes and water concentrations. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12385. [PMID: 30120344 PMCID: PMC6097984 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30807-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the hydrogen isotopic compositions and H2O contents of meteorites and their components is important for addressing key cosmochemical questions about the abundance and source(s) of water in planetary bodies. However, deconvolving the effects of terrestrial contamination from the indigenous hydrogen isotopic compositions of these extraterrestrial materials is not trivial, because chondrites and some achondrites show only small deviations from terrestrial values such that even minor contamination can mask the indigenous values. Here we assess the effects of terrestrial weathering and contamination on the hydrogen isotope ratios and H2O contents of meteoritic minerals through monitored terrestrial weathering of Tissint, a recent Martian fall. Our findings reveal the rapidity with which this weathering affects nominally anhydrous phases in extraterrestrial materials, which illustrates the necessity of sampling the interiors of even relatively fresh meteorite falls and underlines the importance of sample return missions.
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Stress tolerance and virulence of insect-pathogenic fungi are determined by environmental conditions during conidial formation. Curr Genet 2015; 61:383-404. [PMID: 25791499 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-015-0477-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The virulence to insects and tolerance to heat and UV-B radiation of conidia of entomopathogenic fungi are greatly influenced by physical, chemical, and nutritional conditions during mycelial growth. This is evidenced, for example, by the stress phenotypes of Metarhizium robertsii produced on various substrates. Conidia from minimal medium (Czapek's medium without sucrose), complex medium, and insect (Lepidoptera and Coleoptera) cadavers had high, moderate, and poor tolerance to UV-B radiation, respectively. Furthermore, conidia from minimal medium germinated faster and had increased heat tolerance and were more virulent to insects than those from complex medium. Low water-activity or alkaline culture conditions also resulted in production of conidia with high tolerance to heat or UV-B radiation. Conidia produced on complex media exhibited lower stress tolerance, whereas those from complex media supplemented with NaCl or KCl (to reduce water activity) were more tolerant to heat and UV-B than those from the unmodified complex medium. Osmotic and nutritive stresses resulted in production of conidia with a robust stress phenotype, but also were associated with low conidial yield. Physical conditions such as growth under illumination, hypoxic conditions, and heat shock before conidial production also induced both higher UV-B and heat tolerance; but conidial production was not decreased. In conclusion, physical and chemical parameters, as well as nutrition source, can induce great variability in conidial tolerance to stress for entomopathogenic fungi. Implications are discussed in relation to the ecology of entomopathogenic fungi in the field, and to their use for biological control. This review will cover recent technologies on improving stress tolerance of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control of insects.
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Stevenson A, Burkhardt J, Cockell CS, Cray JA, Dijksterhuis J, Fox-Powell M, Kee TP, Kminek G, McGenity TJ, Timmis KN, Timson DJ, Voytek MA, Westall F, Yakimov MM, Hallsworth JE. Multiplication of microbes below 0.690 water activity: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial life. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:257-77. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Stevenson
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | - Jürgen Burkhardt
- Plant Nutrition Group; Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation; University of Bonn; Karlrobert-Kreiten-Str. 13 D-53115 Bonn Germany
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology; School of Physics and Astronomy; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3JZ UK
| | - Jonathan A. Cray
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre; Uppsalalaan 8 CT 3584 Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Mark Fox-Powell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology; School of Physics and Astronomy; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3JZ UK
| | - Terence P. Kee
- School of Chemistry; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT West Yorkshire UK
| | | | - Terry J. McGenity
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Essex; Colchester CO4 3SQ Essex UK
| | - Kenneth N. Timmis
- Institute of Microbiology; Technical University Braunschweig; Spielmannstrasse 7 D-38106 Braunschweig Germany
| | - David J. Timson
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | | | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; CNRS; Rue Charles Sadron; Centre de Recherches sur les Matériaux à Haute Température; 1D, avenue de la recherché scientifique 45071 Orléans Cedex 2 France
| | | | - John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
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Beck A, Mayr C. Nitrogen and carbon isotope variability in the green-algal lichen Xanthoria parietina and their implications on mycobiont-photobiont interactions. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:3132-44. [PMID: 23301178 PMCID: PMC3539006 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2012] [Revised: 10/02/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable isotope patterns in lichens are known to vary largely, but effects of substrate on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of lichens were previously not investigated systematically. N and C contents and stable isotope (δ(15)N, δ(13)C) patterns have been measured in 92 lichen specimens of Xanthoria parietina from southern Bavaria growing on different substrates (bark and stone). Photobiont and mycobiont were isolated from selected populations and isotopically analyzed. Molecular investigations of the internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS nrDNA) region have been conducted on a subset of the specimens of X. parietina. Phylogenetic analysis showed no correlation between the symbionts X. parietina and Trebouxia decolorans and the substrate, isotope composition, or geographic origin. Instead specimens grown on organic substrate significantly differ in isotope values from those on minerogenic substrate. This study documents that the lichens growing on bark use additional or different N sources than the lichens growing on stone. δ(15)N variation of X. parietina apparently is controlled predominantly by the mass fraction of the mycobiont and its nitrogen isotope composition. In contrast with mycobionts, photobionts of X. parietina are much more (15)N-depleted and show less isotopic variability than mycobionts, probably indicating a mycobiont-independent nitrogen acquisition by uptake of atmospheric ammonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Beck
- Lichenology and Bryology Department, Botanische Staatssammlung MünchenMenzinger Strasse 67, D–80638, München, Germany
- GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität MünchenRichard-Wagner-Str. 10, D–80333, München, Germany
| | - Christoph Mayr
- GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität MünchenRichard-Wagner-Str. 10, D–80333, München, Germany
- Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität MünchenRichard-Wagner-Str. 10, D–80333, München, Germany
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Ragon M, Fontaine MC, Moreira D, López-García P. Different biogeographic patterns of prokaryotes and microbial eukaryotes in epilithic biofilms. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:3852-68. [PMID: 22686398 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05659.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Microbial biogeography studies expend much effort in determining whether environmental selection or stochastic processes related to dispersal are more important in shaping community composition. While both types of factors are possibly influential, it is tacitly assumed that protists, or microbial eukaryotes in general, behave biogeographically as prokaryotes because of their small physical size. However, direct evidence for this in exactly the same environment and at the same phylogenetic depth is lacking. In this study, we compared the structure of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic components of microbial communities forming biofilms on mineral substrates in different geographic locations at the level of small-subunit (SSU) rRNA-based operational taxonomic units (OTUs). These microbial communities are subjected to strong environmental selection and contain significant proportions of extremophilic microorganisms adapted to desiccation and UV radiation. We find that the nature of the substrate as well as climatic variables and geography influences microbial community structure. However, constrained correspondence analyses and distance-decay curves showed that, whereas the substrate type was the most significant factor structuring bacterial communities, geographic location was the most influential factor for microbial eukaryote communities. Biological explanations implying a higher dispersal success for bacteria combined with more mobile lifestyles for predatory protists may underlie these different prokaryote versus microbial eukaryote biogeographic patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Ragon
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
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Ragon M, Restoux G, Moreira D, Møller AP, López-García P. Sunlight-exposed biofilm microbial communities are naturally resistant to chernobyl ionizing-radiation levels. PLoS One 2011; 6:e21764. [PMID: 21765911 PMCID: PMC3135598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2011] [Accepted: 06/06/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Chernobyl accident represents a long-term experiment on the effects of exposure to ionizing radiation at the ecosystem level. Though studies of these effects on plants and animals are abundant, the study of how Chernobyl radiation levels affect prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities is practically non-existent, except for a few reports on human pathogens or soil microorganisms. Environments enduring extreme desiccation and UV radiation, such as sunlight exposed biofilms could in principle select for organisms highly resistant to ionizing radiation as well. Methodology/Principal Findings To test this hypothesis, we explored the diversity of microorganisms belonging to the three domains of life by cultivation-independent approaches in biofilms developing on concrete walls or pillars in the Chernobyl area exposed to different levels of radiation, and we compared them with a similar biofilm from a non-irradiated site in Northern Ireland. Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria and Deinococcales were the most consistently detected bacterial groups, whereas green algae (Chlorophyta) and ascomycete fungi (Ascomycota) dominated within the eukaryotes. Close relatives to the most radio-resistant organisms known, including Rubrobacter species, Deinococcales and melanized ascomycete fungi were always detected. The diversity of bacteria and eukaryotes found in the most highly irradiated samples was comparable to that of less irradiated Chernobyl sites and Northern Ireland. However, the study of mutation frequencies in non-coding ITS regions versus SSU rRNA genes in members of a same actinobacterial operational taxonomic unit (OTU) present in Chernobyl samples and Northern Ireland showed a positive correlation between increased radiation and mutation rates. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that biofilm microbial communities in the most irradiated samples are comparable to non-irradiated samples in terms of general diversity patterns, despite increased mutation levels at the single-OTU level. Therefore, biofilm communities growing in sunlight exposed substrates are capable of coping with increased mutation rates and appear pre-adapted to levels of ionizing radiation in Chernobyl due to their natural adaptation to periodical desiccation and ambient UV radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Ragon
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Gwendal Restoux
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - David Moreira
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Purificación López-García
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
- * E-mail:
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Fröberg L, Stoll P, Baur A, Baur B. Snail herbivory decreases cyanobacterial abundance and lichen diversity along cracks of limestone pavements. Ecosphere 2011. [DOI: 10.1890/es10-00197.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Baluska F. Cell-cell channels, viruses, and evolution: via infection, parasitism, and symbiosis toward higher levels of biological complexity. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1178:106-19. [PMID: 19845631 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04995.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells there is dramatic difference in complexity which represents a problem for the current version of the cell theory, as well as for the current version of evolution theory. In the past few decades, the serial endosymbiotic theory of Lynn Margulis has been confirmed. This results in a radical departure from our understanding of living systems: the eukaryotic cell represents de facto"cells-within-cell." Higher order "cells-within-cell" situations are obvious at the eukaryotic cell level in the form of secondary and tertiary endosymbiosis, or in the male and female gametophytes of higher plants. The next challenge of the current version of the cell theory is represented by the fact that the multicellular fungi and plants are, in fact, supracellular assemblies as their cells are not physically separated from each other. Moreover, there are also examples of alliances and mergings between multicellular organisms. Infection, especially the viral one, but also bacterial and fungal infections, followed by symbiosis, is proposed to act as the major force that drives the biological evolution toward higher complexity.
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