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Gallardo-Navarro O, Aguilar-Salinas B, Rocha J, Olmedo-Álvarez G. Higher-order interactions and emergent properties of microbial communities: The power of synthetic ecology. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33896. [PMID: 39130413 PMCID: PMC11315108 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans have long relied on microbial communities to create products, produce energy, and treat waste. The microbiota residing within our bodies directly impacts our health, while the soil and rhizosphere microbiomes influence the productivity of our crops. However, the complexity and diversity of microbial communities make them challenging to study and difficult to develop into applications, as they often exhibit the emergence of unpredictable higher-order phenomena. Synthetic ecology aims at simplifying complexity by constituting synthetic or semi-natural microbial communities with reduced diversity that become easier to study and analyze. This strategy combines methodologies that simplify existing complex systems (top-down approach) or build the system from its constituent components (bottom-up approach). Simplified communities are studied to understand how interactions among populations shape the behavior of the community and to model and predict their response to external stimuli. By harnessing the potential of synthetic microbial communities through a multidisciplinary approach, we can advance knowledge of ecological concepts and address critical public health, agricultural, and environmental issues more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Gallardo-Navarro
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzado del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Irapuato, Mexico
| | - Bernardo Aguilar-Salinas
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzado del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Irapuato, Mexico
| | - Jorge Rocha
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C., La Paz, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Olmedo-Álvarez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzado del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Irapuato, Mexico
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Garvin ZK, Abades SR, Trefault N, Alfaro FD, Sipes K, Lloyd KG, Onstott TC. Prevalence of trace gas-oxidizing soil bacteria increases with radial distance from Polloquere hot spring within a high-elevation Andean cold desert. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae062. [PMID: 38625060 PMCID: PMC11094475 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
High-elevation arid regions harbor microbial communities reliant on metabolic niches and flexibility to survive under biologically stressful conditions, including nutrient limitation that necessitates the utilization of atmospheric trace gases as electron donors. Geothermal springs present "oases" of microbial activity, diversity, and abundance by delivering water and substrates, including reduced gases. However, it is unknown whether these springs exhibit a gradient of effects, increasing their impact on trace gas-oxidizers in the surrounding soils. We assessed whether proximity to Polloquere, a high-altitude geothermal spring in an Andean salt flat, alters the diversity and metabolic structure of nearby soil bacterial populations compared to the surrounding cold desert. Recovered DNA and metagenomic analyses indicate that the spring represents an oasis for microbes in this challenging environment, supporting greater biomass with more diverse metabolic functions in proximal soils that declines sharply with radial distance from the spring. Despite the sharp decrease in biomass, potential rates of atmospheric hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) uptake increase away from the spring. Kinetic estimates suggest this activity is due to high-affinity trace gas consumption, likely as a survival strategy for energy/carbon acquisition. These results demonstrate that Polloquere regulates a gradient of diverse microbial communities and metabolisms, culminating in increased activity of trace gas-oxidizers as the influence of the spring yields to that of the regional salt flat environment. This suggests the spring holds local importance within the context of the broader salt flat and potentially represents a model ecosystem for other geothermal systems in high-altitude desert environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary K Garvin
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States
| | - Sebastián R Abades
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Trefault
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando D Alfaro
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katie Sipes
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Karen G Lloyd
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Tullis C Onstott
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States
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Mlewski EC, Saona LA, Boidi FJ, Chiappero MF, Vaieretti MV, Soria M, Farías ME, Izquierdo AE. Exploring Soil Bacterial Diversity in Relation to Edaphic Physicochemical Properties of High-altitude Wetlands from Argentine Puna. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 87:6. [PMID: 38030916 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02316-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
High Andean wetlands, particularly those known as vegas or bofedales, are essential conservation ecosystems due to their significant contribution to ecosystem services. The soil microbial communities in these ecosystems play a crucial role in fundamental processes such as decomposition and nutrient cycling, sustaining life in the region. However, at present, these microbial communities are poorly understood. In order to contribute to this knowledge, we aimed to characterize and compare the microbial communities from soils of seven Argentine Puna vegas and to analyze their association with soil physicochemical characteristics. Proteobacteria (Gamma and Alphaproteobacteria) was the dominant phylum across all vegas, followed in abundance by Actinobacteriota, Desulfobacterota, and Chloroflexi. Furthermore, the abundance of specific bacterial families and genera varied significantly between the vegas; some of them can be associated with plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Rhodomicrobium in La Quebradita and Quebrada del Diablo, Bacillus in Antofalla and Las Quinuas. Laguna Negra showed no shared ASVs with abundance in genera such as Sphingomonas and Pseudonocardia. The studied vegas also differed in their soil physicochemical properties; however, associations between the composition of microbial communities with the edaphic parameters measured were not found. These results suggest that other environmental factors (e.g., geographic, climatic, and plant communities' characteristics) could determine soil microbial diversity patterns. Further investigations are needed to be focused on understanding the composition and function of microorganisms in the soil associated with specific vegetation types in these high-altitude wetlands, which will provide valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of these ecosystems for conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estela Cecilia Mlewski
