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Jung J, Loschko T, Reich S, Rassoul-Agha M, Werner MS. Newly identified nematodes from the Great Salt Lake are associated with microbialites and specially adapted to hypersaline conditions. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232653. [PMID: 38471558 PMCID: PMC10932707 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Extreme environments enable the study of simplified food-webs and serve as models for evolutionary bottlenecks and early Earth ecology. We investigated the biodiversity of invertebrate meiofauna in the benthic zone of the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, USA, one of the most hypersaline lake systems in the world. The hypersaline bays within the GSL are currently thought to support only two multicellular animals: brine fly larvae and brine shrimp. Here, we report the presence, habitat, and microbial interactions of novel free-living nematodes. Nematode diversity drops dramatically along a salinity gradient from a freshwater river into the south arm of the lake. In Gilbert Bay, nematodes primarily inhabit reef-like organosedimentary structures built by bacteria called microbialites. These structures likely provide a protective barrier to UV and aridity, and bacterial associations within them may support life in hypersaline environments. Notably, sampling from Owens Lake, another terminal lake in the Great Basin that lacks microbialites, did not recover nematodes from similar salinities. Phylogenetic divergence suggests that GSL nematodes represent previously undescribed members of the family Monhysteridae-one of the dominant fauna of the abyssal zone and deep-sea hydrothermal vents. These findings update our understanding of halophile ecosystems and the habitable limit of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Jung
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tobias Loschko
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shelley Reich
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Maxim Rassoul-Agha
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Michael S. Werner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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2
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Zhang K, Li K, Tong M, Xia Y, Cui Y, Liu Z, Chen Q, Li Q, Hu F, Yang F. Distribution Pattern and Influencing Factors of Heavy Metal Resistance Genes in the Yellow River Sediments of Henan Section. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191710724. [PMID: 36078440 PMCID: PMC9517883 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The transformation of heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs) in the environment has attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, few studies have reported the MRG content in the Yellow River, one of the main irrigation water sources in the North China Plain. In this study, we quantified MRG abundance by a metagenomic approach, and assessed the influence on MRGs of both bioavailable and total heavy metal (HM) content. The results indicate that Cu-resistant genes are the most common genes, and the prevalence of arsM needs more attention. Comamonadaceae is the dominant family in the Yellow River, and the presence of organic pollutants may contribute to the prevalence of Vicinamibacteraceae, Nocardioidaceae, and Flavobacteriacea. The results of the Mantel test and Spearman analysis indicate that both the bioavailable fractions and total content of HMs could have little influence on MRGs. Network analysis results indicate that some dominant bacteria could be the potential hosts of some prevalent MRGs, which may exert an adverse impact on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Correspondence: (K.Z.); (F.Y.)
| | - Kuangjia Li
- Development Research Center, Ministry of Water Resources of People’s Republic of China, Beijing 100032, China
| | - Minghui Tong
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Yangchun Xia
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Yongxin Cui
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Qi Chen
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Qidi Li
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Feiyue Hu
- School of Geographic Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
- Henan Key Laboratory for Synergistic Prevention of Water and Soil Environmental Pollution, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Fengxia Yang
- Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
- Correspondence: (K.Z.); (F.Y.)
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3
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Parthasarathy A, Miranda RR, Eddingsaas NC, Chu J, Freezman IM, Tyler AC, Hudson AO. Polystyrene Degradation by Exiguobacterium sp. RIT 594: Preliminary Evidence for a Pathway Containing an Atypical Oxygenase. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081619. [PMID: 36014041 PMCID: PMC9416434 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081619] [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: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The widespread use of plastics has led to their increasing presence in the environment and subsequent pollution. Some microorganisms degrade plastics in natural ecosystems and the associated metabolic pathways can be studied to understand the degradation mechanisms. Polystyrene (PS) is one of the more recalcitrant plastic polymers that is degraded by only a few bacteria. Exiguobacterium is a genus of Gram-positive poly-extremophilic bacteria known to degrade PS, thus being of biotechnological interest, but its biochemical mechanisms of degradation have not yet been elucidated. Based solely on genome annotation, we initially proposed PS degradation by Exiguobacterium sp. RIT 594 via depolymerization and epoxidation catalyzed by a ring epoxidase. However, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed an increase of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups with biodegradation, as well as of unconjugated C-C double bonds, both consistent with dearomatization of the styrene ring. This excludes any aerobic pathways involving side chain epoxidation and/or hydroxylation. Subsequent experiments confirmed that molecular oxygen is critical to PS degradation by RIT 594 because degradation ceased under oxygen-deprived conditions. Our studies suggest that styrene breakdown by this bacterium occurs via the sequential action of two enzymes encoded in the genome: an orphan aromatic ring-cleaving dioxygenase and a hydrolase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anutthaman Parthasarathy
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Renata Rezende Miranda
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - Nathan C. Eddingsaas
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - Jonathan Chu
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - Ian M. Freezman
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - Anna C. Tyler
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - André O. Hudson
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-585-475-4259
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4
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Current knowledge on molecular mechanisms of microorganism-mediated bioremediation for arsenic contamination: A review. Microbiol Res 2022; 258:126990. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.126990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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5
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Zannier F, Portero LR, Douki T, Gärtner W, Farías ME, Albarracín VH. Proteomic Signatures of Microbial Adaptation to the Highest Ultraviolet-Irradiation on Earth: Lessons From a Soil Actinobacterium. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:791714. [PMID: 35369494 PMCID: PMC8965627 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.791714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Central Andean region in South America, high-altitude ecosystems (3500-6000 masl) are distributed across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru, in which poly-extremophilic microbes thrive under extreme environmental conditions. In particular, in the Puna region, total solar irradiation and UV incidence are the highest on Earth, thus, restraining the physiology of individual microorganisms and the composition of microbial communities. UV-resistance of microbial strains thriving in High-Altitude Andean Lakes was demonstrated and their mechanisms were partially characterized by genomic analysis, biochemical and physiological assays. Then, the existence of a network of physiological and molecular mechanisms triggered by ultraviolet light exposure was hypothesized and called "UV-resistome". It includes some or all of the following subsystems: (i) UV sensing and effective response regulators, (ii) UV-avoidance and shielding strategies, (iii) damage tolerance and oxidative stress response, (iv) energy management and metabolic resetting, and (v) DNA damage repair. Genes involved in the described UV-resistome were recently described in the genome of Nesterenkonia sp. Act20, an actinobacterium which showed survival to high UV-B doses as well as efficient photorepairing capability. The aim of this work was to use a proteomic approach together with photoproduct measurements to help dissecting the molecular events involved in the adaptive response of a model High-Altitude Andean Lakes (HAAL) extremophilic actinobacterium, Nesterenkonia sp. Act20, under artificial UV-B radiation. Our results demonstrate that UV-B exposure induced over-abundance of a well-defined set of proteins while recovery treatments restored the proteomic profiles present before the UV-challenge. The proteins involved in this complex molecular network were categorized within the UV-resistome subsystems: damage tolerance and oxidative stress response, energy management and metabolic resetting, and DNA damage repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Zannier
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas, Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos, Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Luciano R. Portero
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas, Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos, Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Thierry Douki
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble–Systèmes Moléculaires et nanoMatériaux p our l’Énergie et la Santé, Grenoble, France
