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De Castro O, Avino M, Carraturo F, Di Iorio E, Giovannelli D, Innangi M, Menale B, Mormile N, Troisi J, Guida M. Profiling microbial communities in an extremely acidic environment influenced by a cold natural carbon dioxide spring: A study of the Mefite in Ansanto Valley, Southern Italy. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13241. [PMID: 38407001 PMCID: PMC10895555 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The Ansanto Valley's Mefite, one of the Earth's largest non-volcanic CO2 gas emissions, is distinguished by its cold natural carbon dioxide springs. These emissions originate from the intricate tectonics and geodynamics of the southern Apennines in Italy. Known for over two millennia for its lethal concentration of CO2 and other harmful gases, the Mefite has a reputation for being toxic and dangerous. Despite its historical significance and unique geological features, there is a lack of information on the microbial diversity associated with the Mefite's gas emissions. This study presents an integrated exploration of the microbial diversity in the mud soil, using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA (Prokaryotes) and ITS2 (Fungi), alongside a geochemical site characterisation. Our findings reveal that the Mefite's unique environment imposes a significant bottleneck on microbial diversity, favouring a select few microbial groups such as Actinobacteria and Firmicutes for Prokaryotes, and Basidiomycota for Fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga De Castro
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
- Botanical GardenNaplesItaly
| | - Mariano Avino
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional GenomicsSherbrooke UniversitySherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | | | | | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
- National Research CouncilInstitute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies—CNR‐IRBIMAnconaItaly
- Department of Marine and Coastal ScienceRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
- Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry DepartmentWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods HoleMassachusettsUSA
- Earth‐Life Science InstituteTokyo Institute of TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Michele Innangi
- EnvixLab, Department of Biosciences and TerritoryUniversity of Molise Contrada Fonte LapponePesche (IS)Italy
| | - Bruno Menale
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
- Botanical GardenNaplesItaly
| | - Nicolina Mormile
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Jacopo Troisi
- European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS)SalernoItaly
- Theoreo srlMontecorvino Pugliano (SA)Italy
| | - Marco Guida
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
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Zhang Z, Liu T, Li X, Ye Q, Bangash HI, Zheng J, Peng N. Metagenome-assembled genomes reveal carbohydrate degradation and element metabolism of microorganisms inhabiting Tengchong hot springs, China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117144. [PMID: 37716381 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117144] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
A hot spring is a distinctive aquatic environment that provides an excellent system to investigate microorganisms and their function in elemental cycling processes. Previous studies of terrestrial hot springs have been mostly focused on the microbial community, one special phylum or category, or genes involved in a particular metabolic step, while little is known about the overall functional metabolic profiles of microorganisms inhabiting the terrestrial hot springs. Here, we analyzed the microbial community structure and their functional genes based on metagenomic sequencing of six selected hot springs with different temperature and pH conditions. We sequenced a total of 11 samples from six hot springs and constructed 162 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) with completeness above 70% and contamination lower than 10%. Crenarchaeota, Euryarchaeota and Aquificae were found to be the dominant phyla. Functional annotation revealed that bacteria encode versatile carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZYmes) for the degradation of complex polysaccharides, while archaea tend to assimilate C1 compounds through carbon fixation. Under nitrogen-deficient conditions, there were correspondingly fewer genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, while abundant and diverse set of genes participating in sulfur metabolism, particularly those associated with sulfide oxidation and thiosulfate disproportionation. In summary, archaea and bacteria residing in the hot springs display distinct carbon metabolism fate, while sharing the common energy preference through sulfur metabolism. Overall, this research contributes to a better comprehension of biogeochemistry of terrestrial hot springs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhufeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xudong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Hina Iqbal Bangash
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinshui Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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Branco S, Schauster A, Liao HL, Ruytinx J. Mechanisms of stress tolerance and their effects on the ecology and evolution of mycorrhizal fungi. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:2158-2175. [PMID: 35713988 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Stress is ubiquitous and disrupts homeostasis, leading to damage, decreased fitness, and even death. Like other organisms, mycorrhizal fungi evolved mechanisms for stress tolerance that allow them to persist or even thrive under environmental stress. Such mechanisms can also protect their obligate plant partners, contributing to their health and survival under hostile conditions. Here we review the effects of stress and mechanisms of stress response in mycorrhizal fungi. We cover molecular and cellular aspects of stress and how stress impacts individual fitness, physiology, growth, reproduction, and interactions with plant partners, along with how some fungi evolved to tolerate hostile environmental conditions. We also address how stress and stress tolerance can lead to adaptation and have cascading effects on population- and community-level diversity. We argue that mycorrhizal fungal stress tolerance can strongly shape not only fungal and plant physiology, but also their ecology and evolution. We conclude by pointing out knowledge gaps and important future research directions required for both fully understanding stress tolerance in the mycorrhizal context and addressing ongoing environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Branco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, 80204, USA
| | - Annie Schauster
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, 80204, USA
| | - Hui-Ling Liao
- North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Quincy, FL, 32351, USA
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Joske Ruytinx
- Research Groups Microbiology and Plant Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
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