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Guermazi W, Annabi-Trabelsi N, Belmonte G, Guermazi K, Ayadi H, Leignel V. Solar Salterns and Pollution: Valorization of Some Endemic Species as Sentinels in Ecotoxicology. TOXICS 2023; 11:524. [PMID: 37368624 PMCID: PMC10303847 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11060524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Solar salterns and salt marshes are unique ecosystems with special physicochemical features and characteristic biota. Currently, there are very few studies focused on the impacts of pollution on these economic and ecological systems. Unfortunately, diversified pollution (metals, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, etc.) has been detected in these complex ecosystems. These hypersaline environments are under increasing threat due to anthropogenic pressures. Despite this, they represent a valuable source of microbial diversity, with taxa displaying special features in terms of environmental remediation capacities as well as economical species such as Artemia spp. (Branchiopoda) and Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta). In this review, we discuss the impacts of pollution on these semi-artificial systems. Therefore, we have indicated the sentinel species identified in plankton communities, which can be used in ecotoxicological investigations in solar salterns. In future, researchers should increase their interest in pollution assessment in solar salterns and salt marshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wassim Guermazi
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Université de Sfax, Sfax CP 3000, Tunisia; (W.G.); (N.A.-T.); (K.G.); (H.A.)
| | - Neila Annabi-Trabelsi
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Université de Sfax, Sfax CP 3000, Tunisia; (W.G.); (N.A.-T.); (K.G.); (H.A.)
| | - Genuario Belmonte
- Laboratory of Zoogeography and Fauna, University of the Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy;
| | - Kais Guermazi
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Université de Sfax, Sfax CP 3000, Tunisia; (W.G.); (N.A.-T.); (K.G.); (H.A.)
| | - Habib Ayadi
- Laboratoire Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Université de Sfax, Sfax CP 3000, Tunisia; (W.G.); (N.A.-T.); (K.G.); (H.A.)
| | - Vincent Leignel
- Laboratoire BIOSSE, Le Mans Université, Avenue Olivier Messiaen, 72000 Le Mans, France
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Chaudhary DR, Kumar M, Kalla V. Sediment microbial community structure, enzymatic activities and functional gene abundance in the coastal hypersaline habitats. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:56. [PMID: 36607455 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03398-4] [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: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Salt marsh vegetation, mudflat and salt production are common features in worldwide coastal areas; however, their influence on microbial community composition and structure has been poorly studied and rarely compared. In the present study, microbial community composition (phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling and 16S rRNA gene sequencing (bacterial and archaeal)) and structure, enzymatic activities and abundance of functional genes in the sediments of salt ponds (crystallizer, condenser and reservoir), mudflat and vegetated mudflat were determined. Enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, urease and alkaline phosphatase) were considerably decreased in saltpan sediments because of elevated salinity while sediment of vegetated mudflat sediments showed the highest enzyme activities. Concentrations of total microbial biomarker PLFAs (total bacterial, Gram-positive, Gram-negative, fungal and actinomycetes) were the highest in vegetated mudflat sediments and the lowest in crystallizer sediments. Nonmetric-multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of PLFA data revealed that the microbial community of crystallizer, mudflat and vegetated mudflat was significantly different from each other as well as different from condenser and reservoir. The most predominant phyla within the classified bacterial fractions were Proteobacteria followed by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Planctomycetes, while Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota phyla dominated the classified archaeal fraction. Cyanobacterial genotypes were the most dominant in the condenser. Mudflat and vegetated mudflat supported a greater abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that salt ponds had significantly decreased the microbial and enzyme activities in comparison to mudflat and vegetated mudflat sediments due to very high salinity, ionic concentrations and devoid of vegetation. The present study expands our understanding of microbial resource utilization and adaptations of microorganisms in a hypersaline environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doongar R Chaudhary
- Division of Plant Omics, CSIR - Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, G. B. Marg, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, 364002, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
| | - Madhav Kumar
