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Michaelis S, Gomez-Valero L, Chen T, