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Mante J, Groover KE, Pullen RM. Environmental community transcriptomics: strategies and struggles. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elae033. [PMID: 39183066 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcriptomics is the study of RNA transcripts, the portion of the genome that is transcribed, in a specific cell, tissue, or organism. Transcriptomics provides insight into gene expression patterns, regulation, and the underlying mechanisms of cellular processes. Community transcriptomics takes this a step further by studying the RNA transcripts from environmental assemblies of organisms, with the intention of better understanding the interactions between members of the community. Community transcriptomics requires successful extraction of RNA from a diverse set of organisms and subsequent analysis via mapping those reads to a reference genome or de novo assembly of the reads. Both, extraction protocols and the analysis steps can pose hurdles for community transcriptomics. This review covers advances in transcriptomic techniques and assesses the viability of applying them to community transcriptomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanet Mante
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, 37831, TN, USA
| | - Kyra E Groover
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78705, TX, USA
| | - Randi M Pullen
- DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, 20783, MD, USA
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2
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Wu R, Zimmerman AE, Hofmockel KS. The direct and indirect drivers shaping RNA viral communities in grassland soils. mSystems 2024; 9:e0009924. [PMID: 38980057 PMCID: PMC11334463 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00099-24] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed diverse RNA viral communities in soils. Yet, how environmental factors influence soil RNA viruses remains largely unknown. Here, we recovered RNA viral communities from bulk metatranscriptomes sequenced from grassland soils managed for 5 years under multiple environmental conditions including water content, plant presence, cultivar type, and soil depth. More than half of the unique RNA viral contigs (64.6%) were assigned with putative hosts. About 74.7% of these classified RNA viral contigs are known as eukaryotic RNA viruses suggesting eukaryotic RNA viruses may outnumber prokaryotic RNA viruses by nearly three times in this grassland. Of the identified eukaryotic RNA viruses and the associated eukaryotic species, the most dominant taxa were Mitoviridae with an average relative abundance of 72.4%, and their natural hosts, Fungi with an average relative abundance of 56.6%. Network analysis and structural equation modeling support that soil water content, plant presence, and type of cultivar individually demonstrate a significant positive impact on eukaryotic RNA viral richness directly as well as indirectly on eukaryotic RNA viral abundance via influencing the co-existing eukaryotic members. A significant negative influence of soil depth on soil eukaryotic richness and abundance indirectly impacts soil eukaryotic RNA viral communities. These results provide new insights into the collective influence of multiple environmental and community factors that shape soil RNA viral communities and offer a structured perspective of how RNA virus diversity and ecology respond to environmental changes. IMPORTANCE Climate change has been reshaping the soil environment as well as the residing microbiome. This study provides field-relevant information on how environmental and community factors collectively shape soil RNA communities and contribute to ecological understanding of RNA viral survival under various environmental conditions and virus-host interactions in soil. This knowledge is critical for predicting the viral responses to climate change and the potential emergence of biothreats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Wu
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Amy E. Zimmerman
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Kirsten S. Hofmockel
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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3
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Huang Y, Hu H, Zhang T, Wang W, Liu W, Tang H. Meta-omics assisted microbial gene and strain resources mining in contaminant environment. Eng Life Sci 2024; 24:2300207. [PMID: 38708415 PMCID: PMC11065330 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202300207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Human activities have led to the release of various environmental pollutants, triggering ecological challenges. In situ, microbial communities in these contaminated environments are usually assumed to possess the potential capacity of pollutant degradation. However, the majority of genes and microorganisms in these environments remain uncharacterized and uncultured. The advent of meta-omics provided culture-independent solutions for exploring the functional genes and microorganisms within complex microbial communities. In this review, we highlight the applications and methodologies of meta-omics in uncovering of genes and microbes from contaminated environments. These findings may assist in future bioremediation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolismand School of Life Sciences & BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Haiyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolismand School of Life Sciences & BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- China Tobacco Henan Industrial Co. Ltd.ZhengzhouPeople's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolismand School of Life Sciences & BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Wenzhao Liu
- China Tobacco Henan Industrial Co. Ltd.ZhengzhouPeople's Republic of China
| | - Hongzhi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolismand School of Life Sciences & BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
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Horstmann L, Lipus D, Bartholomäus A, Arens F, Airo A, Ganzert L, Zamorano P, Schulze-Makuch D, Wagner D. Persistent microbial communities in hyperarid subsurface habitats of the Atacama Desert: Insights from intracellular DNA analysis. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae123. [PMID: 38655503 PMCID: PMC11037274 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Desert environments constitute one of the largest and yet most fragile ecosystems on Earth. Under the absence of regular precipitation, microorganisms are the main ecological component mediating nutrient fluxes by using soil components, like minerals and salts, and atmospheric gases as a source for energy and water. While most of the previous studies on microbial ecology of desert environments have focused on surface environments, little is known about microbial life in deeper sediment layers. Our study is extending the limited knowledge about microbial communities within the deeper subsurface of the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert. By employing intracellular DNA extraction and subsequent 16S rRNA sequencing of samples collected from a soil pit in the Yungay region of the Atacama Desert, we unveiled a potentially viable microbial subsurface community residing at depths down to 4.20 m. In the upper 80 cm of the playa sediments, microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes taxa showing a depth-related decrease in biomass correlating with increasing amounts of soluble salts. High salt concentrations are possibly causing microbial colonization to cease in the lower part of the playa sediments between 80 and 200 cm depth. In the underlying alluvial fan deposits, microbial communities reemerge, possibly due to gypsum providing an alternative water source. The discovery of this deeper subsurface community is reshaping our understanding of desert soils, emphasizing the need to consider subsurface environments in future explorations of arid ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Horstmann
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department Experimental Phycology and Culture Collection of Algae (EPSAG), Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Lipus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Alexander Bartholomäus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Felix Arens
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandro Airo
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Ganzert
- Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
| | - Pedro Zamorano
- Laboratorio de Microorganismos Extremófilos, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta 02800, Chile
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Wagner
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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5
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Ray AE, Tribbia DZ, Cowan DA, Ferrari BC. Clearing the air: unraveling past and guiding future research in atmospheric chemosynthesis. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0004823. [PMID: 37914532 PMCID: PMC10732025 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00048-23] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Atmospheric chemosynthesis is a recently proposed form of chemoautotrophic microbial primary production. The proposed process relies on the oxidation of trace concentrations of hydrogen (≤530 ppbv), carbon monoxide (≤90 ppbv), and methane (≤1,870 ppbv) gases using high-affinity enzymes. Atmospheric hydrogen and carbon monoxide oxidation have been primarily linked to microbial growth in desert surface soils scarce in liquid water and organic nutrients, and low in photosynthetic communities. It is well established that the oxidation of trace hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases widely supports the persistence of microbial communities in a diminished metabolic state, with the former potentially providing a reliable source of metabolic water. Microbial atmospheric methane oxidation also occurs in oligotrophic desert soils and is widespread throughout copiotrophic environments, with established links to microbial growth. Despite these findings, the direct link between trace gas oxidation and carbon fixation remains disputable. Here, we review the supporting evidence, outlining major gaps in our understanding of this phenomenon, and propose approaches to validate atmospheric chemosynthesis as a primary production process. We also explore the implications of this minimalistic survival strategy in terms of nutrient cycling, climate change, aerobiology, and astrobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique E. Ray
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dana Z. Tribbia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Don A. Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Belinda C. Ferrari
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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6
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Jansson JK, McClure R, Egbert RG. Soil microbiome engineering for sustainability in a changing environment. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:1716-1728. [PMID: 37903921 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01932-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in microbial ecology and synthetic biology have the potential to mitigate damage caused by anthropogenic activities that are deleteriously impacting Earth's soil ecosystems. Here, we discuss challenges and opportunities for harnessing natural and synthetic soil microbial communities, focusing on plant growth promotion under different scenarios. We explore current needs for microbial solutions in soil ecosystems, how these solutions are being developed and applied, and the potential for new biotechnology breakthroughs to tailor and target microbial products for specific applications. We highlight several scientific and technological advances in soil microbiome engineering, including characterization of microbes that impact soil ecosystems, directing how microbes assemble to interact in soil environments, and the developing suite of gene-engineering approaches. This Review underscores the need for an interdisciplinary approach to understand the composition, dynamics and deployment of beneficial soil microbiomes to drive efforts to mitigate or reverse environmental damage by restoring and protecting healthy soil ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet K Jansson
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
| | - Ryan McClure
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Robert G Egbert
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
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7
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McClure RS, Rericha Y, Waters KM, Tanguay RL. 3' RNA-seq is superior to standard RNA-seq in cases of sparse data but inferior at identifying toxicity pathways in a model organism. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 3:1234218. [PMID: 37576716 PMCID: PMC10414111 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2023.1234218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The application of RNA-sequencing has led to numerous breakthroughs related to investigating gene expression levels in complex biological systems. Among these are knowledge of how organisms, such as the vertebrate model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio), respond to toxicant exposure. Recently, the development of 3' RNA-seq has allowed for the determination of gene expression levels with a fraction of the required reads compared to standard RNA-seq. While 3' RNA-seq has many advantages, a comparison to standard RNA-seq has not been performed in the context of whole organism toxicity and sparse data. Methods and results: Here, we examined samples from zebrafish exposed to perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA) with either 3' or standard RNA-seq to determine the advantages of each with regards to the identification of functionally enriched pathways. We found that 3' and standard RNA-seq showed specific advantages when focusing on annotated or unannotated regions of the genome. We also found that standard RNA-seq identified more differentially expressed genes (DEGs), but that this advantage disappeared under conditions of sparse data. We also found that standard RNA-seq had a significant advantage in identifying functionally enriched pathways via analysis of DEG lists but that this advantage was minimal when identifying pathways via gene set enrichment analysis of all genes. Conclusions: These results show that each approach has experimental conditions where they may be advantageous. Our observations can help guide others in the choice of 3' RNA-seq vs standard RNA sequencing to query gene expression levels in a range of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. McClure
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Yvonne Rericha
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Katrina M. Waters
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Robyn L. Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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8
