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Lu Y, Lv Y, Zhang Y, Liu Q, Xu X, Xiao X, Xu J. Metatranscriptomes reveal the diverse responses of Thaumarchaeota ecotypes to environmental variations in the northern slope of the South China Sea. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:410-427. [PMID: 36448268 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Thaumarchaeota are among the most abundant prokaryotes in the ocean, playing important roles in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Marine Thaumarchaeota ecotypes exhibit depth-related diversification and seasonal changes. However, transcriptomic activities concerning niche partitioning among thaumarchaeal ecotypes remain unclear. Here, we examined the variations in the distribution and transcriptomic activity of marine Thaumarchaeota ecotypes. Three primary ecotypes were identified: a Nitrosopumilus-like clade; a Nitrosopelagicus-like water column A (WCA) clade, thriving in epipelagic water; and a water column B (WCB) clade, dominant in deep water. Depth-related partitioning of the three ecotypes and the seasonal variability of the WCA and WCB ecotypes were observed. Nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll α and salinity were the primary environmental factors. The relative abundance of the WCA ecotype and its transcript abundance of amoA gene were positively correlated with chlorophyll α and salinity, while the WCB ecotype was positively correlated with nitrate and phosphate. Based on high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes, transcriptomic analysis revealed that the three ecotypes exhibited various co-occurring expression patterns of the elemental cycling genes in the nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles. Our results provide transcriptomic evidence of the niche differentiation of marine Thaumarchaeota ecotypes, highlighting the diverse roles of ecotypes and WCA subclades in biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongxin Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuewei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Schrad N, Pensky J, Gorski G, Beganskas S, Fisher AT, Saltikov C. Soil characteristics and redox properties of infiltrating water are determinants of microbial communities at managed aquifer recharge sites. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6795929. [PMID: 36331034 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of soil microbial communities at three, pilot-scale field sites simulating shallow infiltration for managed aquifer recharge (MAR). We evaluated shifts in microbial communities after infiltration across site location, through different soils, with and without carbon-rich amendments added to test plots. Our meta-analysis aims to enable more effective MAR basin design by identifying potentially important interactions between soil physical-geochemical parameters and microbial communities across several geographically separate MAR basins. We hypothesized infiltration and carbon amendments would lead to common changes in subsurface microbial communities at multiple field sites but instead found distinct differences. Sites with coarser (mainly sandy) soil had large changes in diversity and taxa abundance, while sites with finer soils had fewer significant changes in genera, despite having the greatest increase in nitrogen cycling. Below test plots amended with a carbon-rich permeable reactive barrier, we observed more nitrate removal and a decrease in genera capable of nitrification. Multivariate statistics determined that the soil texture (a proxy for numerous soil characteristics) was the main determinant of whether the microbial community composition changed because of infiltration. These results suggest that microbial communities in sandy soil with carbon-rich amendments are most impacted by infiltration. Soil composition is a critical parameter that links between microbial communities and nutrient cycling during infiltration and could influence the citing and operation of MAR to benefit water quality and supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schrad
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Jennifer Pensky
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Galen Gorski
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States.,Present Address: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston VA, 20192, United States
| | - Sarah Beganskas
- Water Resource Management, Delaware River Basin Commission, 25 Cosey Road, West Trenton, NJ, 08628, United States
| | - Andrew T Fisher
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Chad Saltikov
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
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Wu J, Hong Y, He X, Liu X, Ye J, Jiao L, Li Y, Wang Y, Ye F, Yang Y, Du J. Niche differentiation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and related autotrophic carbon fixation potential in the water column of the South China Sea. iScience 2022; 25:104333. [PMID: 35602962 PMCID: PMC9118673 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The significant primary production by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in the ocean was reported, but the carbon fixation process of AOA and its community composition along the water depth remain unclear. Here, we investigated the abundance, community composition, and potential carbon fixation of AOA in water columns of the South China Sea. Higher abundances of the amoA and accA genes of AOA were found below the euphotic zone. Similarly, higher carbon fixation potential of AOA, evaluated by the ratios of amoA to accA gene, was also observed below euphotic zone and the ratios increased with increasing water depth. The vertical niche differentiation of AOA was further evidenced, with the dominant genus shifting from Nitrosopelagicus in the epipelagic zone to uncultured genus in the meso- and bathypelagic zones. Our findings highlight the higher carbon fixation potential of AOA in deep water and the significance of AOA to the ocean carbon budget.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiapeng Wu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yiguo Hong
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiang He
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaohan Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiaqi Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lijing Jiao
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yiben Li
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fei Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yunhua Yang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Juan Du
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Li R, Hu C, Wang J, Sun J, Wang Y, Jiao N, Xu D. Biogeographical Distribution and Community Assembly of Active Protistan Assemblages Along an Estuary to a Basin Transect of the Northern South China Sea. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9020351. [PMID: 33578968 PMCID: PMC7916720 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine protists are essential for globally critical biological processes, including the biogeochemical cycles of matter and energy. However, compared with their prokaryotic counterpart, it remains largely unclear how environmental factors determine the diversity and distribution of the active protistan communities on the regional scale. In the present study, the biodiversity, community composition, and potential drivers of the total, abundant, and rare protistan groups were studied using high throughput sequencing on the V9 hyper-variable regions of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) along an estuary to basin transect in the northern South China Sea. Overall, Bacillariophyta and Cercozoa were abundant in the surface water; heterotrophic protists including Spirotrichea and marine stramenopiles 3 (MAST-3) were more abundant in the subsurface waters near the heavily urbanized Pearl River estuary; Chlorophyta and Pelagophyceae were abundant at the deep chlorophyll maximum depth, while Hacrobia, Radiolaria, and Excavata were the abundant groups in the deep water. Salinity, followed by water depth, temperature, and other biological factors, were the primary factors controlling the distinct vertical and horizontal distribution of the total and abundant protists. Rare taxa were driven by water depth, followed by temperature, salinity, and the concentrations of PO43−. The active protistan communities were mainly driven by dispersal limitation, followed by drift and other ecological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jianning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jun Sun
- College of Marine Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430000, China;
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Nianzhi Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Correspondence: (N.J.); (D.X.)
| | - Dapeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; (R.L.); (C.H.); (J.W.); (Y.W.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Carbon Sequestration, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Correspondence: (N.J.); (D.X.)