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBiV), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables (CERNAR), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luis A Saona
- Facultad de Química y Biología, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Patagonian Limit of Life (LiLi), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Flavia Jaquelina Boidi
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA Rafaela, Rafaela, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL, CONICET-INTA), Rafaela, Argentina
| | - M Fernanda Chiappero
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBiV), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Vaieretti
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBiV), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mariana Soria
- PUNABIO S.A. Campus USP-T Av. Solano Vera y Camino a Villa Nougués San Pablo, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Farías
- PUNABIO S.A. Campus USP-T Av. Solano Vera y Camino a Villa Nougués San Pablo, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Andrea E Izquierdo
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBiV), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas e Instituto M. Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
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García-Carmona M, Lepinay C, García-Orenes F, Baldrian P, Arcenegui V, Cajthaml T, Mataix-Solera J. Moss biocrust accelerates the recovery and resilience of soil microbial communities in fire-affected semi-arid Mediterranean soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 846:157467. [PMID: 35868386 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
After wildfires in Mediterranean ecosystems, ruderal mosses are pioneer species, stabilizing the soil surface previous to the establishment of vascular vegetation. However, little is known about the implication of pioneer moss biocrusts for the recovery and resilience of soils in early post-fire stages in semi-arid areas. Therefore, we studied the effects of the burgeoning biocrust on soil physicochemical and biochemical properties and the diversity and composition of microbial communities after a moderate-to-high wildfire severity. Seven months after the wildfire, the biocrust softened the strong impact of the fire in soils, affecting the diversity and composition of bacteria and fungi community compared to the uncrusted soils exposed to unfavourable environmental stress. Soil moisture, phosphorous, and enzyme activities representing the altered biogeochemical cycles after the fire, were the main explanatory variables for biocrust microbial community composition under the semi-arid conditions. High bacterial diversity was found in soils under mosses, while long-lasting legacies are expected in the fungal community, which showed greater sensitivity to the fire. The composition of bacterial and fungal communities at several taxonomical levels was profoundly altered by the presence of the moss biocrust, showing a rapid successional transition toward the unburned soil community. Pioneer moss biocrust play an important role improving the resilience of soil microbial communities. In the context of increasing fire intensity, studying the moss biocrust effects on the recovery of soils microbiome is essential to understanding the resistance and resilience of Mediterranean forests to wildfires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva García-Carmona
- GEA-Environmental Soil Science Group, Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain.
| | - Clémentine Lepinay
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Fuensanta García-Orenes
- GEA-Environmental Soil Science Group, Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Victoria Arcenegui
- GEA-Environmental Soil Science Group, Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Tomáš Cajthaml
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jorge Mataix-Solera
- GEA-Environmental Soil Science Group, Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
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Steppan SJ, Bowen T, Bangs MR, Farson M, Storz JF, Quiroga-Carmona M, D’Elía G, Vimercati L, Dorador Ortiz C, Zimmerman G, Schmidt SK. Evidence of a population of leaf-eared mice Phyllotis vaccarum above 6,000 m in the Andes and a survey of high-elevation mammals. J Mammal 2022; 103:776-785. [PMID: 36118797 PMCID: PMC9469927 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Biologists have long pondered the extreme limits of life on Earth, including the maximum elevation at which species can live and reproduce. Here we review evidence of a self-sustaining population of mice at an elevation that exceeds that of all previously reported for mammals. Five expeditions over 10 years to Volcán Llullaillaco on the Argentina/Chile border observed and collected mice at elevations ranging from 5,070 m at the mountain's base to the summit at 6,739 m (22,110 feet). Previously unreported evidence includes observations and photographs of live animals and mummified remains, environmental DNA, and a soil microbial community reflecting animal activity that are evaluated in combination with previously reported video recordings and capture of live mice. All of the evidence identifies the mouse as the leaf-eared mouse Phyllotis vaccarum, and it robustly places the population within a haplotype group containing individuals from the Chilean Atacama Desert and nearby regions of Argentina. A critical review of the literature affirms that this population is not only an elevational record for mammals but for all terrestrial vertebrates to date, and we further find that many extreme elevations previously reported for mammals are based on scant or dubious evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Max R Bangs
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Matthew Farson
- Emergency Services, Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, California 96101, USA
| | - Jay F Storz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Marcial Quiroga-Carmona
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile and Colección de Mamíferos de la Universidad de Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Guillermo D’Elía
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile and Colección de Mamíferos de la Universidad de Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Cristina Dorador Ortiz
- Departamento de Biotecnología and Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile
| | | | - Steve K Schmidt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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Wingfield BD, De Vos L, Wilson AM, Duong TA, Vaghefi N, Botes A, Kharwar RN, Chand R, Poudel B, Aliyu H, Barbetti MJ, Chen S, de Maayer P, Liu F, Navathe S, Sinha S, Steenkamp ET, Suzuki H, Tshisekedi KA, van der Nest MA, Wingfield MJ. IMA Genome - F16 : Draft genome assemblies of Fusarium marasasianum, Huntiella abstrusa, two Immersiporthe knoxdaviesiana isolates, Macrophomina pseudophaseolina, Macrophomina phaseolina, Naganishia randhawae, and Pseudocercospora cruenta. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:3. [PMID: 35197126 PMCID: PMC8867778 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00089-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brenda D Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | - Lieschen De Vos