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Timmusk S, Pall T, Raz S, Fetsiukh A, Nevo E. The potential for plant growth-promoting bacteria to impact crop productivity in future agricultural systems is linked to understanding the principles of microbial ecology. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1141862. [PMID: 37275175 PMCID: PMC10235605 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1141862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Global climate change poses challenges to land use worldwide, and we need to reconsider agricultural practices. While it is generally accepted that biodiversity can be used as a biomarker for healthy agroecosystems, we must specify what specifically composes a healthy microbiome. Therefore, understanding how holobionts function in native, harsh, and wild habitats and how rhizobacteria mediate plant and ecosystem biodiversity in the systems enables us to identify key factors for plant fitness. A systems approach to engineering microbial communities by connecting host phenotype adaptive traits would help us understand the increased fitness of holobionts supported by genetic diversity. Identification of genetic loci controlling the interaction of beneficial microbiomes will allow the integration of genomic design into crop breeding programs. Bacteria beneficial to plants have traditionally been conceived as "promoting and regulating plant growth". The future perspective for agroecosystems should be that microbiomes, via multiple cascades, define plant phenotypes and provide genetic variability for agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salme Timmusk
- Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Taavi Pall
- Estonian Health Care Board Department of Gene Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Shmuel Raz
- Department of Information Systems, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Anastasiia Fetsiukh
- Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eviatar Nevo
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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9
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Lyu C, Li X, Yu H, Song Y, Gao H, Yuan P. Insight into the microbial nitrogen cycle in riparian soils in an agricultural region. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116100. [PMID: 37172685 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Riparian zones are considered as an effective measure on preventing agricultural non-point source nitrogen (N) pollution. However, the mechanism underlying microbial N removal and the characteristics of N-cycle in riparian soils remain elusive. In this study, we systematically monitored the soil potential nitrification rate (PNR), denitrification potential (DP), as well as net N2O production rate, and further used metagenomic sequencing to elucidate the mechanism underlying microbial N removal. As a whole, the riparian soil had a very strong denitrification, with the DP 3.17 times higher than the PNR and 13.82 times higher than the net N2O production rate. This was closely related to the high soil NO3--N content. In different profiles, due to the influence of extensive agricultural activities, the soil DP, PNR, and net N2O production rate near the farmland edge were relatively low. In terms of N-cycling microbial community composition, the taxa of denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction, and assimilatory nitrate reduction accounted for a large proportion, all related to NO3--N reduction. The N-cycling microbial community in waterside zone showed obvious differences to the landside zone. The abundances of N-fixation and anammox genes were significantly higher in the waterside zone, while the abundances of nitrification (amoA&B&C) and urease genes were significantly higher in the landside zone. Furthermore, the groundwater table was an important biogeochemical hotspot in the waterside zone, the abundance of N-cycle genes near the groundwater table was at a relative higher level. In addition, compared to different soil depths, greater variation in N-cycling microbial community composition was observed between different profiles. These results reveal some characteristics of the soil microbial N-cycle in the riparian zone in an agricultural region and are helpful for restoration and management of the riparian zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjian Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China
| | - Xiaojie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China
| | - Huibin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China
| | - Yonghui Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Hongjie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Peng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 10012, China
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10
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Adobor S, Banniza S, Vandenberg A, Purves RW. Untargeted profiling of secondary metabolites and phytotoxins associated with stemphylium blight of lentil. PLANTA 2023; 257:73. [PMID: 36864322 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04105-3] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Stemphylium botryosum alters lentil secondary metabolism and differentially affects resistant and susceptible genotypes. Untargeted metabolomics identifies metabolites and their potential biosynthetic pathways that play a crucial role in resistance to S. botryosum. The molecular and metabolic processes that mediate resistance to stemphylium blight caused by Stemphylium botryosum Wallr. in lentil are largely unknown. Identifying metabolites and pathways associated with Stemphylium infection may provide valuable insights and novel targets to breed for enhanced resistance. The metabolic changes following infection of four lentil genotypes by S. botryosum were investigated by comprehensive untargeted metabolic profiling employing reversed-phase or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) coupled to a Q-Exactive mass spectrometer. At the pre-flowering stage, plants were inoculated with S. botryosum isolate SB19 spore suspension and leaf samples were collected at 24, 96 and 144 h post-inoculation (hpi). Mock-inoculated plants were used as negative controls. After analyte separation, high-resolution mass spectrometry data was acquired in positive and negative ionization modes. Multivariate modeling revealed significant treatment, genotype and hpi effects on metabolic profile changes that reflect lentil response to Stemphylium infection. In addition, univariate analyses highlighted numerous differentially accumulated metabolites. By contrasting the metabolic profiles of SB19-inoculated and mock-inoculated plants and among lentil genotypes, 840 pathogenesis-related metabolites were detected including seven S. botryosum phytotoxins. These metabolites included amino acids, sugars, fatty acids and flavonoids in primary and secondary metabolism. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed 11 significant pathways including flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which were affected upon S. botryosum infection. This research contributes to ongoing efforts toward a comprehensive understanding of the regulation and reprogramming of lentil metabolism under biotic stress, which will provide targets for potential applications in breeding for enhanced disease resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley Adobor
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Sabine Banniza
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Albert Vandenberg
- Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, Department of Plant Sciences, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Randy W Purves
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
- Centre for Veterinary Drug Residues, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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11
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Roux S, Emerson JB. Diversity in the soil virosphere: to infinity and beyond? Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:1025-1035. [PMID: 35644779 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are key members of Earth's microbiomes, shaping microbial community composition and metabolism. Here, we describe recent advances in 'soil viromics', that is, virus-focused metagenome and metatranscriptome analyses that offer unprecedented windows into the soil virosphere. Given the emerging picture of high soil viral activity, diversity, and dynamics over short spatiotemporal scales, we then outline key eco-evolutionary processes that we hypothesize are the major diversity drivers for soil viruses. We argue that a community effort is needed to establish a 'global soil virosphere atlas' that can be used to address the roles of viruses in soil microbiomes and terrestrial biogeochemical cycles across spatiotemporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Roux
- DOE (Department of Energy) Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Joanne B Emerson
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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12
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Di Carlo P, Serra N, Alduina R, Guarino R, Craxì A, Giammanco A, Fasciana T, Cascio A, Sergi CM. A systematic review on omics data (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics) in the role of microbiome in gallbladder disease. Front Physiol 2022; 13:888233. [PMID: 36111147 PMCID: PMC9468903 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.888233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbiotas are the range of microorganisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) colonizing multicellular, macroscopic organisms. They are crucial for several metabolic functions affecting the health of the host. However, difficulties hamper the investigation of microbiota composition in cultivating microorganisms in standard growth media. For this reason, our knowledge of microbiota can benefit from the analysis of microbial macromolecules (DNA, transcripts, proteins, or by-products) present in various samples collected from the host. Various omics technologies are used to obtain different data. Metagenomics provides a taxonomical profile of the sample. It can also be used to obtain potential functional information. At the same time, metatranscriptomics can characterize members of a microbiome responsible for specific functions and elucidate genes that drive the microbiotas relationship with its host. Thus, while microbiota refers to microorganisms living in a determined environment (taxonomy of microorganisms identified), microbiome refers to the microorganisms and their genes living in a determined environment and, of course, metagenomics focuses on the genes and collective functions of identified microorganisms. Metabolomics completes this framework by determining the metabolite fluxes and the products released into the environment. The gallbladder is a sac localized under the liver in the human body and is difficult to access for bile and tissue sampling. It concentrates the bile produced in the hepatocytes, which drains into bile canaliculi. Bile promotes fat digestion and is released from the gallbladder into the upper small intestine in response to food. Considered sterile originally, recent data indicate that bile microbiota is associated with the biliary tract’s inflammation and carcinogenesis. The sample size is relevant for omic studies of rare diseases, such as gallbladder carcinoma. Although in its infancy, the study of the biliary microbiota has begun taking advantage of several omics strategies, mainly based on metagenomics, metabolomics, and mouse models. Here, we show that omics analyses from the literature may provide a more comprehensive image of the biliary microbiota. We review studies performed in this environmental niche and focus on network-based approaches for integrative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Di Carlo
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Childhood, Internal Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, Section of Infectious Disease, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Nicola Serra
- Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Alduina
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Riccardo Guarino
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Craxì
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Childhood, Internal Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, Section of Gastroenterology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Giammanco
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Childhood, Internal Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, Section of Microbiology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Teresa Fasciana
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Childhood, Internal Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, Section of Microbiology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Cascio
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal-Childhood, Internal Medicine of Excellence G. D’Alessandro, Section of Infectious Disease, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Consolato M. Sergi
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Stollery Children’s Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Consolato M. Sergi,
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13
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Mailli AA, Jakt LM, Reiss H, Kopp ME, Moum TB. Exploring the potential of mRNA for taxonomic delineation of marine benthic eukaryotes. Mar Genomics 2022; 62:100934. [DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2022.100934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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14
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Advancement of Metatranscriptomics towards Productive Agriculture and Sustainable Environment: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073737. [PMID: 35409097 PMCID: PMC8998989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
While chemical fertilisers and pesticides indeed enhance agricultural productivity, their excessive usage has been detrimental to environmental health. In addressing this matter, the use of environmental microbiomes has been greatly favoured as a ‘greener’ alternative to these inorganic chemicals’ application. Challenged by a significant proportion of unidentified microbiomes with unknown ecological functions, advanced high throughput metatranscriptomics is prudent to overcome the technological limitations in unfolding the previously undiscovered functional profiles of the beneficial microbiomes. Under this context, this review begins by summarising (1) the evolution of next-generation sequencing and metatranscriptomics in leveraging the microbiome transcriptome profiles through whole gene expression profiling. Next, the current environmental metatranscriptomics studies are reviewed, with the discussion centred on (2) the emerging application of the beneficial microbiomes in developing fertile soils and (3) the development of disease-suppressive soils as greener alternatives against biotic stress. As sustainable agriculture focuses not only on crop productivity but also long-term environmental sustainability, the second half of the review highlights the metatranscriptomics’ contribution in (4) revolutionising the pollution monitoring systems via specific bioindicators. Overall, growing knowledge on the complex microbiome functional profiles is imperative to unlock the unlimited potential of agricultural microbiome-based practices, which we believe hold the key to productive agriculture and sustainable environment.