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Dai J, Ye Q, Wu Y, Zhang M, Zhang J. Simulation of Enhanced Growth of Marine Group II Euryarchaeota From the Deep Chlorophyll Maximum of the Western Pacific Ocean: Implication for Upwelling Impact on Microbial Functions in the Photic Zone. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:571199. [PMID: 33013804 PMCID: PMC7516215 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.571199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesoscale eddies can have a strong impact on regional biogeochemistry and primary productivity. To investigate the effect of the upwelling of seawater by western Pacific eddies on the composition of the active planktonic marine archaeal community composition of the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) layer, mesoscale cold-core eddies were simulated in situ by mixing western Pacific DCM layer water with mesopelagic layer (400 m) water. Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA transcripts indicated that the specific heterotrophic Marine Group IIb (MGIIb) taxonomic group of the DCM layer was rapidly stimulated after receiving fresh substrate from 400 m water, which was dominated by uncultured autotrophic Marine Group I (MGI) archaea. Furthermore, niche differentiation of autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (MGI) was demonstrated by deep sequencing of 16S rRNA, amoA, and accA genes, respectively. Similar distribution patterns of active Marine Group III (MGIII) were observed in the DCM layer with or without vertical mixing, indicating that they are inclined to utilize the substrates already present in the DCM layer. These findings underscore the importance of mesoscale cyclonic eddies in stimulating microbial processes involved in the regional carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlong Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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6
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Archaeal communities in the deep-sea sediments of the South China Sea revealed by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. ANN MICROBIOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-019-01477-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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7
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Differential co-occurrence relationships shaping ecotype diversification within Thaumarchaeota populations in the coastal ocean water column. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:1144-1158. [PMID: 30610232 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0311-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Ecological factors contributing to depth-related diversification of marine Thaumarchaeota populations remain largely unresolved. To investigate the role of potential microbial associations in shaping thaumarchaeal ecotype diversification, we examined co-occurrence relationships in a community composition dataset (16S rRNA V4-V5 region) collected as part of a 2-year time series in coastal Monterey Bay. Ecotype groups previously defined based on functional gene diversity-water column A (WCA), water column B (WCB) and Nitrosopumilus-like clusters-were recovered in the thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA gene phylogeny. Networks systematically reflected depth-related patterns in the abundances of ecotype populations, suggesting thaumarchaeal ecotypes as keystone members of the microbial community below the euphotic zone. Differential environmental controls on the ecotype populations were further evident in subnetwork modules showing preferential co-occurrence of OTUs belonging to the same ecotype cluster. Correlated abundances of Thaumarchaeota and heterotrophic bacteria (e.g., Bacteroidetes, Marinimicrobia and Gammaproteobacteria) indicated potential reciprocal interactions via dissolved organic matter transformations. Notably, the networks recovered ecotype-specific associations between thaumarchaeal and Nitrospina OTUs. Even at depths where WCB-like Thaumarchaeota dominated, Nitrospina OTUs were found to preferentially co-occur with WCA-like and Nitrosopumilus-like thaumarchaeal OTUs, highlighting the need to investigate the ecological implications of the composition of nitrifier assemblages in marine waters.
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8
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Zhang Y, Li J, Cheng X, Luo Y, Mai Z, Zhang S. Community differentiation of bacterioplankton in the epipelagic layer in the South China Sea. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4932-4948. [PMID: 29876071 PMCID: PMC5980402 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal sea in the western tropical Pacific Ocean and is characterized by complex physicochemical environments. To date, the biogeographic patterns of the microbial communities have rarely been reported at a basin scale in the SCS. In this study, the bacterial assemblages inhabiting the epipelagic zone across 110°E to 119°E along 14°N latitude were uncovered. The vertical stratification of both bacterial taxa and their potential functions were revealed. These results suggest that the water depth-specific environment is a driver of the vertical bacterioplankton distribution. Moreover, the bacterial communities were different between the eastern stations and the western stations, where the environmental conditions were distinct. However, the mesoscale eddy did not show an obvious effect on the bacterial community due to the large distance between the sampling site and the center of the eddy. In addition to the water depth and longitudinal location of the samples, the heterogeneity of the phosphate and salinity concentrations also significantly contributed to the variance in the epipelagic bacterial community in the SCS. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report that the variability in epipelagic bacterioplankton is driven by the physicochemical environment at the basin scale in the SCS. Our results emphasize that the ecological significance of bacterioplankton can be better understood by considering the relationship between the biogeographic distribution of bacteria and the oceanic dynamics processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and EcologySouth China Sea Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and EcologySouth China Sea Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Xuhua Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical OceanographySouth China Sea Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Yinfeng Luo
- Beijing Institute of GenomicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Zhimao Mai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and EcologySouth China Sea Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio‐resources and EcologySouth China Sea Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