| | - Wolfgang Gärtner
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - María E. Farías
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Virginia H. Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia, UNT y Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas, Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos, Centro Científico Tecnológico, CONICET NOASUR, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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6
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Vignale FA, Lencina AI, Stepanenko TM, Soria MN, Saona LA, Kurth D, Guzmán D, Foster JS, Poiré DG, Villafañe PG, Albarracín VH, Contreras M, Farías ME. Lithifying and Non-Lithifying Microbial Ecosystems in the Wetlands and Salt Flats of the Central Andes. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:1-17. [PMID: 33730193 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The wetlands and salt flats of the Central Andes region are unique extreme environments as they are located in high-altitude saline deserts, largely influenced by volcanic activity. Environmental factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, arsenic content, high salinity, low dissolved oxygen content, extreme daily temperature fluctuation, and oligotrophic conditions, resemble the early Earth and potentially extraterrestrial conditions. The discovery of modern microbialites and microbial mats in the Central Andes during the past decade has increased the interest in this area as an early Earth analog. In this work, we review the current state of knowledge of Central Andes region environments found within lakes, small ponds or puquios, and salt flats of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, many of them harboring a diverse range of microbial communities that we have termed Andean Microbial Ecosystems (AMEs). We have integrated the data recovered from all the known AMEs and compared their biogeochemistry and microbial diversity to achieve a better understanding of them and, consequently, facilitate their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico A Vignale
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN)-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustina I Lencina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Tatiana M Stepanenko
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Mariana N Soria
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Luis A Saona
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel Kurth
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel Guzmán
- Centro de Biotecnología (CBT), Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS), Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Jamie S Foster
- Space Life Science Lab, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Merritt Island, FL, USA
| | - Daniel G Poiré
- Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CIG), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)-CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Patricio G Villafañe
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Virginia H Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME)-CCT-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | - María E Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
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7
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Reyes-Umana V, Henning Z, Lee K, Barnum TP, Coates JD. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis of dissimilatory iodate-reducing bacteria identifies potential niches across the world's oceans. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:38-49. [PMID: 34215855 PMCID: PMC8692401 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01034-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Iodine is oxidized and reduced as part of a biogeochemical cycle that is especially pronounced in the oceans, where the element naturally concentrates. The use of oxidized iodine in the form of iodate (IO3-) as an electron acceptor by microorganisms is poorly understood. Here, we outline genetic, physiological, and ecological models for dissimilatory IO3- reduction to iodide (I-) by a novel estuarine bacterium, Denitromonas sp. IR-12. Our results show that dissimilatory iodate reduction (DIR) by strain IR-12 is molybdenum-dependent and requires an IO3- reductase (idrA) and likely other genes in a mobile cluster with a conserved association across known and predicted DIR microorganisms (DIRM). Based on genetic and physiological data, we propose a model where three molecules of IO3- are likely reduced to three molecules of hypoiodous acid (HIO), which rapidly disproportionate into one molecule of IO3- and two molecules of iodide (I-), in a respiratory pathway that provides an energy yield equivalent to that of nitrate or perchlorate respiration. Consistent with the ecological niche expected of such a metabolism, idrA is enriched in the metagenome sequence databases of marine sites with a specific biogeochemical signature (high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate) and diminished oxygen. Taken together, these data suggest that DIRM help explain the disequilibrium of the IO3-:I- concentration ratio above oxygen-minimum zones and support a widespread iodine redox cycle mediated by microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Reyes-Umana
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Zachary Henning
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kristina Lee
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tyler P Barnum
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John D Coates
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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8
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Saccò M, White NE, Harrod C, Salazar G, Aguilar P, Cubillos CF, Meredith K, Baxter BK, Oren A, Anufriieva E, Shadrin N, Marambio-Alfaro Y, Bravo-Naranjo V, Allentoft ME. Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2828-2850. [PMID: 34747117 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