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Andi M Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Tuan A Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Niloofar Vaghefi
- Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Angela Botes
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ravindra Nath Kharwar
- Center of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Ramesh Chand
- Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Barsha Poudel
- Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Habibu Aliyu
- Institute of Process Engineering in Life Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Martin J Barbetti
- School of Agriculture and Environment and the UWA Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - ShuaiFei Chen
- China Eucalypt Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Pieter de Maayer
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - FeiFei Liu
- China Eucalypt Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China
| | | | - Shagun Sinha
- Center of Advanced Study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
- Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Emma T Steenkamp
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Kalonji A Tshisekedi
- School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Magriet A van der Nest
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
- Biotechnology Platform, Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Anderson D, Song YP, Wu YT. Environmental Variables Including Heavy Metals Significantly Shape the Soil Bacterial Community Structure in the Tatun Volcano Group, Northern Taiwan. Microbes Environ 2022; 37:ME22005. [PMID: 36273895 PMCID: PMC9763040 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me22005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggested the presence of magma chambers from the Tatun volcano group under northern Taiwan's surface, the result of episodic volcanism for 0.2-2.8 million years. However, the microbial community in volcanic soil has not yet been characterized. Therefore, the present study investigated the spatial distribution of microbial communities and their relationships with environmental variables, including heavy metals. Next-generation sequencing was used to analyze the microbial community structures in three areas with different land uses: Lengshuikeng (recreational area), Zhuzihu (agricultural area), and Huangzuishan (conservation area). High contents of environmental factors, such as nitrogen (0.46-1.14%) and phosphorus (2.01-13.88 ppm), were detected. Large concentrations of heavy metals, such as copper (55.90-127.60 ppm) and zinc (36.13-147.73 ppm), were found among the three sites, whereas those of lead (83.13 ppm) and chromium (48.33 ppm) were higher in the Zhuzihu area. The most prevalent phylum across all sites was Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi, while the most abundant bacterial species was Koribacteraceae: NA_01, followed by Cyanobacteria: NA. A network ana-lysis showed that Koribacteracea: NA_01 positively correlated with bacterial groups, including Flavisolibacter sp., Oxalobacteraceae: NA, and Actinomycetales: NA_01. Based on Shannon and Simpson's diversity indices, the diversity of bacteria was significantly less in the Huangzuishan area than in the Lengshuikeng and Zhuzihu areas. Bacterial assemblages also significantly differed (P<0.05) among the three sites. The present results provide clear evidence to show that environmental variables, including heavy metals, are key factors affecting the bacterial community structure in volcanic soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Anderson
- Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation (DTAIC), National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ying-Ping Song
- The Experimental Forest, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Nantou 55750, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Forestry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yu-Ting Wu
- Department of Forestry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan, ROC
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Cycil LM, Hausrath EM, Ming DW, Adcock CT, Raymond J, Remias D, Ruemmele WP. Investigating the Growth of Algae Under Low Atmospheric Pressures for Potential Food and Oxygen Production on Mars. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:733244. [PMID: 34867849 PMCID: PMC8633435 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.733244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With long-term missions to Mars and beyond that would not allow resupply, a self-sustaining Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS) is essential. Algae are promising candidates for BLSS due to their completely edible biomass, fast growth rates and ease of handling. Extremophilic algae such as snow algae and halophilic algae may also be especially suited for a BLSS because of their ability to grow under extreme conditions. However, as indicated from over 50 prior space studies examining algal growth, little is known about the growth of algae at close to Mars-relevant pressures. Here, we explored the potential for five algae species to produce oxygen and food under low-pressure conditions relevant to Mars. These included Chloromonas brevispina, Kremastochrysopsis austriaca, Dunaliella salina, Chlorella vulgaris, and Spirulina plantensis. The cultures were grown in duplicate in a low-pressure growth chamber at 670 ± 20 mbar, 330 ± 20 mbar, 160 ± 20 mbar, and 80 ± 2.5 mbar pressures under continuous light exposure (62-70 μmol m-2 s-1). The atmosphere was evacuated and purged with CO2 after sampling each week. Growth experiments showed that D. salina, C. brevispina, and C. vulgaris were the best candidates to be used for BLSS at low pressure. The highest carrying capacities for each species under low pressure conditions were achieved by D. salina at 160 mbar (30.0 ± 4.6 × 105 cells/ml), followed by C. brevispina at 330 mbar (19.8 ± 0.9 × 105 cells/ml) and C. vulgaris at 160 mbar (13.0 ± 1.5 × 105 cells/ml). C. brevispina, D. salina, and C. vulgaris all also displayed substantial growth at the lowest tested pressure of 80 mbar reaching concentrations of 43.4 ± 2.5 × 104, 15.8 ± 1.3 × 104, and 57.1 ± 4.5 × 104 cells per ml, respectively. These results indicate that these species are promising candidates for the development of a Mars-based BLSS using low pressure (∼200-300 mbar) greenhouses and inflatable structures that have already been conceptualized and designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena M Cycil
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Elisabeth M Hausrath
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | | | - Christopher T Adcock
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - James Raymond