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Ling J, Lin X, Zhang Y, Zhou W, Yang Q, Lin L, Zeng S, Zhang Y, Wang C, Ahmad M, Long L, Dong J. Community Composition and Transcriptional Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Prokaryotes of Seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in Coral Reef Ecosystems. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:7. [PMID: 29422885 PMCID: PMC5788956 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Seagrasses in coral reef ecosystems play important ecological roles by enhancing coral reef resilience under ocean acidification. However, seagrass primary productivity is typically constrained by limited nitrogen availability. Ammonia oxidation is an important process conducted by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB), yet little information is available concerning the community structure and potential activity of seagrass AOA and AOB. Therefore, this study investigated the variations in the abundance, diversity and transcriptional activity of AOA and AOB at the DNA and transcript level from four sample types: the leaf, root, rhizosphere sediment and bulk sediment of seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in three coral reef ecosystems. DNA and complementary DNA (cDNA) were used to prepare clone libraries and DNA and cDNA quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, targeting the ammonia monooxygenase-subunit (amoA) genes as biomarkers. Our results indicated that the closest relatives of the obtained archaeal and bacterial amoA gene sequences recovered from DNA and cDNA libraries mainly originated from the marine environment. Moreover, all the obtained AOB sequences belong to the Nitrosomonadales cluster. Nearly all the AOA communities exhibited higher diversity than the AOB communities at the DNA level, but the qPCR data demonstrated that the abundances of AOB communities were higher than that of AOA communities based on both DNA and RNA transcripts. Collectively, most of the samples shared greater community composition similarity with samples from the same location rather than sample type. Furthermore, the abundance of archaeal amoA gene in rhizosphere sediments showed significant relationships with the ammonium concentration of sediments and the nitrogen content of plant tissue (leaf and root) at the DNA level (P < 0.05). Conversely, no such relationships were found for the AOB communities. This work provides new insight into the nitrogen cycle, particularly nitrification of seagrass meadows in coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Ling
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiancheng Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanying Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Weiguo Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingsong Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liyun Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Siquan Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Manzoor Ahmad
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan Long
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junde Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
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10
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Liu H, Zhang CL, Yang C, Chen S, Cao Z, Zhang Z, Tian J. Marine Group II Dominates Planktonic Archaea in Water Column of the Northeastern South China Sea. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1098. [PMID: 28663746 PMCID: PMC5471323 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperature, nutrients, and salinity are among the important factors constraining the distribution and abundance of microorganisms in the ocean. Marine Group II (MGII) belonging to Euryarchaeota commonly dominates the planktonic archaeal community in shallow water and Marine Group I (MGI, now is called Thaumarchaeota) in deeper water in global oceans. Results of quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 454 sequencing in our study, however, showed the dominance of MGII in planktonic archaea throughout the water column of the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) that is characterized by strong water mixing. The abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) representing the main group of Thaumarchaeota in deeper water in the northeastern SCS was significantly lower than in other oceanic regions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the top operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of the MGII occurring predominantly below 200 m depth may be unique in the northeastern SCS based on the observation that they are distantly related to known sequences (identity ranging from 90–94%). The abundance of MGII was also significantly correlated with total bacteria in the whole column, which may indicate that MGII and bacteria may have similar physiological or biochemical properties or responses to environmental variation. This study provides valuable information about the dominance of MGII over AOA in both shallow and deep water in the northeastern SCS and highlights the need for comprehensive studies integrating physical, chemical, and microbial oceanography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haodong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Chuanlun L Zhang
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhen, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji UniversityShanghai, China.,CNOOC Gas and Power GroupBeijing, China
| | - Songze Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Zhiwei Cao
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of ChinaQingdao, China
| | - Jiwei Tian
- Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of ChinaQingdao, China
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11
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Contribution of ammonia oxidation to chemoautotrophy in Antarctic coastal waters. ISME JOURNAL 2016; 10:2605-2619. [PMID: 27187795 PMCID: PMC5113851 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2016.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There are few measurements of nitrification in polar regions, yet geochemical evidence suggests that it is significant, and chemoautotrophy supported by nitrification has been suggested as an important contribution to prokaryotic production during the polar winter. This study reports seasonal ammonia oxidation (AO) rates, gene and transcript abundance in continental shelf waters west of the Antarctic Peninsula, where Thaumarchaeota strongly dominate populations of ammonia-oxidizing organisms. Higher AO rates were observed in the late winter surface mixed layer compared with the same water mass sampled during summer (mean±s.e.: 62±16 versus 13±2.8 nm per day, t-test P<0.0005). AO rates in the circumpolar deep water did not differ between seasons (21±5.7 versus 24±6.6 nm per day; P=0.83), despite 5- to 20-fold greater Thaumarchaeota abundance during summer. AO rates correlated with concentrations of Archaea ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes during summer, but not with concentrations of Archaea amoA transcripts, or with ratios of Archaea amoA transcripts per gene, or with concentrations of Betaproteobacterial amoA genes or transcripts. The AO rates we report (<0.1–220 nm per day) are ~10-fold greater than reported previously for Antarctic waters and suggest that inclusion of Antarctic coastal waters in global estimates of oceanic nitrification could increase global rate estimates by ~9%. Chemoautotrophic carbon fixation supported by AO was 3–6% of annualized phytoplankton primary production and production of Thaumarchaeota biomass supported by AO could account for ~9% of the bacterioplankton production measured in winter. Growth rates of thaumarchaeote populations inferred from AO rates averaged 0.3 per day and ranged from 0.01 to 2.1 per day.