- Division of Plant Omics, CSIR - Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, G. B. Marg, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, 364002, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Vandana Kalla
- Lachoo Memorial College of Science and Technology, Shastri Nagar, Sec. A, Jodhpur, 342001, Rajasthan, India
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Ashwini Ravi, Vijayanand S, Hemapriya J. Compilation of Analytical Techniques for Discrimination of Halophilic Archaea and Bacteria. BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022130167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Frikha-Dammak D, Ayadi H, Hakim-Rekik I, Belbahri L, Maalej S. Genome analysis of the salt-resistant Paludifilum halophilum DSM 102817 T reveals genes involved in flux-tuning of ectoines and unexplored bioactive secondary metabolites. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:178. [PMID: 34549358 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03147-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Paludifilum halophilum DSM 102817T is the first member of the genus Paludifilum in the Thermoactinomycetaceae family. The thermohalophilic bacterium was isolated from the solar saltern of Sfax, Tunisia and was shown to be able to produce ectoines with a relatively high-yield and to cope with salt stress conditions. In this study, the whole genome of P. halophilum was sequenced and analysed. Analysis revealed 3,789,765 base pairs with an average GC% content of 51.5%. A total of 3775 genes were predicted of which 3616 were protein-coding genes and 73 were RNA genes. The genes encoding key enzymes for ectoines (ectoine and hydroxyectoine) synthesis (ectABCD) were identified from the bacterial genome next to a gene cluster (ehuABCD) encoding a binding-protein-dependent ABC transport system responsible for ectoines mobility through the cell membrane. With the aid of KEGG analysis, we found that the central catabolic network of P. halophilum comprises the pathways of glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and pentose phosphate. In addition, anaplerotic pathways replenishing oxaloacetate and glutamate synthesis from central metabolism needed for high ectoines biosynthetic fluxes were identified through several key enzymes. Furthermore, a total of 18 antiSMASH-predicted putative biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites with high novelty and diversity were identified in P. halophilum genome, including biosynthesis of colabomycine-A, fusaricidin-E, zwittermycin A, streptomycin, mycosubtilin and meilingmycin. Based on these data, P. halophilum emerged as a promising source for ectoines and antimicrobials with the potential to be scaled up for industrial production, which could benefit the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donyez Frikha-Dammak
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Houda Ayadi
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Imen Hakim-Rekik
- Unité de Génomique Fonctionnelle et Physiologie des Plantes, Université de Sfax, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sfax, BP 1175, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Lassaad Belbahri
- Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchatel, 11 Rue Emile Argand, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Sami Maalej
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environnement (LR18ES30), Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
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Ayadi H, Frikha-Dammak D, Fakhfakh J, Chamkha M, Hassairi I, Allouche N, Sayadi S, Maalej S. The saltern-derived Paludifilum halophilum DSM 102817 T is a new high-yield ectoines producer in minimal medium and under salt stress conditions. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:533. [PMID: 33214980 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02512-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present study, the growth conditions and accumulation of ectoines (ectoine and hydroxyectoine) by Paludifilum halophilum DSM 102817T under salt stress conditions have been investigated. The productivity assay of this strain for ectoines revealed that the highest cellular content was reached in the minimal glucose sea water medium (SW-15) within 15% salinity. The addition of 0.1% (w/v) aspartic acid to the medium allowed an average of four times higher biomass production, and a dry mycelial biomass of 1.76 g L-1 was obtained after 6 days of growth in shake flasks at 40 °C and 200 rpm. Among the inorganic cations supplemented to the glucose SW-15 medium, the addition of 1 mM Fe2+ yielded the highest amount of mycelial biomass (3.45 g L-1) and total ectoines content (119 mg g-1), resulting in about 410 mg L-1 of products at the end of exponential growth phase. After 1 h of incubation in an osmotic downshock solution containing 2% NaCl, 70% of this content was released by the mycelium, and recovering cells maintained a high survival, with a maximal growth rate (µ max) of about 93% of the control population exposed to 15% NaCl. During growth at optimal salinity and temperature (15% NaCl and 40 °C), P. halophilum developed a compact and circular pellets that were easy to separate by simple decantation from both fermentation media and after hypoosmotic shock. Overall, the ectoines excreting P. halophilum could be a promising resource for ectoines production in a commercially valuable culture medium and at a large-scale fermentation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Ayadi