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15
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D'Alò F, Baldrian P, Odriozola I, Morais D, Větrovský T, Zucconi L, Ripa C, Cannone N, Malfasi F, Onofri S. Composition and functioning of the soil microbiome in the highest altitudes of the Italian Alps and potential effects of climate change. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6541846. [PMID: 35238906 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As the European Alps are experiencing a strong climate warming; this study analyzed the soil microbiome at different altitudes and among different vegetation types at the Stelvio Pass (Italian Alps), aiming to i) characterize the composition and functional potential of the microbiome of soils and their gene expression during the peak vegetative stage; ii) explore the potential short-term (using open top chambers) and long-term (space-for-time substitutions) effects of increasing temperature on the alpine soil microbiome. We found that the functional potential of the soil microbiome and its expression differed among vegetation types. Microbial α-diversity increased along the altitudinal gradient. At lower altitude, shrubland had the highest proportion of fungi, which was correlated with higher amounts of CAZymes, specific for degrading fungal biomass and recalcitrant plant biopolymers. Subalpine upward vegetation shift could lead a possible loss of species of alpine soils. Shrub encroachment may accelerate higher recalcitrant C decomposition and reduce total ecosystem C storage, increasing the efflux of CO2 to the atmosphere with a positive feedback to warming. Five years of warming had no effect on the composition and functioning of microbial communities, indicating that longer-term warming experiments are needed to investigate the effects of temperature increases on the soil microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica D'Alò
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Iñaki Odriozola
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Morais
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Větrovský
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Caterina Ripa
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Cannone
- Department of Science and High Technology, Insubria University, Via Valleggio, 11, 21100 Como (CO), Italy
| | - Francesco Malfasi
- Department of Science and High Technology, Insubria University, Via Valleggio, 11, 21100 Como (CO), Italy
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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16
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Hu B, Canon S, Eloe-Fadrosh EA, Anubhav, Babinski M, Corilo Y, Davenport K, Duncan WD, Fagnan K, Flynn M, Foster B, Hays D, Huntemann M, Jackson EKP, Kelliher J, Li PE, Lo CC, Mans D, McCue LA, Mouncey N, Mungall CJ, Piehowski PD, Purvine SO, Smith M, Varghese NJ, Winston D, Xu Y, Chain PSG. Challenges in Bioinformatics Workflows for Processing Microbiome Omics Data at Scale. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 1:826370. [PMID: 36303775 PMCID: PMC9580927 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.826370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The nascent field of microbiome science is transitioning from a descriptive approach of cataloging taxa and functions present in an environment to applying multi-omics methods to investigate microbiome dynamics and function. A large number of new tools and algorithms have been designed and used for very specific purposes on samples collected by individual investigators or groups. While these developments have been quite instructive, the ability to compare microbiome data generated by many groups of researchers is impeded by the lack of standardized application of bioinformatics methods. Additionally, there are few examples of broad bioinformatics workflows that can process metagenome, metatranscriptome, metaproteome and metabolomic data at scale, and no central hub that allows processing, or provides varied omics data that are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR). Here, we review some of the challenges that exist in analyzing omics data within the microbiome research sphere, and provide context on how the National Microbiome Data Collaborative has adopted a standardized and open access approach to address such challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Hu
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Shane Canon
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Anubhav
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Michal Babinski
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Yuri Corilo
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Karen Davenport
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | | | - Kjiersten Fagnan
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Mark Flynn
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Brian Foster
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - David Hays
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Marcel Huntemann
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Julia Kelliher
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Po-E. Li
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Chien-Chi Lo
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Douglas Mans
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Lee Ann McCue
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Nigel Mouncey
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Paul D. Piehowski
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Samuel O. Purvine
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Montana Smith
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | | | | | - Yan Xu
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Patrick S. G. Chain
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
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17
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Dynamic Changes in Soil Microbial Communities with Glucose Enrichment in Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells. Indian J Microbiol 2021; 61:497-505. [PMID: 34744205 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-021-00959-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate soil microbial community dynamics in sediment microbial fuel cells (MFCs), this study applied nonhydric (D) and hydric (S) soils to single-chamber and mediator-free MFCs. Glucose was also used to enrich microorganisms in the soils. The voltage outputs of both the D and S sediment MFCs increased over time but differed from each other. The initial open circuit potentials were 345 and 264 mV for the D and S MFCs. The voltage output reached a maximum of 503 and 604 mV for D and S on days 125 and 131, respectively. The maximum power densities of the D and S MFCs were 2.74 and 2.12 mW m-2, analyzed on day 50. Clustering results revealed that the two groups did not cluster after glucose supplementation and 126 days of MFC function. The change in Geobacter abundance was consistent with the voltage output, indicating that these bacteria may act as the main exoelectrogens on the anode. Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that, in the D soils, Geobacter was positively correlated with Dialister and negatively correlated with Bradyrhizobium, Kaistobacter, Pedomicrobium, and Phascolarctobacterium; in the S soils, Geobacter was positively correlated with Shewanella and negatively correlated with Blautia. The results suggested that different soil sources in the MFCs and the addition of glucose as a nutrient produced diverse microbial communities with varying voltage output efficiencies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-021-00959-x.
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18
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Haveman NJ, Khodadad CLM, Dixit AR, Louyakis AS, Massa GD, Venkateswaran K, Foster JS. Evaluating the lettuce metatranscriptome with MinION sequencing for future spaceflight food production applications. NPJ Microgravity 2021; 7:22. [PMID: 34140518 PMCID: PMC8211661 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-021-00151-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy plants are vital for successful, long-duration missions in space, as they provide the crew with life support, food production, and psychological benefits. The microorganisms that associate with plant tissues play a critical role in improving plant health and production. To that end, we developed a methodology to investigate the transcriptional activities of the microbiome of red romaine lettuce, a key salad crop that was grown under International Space Station (ISS)-like conditions. Microbial transcripts enriched from host-microbe total RNA were sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing platform. Results show that this enrichment approach was highly reproducible and could be an effective approach for the on-site detection of microbial transcriptional activity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using metatranscriptomics of enriched microbial RNA as a potential method for on-site monitoring of the transcriptional activity of crop microbiomes, thereby helping to facilitate and maintain plant health for on-orbit space food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha J. Haveman
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Science Lab, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Christina L. M. Khodadad
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Amentum Services, Inc., LASSO, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Anirudha R. Dixit
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Amentum Services, Inc., LASSO, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Artemis S. Louyakis
- grid.63054.340000 0001 0860 4915Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT USA
| | - Gioia D. Massa
- grid.419743.c0000 0001 0845 4769Space Crop Production Team, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- grid.211367.0Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Jamie S. Foster
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Science Lab, Merritt Island, FL USA
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19
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Hashemi S, Hashemi SE, Lien KM, Lamb JJ. Molecular Microbial Community Analysis as an Analysis Tool for Optimal Biogas Production. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061162. [PMID: 34071282 PMCID: PMC8226781 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbial diversity in anaerobic digestion (AD) is important because it affects process robustness. High-throughput sequencing offers high-resolution data regarding the microbial diversity and robustness of biological systems including AD; however, to understand the dynamics of microbial processes, knowing the microbial diversity is not adequate alone. Advanced meta-omic techniques have been established to determine the activity and interactions among organisms in biological processes like AD. Results of these methods can be used to identify biomarkers for AD states. This can aid a better understanding of system dynamics and be applied to producing comprehensive models for AD. The paper provides valuable knowledge regarding the possibility of integration of molecular methods in AD. Although meta-genomic methods are not suitable for on-line use due to long operating time and high costs, they provide extensive insight into the microbial phylogeny in AD. Meta-proteomics can also be explored in the demonstration projects for failure prediction. However, for these methods to be fully realised in AD, a biomarker database needs to be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedbehnam Hashemi
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering & Enersense, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (S.H.); (S.E.H.); (K.M.L.)
| | - Sayed Ebrahim Hashemi
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering & Enersense, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (S.H.); (S.E.H.); (K.M.L.)
| | - Kristian M. Lien
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering & Enersense, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (S.H.); (S.E.H.); (K.M.L.)
| | - Jacob J. Lamb
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering & Enersense, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, Norway; (S.H.); (S.E.H.); (K.M.L.)
- Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7034 Trondheim, Norway
- Correspondence:
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20
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Rapid Response of Nitrogen Cycling Gene Transcription to Labile Carbon Amendments in a Soil Microbial Community. mSystems 2021; 6:6/3/e00161-21. [PMID: 33975966 PMCID: PMC8125072 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00161-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A large portion of activity in soil microbial communities occurs in short time frames in response to an increase in C availability, affecting the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. These changes are of particular importance as nitrogen represents both a limiting nutrient for terrestrial plants as well as a potential pollutant. Episodic inputs of labile carbon (C) to soil can rapidly stimulate nitrogen (N) immobilization by soil microorganisms. However, the transcriptional patterns that underlie this process remain unclear. In order to better understand the regulation of N cycling in soil microbial communities, we conducted a 48-h laboratory incubation with agricultural soil where we stimulated the uptake of inorganic N by amending the soil with glucose. We analyzed the metagenome and metatranscriptome of the microbial communities at four time points that corresponded with changes in N availability. The relative abundances of genes remained largely unchanged throughout the incubation. In contrast, glucose addition rapidly increased the transcription of genes encoding ammonium and nitrate transporters, enzymes responsible for N assimilation into biomass, and genes associated with the N regulatory network. This upregulation coincided with an increase in transcripts associated with glucose breakdown and oxoglutarate production, demonstrating a connection between C and N metabolism. When concentrations of ammonium were low, we observed a transient upregulation of genes associated with the nitrogen-fixing enzyme nitrogenase. Transcripts for nitrification and denitrification were downregulated throughout the incubation, suggesting that dissimilatory transformations of N may be suppressed in response to labile C inputs in these soils. These results demonstrate that soil microbial communities can respond rapidly to changes in C availability by drastically altering the transcription of N cycling genes. IMPORTANCE A large portion of activity in soil microbial communities occurs in short time frames in response to an increase in C availability, affecting the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. These changes are of particular importance as nitrogen represents both a limiting nutrient for terrestrial plants as well as a potential pollutant. However, we lack a full understanding of the short-term effects of labile carbon inputs on the metabolism of microbes living in soil. Here, we found that soil microbial communities responded to labile carbon addition by rapidly transcribing genes encoding proteins and enzymes responsible for inorganic nitrogen acquisition, including nitrogen fixation. This work demonstrates that soil microbial communities respond within hours to carbon inputs through altered gene expression. These insights are essential for an improved understanding of the microbial processes governing soil organic matter production, decomposition, and nutrient cycling in natural and agricultural ecosystems.
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21
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Garner E, Davis BC, Milligan E, Blair MF, Keenum I, Maile-Moskowitz A, Pan J, Gnegy M, Liguori K, Gupta S, Prussin AJ, Marr LC, Heath LS, Vikesland PJ, Zhang L, Pruden A. Next generation sequencing approaches to evaluate water and wastewater quality. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 194:116907. [PMID: 33610927 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of next generation sequencing (NGS) is revolutionizing the potential to address complex microbiological challenges in the water industry. NGS technologies can provide holistic insight into microbial communities and their functional capacities in water and wastewater systems, thus eliminating the need to develop a new assay for each target organism or gene. However, several barriers have hampered wide-scale adoption of NGS by the water industry, including cost, need for specialized expertise and equipment, challenges with data analysis and interpretation, lack of standardized methods, and the rapid pace of development of new technologies. In this critical review, we provide an overview of the current state of the science of NGS technologies as they apply to water, wastewater, and recycled water. In addition, a systematic literature review was conducted in which we identified over 600 peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic and summarized their contributions to six key areas relevant to the water and wastewater fields: taxonomic classification and pathogen detection, functional and catabolic gene characterization, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiling, bacterial toxicity characterization, Cyanobacteria and harmful algal bloom identification, and virus characterization. For each application, we have presented key trends, noteworthy advancements, and proposed future directions. Finally, key needs to advance NGS technologies for broader application in water and wastewater fields are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Garner
- Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, 1306 Evansdale Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505, United States.
| | - Benjamin C Davis
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Erin Milligan
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Matthew Forrest Blair
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Ishi Keenum
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Ayella Maile-Moskowitz
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Jin Pan
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Mariah Gnegy
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Krista Liguori
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Suraj Gupta
- The Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Aaron J Prussin
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Linsey C Marr
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Lenwood S Heath
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, 225 Stranger Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Peter J Vikesland
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Liqing Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, 225 Stranger Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Amy Pruden
- Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States.
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22
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Bang-Andreasen T, Peltre M, Ellegaard-Jensen L, Hansen LH, Ingerslev M, Rønn R, Jacobsen CS, Kjøller R. Application of wood ash leads to strong vertical gradients in soil pH changing prokaryotic community structure in forest top soil. Sci Rep 2021; 11:742. [PMID: 33436951 PMCID: PMC7804945 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80732-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wood ash is alkaline and contains base-cations. Application of wood ash to forests therefore counteracts soil acidification and recycle nutrients removed during harvest. Wood ash application to soil leads to strong vertical gradients in physicochemical parameters. Consequently, we designed an experimental system where small-scale vertical changes in soil properties and prokaryotic community structure could be followed after wood ash application. A mixed fly and bottom ash was applied in dosages of 3 and 9 t ha-1 to the surface of soil mesocosms, simulating a typical coniferous podzol. Soil pH, exchangeable cations and 16S prokaryotic community was subsequently assessed at small depth intervals to 5 cm depth at regular intervals for one year. Wood ash significantly changed the prokaryotic community in the top of the soil column. Also, the largest increases in pH and concentrations of exchangeable cations was found here. The relative abundance of prokaryotic groups directionally changed, suggesting that wood ash favors copiotrophic prokaryotes at the expense of oligotrophic and acidophilic taxa. The effect of wood ash were negligible both in terms of pH- and biological changes in lower soil layers. Consequently, by micro-vertical profiling we showed that wood ash causes a steep gradient of abiotic factors driving biotic changes but only in the top-most soil layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toke Bang-Andreasen
- grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark ,grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Mette Peltre
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Lea Ellegaard-Jensen
- grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Lars Hestbjerg Hansen
- grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark ,grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Morten Ingerslev
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Regin Rønn
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Carsten Suhr Jacobsen
- grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Kjøller
- grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XDepartment of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
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23
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Inomura K, Deutsch C, Masuda T, Prášil O, Follows MJ. Quantitative models of nitrogen-fixing organisms. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:3905-3924. [PMID: 33335688 PMCID: PMC7733014 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing organisms are of importance to the environment, providing bioavailable nitrogen to the biosphere. Quantitative models have been used to complement the laboratory experiments and in situ measurements, where such evaluations are difficult or costly. Here, we review the current state of the quantitative modeling of nitrogen-fixing organisms and ways to enhance the bridge between theoretical and empirical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Inomura
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Curtis Deutsch
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Takako Masuda
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Opatovický mlýn, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Prášil
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Opatovický mlýn, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Michael J. Follows
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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24
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Bang-Andreasen T, Anwar MZ, Lanzén A, Kjøller R, Rønn R, Ekelund F, Jacobsen CS. Total RNA sequencing reveals multilevel microbial community changes and functional responses to wood ash application in agricultural and forest soil. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5721238. [PMID: 32009159 PMCID: PMC7028008 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recycling of wood ash from energy production may counteract soil acidification and return essential nutrients to soils. However, wood ash amendment affects soil physicochemical parameters that control composition and functional expression of the soil microbial community. Here, we applied total RNA sequencing to simultaneously assess the impact of wood ash amendment on the active soil microbial communities and the expression of functional genes from all microbial taxa. Wood ash significantly affected the taxonomic (rRNA) as well as functional (mRNA) profiles of both agricultural and forest soil. Increase in pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved organic carbon and phosphate were the most important physicochemical drivers for the observed changes. Wood ash amendment increased the relative abundance of the copiotrophic groups Chitinonophagaceae (Bacteroidetes) and Rhizobiales (Alphaproteobacteria) and resulted in higher expression of genes involved in metabolism and cell growth. Finally, total RNA sequencing allowed us to show that some groups of bacterial feeding protozoa increased concomitantly to the enhanced bacterial growth, which shows their pivotal role in the regulation of bacterial abundance in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toke Bang-Andreasen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Muhammad Zohaib Anwar
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
| | - Anders Lanzén
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER-Tecnalia, Bizkaia Technology Park, E-48160, Derio, Spain.,AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia, E-20110, Pasaia, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48013, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Rasmus Kjøller
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Regin Rønn
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Arctic Station, University of Copenhagen, 3953, Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland
| | - Flemming Ekelund
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Suhr Jacobsen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, RISØ Campus, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark
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25
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Maurya S, Abraham JS, Somasundaram S, Toteja R, Gupta R, Makhija S. Indicators for assessment of soil quality: a mini-review. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:604. [PMID: 32857216 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08556-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Soil quality is the competence of soil to perform necessary functions that are able to maintain animal and plant productivity of the soil. Soil consists of various physical, chemical, and biological parameters, and all these parameters are involved in the critical functioning of soil. There is a need for continuous assessment of soil quality as soil is a complex and dynamic constituent of Earth's biosphere that is continuously changing by natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Any perturbations in the soil cause disturbances in the physical (soil texture, bulk density, etc.), chemical (pH, salinity, organic carbon, etc.), and biological (microbes and enzymes) parameters. These physical, chemical, and biological parameters can serve as indicators for soil quality assessment. However, soil quality assessment cannot be possible by evaluating only one parameter out of physical, chemical, or biological. So, there is an emergent need to establish a minimum dataset (MDS) which shall include physical, chemical, and biological parameters to assess the quality of the given soil. This review attempts to describe various physical, chemical, and biological parameters, combinations of which can be used in the establishment of MDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Maurya
- Department of Zoology, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | - Jeeva Susan Abraham
- Department of Zoology, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | - Sripoorna Somasundaram
- Department of Zoology, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | - Ravi Toteja
- Department of Zoology, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India
| | - Renu Gupta
- Department of Zoology, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, Bapu dham, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Seema Makhija
- Department of Zoology, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi, 110019, India.