When it comes to the investigation of key ecosystems in the world, we often omit salt from the ecological recipe. In fact, despite occupying almost half of the volume of inland waters and providing crucial services to humanity and nature, inland saline ecosystems are often overlooked in discussions regarding the preservation of global aquatic resources of our planet. As a result, our knowledge of the biological and geochemical dynamics shaping these environments remains incomplete and we are hesitant in framing effective protective strategies against the increasing natural and anthropogenic threats faced by such habitats. Hypersaline lakes, water bodies where the concentration of salt exceeds 35 g/l, occur mainly in arid and semiarid areas resulting from hydrological imbalances triggering the accumulation of salts over time. Often considered the 'exotic siblings' within the family of inland waters, these ecosystems host some of the most extremophile communities worldwide and provide essential habitats for waterbirds and many other organisms in already water-stressed regions. These systems are often highlighted as natural laboratories, ideal for addressing central ecological questions due to their relatively low complexity and simple food web structures. However, recent studies on the biogeochemical mechanisms framing hypersaline communities have challenged this archetype, arguing that newly discovered highly diverse communities are characterised by specific trophic interactions shaped by high levels of specialisation. The main goal of this review is to explore our current understanding of the ecological dynamics of hypersaline ecosystems by addressing four main research questions: (i) why are hypersaline lakes unique from a biological and geochemical perspective; (ii) which biota inhabit these ecosystems and how have they adapted to the high salt conditions; (iii) how do we protect biodiversity from increasing natural and anthropogenic threats; and (iv) which scientific tools will help us preserve hypersaline ecosystems in the future? First, we focus on the ecological characterisation of hypersaline ecosystems, illustrate hydrogeochemical dynamics regulating such environments, and outline key ecoregions supporting hypersaline systems across the globe. Second, we depict the diversity and functional aspects of key taxa found in hypersaline lakes, from microorganisms to plants, invertebrates, waterbirds and upper trophic levels. Next, we describe ecosystem services and discuss possible conservation guidelines. Finally, we outline how cutting-edge technologies can provide new insights into the study of hypersaline ecology. Overall, this review sheds further light onto these understudied ecosystems, largely unrecognised as important sources of unique biological and functional diversity. We provide perspectives for key future research avenues, and advocate that the conservation of hypersaline lakes should not be taken with 'a grain of salt'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Saccò
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Nicole E White
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Chris Harrod
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile.,Núcleo Milenio INVASAL, Concepción, 3349001, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Salazar
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile.,Núcleo Milenio INVASAL, Concepción, 3349001, Chile
| | - Pablo Aguilar
- Núcleo Milenio INVASAL, Concepción, 3349001, Chile.,Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Carolina F Cubillos
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Karina Meredith
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Bonnie K Baxter
- Great Salt Lake Institute, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT, 84105, U.S.A
| | - Aharon Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, the Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Elena Anufriieva
- A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences, 2 Nakhimov Avenue 2, Sevastopol, 299011, Russia
| | - Nickolai Shadrin
- A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences, 2 Nakhimov Avenue 2, Sevastopol, 299011, Russia
| | - Yeri Marambio-Alfaro
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Angamos 601, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Víctor Bravo-Naranjo
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Benavente 980, La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Morten E Allentoft
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Perez MF, Saona LA, Farías ME, Poehlein A, Meinhardt F, Daniel R, Dib JR. Assessment of the plasmidome of an extremophilic microbial community from the Diamante Lake, Argentina. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21459. [PMID: 34728656 PMCID: PMC8563766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00753-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Diamante Lake located at 4589 m.a.s.l. in the Andean Puna constitutes an extreme environment. It is exposed to multiple extreme conditions such as an unusually high concentration of arsenic (over 300 mg L-1) and low oxygen pressure. Microorganisms thriving in the lake display specific genotypes that facilitate survival, which include at least a multitude of plasmid-encoded resistance traits. Hence, the genetic information provided by the plasmids essentially contributes to understand adaptation to different stressors. Though plasmids from cultivable organisms have already been analyzed to the sequence level, the impact of the entire plasmid-borne genetic information on such microbial ecosystem is not known. This study aims at assessing the plasmidome from Diamante Lake, which facilitates the identification of potential hosts and prediction of gene functions as well as the ecological impact of mobile genetic elements. The deep-sequencing analysis revealed a large fraction of previously unknown DNA sequences of which the majority encoded putative proteins of unknown function. Remarkably, functions related to the oxidative stress response, DNA repair, as well as arsenic- and antibiotic resistances were annotated. Additionally, all necessary capacities related to plasmid replication, mobilization and maintenance were detected. Sequences characteristic for megaplasmids and other already known plasmid-associated genes were identified as well. The study highlights the potential of the deep-sequencing approach specifically targeting plasmid populations as it allows to evaluate the ecological impact of plasmids from (cultivable and non-cultivable) microorganisms, thereby contributing to the understanding of the distribution of resistance factors within an extremophilic microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Florencia Perez