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Tarn J, Peoples LM, Hardy K, Cameron J, Bartlett DH. Identification of Free-Living and Particle-Associated Microbial Communities Present in Hadal Regions of the Mariana Trench. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:665. [PMID: 27242695 PMCID: PMC4860528 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Relatively few studies have described the microbial populations present in ultra-deep hadal environments, largely as a result of difficulties associated with sampling. Here we report Illumina-tag V6 16S rRNA sequence-based analyses of the free-living and particle-associated microbial communities recovered from locations within two of the deepest hadal sites on Earth, the Challenger Deep (10,918 meters below surface-mbs) and the Sirena Deep (10,667 mbs) within the Mariana Trench, as well as one control site (Ulithi Atoll, 761 mbs). Seawater samples were collected using an autonomous lander positioned ~1 m above the seafloor. The bacterial populations within the Mariana Trench bottom water samples were dissimilar to other deep-sea microbial communities, though with overlap with those of diffuse flow hydrothermal vents and deep-subsurface locations. Distinct particle-associated and free-living bacterial communities were found to exist. The hadal bacterial populations were also markedly different from one another, indicating the likelihood of different chemical conditions at the two sites. In contrast to the bacteria, the hadal archaeal communities were more similar to other less deep datasets and to each other due to an abundance of cosmopolitan deep-sea taxa. The hadal communities were enriched in 34 bacterial and 4 archaeal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) including members of the Gammaproteobacteria, Epsilonproteobacteria, Marinimicrobia, Cyanobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Atribacteria, Spirochaetes, and Euryarchaeota. Sequences matching cultivated piezophiles were notably enriched in the Challenger Deep, especially within the particle-associated fraction, and were found in higher abundances than in other hadal studies, where they were either far less prevalent or missing. Our results indicate the importance of heterotrophy, sulfur-cycling, and methane and hydrogen utilization within the bottom waters of the deeper regions of the Mariana Trench, and highlight novel community features of these extreme habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tarn
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Logan M Peoples
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Hardy
- Global Ocean Dynamics, Global Ocean Design San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Douglas H Bartlett
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Zhu C, Wakeham SG, Elling FJ, Basse A, Mollenhauer G, Versteegh GJM, Könneke M, Hinrichs KU. Stratification of archaeal membrane lipids in the ocean and implications for adaptation and chemotaxonomy of planktonic archaea. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:4324-4336. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chun Zhu
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences; Cardiff University; Cardiff CF10 3AT UK
| | - Stuart G. Wakeham
- Skidaway Institute of Oceanography; 10 Ocean Science Circle Savannah GA 31411 USA
| | - Felix J. Elling
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Andreas Basse
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
- Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI); Bremerhaven Germany
| | - Gesine Mollenhauer
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
- Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI); Bremerhaven Germany
| | - Gerard J. M. Versteegh
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Martin Könneke
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences; University of Bremen; D-28359 Bremen Germany
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Hu A, Hou L, Yu CP. Biogeography of Planktonic and Benthic Archaeal Communities in a Subtropical Eutrophic Estuary of China. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2015; 70:322-335. [PMID: 25805214 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0597-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that Archaea are widespread and abundant in aquatic and terrestrial habitats and play fundamental roles in global biogeochemical cycles, yet the pattern and its ecological drivers of biogeographic distribution of archaeal community in estuarine ecosystem are still not well understood. Here, we investigated planktonic and benthic archaeal communities in the human-impacted Jiulong River estuary (JRE), southern China by using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Illumina 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) amplicon sequencing. RT-PCR analysis indicated that Archaea accounted for an average of 0.79 and 5.31 % of prokaryotic biomass in water and sediment samples of the JRE, respectively. The diversity of planktonic archaeal community decreased gradually from the river runoff to seawater, whereas that of benthic community did not show the similar pattern. The results of taxonomic assignments indicated that Thaumarchaeota (Nitrosopumilus and Cenarchaeum), Methanocorpusculum, and Methanospirillum were significantly more abundant in planktonic than benthic communities, whereas the relative abundances of Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group, Marine Benthic Group-B/-D, anaerobic methane-oxidizing Archaea -1/-2D, and South Africa Gold Mine Euryarchaeotic Group 1 were higher in sediments than in surface waters. Moreover, planktonic archaeal community composition varied significantly at broad and finer-scale taxonomic levels along the salinity gradient. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that salinity is the main factor structuring the JRE planktonic but not benthic archaeal community at both total community and population level. SourceTrakcer analysis indicated that river might be a major source of archaea in the freshwater zone of the JRE. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the biogeographic patterns and its ecological drivers of estuarine archaeal communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anyi Hu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, People's Republic of China
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15
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Tseng CH, Chiang PW, Lai HC, Shiah FK, Hsu TC, Chen YL, Wen LS, Tseng CM, Shieh WY, Saeed I, Halgamuge S, Tang SL. Prokaryotic assemblages and metagenomes in pelagic zones of the South China Sea. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:219. [PMID: 25879764 PMCID: PMC4373125 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1434-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prokaryotic microbes, the most abundant organisms in the ocean, are remarkably diverse. Despite numerous studies of marine prokaryotes, the zonation of their communities in pelagic zones has been poorly delineated. By exploiting the persistent stratification of the South China Sea (SCS), we performed a 2-year, large spatial scale (10, 100, 1000, and 3000 m) survey, which included a pilot study in 2006 and comprehensive sampling in 2007, to investigate the biological zonation of bacteria and archaea using 16S rRNA tag and shotgun metagenome sequencing. RESULTS Alphaproteobacteria dominated the bacterial community in the surface SCS, where the abundance of Betaproteobacteria was seemingly associated with climatic activity. Gammaproteobacteria thrived in the deep SCS, where a noticeable amount of Cyanobacteria were also detected. Marine Groups II and III Euryarchaeota were predominant in the archaeal communities in the surface and deep SCS, respectively. Bacterial diversity was higher than archaeal diversity at all sampling depths in the SCS, and peaked at mid-depths, agreeing with the diversity pattern found in global water columns. Metagenomic analysis not only showed differential %GC values and genome sizes between the surface and deep SCS, but also demonstrated depth-dependent metabolic potentials, such as cobalamin biosynthesis at 10 m, osmoregulation at 100 m, signal transduction at 1000 m, and plasmid and phage replication at 3000 m. When compared with other oceans, urease at 10 m and both exonuclease and permease at 3000 m were more abundant in the SCS. Finally, enriched genes associated with nutrient assimilation in the sea surface and transposase in the deep-sea metagenomes exemplified the functional zonation in global oceans. CONCLUSIONS Prokaryotic communities in the SCS stratified with depth, with maximal bacterial diversity at mid-depth, in accordance with global water columns. The SCS had functional zonation among depths and endemically enriched metabolic potentials at the study site, in contrast to other oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hung Tseng