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Daniel Remias
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria
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Alonso-Reyes DG, Galván FS, Portero LR, Alvarado NN, Farías ME, Vazquez MP, Albarracín VH. Genomic insights into an andean multiresistant soil actinobacterium of biotechnological interest. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:166. [PMID: 34463818 PMCID: PMC8405860 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03129-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Central-Andean Ecosystems (between 2000 and 6000 m above sea level (masl) are typical arid-to-semiarid environments suffering from the highest total solar and ultraviolet-B radiation on the planet but displaying numerous salt flats and shallow lakes. Andean microbial ecosystems isolated from these environments are of exceptional biodiversity enduring multiple severe conditions. Furthermore, the polyextremophilic nature of the microbes in such ecosystems indicates the potential for biotechnological applications. Within this context, the study undertaken used genome mining, physiological and microscopical characterization to reveal the multiresistant profile of Nesterenkonia sp. Act20, an actinobacterium isolated from the soil surrounding Lake Socompa, Salta, Argentina (3570 masl). Ultravioet-B, desiccation, and copper assays revealed the strain's exceptional resistance to all these conditions. Act20's genome presented coding sequences involving resistance to antibiotics, low temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, arsenic, nutrient-limiting conditions, osmotic stress, low atmospheric-oxygen pressure, heavy-metal stress, and toxic fluoride and chlorite. Act20 can also synthesize proteins and natural products such as an insecticide, bacterial cellulose, ectoine, bacterial hemoglobin, and even antibiotics like colicin V and aurachin C. We also found numerous enzymes for animal- and vegetal-biomass degradation and applications in other industrial processes. The resilience of Act20 and its biotechnologic potential were thoroughly demonstrated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gonzalo Alonso-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Fátima Silvina Galván
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Luciano Raúl Portero
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Natalia Noelia Alvarado
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Martín P Vazquez
- HERITAS-CONICET, Ocampo 210 bis, Predio CCT, 2000, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Virginia Helena Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME), Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME, CONICET, UNT), Camino de Sirga s/n. FAZ, Finca El Manantial, 4107, Yerba Buena, Tucumán, Argentina.
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10
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Solon AJ, Mastrangelo C, Vimercati L, Sommers P, Darcy JL, Gendron EMS, Porazinska DL, Schmidt SK. Gullies and Moraines Are Islands of Biodiversity in an Arid, Mountain Landscape, Asgard Range, Antarctica. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:654135. [PMID: 34177836 PMCID: PMC8222675 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.654135] [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: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold, dry, and nutrient-poor, the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are among the most extreme terrestrial environments on Earth. Numerous studies have described microbial communities of low elevation soils and streams below glaciers, while less is known about microbial communities in higher elevation soils above glaciers. We characterized microbial life in four landscape features (habitats) of a mountain in Taylor Valley. These habitats varied significantly in soil moisture and include moist soils of a (1) lateral glacial moraine, (2) gully that terminates at the moraine, and very dry soils on (3) a southeastern slope and (4) dry sites near the gully. Using rRNA gene PCR amplicon sequencing of Bacteria and Archaea (16S SSU) and eukaryotes (18S SSU), we found that all habitat types harbored significantly different bacterial and eukaryotic communities and that these differences were most apparent when comparing habitats that had macroscopically visible soil crusts (gully and moraine) to habitats with no visible crusts (near gully and slope). These differences were driven by a relative predominance of Actinobacteria and a Colpodella sp. in non-crust habitats, and by phototrophic bacteria and eukaryotes (e.g., a moss) and predators (e.g., tardigrades) in habitats with biological soil crusts (gully and moraine). The gully and moraine also had significantly higher 16S and 18S ESV richness than the other two habitat types. We further found that many of the phototrophic bacteria and eukaryotes of the gully and moraine share high sequence identity with phototrophs from moist and wet areas elsewhere in the Dry Valleys and other cold desert ecosystems. These include a Moss (Bryum sp.), several algae (e.g., a Chlorococcum sp.) and cyanobacteria (e.g., Nostoc and Phormidium spp.). Overall, the results reported here broaden the diversity of habitat types that have been studied in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica and suggest future avenues of research to more definitively understand the biogeography and factors controlling microbial diversity in this unique ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Solon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Claire Mastrangelo
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Pacifica Sommers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - John L Darcy
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Eli M S Gendron
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Dorota L Porazinska
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - S K Schmidt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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11
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Abstract
Diatoms inhabiting terrestrial habitats that are affected by thermal activity remain poorly studied, despite significant interest in the biodiversity of hot springs. The Kamchatka peninsula is characterized by the presence of 30 active volcanoes associated with hydrotherms. Our study involved a survey of diatom diversity in soils around the Malki, Upper Paratunka, and Dachnie thermal springs on the Kamchatka peninsula. A total of 49 diatom taxa were found. The genera Pinnularia, Planothidium, Fragilariforma, Epithemia, Halamphora, Gomphonema, Nitzschia, Aulocoseira, Sellaphora, Surirella, and Navicula were the most common. Pinnularia cf. subcapitata and Planothidium lanceolatum were dominant in all springs. Diatom communities in the soils near the thermal springs included both aquatic and terrestrial species, which may reflect the transitional nature of habitats at the borders of hot springs and soils. To gain a better understanding of the diversity of diatom communities in soils near thermal springs, broader worldwide studies are necessary.