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26
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Soil bacterial communities remain altered after 30 years of agriculture abandonment in Pampa grasslands. Oecologia 2020; 193:959-968. [PMID: 32851494 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04736-3] [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: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Old fields are spreading in the world because of agriculture abandonment, and they show a persistence of exotic plant species with little recovery towards the original vegetation composition. Soil biota may also differ between old fields and native grasslands, but were comparatively less studied than plant communities, despite their importance in biogeochemical processes. Here we compared soil bacterial communities of exotic-dominated old fields with those of remnants of native grasslands in the Inland Pampa, Argentina, using the 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing approach. We also characterized plant communities, soil physico-chemical properties, and soil respiration. We expected more diverse soil bacterial communities, with higher heterogeneity, in remnant grasslands than in old fields because of a more diverse and more heterogeneous plant community. However, our results showed that soil bacterial communities had higher Shannon diversity in old fields than in remnant grasslands, but richness was not significantly different. Also we found different bacterial community compositions between grasslands even at a low taxonomic level. On the other hand, old fields harbored less heterogeneous bacterial communities than remnants, and bacteria and plant beta diversity were correlated. Despite contrasting plant and bacterial composition between old fields and remnant grasslands, soil physico-chemical properties were quite similar between grasslands. Overall, our results showed that bacterial communities in grassland soils were associated with changes in plant communities after agricultural abandonment. Plant-microbial feedbacks might regulate plant and soil bacterial community assemblage in old fields, yet further research is needed to demonstrate this potential feedback mechanism.
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Diversity and Structure of Soil Fungal Communities across Experimental Everglades Tree Islands. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Fungi play prominent roles in ecosystem services (e.g., nutrient cycling, decomposition) and thus have increasingly garnered attention in restoration ecology. However, it is unclear how most management decisions impact fungal communities, making it difficult to protect fungal diversity and utilize fungi to improve restoration success. To understand the effects of restoration decisions and environmental variation on fungal communities, we sequenced soil fungal microbiomes from 96 sites across eight experimental Everglades tree islands approximately 15 years after restoration occurred. We found that early restoration decisions can have enduring consequences for fungal communities. Factors experimentally manipulated in 2003–2007 (e.g., type of island core) had significant legacy effects on fungal community composition. Our results also emphasized the role of water regime in fungal diversity, composition, and function. As the relative water level decreased, so did fungal diversity, with an approximately 25% decline in the driest sites. Further, as the water level decreased, the abundance of the plant pathogen–saprotroph guild increased, suggesting that low water may increase plant-pathogen interactions. Our results indicate that early restoration decisions can have long-term consequences for fungal community composition and function and suggest that a drier future in the Everglades could reduce fungal diversity on imperiled tree islands.
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Egendorf SP, Groffman P, Moore G, Cheng Z. The limits of lead (Pb) phytoextraction and possibilities of phytostabilization in contaminated soil: a critical review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2020; 22:916-930. [PMID: 32677841 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2020.1774501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This review article focuses on lead (Pb), one of the most ubiquitous and harmful toxicants found in soil. Our objective is to address misconceptions regarding the ability of plants to uptake Pb through their roots and translocate it to above-ground tissues, and their ability to act as hyperaccumulators and thereby phytoextract Pb. In accordance with a number of cited definitions, we suggest that species capable of Pb phytoextraction can be rated with the following three criteria: (1) root uptake above a nominal threshold of 1,000 mg Pb/kg, (2) bioconcentration factor (BCF or shoot/soil concentration) >1, and (3) translocation factor (TF or shoot/root concentration) > 1. We review the literature in the updated USDA Phytoremediation Database and conclude that without amendments: no plant has met all three criteria; no plant has been confirmed as a Pb hyperaccumulator. Our analysis suggests that Pb phytoextraction is not a viable remediation option. Pb phytostabilization, however, may be an effective remediation tool in a variety of settings. Planting some of the many species capable of tolerating soil Pb exposure and sequestering it in or around the root zone will limit Pb movement into other ecosystems, prevent resuspended dusts, and mitigate Pb exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Perl Egendorf
- Earth and Enivornmental Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
- Environmental Sciences Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Peter Groffman
- Environmental Sciences Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Gerry Moore
- Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Zhongqi Cheng
- Earth and Enivornmental Sciences, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, USA
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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Xue Y, Lanzén A, Jonassen I. Reconstructing ribosomal genes from large scale total RNA meta-transcriptomic data. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:3365-3371. [PMID: 32167532 PMCID: PMC7267836 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Technological advances in meta-transcriptomics have enabled a deeper understanding of the structure and function of microbial communities. 'Total RNA' meta-transcriptomics, sequencing of total reverse transcribed RNA, provides a unique opportunity to investigate both the structure and function of active microbial communities from all three domains of life simultaneously. A major step of this approach is the reconstruction of full-length taxonomic marker genes such as the small subunit ribosomal RNA. However, current tools for this purpose are mainly targeted towards analysis of amplicon and metagenomic data and thus lack the ability to handle the massive and complex datasets typically resulting from total RNA experiments. RESULTS In this work, we introduce MetaRib, a new tool for reconstructing ribosomal gene sequences from total RNA meta-transcriptomic data. MetaRib is based on the popular rRNA assembly program EMIRGE, together with several improvements. We address the challenge posed by large complex datasets by integrating sub-assembly, dereplication and mapping in an iterative approach, with additional post-processing steps. We applied the method to both simulated and real-world datasets. Our results show that MetaRib can deal with larger datasets and recover more rRNA genes, which achieve around 60 times speedup and higher F1 score compared to EMIRGE in simulated datasets. In the real-world dataset, it shows similar trends but recovers more contigs compared with a previous analysis based on random sub-sampling, while enabling the comparison of individual contig abundances across samples for the first time. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The source code of MetaRib is freely available at https://github.com/yxxue/MetaRib. CONTACT yaxin.xue@uib.no or Inge.Jonassen@uib.no. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Xue
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anders Lanzén
- AZTI-Tecnalia, Herrera Kaia, 20110 Pasaia, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Inge Jonassen
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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30
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Tindale LC, Baticados W, Duan J, Coombe M, Jassem A, Tang P, Uyaguari-Diaz M, Moore R, Himsworth C, Hsiao W, Prystajecky N. Extraction and Detection of Avian Influenza Virus From Wetland Sediment Using Enrichment-Based Targeted Resequencing. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:301. [PMID: 32548133 PMCID: PMC7273442 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early virus detection and characterization is key to successful avian influenza virus (AIV) surveillance for the health of humans as well as domestic poultry. We explored a novel sampling approach and molecular strategy using sediment from wetlands and outdoor waterbodies on poultry farms as a population-level proxy of AIV activity in waterfowls. RNA was extracted using the MoBio RNA PowerSoil Total RNA isolation kit with additional chloroform extraction steps to reduce PCR inhibition. AIV matrix protein (MP) gene was detected in 42/345 (12.2%) samples by RT-qPCR; an additional 64 (18.6%) samples showed evidence of amplification below the threshold and were categorized as “suspect positive.” Enrichment-based targeted resequencing (TR) identified AIV sequences in 79/345 (22.9%) samples. TR probes were designed for MP, hemagglutinin (HA), and neuraminidase (NA), however PB2 and PA were also identified. Although RT-qPCR and TR only had fair-moderate agreement, RT-qPCR positivity was predictive of TR-positivity both when using only strictly positive RT-qPCR samples (OR = 11.29) and when coding suspect positives as positive (OR = 7.56). This indicates that RT-qPCR could be used as a screening tool to select samples for virus characterization by TR and that future studies should consider RT-qPCR suspect positives to be positive samples for subsequent resequencing when avoiding false negatives is the priority, for instance in a diagnostic test, and to consider suspect positives to be negative samples when cost efficiency over a large number of samples is the priority, for instance in a surveillance program. A total of 13 HA (H1-7, H9-13, H16) and 9 NA (N1-9) subtypes were identified, with a maximum of 8 HA and 8 NA subtypes detected in a single sample. The optimized RNA extraction and targeted resequencing methods provided increased virus detection and subtyping characterization that could be implemented in an AIV surveillance system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C Tindale
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Waren Baticados
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jun Duan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michelle Coombe
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Agatha Jassem
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Patrick Tang
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Miguel Uyaguari-Diaz
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Richard Moore
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Chelsea Himsworth
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - William Hsiao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Natalie Prystajecky
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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31
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Wiltschi B, Cernava T, Dennig A, Galindo Casas M, Geier M, Gruber S, Haberbauer M, Heidinger P, Herrero Acero E, Kratzer R, Luley-Goedl C, Müller CA, Pitzer J, Ribitsch D, Sauer M, Schmölzer K, Schnitzhofer W, Sensen CW, Soh J, Steiner K, Winkler CK, Winkler M, Wriessnegger T. Enzymes revolutionize the bioproduction of value-added compounds: From enzyme discovery to special applications. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107520. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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32
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Meier MJ, Dodge AE, Samarajeewa AD, Beaudette LA. Soil exposed to silver nanoparticles reveals significant changes in community structure and altered microbial transcriptional profiles. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 258:113816. [PMID: 31864930 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities can disrupt soil ecosystems, normally resulting in reduced soil microbial health. Regulatory agencies need to determine the effects of uncharacterized substances on soil microbial health to establish the safety of these chemicals if they end up in the environment. Previous work has focused on measuring traditional ecotoxicologial endpoints within the categories of microbial biomass, activity, and community structure/diversity. Because these tests can be labor intensive, lengthy to conduct, and cannot measure changes in individual gene functions, we wanted to establish whether metatranscriptomics could be used as a more sensitive endpoint and provide a perspective on community function that is more informative than taxonomic identification of microbes alone. We spiked a freshly collected sandy loam soil (Vulcan, Alberta, Canada) with 0, 60, 145, 347, 833, and 2000 mg kg-1 of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), a known antagonist of microorganisms due to its propensity for dissolution of toxic silver ions. Assessments performed in our previous work using traditional tests demonstrated the toxicity of AgNPs on soil microbial processes. We expanded this analysis with genomics-based tests by measuring changes in community taxonomic structure and function using 16S rDNA profiling and metatranscriptomics. In addition to identifying bacterial taxa affected by AgNPs, we found that genes involved in heavy metal resistance (e.g., the CzcA efflux pump) and other toxicity response pathways were highly upregulated in the presence of silver. Dose-response analysis using BMDExpress2 software successfully modeled many physiologically relevant genes responding to low concentrations of AgNPs. We found that the transcriptomic point of departure (BMD50) was lower than the IC50s calculated using the traditional tests in our previous work. These results suggest that dose-response modeling of metatranscriptomic gene expression is a useful tool in soil microbial health assessment. SUMMARY: Genomics-based endpoints for the assessment of soil microbial health can be used to perform quantitative dose-response modeling, and soil-based RNAseq adds functional insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Meier
- Biological Assessment and Standardization Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 1C7, Canada.