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environment (LR18ES/30), Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Donyez Frikha-Dammak
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environment (LR18ES/30), Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Jawhar Fakhfakh
- Laboratore de Chimie Organique (LR17ES/08), Unité des Substances Naturelles, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Chamkha
- Laboratore des Bioprocédés Environnementaux, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, BP 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ilem Hassairi
- Unité de Valorisation des résultats de la Recherche, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, BP 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Noureddine Allouche
- Laboratore de Chimie Organique (LR17ES/08), Unité des Substances Naturelles, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Sami Sayadi
- Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, 2713 Doha, Qatar
| | - Sami Maalej
- Laboratoire de Biodiversité Marine et Environment (LR18ES/30), Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
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Resistance of a Halobacterium salinarum isolate from a solar saltern to cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, and copper. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2020; 113:1699-1711. [PMID: 32974806 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-020-01475-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The current study focuses on the tolerance of a strain of Halobacterium salinarum isolated from Sfax solar saltern (Tunisia) towards cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) by using agar dilution methods in complex and minimal media. The results showed the least inhibitory metals based on Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were lead (MIC = 4.5 mM), cadmium (MIC = 4 mM), and nickel (MIC = 2.5 mM) in complex medium. The MICs of these metals were more inhibitory (MIC < 2 mM) in the other tested media. The archaeal strain revealed a high sensitivity for copper and zinc, with MICs below 0.5 mM for both metals. Growth kinetics in complex and minimal media showed the strain to be more sensitive to the metals in liquid media than in solid media. The growth kinetic assays indicated the presence of selected heavy metals resulted in a lower growth rate and lower total cell mass relative to the control. Despite that cadmium and lead are nonessential and have no nutrient value, they were the most tolerated metals by H. salinarum strain. In addition, pigment intensity in the strain was inhibited by the presence of the heavy metals relative to the control.
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Mani K, Taib N, Hugoni M, Bronner G, Bragança JM, Debroas D. Transient Dynamics of Archaea and Bacteria in Sediments and Brine Across a Salinity Gradient in a Solar Saltern of Goa, India. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1891. [PMID: 33013726 PMCID: PMC7461921 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbial fluctuations along an increasing salinity gradient during two different salt production phases – initial salt harvesting (ISH) phase and peak salt harvesting (PSH) phase of Siridao solar salterns in Goa, India were examined through high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes on Illumina MiSeq platform. Elemental analysis of the brine samples showed high concentration of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl–) ions thereby indicating its thalassohaline nature. Comparison of relative abundance of sequences revealed that Archaea transited from sediment to brine while Bacteria transited from brine to sediment with increasing salinity. Frequency of Archaea was found to be significantly enriched even in low and moderate salinity sediments with their relative sequence abundance reaching as high as 85%. Euryarchaeota was found to be the dominant archaeal phylum containing 19 and 17 genera in sediments and brine, respectively. Phylotypes belonging to Halorubrum, Haloarcula, Halorhabdus, and Haloplanus were common in both sediments and brine. Occurence of Halobacterium and Natronomonas were exclusive to sediments while Halonotius was exclusive to brine. Among sediments, relative sequence frequency of Halorubrum, and Halorhabdus decreased while Haloarcula, Haloplanus, and Natronomonas increased with increasing salinity. Similarly, the relative abundance of Haloarcula and Halorubrum increased with increasing salinity in brine. Sediments and brine samples harbored about 20 and 17 bacterial phyla, respectively. Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi were the common bacterial phyla in both sediments and brine while Firmicutes were dominant albeit in sediments alone. Further, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria were observed to be the abundant class within the Proteobacteria. Among the bacterial genera, phylotypes belonging to Rubricoccus and Halomonas were widely detected in both brine and sediment while Thioalkalispira, Desulfovermiculus, and Marinobacter were selectively present in sediments. This study suggests that Bacteria are more susceptible to salinity fluctuations than Archaea, with many bacterial genera being compartment and phase-specific. Our study further indicated that Archaea rather than Bacteria could withstand the wide salinity fluctuation and attain a stable community structure within a short time-frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabilan Mani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Zuarinagar, India.,Center for Molecular Medicine & Therapeutics, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, India