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12
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Vimercati L, Bueno de Mesquita CP, Schmidt SK. Limited Response of Indigenous Microbes to Water and Nutrient Pulses in High-Elevation Atacama Soils: Implications for the Cold-Dry Limits of Life on Earth. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1061. [PMID: 32708721 PMCID: PMC7409055 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Soils on the world's highest volcanoes in the Atacama region represent some of the harshest ecosystems yet discovered on Earth. Life in these environments must cope with high UV flux, extreme diurnal freeze-thaw cycles, low atmospheric pressure and extremely low nutrient and water availability. Only a limited spectrum of bacterial and fungal lineages seems to have overcome the harshness of this environment and may have evolved the ability to function in situ. However, these communities may lay dormant for most of the time and spring to life only when enough water and nutrients become available during occasional snowfalls and aeolian depositions. We applied water and nutrients to high-elevation soils (5100 meters above sea level) from Volcán Llullaillaco, both in lab microcosms and in the field, to investigate how microbial communities respond when resource limitations are alleviated. The dominant taxon in these soils, the extremophilic yeast Naganishia sp., increased in relative sequence abundance and colony-forming unit counts after water + nutrient additions in microcosms, and marginally in the field after only 6 days. Among bacteria, only a Noviherbaspirillum sp. (Oxalobacteraceae) significantly increased in relative abundance both in the lab and field in response to water addition but not in response to water and nutrients together, indicating that it might be an oligotroph uniquely suited to this extreme environment. The community structure of both bacteria and eukaryotes changed significantly with water and water + nutrient additions in the microcosms and taxonomic richness declined with amendments to water and nutrients. These results indicate that only a fraction of the detected community is able to become active when water and nutrients limitations are alleviated in lab microcosms, and that water alone can dramatically change community structure. Our study sheds light on which extremophilic organisms are likely to respond when favorable conditions occur in extreme earthly environments and perhaps in extraterrestrial environments as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA; (L.V.); (C.P.B.d.M.)
| | - Clifton P. Bueno de Mesquita
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA; (L.V.); (C.P.B.d.M.)
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0450, USA
| | - Steven K. Schmidt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA; (L.V.); (C.P.B.d.M.)
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13
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Malavasi V, Soru S, Cao G. Extremophile Microalgae: the potential for biotechnological application. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:559-573. [PMID: 31917871 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that use sunlight as an energy source, and convert water, carbon dioxide, and inorganic salts into algal biomass. The isolation and selection of microalgae, which allow one to obtain large amounts of biomass and valuable compounds, is a prerequisite for their successful industrial production. This work provides an overview of extremophile algae, where their ability to grow under harsh conditions and the corresponding accumulation of metabolites are addressed. Emphasis is placed on the high-value products of some prominent algae. Moreover, the most recent applications of these microorganisms and their potential exploitation in the context of astrobiology are taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Malavasi
- Interdepartmental Center of Environmental Science and Engineering (CINSA), University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Santina Soru
- Interdepartmental Center of Environmental Science and Engineering (CINSA), University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giacomo Cao
- Interdepartmental Center of Environmental Science and Engineering (CINSA), University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
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14
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Aszalós JM, Szabó A, Megyes M, Anda D, Nagy B, Borsodi AK. Bacterial Diversity of a High-Altitude Permafrost Thaw Pond Located on Ojos del Salado (Dry Andes, Altiplano-Atacama Region). ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:754-765. [PMID: 32525738 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbial ecology of permafrost, due to its ecological and astrobiological importance, has been in the focus of studies in past decades. Although permafrost is an ancient and stable environment, it is also subjected to current climate changes. Permafrost degradation often results in generation of thaw ponds, a phenomenon not only reported mainly from polar regions but also present in high-altitude permafrost environments. Our knowledge about microbial communities of thaw ponds in these unique, remote mountain habitats is sparse. This study presents the first culture collection and results of the next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) analysis of bacterial communities inhabiting a high-altitude permafrost thaw pond. In February 2016, a permafrost thaw pond on the Ojos del Salado at 5900 m a.s.l. (meters above sea level) was sampled as part of the Hungarian Dry Andes Research Programme. A culture collection of 125 isolates was established, containing altogether 11 genera belonging to phyla Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Simplified bacterial communities with a high proportion of candidate and hitherto uncultured bacteria were revealed by Illumina MiSeq NGS. Water of the thaw pond was dominated by Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, while in the sediment of the lake and permafrost, members of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Patescibacteria, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were abundant. This permafrost habitat can be interesting as a potential Mars analog.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Attila Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Melinda Megyes
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Anda
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Nagy
- Department of Physical Geography, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea K Borsodi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Danube Research Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
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15
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Aszalós JM, Szabó A, Felföldi T, Jurecska L, Nagy B, Borsodi AK. Effects of Active Volcanism on Bacterial Communities in the Highest-Altitude Crater Lake of Ojos del Salado (Dry Andes, Altiplano-Atacama Region). ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:741-753. [PMID: 32525737 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Periglacial and volcanic environments are considered terrestrial analogs of Mars with regard to astrobiological characteristics due to their specific set of extreme features. Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano on Earth (6893 m a.s.l.), is surrounded by several craters, one of which harbors the highest known altitude lake (6480 m a.s.l.), which is influenced by a rare combination of extreme environmental factors, that is, low mean temperature, permafrost, fumarolic activity, acidity, and extreme low organic matter content. To assess the genetic diversity and ecological tolerance of bacteria, samples were taken in February 2016 from the sediments covered with acidic cold (pH 4.88, 3.8°C) and warm (pH 2.08, 40.8°C) water. As a control, a nonvolcanic high-altitude lake (at 5900 m a.s.l.) was also studied by both cultivation-based and next-generation DNA sequencing methods. Isolates from the crater lake showed tolerance toward acidic pH values, unlike isolates from the nonvolcanic lake. Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene exposed simplified, although characteristically different, bacterial communities in the warm and cold water-saturated sediments. In the fumarolic creek sediments, acidophilic iron oxidizers (Ferrithrix, Gallionella) and iron reducers (Acidiphilium) were abundant, and bacteria involved in the sulfur oxidation (Hydrogenobaculum, Thiomonas) and reduction (Desulfosporosinus) were also detected. Therefore, we propose an integrated model that addresses the potential role of bacteria in the sulfur and iron geomicrobiological cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Attila Szabó
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Felföldi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Laura Jurecska
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Nagy
- Department of Physical Geography, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea K Borsodi
- Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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16
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Ferreira MRS, Cleary DFR, Coelho FJRC, Gomes NCM, Huang YM, Polónia ARM, de Voogd NJ. Geographical location and habitat predict variation in prokaryotic community composition of Suberites diversicolor. ANN MICROBIOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s13213-020-01546-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Marine lakes are unique habitats that house diverse assemblages of benthic and planktonic organisms including endemic species. In this study, we aimed to assess to what extent geographical location (Berau versus Papua) and the degree of marine lake connectivity (relatively open versus closed) to the surrounding marine environment structures the prokaryotic community composition of the sponge species Suberites diversicolor.