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Argentina
| | - Luis Alberto Saona
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Farías
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Argentina
| | - Anja Poehlein
- grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Friedhelm Meinhardt
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julián Rafael Dib
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Argentina ,grid.108162.c0000000121496664Instituto de Microbiología, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Argentina
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10
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Cavanaugh NT, Parthasarathy A, Wong NH, Steiner KK, Chu J, Adjei J, Hudson AO. Exiguobacterium sp. is endowed with antibiotic properties against Gram positive and negative bacteria. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:230. [PMID: 34103082 PMCID: PMC8186047 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05644-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In order to isolate and identify bacteria that produce potentially novel bactericidal/bacteriostatic compounds, two ponds on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) were targeted as part of a bioprospecting effort. RESULTS One of the unique isolates, RIT 452 was identified as Exiguobacterium sp. and subjected to whole-genome sequencing. The genome was assembled and in silico analysis was performed to predict the secondary metabolite gene clusters, which suggested the potential of Exiguobacterium RIT452 for producing antibiotic compounds. Extracts of spent growth media of RIT452 were active in disc diffusion assays performed against four reference strains, two Gram-negative (E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853) and two Gram-positive (B. subtilis BGSC 168 and S. aureus ATCC 25923). Differential extraction and liquid chromatography was used to fractionate the extracts. Efforts to identify and elucidate the structure of the active compound(s) are still ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole T. Cavanaugh
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - Anutthaman Parthasarathy
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - Narayan H. Wong
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - KayLee K. Steiner
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - Jonathan Chu
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - Joseph Adjei
- National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
| | - André O. Hudson
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 USA
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11
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Saona LA, Soria M, Durán-Toro V, Wörmer L, Milucka J, Castro-Nallar E, Meneses C, Contreras M, Farías ME. Phosphate-Arsenic Interactions in Halophilic Microorganisms of the Microbial Mat from Laguna Tebenquiche: from the Microenvironment to the Genomes. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:941-953. [PMID: 33388944 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01673-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid present in the earth's crust and widely distributed in the environment. Due to its high concentrations in the Andean valleys and its chemical similarity with phosphorus (P), its biological role in Andean Microbial Ecosystems (AMEs) has begun to be studied. The AMEs are home to extremophilic microbial communities that form microbial mats, evaporites, and microbialites inhabiting Andean lakes, puquios, or salt flats. In this work, we characterize the biological role of As and the effect of phosphate in AMEs from the Laguna Tebenquiche (Atacama Desert, Chile). Using micro X-ray fluorescence, the distribution of As in microbial mat samples was mapped. Taxonomic and inferred functional profiles were obtained from enriched cultures of microbial mats incubated under As stress and different phosphate conditions. Additionally, representative microorganisms highly resistant to As and able to grow under low phosphate concentration were isolated and studied physiologically. Finally, the genomes of the isolated Salicola sp. and Halorubrum sp. were sequenced to analyze genes related to both phosphate metabolism and As resistance. The results revealed As as a key component of the microbial mat ecosystem: (i) As was distributed across all sections of the microbial mat and represented a significant weight percentage of the mat (0.17 %) in comparison with P (0.40%); (ii) Low phosphate concentration drastically changed the microbial community in microbial mat samples incubated under high salinity and high As concentrations; (iii) Archaea and Bacteria isolated from the microbial mat were highly resistant to arsenate (up to 500 mM), even under low phosphate concentration; (iv) The genomes of the two isolates were predicted to contain key genes in As metabolism (aioAB and arsC/acr3) and the genes predicted to encode the phosphate-specific transport operon (pstSCAB-phoU) are next to the arsC gene, suggesting a functional relationship between these two elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Saona
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - M Soria