- Bioinformatics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Information Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Pei-Wen Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Hung-Chun Lai
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Fuh-Kwo Shiah
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ting-Chang Hsu
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Lung Chen
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Liang-Saw Wen
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chun-Mao Tseng
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Wung-Yang Shieh
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Isaam Saeed
- Optimisation and Pattern Recognition Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Saman Halgamuge
- Optimisation and Pattern Recognition Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Bioinformatics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Institute of Information Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Zhou Z, Chen J, Cao H, Han P, Gu JD. Analysis of methane-producing and metabolizing archaeal and bacterial communities in sediments of the northern South China Sea and coastal Mai Po Nature Reserve revealed by PCR amplification of mcrA and pmoA genes. Front Microbiol 2015; 5:789. [PMID: 25774150 PMCID: PMC4343527 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Communities of methanogens, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and aerobic methanotrophic bacteria (MOB) were compared by profiling polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products of mcrA and pmoA genes encoded by methyl-coenzyme M reductase alpha subunit and particulate methane monooxygenase alpha subunit, respectively, in sediments of northern South China Sea (nSCS) and Mai Po mangrove wetland. Community structures representing by mcrA gene based on 12 clone libraries from nSCS showed separate clusters indicating niche specificity, while, Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinales clades 1,2, and Methanomassiliicoccus-like groups of methanogens were the most abundant groups in nSCS sediment samples. Novel clusters specific to the SCS were identified and the phylogeny of mcrA gene-harboring archaea was updated. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mcrA gene abundance in all samples: similar abundance of mcrA gene in the surface layers of mangrove (3.4∼3.9 × 106 copies per gram dry weight) and of intertidal mudflat (5.5∼5.8 × 106 copies per gram dry weight) was observed, but higher abundance (6.9 × 106 to 1.02 × 108 copies per gram dry weight) was found in subsurface samples of both sediment types. Aerobic MOB were more abundant in surface layers (6.7∼11.1 × 105 copies per gram dry weight) than the subsurface layers (1.2∼5.9 × 105 copies per gram dry weight) based on pmoA gene. Mangrove surface layers harbored more abundant pmoA gene than intertidal mudflat, but less pmoA genes in the subsurface layers. Meanwhile, it is also noted that in surface layers of all samples, more pmoA gene copies were detected than the subsurface layers. Reedbed rhizosphere exhibited the highest gene abundance of mcrA gene (8.51 × 108 copies per gram dry weight) and pmoA gene (1.56 × 107 copies per gram dry weight). This study investigated the prokaryotic communities responsible for methane cycling in both marine and coastal wetland ecosystems, showing the distribution characteristics of mcrA gene-harboring communities in nSCS and stratification of mcrA and pmoA gene diversity and abundance in the Mai Po Nature Reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Zhou
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China
| | - Huiluo Cao
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong China
| | - Ping Han
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China
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Liu J, Yu S, Zhao M, He B, Zhang XH. Shifts in archaeaplankton community structure along ecological gradients of Pearl Estuary. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2014; 90:424-35. [PMID: 25098621 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6941.12404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The significance of archaea in regulating biogeochemical processes has led to an interest in their community compositions. Using 454 pyrosequencing, the present study examined the archaeal communities along a subtropical estuary, Pearl Estuary, China. Marine Group I Thaumarchaeota (MG-I) were predominant in freshwater sites and one novel subgroup of MG-I, that is MG-Iν, was proposed. In addition, the previously defined MG-Iα II was grouped into two clusters (MG-Iα II-1, II-2). MG-Iα II-1 and MG-Iλ II were both freshwater-specific, with MG-Iα II-1 being prevalent in the oxic water and MG-Iλ II in the hypoxic water. Salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients and pH were the most important determinants that shaped the differential distribution of MG-I subgroups along Pearl Estuary. Marine Group II Euryarchaeota (MG-II) dominated the saltwater sites, but their abundance was higher in surface waters. The phylogenetic patterns of MG-I subgroups and their habitat preferences provide insight into their phylogeographic relationships. These results highlight the diversification of various ecotypes of archaea, especially of MG-I, under distinct environmental factors in Pearl Estuary, which are of great value for further exploring their ecological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwen Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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18
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Hong JK, Kim HJ, Cho JC. Novel PCR primers for the archaeal phylum Thaumarchaeota designed based on the comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96197. [PMID: 24805255 PMCID: PMC4013054 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/03/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on comparative phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences deposited in an RDP database, we constructed a local database of thaumarchaeotal 16S rRNA gene sequences and developed a novel PCR primer specific for the archaeal phylum Thaumarchaeota. Among 9,727 quality-filtered (chimeral-checked, size >1.2 kb) archaeal sequences downloaded from the RDP database, 1,549 thaumarchaeotal sequences were identified and included in our local database. In our study, Thaumarchaeota included archaeal groups MG-I, SAGMCG-I, SCG, FSCG, RC, and HWCG-III, forming a monophyletic group in the phylogenetic tree. Cluster analysis revealed 114 phylotypes for Thaumarchaeota. The majority of the phylotypes (66.7%) belonged to the MG-I and SCG, which together contained most (93.9%) of the thaumarchaeotal sequences in our local database. A phylum-directed primer was designed from a consensus sequence of the phylotype sequences, and the primer's specificity was evaluated for coverage and tolerance both in silico and empirically. The phylum-directed primer, designated THAUM-494, showed >90% coverage for Thaumarchaeota and <1% tolerance to non-target taxa, indicating high specificity. To validate this result experimentally, PCRs were performed with THAUM-494 in combination with a universal archaeal primer (ARC917R or 1017FAR) and DNAs from five environmental samples to construct clone libraries. THAUM-494 showed a satisfactory specificity in empirical studies, as expected from the in silico results. Phylogenetic analysis of 859 cloned sequences obtained from 10 clone libraries revealed that >95% of the amplified sequences belonged to Thaumarchaeota. The most frequently sampled thaumarchaeotal subgroups in our samples were SCG, MG-I, and SAGMCG-I. To our knowledge, THAUM-494 is the first phylum-level primer for Thaumarchaeota. Furthermore, the high coverage and low tolerance of THAUM-494 will make it a potentially valuable tool in understanding the phylogenetic diversity and ecological niche of Thaumarchaeota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Kyung Hong