Methods
Sponge specimens were sampled in five marine lakes in Borneo and Papua and one open sea habitat in Taiwan.
Result
Prokaryotic communities of S. diversicolor were dominated by members assigned to the Proteobacteria (particularly Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria) and Cyanobacteria, which together made up from 78 to 87% of sequences in all samples. The dominant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in most samples, OTUs 1 and 3, were both assigned to the alphaproteobacterial order Rhodospirillales with OTU-1 dominant in the marine lakes of Berau and Papua and OTU-3 in Taiwan. OTU-3 was also largely absent from Papuan samples but present in all Berau samples. Compositionally, S. diversicolor samples clustered according to geographical location with the main axis of variation separating marine lake samples collected in Berau from those collected in Papua and the second axis of variation separating open sea samples collected in Taiwan from all marine lake samples. In addition, our results suggest that the degree of lake connectivity to the open sea also influences prokaryotic composition.
Conclusion
Although previous studies have shown that sponge-associated microbial communities tend to be stable across different geographical and environmental gradients, in the present study, both geography and local environmental conditions were significant predictors of variation in prokaryotic community composition of S. diversicolor.
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17
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Newsham KK, Tripathi BM, Dong K, Yamamoto N, Adams JM, Hopkins DW. Bacterial Community Composition and Diversity Respond to Nutrient Amendment but Not Warming in a Maritime Antarctic Soil. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 78:974-984. [PMID: 30989354 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01373-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A resumption of climate warming in maritime Antarctica, arising from continued greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, is predicted to lead to further expansions of plant populations across the region, with consequent increases in nutrient inputs to soils. Here, we test the main and interactive effects of warming, applied with open top chambers (OTCs), and nutrient amendment with tryptic soy broth (TSB), an artificial growth substrate, on bacterial community composition and diversity using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in soil from a field experiment in the southern maritime Antarctic. Substantial effects of TSB application on bacterial communities were identified after 49 months, including reduced diversity, altered phylogenetic community assembly processes, increased Proteobacteria-to-Acidobacteria ratios and significant divergence in community composition, notably increases in the relative abundances of the gram-positive genera Arthrobacter, Paeniglutamicibacter and Planococcus. Contrary to previous observations from other maritime Antarctic field warming experiments, we recorded no effects of warming with OTCs, or interactive effects of OTCs and TSB application, on bacterial community composition or diversity. Based on these findings, we conclude that further warming of the maritime Antarctic is unlikely to influence soil bacterial community composition or diversity directly, but that increased nutrient inputs arising from enhanced plant growth across the region may affect the composition of soil bacterial communities, with possible effects on ecosystem productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin K Newsham
- NERC British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.