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - V Durán-Toro
- Hydrothermal Geomicrobiology Group, MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - L Wörmer
- Organic Geochemistry Group, MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Str. 8, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - J Milucka
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - E Castro-Nallar
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - C Meneses
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal (CBV), FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - M Contreras
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada, Santiago, Chile
| | - M E Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
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12
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Szyttenholm J, Chaspoul F, Bauzan M, Ducluzeau AL, Chehade MH, Pierrel F, Denis Y, Nitschke W, Schoepp-Cothenet B. The controversy on the ancestral arsenite oxidizing enzyme; deducing evolutionary histories with phylogeny and thermodynamics. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS 2020; 1861:148252. [PMID: 32569664 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2020.148252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The three presently known enzymes responsible for arsenic-using bioenergetic processes are arsenite oxidase (Aio), arsenate reductase (Arr) and alternative arsenite oxidase (Arx), all of which are molybdoenzymes from the vast group referred to as the Mo/W-bisPGD enzyme superfamily. Since arsenite is present in substantial amounts in hydrothermal environments, frequently considered as vestiges of primordial biochemistry, arsenite-based bioenergetics has long been predicted to be ancient. Conflicting scenarios, however, have been put forward proposing either Arr/Arx or Aio as operating in the ancestral metabolism. Phylogenetic data argue in favor of Aio whereas biochemical and physiological data led several authors to propose Arx/Arr as the most ancient anaerobic arsenite metabolizing enzymes. Here we combine phylogenetic approaches with physiological and biochemical experiments to demonstrate that the Arx/Arr enzymes could not have been functional in the Archaean geological eon. We propose that Arr reacts with menaquinones to reduce arsenate whereas Arx reacts with ubiquinone to oxidize arsenite, in line with thermodynamic considerations. The distribution of the quinone biosynthesis pathways, however, clearly indicates that the ubiquinone pathway is recent. An updated phylogeny of Arx furthermore reinforces the hypothesis of a recent emergence of this enzyme. We therefore conclude that anaerobic arsenite redox conversion in the Archaean must have been performed in a metabolism involving Aio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Szyttenholm
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, FR 3479, IMM, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
| | - Florence Chaspoul
- Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, IRD, IMBE UMR 7263, Faculté de Pharmacie, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Marielle Bauzan
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, Plateforme Fermentation, FR3479, IMM, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
| | - Anne-Lise Ducluzeau
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | | | - Fabien Pierrel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Yann Denis
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, Plateforme Transcriptomique, FR3479, IMM, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
| | - Wolfgang Nitschke
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, BIP UMR 7281, FR 3479, IMM, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
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13
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Saona LA, Soria M, Villafañe PG, Lencina AI, Stepanenko T, Farías ME. Andean Microbial Ecosystems: Traces in Hypersaline Lakes About Life Origin. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-46087-7_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
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14
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Methane, arsenic, selenium and the origins of the DMSO reductase family. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10946. [PMID: 32616801 PMCID: PMC7331816 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67892-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mononuclear molybdoenzymes of the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (DMSOR) family catalyze a number of reactions essential to the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, arsenic, and selenium biogeochemical cycles. These enzymes are also ancient, with many lineages likely predating the divergence of the last universal common ancestor into the Bacteria and Archaea domains. We have constructed rooted phylogenies for over 1,550 representatives of the DMSOR family using maximum likelihood methods to investigate the evolution of the arsenic biogeochemical cycle. The phylogenetic analysis provides compelling evidence that formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase B subunits, which catalyze the reduction of CO2 to formate during hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, constitutes the most ancient lineage. Our analysis also provides robust support for selenocysteine as the ancestral ligand for the Mo/W atom. Finally, we demonstrate that anaerobic arsenite oxidase and respiratory arsenate reductase catalytic subunits represent a more ancient lineage of DMSORs compared to aerobic arsenite oxidase catalytic subunits, which evolved from the assimilatory nitrate reductase lineage. This provides substantial support for an active arsenic biogeochemical cycle on the anoxic Archean Earth. Our work emphasizes that the use of chalcophilic elements as substrates as well as the Mo/W ligand in DMSORs has indelibly shaped the diversification of these enzymes through deep time.