| | - Najwa Taib
- UMR CNRS 6023, Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Mylène Hugoni
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gisele Bronner
- UMR CNRS 6023, Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Judith M Bragança
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Zuarinagar, India
| | - Didier Debroas
- UMR CNRS 6023, Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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The Biogeography of Great Salt Lake Halophilic Archaea: Testing the Hypothesis of Avian Mechanical Carriers. DIVERSITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/d10040124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Halophilic archaea inhabit hypersaline ecosystems globally, and genetically similar strains have been found in locales that are geographically isolated from one another. We sought to test the hypothesis that small salt crystals harboring halophilic archaea could be carried on bird feathers and that bird migration is a driving force of these distributions. In this study, we discovered that the American White Pelicans (AWPE) at Great Salt Lake soak in the hypersaline brine and accumulate salt crystals (halite) on their feathers. We cultured halophilic archaea from AWPE feathers and halite crystals. The microorganisms isolated from the lakeshore crystals were restricted to two genera: Halorubrum and Haloarcula, however, archaea from the feathers were strictly Haloarcula. We compared partial DNA sequence of the 16S rRNA gene from our cultivars with that of similar strains in the GenBank database. To understand the biogeography of genetically similar halophilic archaea, we studied the geographical locations of the sampling sites of the closest-matched species. An analysis of the environmental factors of each site pointed to salinity as the most important factor for selection. The geography of the sites was consistent with the location of the sub-tropical jet stream where birds typically migrate, supporting the avian dispersal hypothesis.
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Mazguene S, Rossi M, Gogliettino M, Palmieri G, Cocca E, Mirino S, Imadalou-Idres N, Benallaoua S. Isolation and characterization from solar salterns of North Algeria of a haloarchaeon producing a new halocin. Extremophiles 2017; 22:259-270. [PMID: 29288279 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-017-0994-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Halophilic archaea, thriving in hypersaline environments, synthesize antimicrobial substances with an unknown role, called halocins. It has been suggested that halocin production gives transient competitive advantages to the producer strains and represents one of the environmental factors influencing the microbial community composition. Herein, we report on the antibacterial activity of a new haloarchaeon selected from solar salterns of the northern coast of Algeria. A total of 81 halophilic strains, isolated from the microbial consortia, were screened for the production of antimicrobial compounds by interspecies competition test and against a collection of commercial haloarchaea. On the basis of the partial 16S rRNA sequencing, the most efficient halocin producer was recognized as belonging to Haloferax (Hfx) sp., while the best indicator microorganism, showing high sensitivity toward halocin, was related to Haloarcula genus. The main morphological, physiological and biochemical properties of Hfx were investigated and a partial purification of the produced halocin was allowed to identify it as a surface membrane protein with a molecular mass between 30 and 40 kDa. Therefore, in this study, we isolated a new strain belonging to Haloferax genus and producing a promising antimicrobial compound useful for applications in health and food industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souhila Mazguene
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology (LMA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University Abderrahmane Mira of Bejaia, Targa Ouzemour, 06000, Bejaïa, Algeria
| | - Mosè Rossi
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Marta Gogliettino
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianna Palmieri
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino, 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - Ennio Cocca
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Mirino
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Nacera Imadalou-Idres
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology (LMA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University Abderrahmane Mira of Bejaia, Targa Ouzemour, 06000, Bejaïa, Algeria