| | - Annette E Dodge
- Biological Assessment and Standardization Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 1C7, Canada
| | - Ajith Dias Samarajeewa
- Biological Assessment and Standardization Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 1C7, Canada
| | - Lee A Beaudette
- Biological Assessment and Standardization Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 1C7, Canada
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33
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Mukherjee A, Reddy MS. Metatranscriptomics: an approach for retrieving novel eukaryotic genes from polluted and related environments. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:71. [PMID: 32030340 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-2057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Metatranscriptomics, a subset of metagenomics, provides valuable information about the whole gene expression profiling of complex microbial communities of an ecosystem. Metagenomic studies mainly focus on the genomic content and identification of microbes present within a community, while metatranscriptomics provides the diversity of the active genes within such community, their expression profile and how these levels change due to change in environmental conditions. Metatranscriptomics has been applied to different types of environments, from the study of human microbiomes, to those found in plants, animals, within soils and in aquatic systems. Metatranscriptomics, based on the utilization of mRNA isolated from environmental samples, is a suitable approach to mine the eukaryotic gene pool for genes of biotechnological relevance. Also, it is imperative to develop different bioinformatic pipelines to analyse the data obtained from metatranscriptomic analysis. In the present review, we summarise the metatranscriptomics applied to soil environments to study the functional diversity, and discuss approaches for isolating the genes involved in organic matter degradation and providing tolerance to toxic metals, role of metatranscriptomics in microbiome research, various bioinformatics pipelines used in data analysis and technical challenges for gaining biologically meaningful insight of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadeep Mukherjee
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004 India
| | - M Sudhakara Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004 India
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34
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Metatranscriptomics and Metaproteomics for Microbial Communities Profiling. UNRAVELLING THE SOIL MICROBIOME 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-15516-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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35
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Escalas A, Hale L, Voordeckers JW, Yang Y, Firestone MK, Alvarez‐Cohen L, Zhou J. Microbial functional diversity: From concepts to applications. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12000-12016. [PMID: 31695904 PMCID: PMC6822047 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional diversity is increasingly recognized by microbial ecologists as the essential link between biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning, determining the trophic relationships and interactions between microorganisms, their participation in biogeochemical cycles, and their responses to environmental changes. Consequently, its definition and quantification have practical and theoretical implications. In this opinion paper, we present a synthesis on the concept of microbial functional diversity from its definition to its application. Initially, we revisit to the original definition of functional diversity, highlighting two fundamental aspects, the ecological unit under study and the functional traits used to characterize it. Then, we discuss how the particularities of the microbial world disallow the direct application of the concepts and tools developed for macroorganisms. Next, we provide a synthesis of the literature on the types of ecological units and functional traits available in microbial functional ecology. We also provide a list of more than 400 traits covering a wide array of environmentally relevant functions. Lastly, we provide examples of the use of functional diversity in microbial systems based on the different units and traits discussed herein. It is our hope that this paper will stimulate discussions and help the growing field of microbial functional ecology to realize a potential that thus far has only been attained in macrobial ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Escalas
- MARBECCNRSIfremerIRDUniversity of MontpellierMontpellier Cedex 5France
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOKUSA
| | - Lauren Hale
- Water Management Research UnitSJVASCUSDA‐ARSParlierCAUSA
| | | | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution ControlSchool of EnvironmentTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Mary K. Firestone
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Lisa Alvarez‐Cohen
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOKUSA
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution ControlSchool of EnvironmentTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Earth and Environmental SciencesLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCAUSA
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36
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Romero-Olivares AL, Meléndrez-Carballo G, Lago-Lestón A, Treseder KK. Soil Metatranscriptomes Under Long-Term Experimental Warming and Drying: Fungi Allocate Resources to Cell Metabolic Maintenance Rather Than Decay. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1914. [PMID: 31551941 PMCID: PMC6736569 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Earth’s temperature is rising, and with this increase, fungal communities are responding and affecting soil carbon processes. At a long-term soil-warming experiment in a boreal forest in interior Alaska, warming and warming-associated drying alters the function of microbes, and thus, decomposition of carbon. But what genetic mechanisms and resource allocation strategies are behind these community shifts and soil carbon changes? Here, we evaluate fungal resource allocation efforts under long-term experimental warming (including associated drying) using soil metatranscriptomics. We profiled resource allocation efforts toward decomposition and cell metabolic maintenance, and we characterized community composition. We found that under the warming treatment, fungi allocate resources to cell metabolic maintenance at the expense of allocating resources to decomposition. In addition, we found that fungal orders that house taxa with stress-tolerant traits were more abundant under the warmed treatment compared to control conditions. Our results suggest that the warming treatment elicits an ecological tradeoff in resource allocation in the fungal communities, with potential to change ecosystem-scale carbon dynamics. Fungi preferentially invest in mechanisms that will ensure survival under warming and drying, such as cell metabolic maintenance, rather than in decomposition. Through metatranscriptomes, we provide mechanistic insight behind the response of fungi to climate change and consequences to soil carbon processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana L Romero-Olivares
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Germán Meléndrez-Carballo
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education, Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Asunción Lago-Lestón
- Department of Medical Innovation, Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education, Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Kathleen K Treseder
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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37
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Thakur B, Yadav R, Vallon L, Marmeisse R, Fraissinet-Tachet L, Sudhakara Reddy M. Multi-metal tolerance of von Willebrand factor type D domain isolated from metal contaminated site by metatranscriptomics approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 661:432-440. [PMID: 30677688 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution through heavy metals is an upcoming universal problem that relentlessly endangers human health, biodiversity and ecosystems. Hence remediating these heavy metal pollutants from the environment by engineering soil microbiome through metatranscriptomics is befitting reply. In the present investigation, we have constructed size fractionated cDNA libraries from eukaryotic mRNA of cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil and screened for Cd tolerant genes by yeast complementation system by using Cd sensitive ycf1Δ mutant. We are reporting one of the transformants PLCe10 (from library C, 1-4 kb) with potential tolerance towards Cd toxicity (40 μM-80 μM). Sequence analysis of PLCe10 transcript showed homology to von Willebrand factor type D domain (VWD) of vitellogenin-6 of Ascaris suum encoding 338 amino acids peptide. qPCR analysis revealed that PLCe10 induced in presence of Cd (32 fold) and also accumulated maximum amount of Cd at 60 μM Cd. This cDNA was further tested for its tolerance against other heavy metals like copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cobalt (Co). Heterologous complementation assays of cDNA PLCe10 showed a range of tolerance to Cu (150 μM-500 μM), Zn (10 mM-12 mM) and Co (2-4 mM). Results of the present study suggest that cDNA PLCe10 is one of the functional eukaryotic heavy metal tolerant genes present among the soil microbial community and could be exploited to rehabilitate metal contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharti Thakur
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004, India
| | - Rajiv Yadav
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurent Vallon
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Roland Marmeisse
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurence Fraissinet-Tachet
- Ecologie Microbienne, UMR CNRS, UMR INRA, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - M Sudhakara Reddy
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab 147004, India.