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Department of Environmental Sciences, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yong-In, Korea
| | - Hye-Jin Kim
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Department of Environmental Sciences, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yong-In, Korea
| | - Jae-Chang Cho
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Department of Environmental Sciences, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yong-In, Korea
- * E-mail:
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Hong Y, Youshao W, Chen F. Archaea dominate ammonia oxidizers in the permian water ecosystem of midland basin. Microbes Environ 2013; 28:396-9. [PMID: 24005842 PMCID: PMC4070961 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the existence and characteristics of ammonia oxidizers in Permian water from Midland Basin. Molecular surveys targeting the amoA gene showed that only ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) exist and have potential activity in this special environment. In contrast, no ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were detected in the water. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 72-89% of the total screened AOA clones were affiliated with those found in underground water, and 10-24% of the AOA clones were related to those found in marine water or sediments. Our results indicate AOA might be the most abundant ammonia-oxidizing microbes in this ecological niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiguo Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, P. R. China, 510301
- Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Wang Youshao
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, P. R. China, 510301
| | - Feng Chen
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202 USA
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20
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Song ZQ, Wang L, Wang FP, Jiang HC, Chen JQ, Zhou EM, Liang F, Xiao X, Li WJ. Abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China. Extremophiles 2013; 17:871-9. [PMID: 23918087 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-013-0570-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that archaea carrying the accA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of the acetyl CoA carboxylase, autotrophically fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway in low-temperature environments (e.g., soils, oceans). However, little new information has come to light regarding the occurrence of archaeal accA genes in high-temperature ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China, using DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that archaeal accA genes were present and expressed in the investigated Yunnan hot springs with a wide range of temperatures (66-96 °C) and pH (4.3-9.0). The majority of the amplified archaeal accA gene sequences were affiliated with the ThAOA/HWCG III [thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA)/hot water crenarchaeotic group III]. The archaeal accA gene abundance was very close to that of AOA amoA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia monooxygenase. These data suggest that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Qi Song
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity in Southwest China, Ministry of Education, and Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources, Yunnan Institute of Microbiology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
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21
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Bergauer K, Sintes E, van Bleijswijk J, Witte H, Herndl GJ. Abundance and distribution of archaeal acetyl-CoA/propionyl-CoA carboxylase genes indicative for putatively chemoautotrophic Archaea in the tropical Atlantic's interior. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2013; 84:461-73. [PMID: 23330917 PMCID: PMC3732383 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6941.12073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2012] [Revised: 01/07/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, evidence suggests that dark CO2 fixation in the pelagic realm of the ocean does not only occur in the suboxic and anoxic water bodies but also in the oxygenated meso- and bathypelagic waters of the North Atlantic. To elucidate the significance and phylogeny of the key organisms mediating dark CO2 fixation in the tropical Atlantic, we quantified functional genes indicative for CO2 fixation. We used a Q-PCR-based assay targeting the bifunctional acetyl-CoA/propionyl-CoA carboxylase (accA subunit), a key enzyme powering inter alia the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle (HP/HB) and the archaeal ammonia monooxygenase (amoA). Quantification of accA-like genes revealed a consistent depth profile in the upper mesopelagial with increasing gene abundances from subsurface layers towards the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), coinciding with an increase in archaeal amoA gene abundance. Gene abundance profiles of metabolic marker genes (accA, amoA) were correlated with thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA gene abundances as well as CO2 fixation rates to link the genetic potential to actual rate measurements. AccA gene abundances correlated with archaeal amoA gene abundance throughout the water column (r(2) = 0.309, P < 0.0001). Overall, a substantial genetic predisposition of CO2 fixation was present in the dark realm of the tropical Atlantic in both Archaea and Bacteria. Hence, dark ocean CO2 fixation might be more widespread among prokaryotes inhabiting the oxygenated water column of the ocean's interior than hitherto assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bergauer
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty Center of Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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22
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Tolar BB, King GM, Hollibaugh JT. An analysis of thaumarchaeota populations from the northern gulf of Mexico. Front Microbiol 2013; 4:72. [PMID: 23577005 PMCID: PMC3620491 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We sampled Thaumarchaeota populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico, including shelf waters under the Mississippi River outflow plume that are subject to recurrent hypoxia. Data from this study allowed us to: (1) test the hypothesis that Thaumarchaeota would be abundant in this region; (2) assess phylogenetic composition of these populations for comparison with other regions; (3) compare the efficacy of quantitative PCR (qPCR) based on primers for 16S rRNA genes (rrs) with primers for genes in the ammonia oxidation (amoA) and carbon fixation (accA, hcd) pathways; (4) compare distributions obtained by qPCR with the relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota rrs in pyrosequenced libraries; (5) compare Thaumarchaeota distributions with environmental variables to help us elucidate the factors responsible for the distributions; (6) compare the distribution of Thaumarchaeota with Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria (NOB) to gain insight into the coupling between ammonia and nitrite oxidation. We found up to 108 copies L−1 of Thaumarchaeota rrs in our samples (up to 40% of prokaryotes) by qPCR, with maximum abundance in slope waters at 200–800 m. Thaumarchaeota rrs were also abundant in pyrosequenced libraries and their relative abundance correlated well with values determined by qPCR (r2 = 0.82). Thaumarchaeota populations were strongly stratified by depth. Canonical correspondence analysis using a suite of environmental variables explained 92% of the variance in qPCR-estimated gene abundances. Thaumarchaeota rrs abundance was correlated with salinity and depth, while accA abundance correlated with fluorescence and pH. Correlations of Archaeal amoA abundance with environmental variables were primer-dependent, suggesting differential responses of sub-populations to environmental variables. Bacterial amoA was at the limit of qPCR detection in most samples. NOB and Euryarchaeota rrs were found in the pyrosequenced libraries; NOB distribution was correlated with that of Thaumarchaeota (r2 = 0.49).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley B Tolar