| | - Said Benallaoua
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology (LMA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University Abderrahmane Mira of Bejaia, Targa Ouzemour, 06000, Bejaïa, Algeria
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Andrei AŞ, Baricz A, Robeson MS, Păuşan MR, Tămaş T, Chiriac C, Szekeres E, Barbu-Tudoran L, Levei EA, Coman C, Podar M, Banciu HL. Hypersaline sapropels act as hotspots for microbial dark matter. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6150. [PMID: 28733590 PMCID: PMC5522462 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06232-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Present-day terrestrial analogue sites are crucial ground truth proxies for studying life in geochemical conditions close to those assumed to be present on early Earth or inferred to exist on other celestial bodies (e.g. Mars, Europa). Although hypersaline sapropels are border-of-life habitats with moderate occurrence, their microbiological and physicochemical characterization lags behind. Here, we study the diversity of life under low water activity by describing the prokaryotic communities from two disparate hypersaline sapropels (Transylvanian Basin, Romania) in relation to geochemical milieu and pore water chemistry, while inferring their role in carbon cycling by matching taxa to known taxon-specific biogeochemical functions. The polyphasic approach combined deep coverage SSU rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics with RT-qPCR and physicochemical investigations. We found that sapropels developed an analogous elemental milieu and harbored prokaryotes affiliated with fifty-nine phyla, among which the most abundant were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi. Containing thirty-two candidate divisions and possibly undocumented prokaryotic lineages, the hypersaline sapropels were found to accommodate one of the most diverse and novel ecosystems reported to date and may contribute to completing the phylogenetic branching of the tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian-Ştefan Andrei
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. .,Institute of Hydrobiology, Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Biology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Andreea Baricz
- National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (NIRDBS), Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Michael Scott Robeson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.,Interstitial Genomics, LLC, Longmont, 80501, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Tudor Tămaş
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cecilia Chiriac
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (NIRDBS), Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Edina Szekeres
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (NIRDBS), Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lucian Barbu-Tudoran
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Erika Andrea Levei
- INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristian Coman
- National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences (NIRDBS), Institute of Biological Research, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mircea Podar
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Horia Leonard Banciu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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Antagonistic interactions and production of halocin antimicrobial peptides among extremely halophilic prokaryotes isolated from the solar saltern of Sfax, Tunisia. Extremophiles 2016; 20:363-74. [PMID: 27074936 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-016-0827-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Thirty-five extremely halophilic microbial strains isolated from crystallizer (TS18) and non-crystallizer (M1) ponds in the Sfax solar saltern in Tunisia were examined for their ability to exert antimicrobial activity. Antagonistic assays resulted in the selection of eleven strains that displayed such antimicrobial activity and they were further characterized. Three cases of cross-domain inhibition (archaea/bacteria or bacteria/archaea) were observed. Four archaeal strains exerted antimicrobial activity against several other strains. Three strains, for which several lines of evidence suggested the antimicrobial activity was, at least in part, due to peptide/protein agents (Halobacterium salinarum ETD5, Hbt. salinarum ETD8, and Haloterrigena thermotolerans SS1R12), were studied further. Optimal culture conditions for growth and antimicrobial production were determined. Using DNA amplification with specific primers, sequencing and RT-PCR analysis, Hbt. salinarum ETD5 and Hbt. salinarum ETD8 were shown to encode and express halocin S8, a hydrophobic antimicrobial peptide targeting halophilic archaea. Although the gene encoding halocin H4 was amplified from the genome of Htg. thermotolerans SS1R12, no transcript could be detected and the antimicrobial activity was most likely due to multiple antimicrobial compounds. This is also the first report that points to four different strains isolated from different geographical locations with the capacity to produce identical halocin S8 proteins.
