1
|
A First Glimpse on Cold-Adapted PCB-Oxidizing Bacteria in Edmonson Point Lakes (Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica). WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antarctic freshwater ecosystems are especially vulnerable to human impacts. Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that have a long lifetime in the environment. Despite their use having either been phased out or restricted, they are still found in nature, also in remote areas. Once in the environment, the fate of PCBs is strictly linked to bacteria which represent the first step in the transfer of toxic compounds to higher trophic levels. Data on PCB-oxidizing bacteria from polar areas are still scarce and fragmented. In this study, the occurrence of PCB-oxidizing cold-adapted bacteria was evaluated in water and sediment of four coastal lakes at Edmonson Point (Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica). After enrichment with biphenyl, 192 isolates were obtained with 57 of them that were able to grow in the presence of the PCB mixture Aroclor 1242, as the sole carbon source. The catabolic gene bphA, as a proxy for PCB degradation potential, was harbored by 37 isolates (out of 57), mainly affiliated to the genera Salinibacterium, Arthrobacter (among Actinobacteria) and Pusillimonas (among Betaproteobacteria). Obtained results enlarge our current knowledge on cold-adapted PCB-oxidizing bacteria and pose the basis for their potential application as a valuable eco-friendly tool for the recovery of PCB-contaminated cold sites.
Collapse
|
2
|
First Insights into the Microbiology of Three Antarctic Briny Systems of the Northern Victoria Land. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13070323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Different polar environments (lakes and glaciers), also in Antarctica, encapsulate brine pools characterized by a unique combination of extreme conditions, mainly in terms of high salinity and low temperature. Since 2014, we have been focusing our attention on the microbiology of brine pockets from three lakes in the Northern Victoria Land (NVL), lying in the Tarn Flat (TF) and Boulder Clay (BC) areas. The microbial communities have been analyzed for community structure by next generation sequencing, extracellular enzyme activities, metabolic potentials, and microbial abundances. In this study, we aim at reconsidering all available data to analyze the influence exerted by environmental parameters on the community composition and activities. Additionally, the prediction of metabolic functions was attempted by the phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt2) tool, highlighting that prokaryotic communities were presumably involved in methane metabolism, aromatic compound biodegradation, and organic compound (proteins, polysaccharides, and phosphates) decomposition. The analyzed cryoenvironments were different in terms of prokaryotic diversity, abundance, and retrieved metabolic pathways. By the analysis of DNA sequences, common operational taxonomic units ranged from 2.2% to 22.0%. The bacterial community was dominated by Bacteroidetes. In both BC and TF brines, sequences of the most thermally tolerant and methanogenic Archaea were detected, some of them related to hyperthermophiles.
Collapse
|
3
|
Lo Giudice A, Conte A, Papale M, Rizzo C, Azzaro M, Guglielmin M. Prokaryotic Diversity and Metabolically Active Communities in Brines from Two Perennially Ice-Covered Antarctic Lakes. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:551-565. [PMID: 33524277 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The genomic diversity of bacteria and archaea in brines (BC1, BC2, and BC3) from two adjacent and perennially frozen Antarctic lakes (L16 and L-2) in the Boulder Clay (BC) area was investigated together with the metabolically active fraction of both communities, by analyzing the bulk rRNA as a general marker of metabolic activity. Although similar bacterial and archaeal assemblages were observed at phylum level, differences were encountered when considering the distribution in species. Overall, the total bacterial communities were dominated by Bacteroidetes. A massive occurrence of flavobacterial sequences was observed within the metabolically active bacterial communities of the BC1 brine, whereas the active fractions in BC2 and BC3 strongly differed from the bulk communities being dominated by Betaproteobacteria (mainly Hydrogenophaga members). The BC lakes also hosted sequences of the most thermally tolerant archaea, also related to well-known hyperthermophiles. Interestingly, RNA sequences of the hyperthermophilic genus Ferroglobus were retrieved in all brine samples. Finally, a high abundance of the strictly anaerobic methanogens (such as Methanosarcina members) within the active community suggests that anoxic conditions might occur in the lake brines. Our findings indicate perennially ice-covered Antarctic lakes as plausible terrestrial candidates for the study of the potential for extant life on different bodies of our solar system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Lo Giudice
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), Messina, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonella Conte
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Papale
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), Messina, Italy
| | - Carmen Rizzo
- Department BIOTECH, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Biology, Messina, Italy
| | - Maurizio Azzaro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), Messina, Italy
| | - Mauro Guglielmin
- Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche e Applicate, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sannino C, Borruso L, Mezzasoma A, Battistel D, Zucconi L, Selbmann L, Azzaro M, Onofri S, Turchetti B, Buzzini P, Guglielmin M. Intra- and inter-cores fungal diversity suggests interconnection of different habitats in an Antarctic frozen lake (Boulder Clay, Northern Victoria Land). Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3463-3477. [PMID: 32510727 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
A perennially frozen lake at Boulder Clay site (Victoria Land, Antarctica), characterized by the presence of frost mounds, have been selected as an in situ model for ecological studies. Different samples of permafrost, glacier ice and brines have been studied as a unique habitat system. An additional sample of brines (collected in another frozen lake close to the previous one) was also considered. Alpha- and beta-diversity of fungal communities showed both intra- and inter-cores significant (p < 0.05) differences, which suggest the presence of interconnection among the habitats. Therefore, the layers of frost mound and the deep glacier could be interconnected while the brines could probably be considered as an open habitat system not interconnected with each other. Moreover, the absence of similarity between the lake ice and the underlying permafrost suggested that the lake is perennially frozen based. The predominance of positive significant (p < 0.05) co-occurrences among some fungal taxa allowed to postulate the existence of an ecological equilibrium in the habitats systems. The positive significant (p < 0.05) correlation between salt concentration, total organic carbon and pH, and some fungal taxa suggests that a few abiotic parameters could drive fungal diversity inside these ecological niches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Sannino
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Luigimaria Borruso
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
| | - Ambra Mezzasoma
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Dario Battistel
- Department of Environmental Science, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca' Foscari, Venice, Italy
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.,Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maurizio Azzaro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council, Messina, Italy
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Benedetta Turchetti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Pietro Buzzini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno 74, Perugia, 06121, Italy
| | - Mauro Guglielmin
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Insubria University, Varese, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rizzo C, Conte A, Azzaro M, Papale M, Rappazzo AC, Battistel D, Roman M, Lo Giudice A, Guglielmin M. Cultivable Bacterial Communities in Brines from Perennially Ice-Covered and Pristine Antarctic Lakes: Ecological and Biotechnological Implications. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E819. [PMID: 32486118 PMCID: PMC7355736 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The diversity and biotechnological potentialities of bacterial isolates from brines of three Antarctic lakes of the Northern Victoria Land (namely Boulder Clay and Tarn Flat areas) were first explored. Cultivable bacterial communities were analysed mainly in terms of bacterial response to contaminants (i.e., antibiotics and heavy metals) and oxidation of contaminants (i.e., aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorobiphenyls). Moreover, the biosynthesis of biomolecules (antibiotics, extracellular polymeric substances and enzymes) with applications for human health and environmental protection was assayed. A total of 74 and 141 isolates were retrieved from Boulder Clay and Tarn Flat brines, respectively. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, bacterial isolates represented three phyla, namely Proteobacteria (i.e., Gamma- and Alphaproteobacteria), Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, with differences encountered among brines. At genus level, Rhodobacter, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter and Leifsonia members were dominant. Results obtained from this study on the physiological and enzymatic features of cold-adapted isolates from Antarctic lake brines provide interesting prospects for possible applications in the biotechnological field through future targeted surveys. Finally, findings on contaminant occurrence and bacterial response suggest that bacteria might be used as bioindicators for tracking human footprints in these remote polar areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Rizzo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Marine Biotechnology, National Institute of Biology, Villa Pace, 98167 Messina, Italy;
| | - Antonella Conte
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
| | - Maurizio Azzaro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.A.); (M.P.); (A.C.R.)
| | - Maria Papale
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.A.); (M.P.); (A.C.R.)
| | - Alessandro C. Rappazzo
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.A.); (M.P.); (A.C.R.)
| | - Dario Battistel
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, University Ca’ Foscari, 30123 Venezia, Italy; (D.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Marco Roman
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, University Ca’ Foscari, 30123 Venezia, Italy; (D.B.); (M.R.)
| | - Angelina Lo Giudice
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (ISP-CNR), 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.A.); (M.P.); (A.C.R.)
| | - Mauro Guglielmin
- Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche e Applicate, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|