| | - Binu M Tripathi
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Ke Dong
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Kyonggi University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16227, Republic of Korea
| | - Naomichi Yamamoto
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan M Adams
- Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - David W Hopkins
- Scotland's Rural College, Peter Wilson Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
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18
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Fazi S, Ungaro F, Venturi S, Vimercati L, Cruz Viggi C, Baronti S, Ugolini F, Calzolari C, Tassi F, Vaselli O, Raschi A, Aulenta F. Microbiomes in Soils Exposed to Naturally High Concentrations of CO 2 (Bossoleto Mofette Tuscany, Italy). Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2238. [PMID: 31681186 PMCID: PMC6797827 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct and indirect effects of extremely high geogenic CO2 levels, commonly occurring in volcanic and hydrothermal environments, on biogeochemical processes in soil are poorly understood. This study investigated a sinkhole in Italy where long-term emissions of thermometamorphic-derived CO2 are associated with accumulation of carbon in the topsoil and removal of inorganic carbon in low pH environments at the bottom of the sinkhole. The comparison between interstitial soil gasses and those collected in an adjacent bubbling pool and the analysis of the carbon isotopic composition of CO2 and CH4 clearly indicated the occurrence of CH4 oxidation and negligible methanogenesis in soils at the bottom of the sinkhole. Extremely high CO2 concentrations resulted in higher microbial abundance (up to 4 × 109 cell g-1 DW) and a lower microbial diversity by favoring bacteria already reported to be involved in acetogenesis in mofette soils (i.e., Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria). Laboratory incubations to test the acetogenic and methanogenic potential clearly showed that all the mofette soil supplied with hydrogen gas displayed a remarkable CO2 fixation potential, primarily due to the activity of acetogenic microorganisms. By contrast, negligible production of acetate occurred in control tests incubated with the same soils, under identical conditions, without the addition of hydrogen. In this study, we report how changes in diversity and functions of the soil microbial community - induced by high CO2 concentration - create peculiar biogeochemical profile. CO2 emission affects carbon cycling through: (i) inhibition of the decomposition of the organic carbon and (ii) promotion of CO2-fixation via the acetyl-CoA pathway. Sites naturally exposed to extremely high CO2 levels could potentially represent an untapped source of microorganisms with unique capabilities to catalytically convert CO2 into valuable organic chemicals and fuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Fazi
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ungaro
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | - Stefania Venturi
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, National Research Council (IGG-CNR), Florence, Italy.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | | | - Silvia Baronti
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Ugolini
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | - Costanza Calzolari
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | - Franco Tassi
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, National Research Council (IGG-CNR), Florence, Italy.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Orlando Vaselli
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, National Research Council (IGG-CNR), Florence, Italy.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Antonio Raschi
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | - Federico Aulenta
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Rome, Italy
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19
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The disappearing periglacial ecosystem atop Mt. Kilimanjaro supports both cosmopolitan and endemic microbial communities. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10676. [PMID: 31337772 PMCID: PMC6650471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46521-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities have not been studied using molecular approaches at high elevations on the African continent. Here we describe the diversity of microbial communities from ice and periglacial soils from near the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro by using both Illumina and Sanger sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes. Ice and periglacial soils contain unexpectedly diverse and rich assemblages of Bacteria and Eukarya indicating that there may be high rates of dispersal to the top of this tropical mountain and/or that the habitat is more conducive to microbial life than was previously thought. Most bacterial OTUs are cosmopolitan and an analysis of isolation by geographic distance patterns of the genus Polaromonas emphasized the importance of global Aeolian transport in the assembly of bacterial communities on Kilimanjaro. The eukaryotic communities were less diverse than the bacterial communities and showed more evidence of dispersal limitations and apparent endemism. Cercozoa dominated the 18S communities, including a high abundance of testate amoebae and a high diversity of endemic OTUs within the Vampyrellida. These results argue for more intense study of this unique high-elevation "island of the cryosphere" before the glaciers of Kilimanjaro disappear forever.
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20
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Cockell CS, Harrison JP, Stevens AH, Payler SJ, Hughes SS, Kobs Nawotniak SE, Brady AL, Elphic R, Haberle CW, Sehlke A, Beaton KH, Abercromby AF, Schwendner P, Wadsworth J, Landenmark H, Cane R, Dickinson AW, Nicholson N, Perera L, Lim DS. A Low-Diversity Microbiota Inhabits Extreme Terrestrial Basaltic Terrains and Their Fumaroles: Implications for the Exploration of Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:284-299. [PMID: 30840501 PMCID: PMC6442273 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
A major objective in the exploration of Mars is to test the hypothesis that the planet hosted life. Even in the absence of life, the mapping of habitable and uninhabitable environments is an essential task in developing a complete understanding of the geological and aqueous history of Mars and, as a consequence, understanding what factors caused Earth to take a different trajectory of biological potential. We carried out the aseptic collection of samples and comparison of the bacterial and archaeal communities associated with basaltic fumaroles and rocks of varying weathering states in Hawai'i to test four hypotheses concerning the diversity of life in these environments. Using high-throughput sequencing, we found that all these materials are inhabited by a low-diversity biota. Multivariate analyses of bacterial community data showed a clear separation between sites that have active fumaroles and other sites that comprised relict fumaroles, unaltered, and syn-emplacement basalts. Contrary to our hypothesis that high water flow environments, such as fumaroles with active mineral leaching, would be sites of high biological diversity, alpha diversity was lower in active fumaroles compared to relict or nonfumarolic sites, potentially due to high-temperature constraints on microbial diversity in fumarolic sites. A comparison of these data with communities inhabiting unaltered and weathered basaltic rocks in Idaho suggests that bacterial taxon composition of basaltic materials varies between sites, although the archaeal communities were similar in Hawai'i and Idaho. The taxa present in both sites suggest that most of them obtain organic carbon compounds from the atmosphere and from phototrophs and that some of them, including archaeal taxa, cycle fixed nitrogen. The low diversity shows that, on Earth, extreme basaltic terrains are environments on the edge of sustaining life with implications for the biological potential of similar environments on Mars and their exploration by robots and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Address correspondence to: Charles S. Cockell, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK
| | - Jesse P. Harrison
- Aquatic Biogeochemistry Research Unit, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Adam H. Stevens
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Samuel J. Payler
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Scott S. Hughes
- Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | | | - Allyson L. Brady
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - R.C. Elphic
- NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Andrew F.J. Abercromby
- Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences Division (SK), NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Petra Schwendner
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jennifer Wadsworth
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hanna Landenmark
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rosie Cane
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew W. Dickinson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Natasha Nicholson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Liam Perera
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Darlene S.S. Lim
- NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, USA
- Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI), Moffett Field, California, USA
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Pulschen AA, de Araujo GG, de Carvalho ACSR, Cerini MF, Fonseca LDM, Galante D, Rodrigues F. Survival of Extremophilic Yeasts in the Stratospheric Environment during Balloon Flights and in Laboratory Simulations. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e01942-18. [PMID: 30266724 PMCID: PMC6238051 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01942-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The high-altitude atmosphere is a harsh environment with extremely low temperatures, low pressure, and high UV irradiation. For this reason, it has been proposed as an analogue for Mars, presenting deleterious factors similar to those on the surface of that planet. We evaluated the survival of extremophilic UV-resistant yeasts isolated from a high-elevation area in the Atacama Desert under stratospheric conditions. As biological controls, intrinsically resistant Bacillus subtilis spores were used. Experiments were performed in two independent stratospheric balloon flights and with an environmental simulation chamber. The three following different conditions were evaluated: (i) desiccation, (ii) desiccation plus exposure to stratospheric low pressure and temperature, and (3) desiccation plus exposure to the full stratospheric environment (UV, low pressure, and temperature). Two strains, Naganishia (Cryptococcus) friedmannii 16LV2 and Exophiala sp. strain 15LV1, survived full exposures to the stratosphere in larger numbers than did B. subtilis spores. Holtermanniella watticus (also known as Holtermanniella wattica) 16LV1, however, suffered a substantial loss in viability upon desiccation and did not survive the stratospheric UV exposure. The remarkable resilience of N. friedmannii and Exophiala sp. 15LV1 under the extreme Mars-like conditions of the stratosphere confirms its potential as a eukaryotic model for astrobiology. Additionally, our results with N. friedmannii strengthen the recent hypothesis that yeasts belonging to the Naganishia genus are fit for aerial dispersion, which might account for the observed abundance of this species in high-elevation soils.IMPORTANCE Studies of eukaryotic microorganisms under conditions of astrobiological relevance, as well as the aerial dispersion potential of extremophilic yeasts, are still lacking in the literature compared to works with bacteria. Using stratospheric balloon flights and a simulation chamber, we demonstrate that yeasts isolated from an extreme environment are capable of surviving all stressors found in the stratosphere, including intense UV irradiation, scoring an even higher survival than B. subtilis spores. Notably, the yeast N. friedmannii, which displayed one of the highest tolerances to the stratospheric environment in the experiments, was recently proposed to be adapted to airborne transportation, although such a hypothesis had not yet been tested. Our results strengthen such an assumption and can help explain the observed distribution and ecology of this particular yeast species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Maria Fernanda Cerini
- Graduate Program in Biomolecular Physics, São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Douglas Galante
- Graduate Program in Biomolecular Physics, São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio Rodrigues
- Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Schmidt SK, Gendron EMS, Vincent K, Solon AJ, Sommers P, Schubert ZR, Vimercati L, Porazinska DL, Darcy JL, Sowell P. Life at extreme elevations on Atacama volcanoes: the closest thing to Mars on Earth? Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:1389-1401. [PMID: 29557533 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-018-1066-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Here we describe recent breakthroughs in our understanding of microbial life in dry volcanic tephra ("soil") that covers much of the surface area of the highest elevation volcanoes on Earth. Dry tephra above 6000 m.a.s.l. is perhaps the best Earth analog for the surface of Mars because these "soils" are acidic, extremely oligotrophic, exposed to a thin atmosphere, high UV fluxes, and extreme temperature fluctuations across the freezing point. The simple microbial communities found in these extreme sites have among the lowest alpha diversity of any known earthly ecosystem and contain bacteria and eukaryotes that are uniquely adapted to these extreme conditions. The most abundant eukaryotic organism across the highest elevation sites is a Naganishia species that is metabolically versatile, can withstand high levels of UV radiation and can grow at sub-zero temperatures, and during extreme diurnal freeze-thaw cycles (e.g. - 10 to + 30 °C). The most abundant bacterial phylotype at the highest dry sites sampled (6330 m.a.s.l. on Volcán Llullaillaco) belongs to the enigmatic B12-WMSP1 clade which is related to the Ktedonobacter/Thermosporothrix clade that includes versatile organisms with the largest known bacterial genomes. Close relatives of B12-WMSP1 are also found in fumarolic soils on Volcán Socompa and in oligotrophic, fumarolic caves on Mt. Erebus in Antarctica. In contrast to the extremely low diversity of dry tephra, fumaroles found at over 6000 m.a.s.l. on Volcán Socompa support very diverse microbial communities with alpha diversity levels rivalling those of low elevation temperate soils. Overall, the high-elevation biome of the Atacama region provides perhaps the best "natural experiment" in which to study microbial life in both its most extreme setting (dry tephra) and in one of its least extreme settings (fumarolic soils).
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Schmidt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| | - E M S Gendron
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - K Vincent
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - A J Solon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - P Sommers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Z R Schubert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - L Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - D L Porazinska
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - J L Darcy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - P Sowell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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