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12
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Dammak DF, Smaoui SM, Ghanmi F, Boujelben I, Maalej S. Characterization of halo-alkaline and thermostable protease from Halorubrum ezzemoulense
strain ETR14 isolated from Sfax solar saltern in Tunisia. J Basic Microbiol 2016; 56:337-46. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201500475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donyez Frikha Dammak
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax; Université de Sfax; Unité Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Environnementaux (UR/11ES72) Sfax; Tunisia
| | - Salma Masmoudi Smaoui
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax; Université de Sfax; Unité Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Environnementaux (UR/11ES72) Sfax; Tunisia
| | - Fadoua Ghanmi
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax; Université de Sfax; Unité Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Environnementaux (UR/11ES72) Sfax; Tunisia
| | - Ines Boujelben
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax; Université de Sfax; Unité Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Environnementaux (UR/11ES72) Sfax; Tunisia
| | - Sami Maalej
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax; Université de Sfax; Unité Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques Environnementaux (UR/11ES72) Sfax; Tunisia
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Oren A. Pyruvate: A key Nutrient in Hypersaline Environments? Microorganisms 2015; 3:407-16. [PMID: 27682096 PMCID: PMC5023246 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3030407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Some of the most commonly occurring but difficult to isolate halophilic prokaryotes, Archaea as well as Bacteria, require or prefer pyruvate as carbon and energy source. The most efficient media for the enumeration and isolation of heterotrophic prokaryotes from natural environments, from freshwater to hypersaline, including the widely used R2A agar medium, contain pyruvate as a key ingredient. Examples of pyruvate-loving halophiles are the square, extremely halophilic archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi and the halophilic gammaproteobacterium Spiribacter salinus. However, surprisingly little is known about the availability of pyruvate in natural environments and about the way it enters the cell. Some halophilic Archaea (Halorubrum saccharovorum, Haloarcula spp.) partially convert sugars and glycerol to pyruvate and other acids (acetate, lactate) which are excreted to the medium. Pyruvate formation from glycerol was also shown during a bloom of halophilic Archaea in the Dead Sea. However, no pyruvate transporters were yet identified in the genomes of halophilic Archaea, and altogether, our understanding of pyruvate transport in the prokaryote world is very limited. Therefore, the preference for pyruvate by fastidious and often elusive halophiles and the empirically proven enhanced colony recovery on agar media containing pyruvate are still poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aharon Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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Yuan PP, Ye WT, Pan JX, Han D, Zhang WJ, Cui HL. Halorussus amylolyticus sp. nov., isolated from an inland salt lake. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2015; 65:3734-3738. [PMID: 26228463 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.000487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A halophilic archaeal strain, YC93T, was isolated from Yuncheng salt lake in Shanxi Province, China. Cells were pleomorphic rods, stained Gram-negative and formed light-red-pigmented colonies on agar plates. Strain YC93T was able to grow at 25–50 °C (optimum 37 °C), with 1.4–4.8 M NaCl (optimum 2.0 M), with 0–1.0 M MgCl2 (optimum 0.05 M) and at pH 6.0–9.5 (optimum pH 7.0). Cells lysed in distilled water and the minimal NaCl concentration to prevent cell lysis was 8 % (w/v). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain YC93T had two dissimilar 16S rRNA genes both of which were phylogenetically related to those of the two recognized members of the genus Halorussus (93.0–95.3 % similarity). The rpoB′ gene of strain YC93T was phylogenetically related to the corresponding gene of Halorussus rarus TBN4T (91.3 % similarity) and Halorussus ruber YC25T (90.5 %). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulfate and five glycolipids chromatographically identical to those of Halorussus rarus CGMCC 1.10122T. The DNA G+C content of strain YC93T was 64.6 mol%. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties suggested that strain YC93T represents a novel species of the genus Halorussus, for which the name Halorussus amylolyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YC93T ( = CGMCC 1.12126T = JCM 18367T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan-Pan Yuan
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Wei-Tao Ye
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Jia-Xiang Pan
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Dong Han
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Wen-Jiao Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Heng-Lin Cui
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
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