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA ; Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA
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Hu A, Yang Z, Yu CP, Jiao N. Dynamics of autotrophic marine planktonic thaumarchaeota in the East China Sea. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61087. [PMID: 23565298 PMCID: PMC3614966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous and abundant distribution of ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota in marine environments is now well documented, and their crucial role in the global nitrogen cycle has been highlighted. However, the potential contribution of Thaumarchaeota in the carbon cycle remains poorly understood. Here we present for the first time a seasonal investigation on the shelf region (bathymetry≤200 m) of the East China Sea (ECS) involving analysis of both thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA and autotrophy-related genes (acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene, accA). Quantitative PCR results clearly showed a higher abundance of thaumarchaeal 16S and accA genes in late-autumn (November) than summer (August), whereas the diversity and community structure of autotrophic Thaumarchaeota showed no statistically significant difference between different seasons as revealed by thaumarchaeal accA gene clone libraries. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that shallow ecotypes dominated the autotrophic Thaumarchaeota in the ECS shelf (86.3% of total sequences), while a novel non-marine thaumarchaeal accA lineage was identified in the Changjiang estuary in summer (when freshwater plumes become larger) but not in autumn, implying that Changjiang freshwater discharge played a certain role in transporting terrestrial microorganisms to the ECS. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that the biogeography of the autotrophic Thaumarchaeota in the shelf water of the ECS was influenced by complex hydrographic conditions. However, an in silico comparative analysis suggested that the diversity and abundance of the autotrophic Thaumarchaeota might be biased by the ‘universal’ thaumarchaeal accA gene primers Cren529F/Cren981R since this primer set is likely to miss some members within particular phylogenetic groups. Collectively, this study improved our understanding of the biogeographic patterns of the autotrophic Thaumarchaeota in temperate coastal waters, and suggested that new accA primers with improved coverage and sensitivity across phylogenetic groups are needed to gain a more thorough understanding of the role of the autotrophic Thaumarchaeota in the global carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anyi Hu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Zao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chang-Ping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
- * E-mail: (CPY); (NJ)
| | - Nianzhi Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- * E-mail: (CPY); (NJ)
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Thaumarchaeotal signature gene distribution in sediments of the northern South China Sea: an indicator of the metabolic intersection of the marine carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles? Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:2137-47. [PMID: 23335759 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03204-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Thaumarchaeota are abundant and active in marine waters, where they contribute to aerobic ammonia oxidation and light-independent carbon fixation. The ecological function of thaumarchaeota in marine sediments, however, has rarely been investigated, even though marine sediments constitute the majority of the Earth's surface. Thaumarchaeota in the upper layer of sediments may contribute significantly to the reservoir of nitrogen oxides in ocean waters and thus to productivity, including the assimilation of carbon. We tested this hypothesis in the northern South China Sea (nSCS), a section of a large oligotrophic marginal sea with limited influx of nutrients, including nitrogen, by investigating the diversity, abundance, community structure, and spatial distribution of thaumarchaeotal signatures in surface sediments. Quantitative real-time PCR using primers designed to detect 16S rRNA and amoA genes in sediment community DNA revealed a significantly higher abundance of pertinent thaumarchaeotal than betaproteobacterial genes. This finding correlates with high levels of hcd genes, a signature of thaumarchaeotal autotrophic carbon fixation. Thaumarchaeol, a signature lipid biomarker for thaumarchaeota, constituted the majority of archaeal lipids in marine sediments. Sediment temperature and organic P and silt contents were identified as key environmental factors shaping the community structure and distribution of the monitored thaumarchaeotal amoA genes. When the pore water PO4(3-) concentration was controlled for via partial-correlation analysis, thaumarchaeotal amoA gene abundance significantly correlated with the sediment pore water NO2(-) concentration, suggesting that the amoA-bearing thaumarchaeota contribute to nitrite production. Statistical analyses also suggest that thaumarchaeotal metabolism could serve as a pivotal intersection of the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles in marine sediments.
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King GM, Smith CB, Tolar B, Hollibaugh JT. Analysis of composition and structure of coastal to mesopelagic bacterioplankton communities in the northern gulf of Mexico. Front Microbiol 2013; 3:438. [PMID: 23346078 PMCID: PMC3548560 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/19/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
16S rRNA gene amplicons were pyrosequenced to assess bacterioplankton community composition, diversity, and phylogenetic community structure for 17 stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) sampled in March 2010. Statistical analyses showed that samples from depths ≤100 m differed distinctly from deeper samples. SAR 11 α-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes dominated communities at depths ≤100 m, which were characterized by high α-Proteobacteria/γ-Proteobacteria ratios (α/γ > 1.7). Thaumarchaeota, Firmicutes, and δ-Proteobacteria were relatively abundant in deeper waters, and α/γ ratios were low (<1). Canonical correlation analysis indicated that δ- and γ-Proteobacteria, Thaumarchaeota, and Firmicutes correlated positively with depth; α-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes correlated positively with temperature and dissolved oxygen; Actinobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia correlated positively with a measure of suspended particles. Diversity indices did not vary with depth or other factors, which indicated that richness and evenness elements of bacterioplankton communities might develop independently of nGoM physical-chemical variables. Phylogenetic community structure as measured by the net relatedness (NRI) and nearest taxon (NTI) indices also did not vary with depth. NRI values indicated that most of the communities were comprised of OTUs more distantly related to each other in whole community comparisons than expected by chance. NTI values derived from phylogenetic distances of the closest neighbor for each OTU in a given community indicated that OTUs tended to occur in clusters to a greater extent than expected by chance. This indicates that "habitat filtering" might play an important role in nGoM bacterioplankton species assembly, and that such filtering occurs throughout the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary M King