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Cotta SR, Cadete LL, van Elsas JD, Andreote FD, Dias ACF. Exploring bacterial functionality in mangrove sediments and its capability to overcome anthropogenic activity. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 141:586-594. [PMID: 30955771 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mangrove forests are highly productive yet vulnerable ecosystems that act as important carbon sinks ("blue carbon"). The objective of this work was to analyze the impact of anthropogenic activities on microbiome structure and functioning. The metagenomic analysis revealed that the taxonomic compositions were grossly similar across all mangrove microbiomes. Remarkably, these microbiomes, along the gradient of anthropogenic impact, showed fluctuations in the relative abundances of bacterial taxa predicted to be involved in sulfur cycling processes. Functions involved in sulfur metabolism, such as APS pathways (associated with sulfate reduction and sulfur oxidation processes) were prevalent across the microbiomes, being sox and dsrAB genes highly expressed on anthropogenically-impacted areas. Apparently, the oil-impacted microbiomes were more affected in taxonomic than in functional terms, as high functional redundancies were noted across them. The microbial gene diversity found was typical for a functional system, even following the previous disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Raposo Cotta
- Department of Soil Science, ESALQ/USP, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Luana Lira Cadete
- Department of Soil Science, ESALQ/USP, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Jan Dirk van Elsas
- Microbial Ecology Group, Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, AG, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Contrasting Pathways for Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in Gulf of Mexico Cold Seep Sediments. mSystems 2019; 4:mSystems00091-18. [PMID: 30834326 PMCID: PMC6392090 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00091-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold seep sediments are complex and widespread marine ecosystems emitting large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other hydrocarbons. Within these sediments, microbial communities play crucial roles in production and degradation of hydrocarbons, modulating oil and gas emissions to seawater. Despite this ecological importance, our understanding of microbial functions and methane oxidation pathways in cold seep ecosystems is poor. Based on gene expression profiling of environmental seep sediment samples, the present work showed that (i) the composition of the emitted fluids shapes the microbial community in general and the anaerobic methanotroph community specifically and (ii) AOM by ANME-2 in this seep may be coupled to sulfate reduction by Deltaproteobacteria by electron transfer through multiheme cytochromes, whereas AOM by ANME-1 lineages in this seep may involve a different, bacterium-independent pathway, coupling methane oxidation to elemental sulfur/polysulfide reduction. Gulf of Mexico sediments harbor numerous hydrocarbon seeps associated with high sedimentation rates and thermal maturation of organic matter. These ecosystems host abundant and diverse microbial communities that directly or indirectly metabolize components of the emitted fluid. To investigate microbial function and activities in these ecosystems, metabolic potential (metagenomic) and gene expression (metatranscriptomic) analyses of two cold seep areas of the Gulf of Mexico were carried out. Seeps emitting biogenic methane harbored microbial communities dominated by archaeal anaerobic methane oxidizers of phylogenetic group 1 (ANME-1), whereas seeps producing fluids containing a complex mixture of thermogenic hydrocarbons were dominated by ANME-2 lineages. Metatranscriptome measurements in both communities indicated high levels of expression of genes for methane metabolism despite their distinct microbial communities and hydrocarbon composition. In contrast, the transcription level of sulfur cycle genes was quite different. In the thermogenic seep community, high levels of transcripts indicative of syntrophic anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction were detected. This syntrophic partnership between the dominant ANME-2 and sulfate reducers potentially involves direct electron transfer through multiheme cytochromes. In the biogenic methane seep, genes from an ANME-1 lineage that are potentially involved in polysulfide reduction were highly expressed, suggesting a novel bacterium-independent anaerobic methane oxidation pathway coupled to polysulfide reduction. The observed divergence in AOM activities provides a new model for bacterium-independent AOM and emphasizes the variation that exists in AOM pathways between different ANME lineages. IMPORTANCE Cold seep sediments are complex and widespread marine ecosystems emitting large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other hydrocarbons. Within these sediments, microbial communities play crucial roles in production and degradation of hydrocarbons, modulating oil and gas emissions to seawater. Despite this ecological importance, our understanding of microbial functions and methane oxidation pathways in cold seep ecosystems is poor. Based on gene expression profiling of environmental seep sediment samples, the present work showed that (i) the composition of the emitted fluids shapes the microbial community in general and the anaerobic methanotroph community specifically and (ii) AOM by ANME-2 in this seep may be coupled to sulfate reduction by Deltaproteobacteria by electron transfer through multiheme cytochromes, whereas AOM by ANME-1 lineages in this seep may involve a different, bacterium-independent pathway, coupling methane oxidation to elemental sulfur/polysulfide reduction.
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Cabral L, Pereira de Sousa ST, Júnior GVL, Hawley E, Andreote FD, Hess M, de Oliveira VM. Microbial functional responses to long-term anthropogenic impact in mangrove soils. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 160:231-239. [PMID: 29807296 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.04.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves are coastal ecosystems of transition between terrestrial and marine environments, that have been particularly contaminated in the last decades. Organic compounds are part of these contaminants, which have increased in the environment due to industrial activities and accidental oil spills. These contaminants are toxic to higher organisms, but microorganisms can metabolize most of these compounds and thus offer a tool for bioremediation purposes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the microbial potential and activity for degradation of aromatic compounds in sediment samples from mangroves using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches. Sediment samples were collected for DNA and RNA extraction from each of the mangrove sites: highly oil-impacted (Oil Mgv), anthropogenically impacted (Ant Mgv) and pristine (Prs Mgv) mangrove. Hydrocarbon concentrations in Oil Mgv sediments were higher than those observed in Ant Mgv and Prs Mgv. Genes and transcripts associated with aromatic compound degradation, particularly the meta and ortho-pathways, were more abundant in Oil Mgv and Ant Mgv suggesting that many of the aromatic compounds are being aerobically degraded by the microbiome in these sites. Functions involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds were also found in pristine site, although in lower abundance. Members of the genera Aromatoleum, Desulfococcus, Desulfatibacillum, Desulfitobacterium and Vibrio were actively involved in the detoxification of sediments affected by the oil spill. Results obtained from this study provided strong evidence that microbial degradation of aromatic compounds plays an active role in the biological response to mangrove sediment pollution and subsequent ecosystem recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucélia Cabral
- Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Sanderson Tarciso Pereira de Sousa
- Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Biology (IB) - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gileno Vieira Lacerda Júnior
- Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Biology (IB) - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Erik Hawley
- Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Fernando Dini Andreote
- Department of Soil Science, ''Luiz de Queiroz'' College of Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matthias Hess
- University of California, Davis, Department of Animal Science, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Valéria Maia de Oliveira
- Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Effects of a Superabsorbent Resin with Boron on Bacterial Diversity of Peat Substrate and Maize Straw. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:6071085. [PMID: 30320136 PMCID: PMC6167581 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6071085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
As a chemical water-saving material, superabsorbent resin is often applied to improve soil physicochemical properties for the purpose of promoting crop growth. In this study, a new type of superabsorbent resin with boron (SARB) was used as a functional material mixed with peat substrate and maize straw in percentages (mass ratio) of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%, respectively, and high-throughput sequencing technology was used to test bacterial diversity, analyzing and exploring ecological safety of the superabsorbent resin with boron (SARB) in order to provide theoretical support for field applications. The research results show that the superabsorbent resin with boron (SARB) can promote bacterial community diversity in the maize straw. In ten treatments, Proteobacteria accounted for the absolute advantage of the bacterial population in the CT group and in the JG group. However, the superabsorbent resin with boron (SARB) synthesized in the laboratory cannot change the original structure of the bacterial community and has scarcely any toxic effect on the bacterial community in both peat substrate and maize straw, and, indeed, it has a strengthening effect on Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria and a weakening effect on Acidobacteria and Firmicutes to some extent.