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15
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Miralles-Robledillo JM, Torregrosa-Crespo J, Martínez-Espinosa RM, Pire C. DMSO Reductase Family: Phylogenetics and Applications of Extremophiles. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3349. [PMID: 31288391 PMCID: PMC6650914 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20133349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dimethyl sulfoxide reductases (DMSO) are molybdoenzymes widespread in all domains of life. They catalyse not only redox reactions, but also hydroxylation/hydration and oxygen transfer processes. Although literature on DMSO is abundant, the biological significance of these enzymes in anaerobic respiration and the molecular mechanisms beyond the expression of genes coding for them are still scarce. In this review, a deep revision of the literature reported on DMSO as well as the use of bioinformatics tools and free software has been developed in order to highlight the relevance of DMSO reductases on anaerobic processes connected to different biogeochemical cycles. Special emphasis has been addressed to DMSO from extremophilic organisms and their role in nitrogen cycle. Besides, an updated overview of phylogeny of DMSOs as well as potential applications of some DMSO reductases on bioremediation approaches are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose María Miralles-Robledillo
- Departamento de Agroquímica y Bioquímica, División de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n-03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Javier Torregrosa-Crespo
- Departamento de Agroquímica y Bioquímica, División de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n-03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Rosa María Martínez-Espinosa
- Departamento de Agroquímica y Bioquímica, División de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n-03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
| | - Carmen Pire
- Departamento de Agroquímica y Bioquímica, División de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n-03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
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Saunders JK, Fuchsman CA, McKay C, Rocap G. Complete arsenic-based respiratory cycle in the marine microbial communities of pelagic oxygen-deficient zones. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:9925-9930. [PMID: 31036654 PMCID: PMC6525544 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1818349116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial capacity to metabolize arsenic is ancient, arising in response to its pervasive presence in the environment, which was largely in the form of As(III) in the early anoxic ocean. Many biological arsenic transformations are aimed at mitigating toxicity; however, some microorganisms can respire compounds of this redox-sensitive element to reap energetic gains. In several modern anoxic marine systems concentrations of As(V) are higher relative to As(III) than what would be expected from the thermodynamic equilibrium, but the mechanism for this discrepancy has remained unknown. Here we present evidence of a complete respiratory arsenic cycle, consisting of dissimilatory As(V) reduction and chemoautotrophic As(III) oxidation, in the pelagic ocean. We identified the presence of genes encoding both subunits of the respiratory arsenite oxidase AioA and the dissimilatory arsenate reductase ArrA in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP) oxygen-deficient zone (ODZ). The presence of the dissimilatory arsenate reductase gene arrA was enriched on large particles (>30 um), similar to the forward bacterial dsrA gene of sulfate-reducing bacteria, which is involved in the cryptic cycling of sulfur in ODZs. Arsenic respiratory genes were expressed in metatranscriptomic libraries from the ETNP and the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP) ODZ, indicating arsenotrophy is a metabolic pathway actively utilized in anoxic marine water columns. Together these results suggest arsenic-based metabolisms support organic matter production and impact nitrogen biogeochemical cycling in modern oceans. In early anoxic oceans, especially during periods of high marine arsenic concentrations, they may have played a much larger role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clara A Fuchsman
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Cedar McKay
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Gabrielle Rocap
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
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Krzmarzick MJ, Taylor DK, Fu X, McCutchan AL. Diversity and Niche of Archaea in Bioremediation. ARCHAEA (VANCOUVER, B.C.) 2018; 2018:3194108. [PMID: 30254509 PMCID: PMC6140281 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3194108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms for the degradation or removal of contaminants. Most bioremediation research has focused on processes performed by the domain Bacteria; however, Archaea are known to play important roles in many situations. In extreme conditions, such as halophilic or acidophilic environments, Archaea are well suited for bioremediation. In other conditions, Archaea collaboratively work alongside Bacteria during biodegradation. In this review, the various roles that Archaea have in bioremediation is covered, including halophilic hydrocarbon degradation, acidophilic hydrocarbon degradation, hydrocarbon degradation in nonextreme environments such as soils and oceans, metal remediation, acid mine drainage, and dehalogenation. Research needs are addressed in these areas. Beyond bioremediation, these processes are important for wastewater treatment (particularly industrial wastewater treatment) and help in the understanding of the natural microbial ecology of several Archaea genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark James Krzmarzick
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - David Kyle Taylor
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Xiang Fu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Aubrey Lynn McCutchan
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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