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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La Cono V, La Spada G, Arcadi E, Placenti F, Smedile F, Ruggeri G, Michaud L, Raffa C, De Domenico E, Sprovieri M, Mazzola S, Genovese L, Giuliano L, Slepak VZ, Yakimov MM. Partaking of Archaea to biogeochemical cycling in oxygen-deficient zones of meromictic saline Lake Faro (Messina, Italy). Environ Microbiol 2012; 15:1717-33. [PMID: 23253149 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Revised: 11/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We used a combination of molecular and microbiological approaches to determine the activity, abundance and diversity of archaeal populations inhabiting meromictic saline Lake Faro (Messina, Italy). Analysis of archaeal 16S rRNA, amoA, accA and hbd genes and transcripts revealed that sub- and anoxic layers of Lake Faro are primarily inhabited by the organisms related to the clusters of Marine Group I.1a of Thaumarchaeota frequently recovered from oxygen-depleted marine ecosystems. These organisms dominated the metabolically active archaea down to the bottom of the lake, indicating their adaptation to recurrent changes in the levels of water column hypoxia. The upper microaerobic layer of Lake Faro redoxcline has the maximal rates of dark primary production much lower than those of other previously studied pelagic redoxclines, but comparable to the values of meso- and bathypelagic areas of Mediterranean Sea. Application of bacterial inhibitors, especially azide, significantly declined the CO2 fixation rates in the low interface and monimolimnion, whereas archaea-specific inhibitor had effect only in upper part of the redoxcline. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that dark bicarbonate fixation in suboxic zone of Lake Faro results mainly from archaeal activity which is affected by the predicted lack in oxygen in lower layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violetta La Cono
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Spianata S.Raineri 86, 98122 Messina, Italy
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Diversity, abundance and expression of nitrite reductase (nirK)-like genes in marine thaumarchaea. ISME JOURNAL 2012; 6:1966-77. [PMID: 22592819 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2012.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are widespread and abundant in aquatic and terrestrial habitats and appear to have a significant impact on the global nitrogen cycle. Like the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOA encode a gene homologous to copper-containing nitrite reductases (nirK), which has been studied very little to date. In this study, the diversity, abundance and expression of thaumarchaeal nirK genes from coastal and marine environments were investigated using two mutually excluding primer pairs, which amplify the nirK variants designated as AnirKa and AnirKb. Only the AnirKa variant could be detected in sediment samples from San Francisco Bay and these sequences grouped with the nirK from Candidatus Nitrosopumilus maritimus and Candidatus Nitrosoarchaeum limnia. The two nirK variants had contrasting distributions in the water column in Monterey Bay and the California Current. AnirKa was more abundant in the epi- to mesopelagic Monterey Bay water column, whereas AnirKb was more abundant in the meso- to bathypelagic California Current water. The abundance and community composition of AnirKb, but not AnirKa, followed that of thaumarchaeal amoA, suggesting that either AnirKa is not exclusively associated with AOA or that commonly used amoA primers may be missing a significant fraction of AOA diversity in the epipelagic. Interestingly, thaumarchaeal nirK was expressed 10-100-fold more than amoA in Monterey Bay. Overall, this study provides valuable new insights into the distribution, diversity, abundance and expression of this alternative molecular marker for AOA in the ocean.
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Spatial variations in archaeal lipids of surface water and core-top sediments in the South china sea and their implications for paleoclimate studies. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 77:7479-89. [PMID: 21890672 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00580-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, yet little is known about archaeal distributions and TEX₈₆-based temperatures in this unique oceanic setting. Here we report findings of abundances in both core lipids (CL) and intact polar lipids (IPL) of Archaea from surface water (CL only) and core-top sediments from different regions of the SCS. TEX₈₆-derived temperatures were also calculated for these samples. The surface water had extremely low abundances of CL (average of 0.05 ± 0.13 ng/liter; n = 75), with higher values present in regions where upwelling is known to occur. The core-top sediments had CL values of 0.1 to 0.9 μg/g, which are on the low end of CL concentrations reported for other marine sediments and may reflect the oligotrophic nature of the open SCS. The IPL of Archaea accounted for 6 to 36.4% of total lipids (CL plus IPL), indicating that the majority of archaeal lipids in core-top sediments were derived from nonliving cells. The TEX₈₆-based temperatures of surface water were overall lower than satellite-based sea surface temperatures or CTD-measured in situ temperatures. The core-top sediment samples, however, had TEX₈₆ temperatures very close to the mean annual sea surface temperatures, except for samples with water depths of less than 100 m. Our results demonstrated low and heterogeneous distributions of archaeal lipids in surface water and core-top sediments of the SCS, which may reflect local or regional differences in productivity of Archaea. While TEX₈₆-based temperatures for core-top marine sediments at deep water depths (>100 m) generally reflected mean annual sea surface temperatures, TEX₈₆ temperatures in surface water varied basin wide and underestimated sea surface temperatures in most locations for the season when surface water samples were collected.
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Niche partitioning of marine group I Crenarchaeota in the euphotic and upper mesopelagic zones of the East China Sea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 77:7469-78. [PMID: 21873485 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00294-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine group I Crenarchaeota (MGI) represents a ubiquitous and numerically predominant microbial population in marine environments. An understanding of the spatial dynamics of MGI and its controlling mechanisms is essential for an understanding of the role of MGI in energy and element cycling in the ocean. In the present study, we investigated the diversity and abundance of MGI in the East China Sea (ECS) by analysis of crenarchaeal 16S rRNA gene, the ammonia monooxygenase gene amoA, and the biotin carboxylase gene accA. Quantitative PCR analyses revealed that these genes were higher in abundance in the mesopelagic than in the euphotic zone. In addition, the crenarchaeal amoA gene was positively correlated with the copy number of the MGI 16S rRNA gene, suggesting that most of the MGI in the ECS are nitrifiers. Furthermore, the ratios of crenarchaeal accA to amoA or to MGI 16S rRNA genes increased from the euphotic to the mesopelagic zone, suggesting that the role of MGI in carbon cycling may change from the epipelagic to the mesopelagic zones. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoretic profiling of the 16S rRNA genes revealed depth partitioning in MGI community structures. Clone libraries of the crenarchaeal amoA and accA genes showed both "shallow" and "deep" groups, and their relative abundances varied in the water column. Ecotype simulation analysis revealed that MGI in the upper ocean could diverge into special ecotypes associated with depth to adapt to the light gradient across the water column. Overall, our results showed niche partitioning of the MGI population and suggested a shift in their ecological functions between the euphotic and mesopelagic zones of the ECS.
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