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Römbke J, Bernard J, Martin-Laurent F. Standard methods for the assessment of structural and functional diversity of soil organisms: A review. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2018; 14:463-479. [PMID: 29603577 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The lack of standardized methods to study soil organisms prevents comparisons across data sets and the development of new global and regional experiments and assessments. Moreover, standardized methods are needed to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic stressors, such as chemicals, on soil organism communities in the regulatory context. The goal of this contribution is to summarize current methodological approaches to measure structural and functional diversity of soil organisms, and to identify gaps and methodological improvements so as to cross data sets generated worldwide. This is urgently needed because several currently ongoing regional and global soil biodiversity studies are not coordinated with one another in terms of methodology, including database development. Therefore, we evaluated the standard methods to sample, identify, determine, and assess soil organisms currently applied or proposed, using well-accepted criteria such as ecological relevance; practicability of usage in terms of resources, time, and costs; and the level of standardization. Methods addressing both the structure and the functions of soil organisms (populations or communities) are included, with a special focus on new molecular methods based on nucleic acid extraction and further analyses by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches for microorganisms and invertebrates. We particularly highlight the activities of the Technical Committee (TC) 190 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) because ISO guidelines are legally accredited by many national or international authorities when they put conservation laws and regulations into practice. Finally, we propose detailed recommendations regarding gaps in the available set of standards, in order to identify a list of new methods to be standardized. We propose to organize this whole process under the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) in order to ensure a truly global approach for the assessment of soil biodiversity. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:463-479. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Römbke
- ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Flörsheim, Germany
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Mercado-Blanco J, Abrantes I, Barra Caracciolo A, Bevivino A, Ciancio A, Grenni P, Hrynkiewicz K, Kredics L, Proença DN. Belowground Microbiota and the Health of Tree Crops. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1006. [PMID: 29922245 PMCID: PMC5996133 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trees are crucial for sustaining life on our planet. Forests and land devoted to tree crops do not only supply essential edible products to humans and animals, but also additional goods such as paper or wood. They also prevent soil erosion, support microbial, animal, and plant biodiversity, play key roles in nutrient and water cycling processes, and mitigate the effects of climate change acting as carbon dioxide sinks. Hence, the health of forests and tree cropping systems is of particular significance. In particular, soil/rhizosphere/root-associated microbial communities (known as microbiota) are decisive to sustain the fitness, development, and productivity of trees. These benefits rely on processes aiming to enhance nutrient assimilation efficiency (plant growth promotion) and/or to protect against a number of (a)biotic constraints. Moreover, specific members of the microbial communities associated with perennial tree crops interact with soil invertebrate food webs, underpinning many density regulation mechanisms. This review discusses belowground microbiota interactions influencing the growth of tree crops. The study of tree-(micro)organism interactions taking place at the belowground level is crucial to understand how they contribute to processes like carbon sequestration, regulation of ecosystem functioning, and nutrient cycling. A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between roots and their associate microbiota can also facilitate the design of novel sustainable approaches for the benefit of these relevant agro-ecosystems. Here, we summarize the methodological approaches to unravel the composition and function of belowground microbiota, the factors influencing their interaction with tree crops, their benefits and harms, with a focus on representative examples of Biological Control Agents (BCA) used against relevant biotic constraints of tree crops. Finally, we add some concluding remarks and suggest future perspectives concerning the microbiota-assisted management strategies to sustain tree crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Mercado-Blanco
- Department of Crop Protection, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Isabel Abrantes
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Annamaria Bevivino
- Department for Sustainability of Production and Territorial Systems, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Aurelio Ciancio
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Bari, Italy
| | - Paola Grenni
- Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Katarzyna Hrynkiewicz
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - László Kredics
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Diogo N. Proença
- Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE) and Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Palazzotto E, Weber T. Omics and multi-omics approaches to study the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in microorganisms. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 45:109-116. [PMID: 29656009 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Natural products produced by microorganisms represent the main source of bioactive molecules. The development of high-throughput (omics) techniques have importantly contributed to the renaissance of new antibiotic discovery increasing our understanding of complex mechanisms controlling the expression of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) encoding secondary metabolites. In this context this review highlights recent progress in the use and integration of 'omics' approaches with focuses on genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics metabolomics meta-omics and combined omics as powerful strategy to discover new antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Palazzotto
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet bygning 220, 2800 Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Tilmann Weber
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet bygning 220, 2800 Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark.
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Porter TM, Hajibabaei M. Scaling up: A guide to high-throughput genomic approaches for biodiversity analysis. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:313-338. [PMID: 29292539 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to present the most common and emerging DNA-based methods used to generate data for biodiversity and biomonitoring studies. As environmental assessment and monitoring programmes may require biodiversity information at multiple levels, we pay particular attention to the DNA metabarcoding method and discuss a number of bioinformatic tools and considerations for producing DNA-based indicators using operational taxonomic units (OTUs), taxa at a variety of ranks and community composition. By developing the capacity to harness the advantages provided by the newest technologies, investigators can "scale up" by increasing the number of samples and replicates processed, the frequency of sampling over time and space, and even the depth of sampling such as by sequencing more reads per sample or more markers per sample. The ability to scale up is made possible by the reduced hands-on time and cost per sample provided by the newest kits, platforms and software tools. Results gleaned from broad-scale monitoring will provide opportunities to address key scientific questions linked to biodiversity and its dynamics across time and space as well as being more relevant for policymakers, enabling science-based decision-making, and provide a greater socio-economic impact. As genomic approaches are continually evolving, we provide this guide to methods used in biodiversity genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresita M Porter
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario and Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Natural Resources Canada, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada
| | - Mehrdad Hajibabaei
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario and Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Drylands soil bacterial community is affected by land use change and different irrigation practices in the Mezquital Valley, Mexico. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1413. [PMID: 29362388 PMCID: PMC5780513 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19743-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dryland agriculture nourishes one third of global population, although crop irrigation is often mandatory. As freshwater sources are scarce, treated and untreated wastewater is increasingly used for irrigation. Here, we investigated how the transformation of semiarid shrubland into rainfed farming or irrigated agriculture with freshwater, dam-stored or untreated wastewater affects the total (DNA-based) and active (RNA-based) soil bacterial community composition, diversity, and functionality. To do this we collected soil samples during the dry and rainy seasons and isolated DNA and RNA. Soil moisture, sodium content and pH were the strongest drivers of the bacterial community composition. We found lineage-specific adaptations to drought and sodium content in specific land use systems. Predicted functionality profiles revealed gene abundances involved in nitrogen, carbon and phosphorous cycles differed among land use systems and season. Freshwater irrigated bacterial community is taxonomically and functionally susceptible to seasonal environmental changes, while wastewater irrigated ones are taxonomically susceptible but functionally resistant to them. Additionally, we identified potentially harmful human and phytopathogens. The analyses of 16 S rRNA genes, its transcripts and deduced functional profiles provided extensive understanding of the short-term and long-term responses of bacterial communities associated to land use, seasonality, and water quality used for irrigation in drylands.
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Sergaki C, Lagunas B, Lidbury I, Gifford ML, Schäfer P. Challenges and Approaches in Microbiome Research: From Fundamental to Applied. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1205. [PMID: 30174681 PMCID: PMC6107787 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We face major agricultural challenges that remain a threat for global food security. Soil microbes harbor enormous potentials to provide sustainable and economically favorable solutions that could introduce novel approaches to improve agricultural practices and, hence, crop productivity. In this review we give an overview regarding the current state-of-the-art of microbiome research by discussing new technologies and approaches. We also provide insights into fundamental microbiome research that aim to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamics within microbial communities, as well as their interactions with different plant hosts and the environment. We aim to connect all these approaches with potential applications and reflect how we can use microbial communities in modern agricultural systems to realize a more customized and sustainable use of valuable resources (e.g., soil).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysi Sergaki
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Chrysi Sergaki,
| | - Beatriz Lagunas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Lidbury
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Miriam L. Gifford
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Schäfer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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48
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Advances in Using Non-invasive, Archival, and Environmental Samples for Population Genomic Studies. POPULATION GENOMICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/13836_2018_45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Zhu YG, Xue XM, Kappler A, Rosen BP, Meharg AA. Linking Genes to Microbial Biogeochemical Cycling: Lessons from Arsenic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:7326-7339. [PMID: 28602082 PMCID: PMC5871744 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The biotransformation of arsenic is highly relevant to the arsenic biogeochemical cycle. Identification of the molecular details of microbial pathways of arsenic biotransformation coupled with analyses of microbial communities by meta-omics can provide insights into detailed aspects of the complexities of this biocycle. Arsenic transformations couple to other biogeochemical cycles, and to the fate of both nutrients and other toxic environmental contaminants. Microbial redox metabolism of iron, carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen affects the redox and bioavailability of arsenic species. In this critical review we illustrate the biogeochemical processes and genes involved in arsenic biotransformations. We discuss how current and future metagenomic-, metatranscriptomic-, metaproteomic-, and metabolomic-based methods will help to decipher individual microbial arsenic transformation processes, and their connections to other biogeochemical cycle. These insights will allow future use of microbial metabolic capabilities for new biotechnological solutions to environmental problems. To understand the complex nature of inorganic and organic arsenic species and the fate of environmental arsenic will require integrating systematic approaches with biogeochemical modeling. Finally, from the lessons learned from these studies of arsenic biogeochemistry, we will be able to predict how the environment changes arsenic, and, in response, how arsenic biotransformations change the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xi-Mei Xue
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Barry P Rosen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Andrew A Meharg
- Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5HN, United Kingdom
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Hesse U, van Heusden P, Kirby BM, Olonade I, van Zyl LJ, Trindade M. Virome Assembly and Annotation: A Surprise in the Namib Desert. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:13. [PMID: 28167933 PMCID: PMC5253355 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequencing, assembly, and annotation of environmental virome samples is challenging. Methodological biases and differences in species abundance result in fragmentary read coverage; sequence reconstruction is further complicated by the mosaic nature of viral genomes. In this paper, we focus on biocomputational aspects of virome analysis, emphasizing latent pitfalls in sequence annotation. Using simulated viromes that mimic environmental data challenges we assessed the performance of five assemblers (CLC-Workbench, IDBA-UD, SPAdes, RayMeta, ABySS). Individual analyses of relevant scaffold length fractions revealed shortcomings of some programs in reconstruction of viral genomes with excessive read coverage (IDBA-UD, RayMeta), and in accurate assembly of scaffolds ≥50 kb (SPAdes, RayMeta, ABySS). The CLC-Workbench assembler performed best in terms of genome recovery (including highly covered genomes) and correct reconstruction of large scaffolds; and was used to assemble a virome from a copper rich site in the Namib Desert. We found that scaffold network analysis and cluster-specific read reassembly improved reconstruction of sequences with excessive read coverage, and that strict data filtering for non-viral sequences prior to downstream analyses was essential. In this study we describe novel viral genomes identified in the Namib Desert copper site virome. Taxonomic affiliations of diverse proteins in the dataset and phylogenetic analyses of circovirus-like proteins indicated links to the marine habitat. Considering additional evidence from this dataset we hypothesize that viruses may have been carried from the Atlantic Ocean into the Namib Desert by fog and wind, highlighting the impact of the extended environment on an investigated niche in metagenome studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uljana Hesse
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
- South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
| | - Peter van Heusden
- South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
| | - Bronwyn M. Kirby
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
| | - Israel Olonade
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
| | - Leonardo J. van Zyl
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
| | - Marla Trindade
- Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of the Western CapeBellville, South Africa
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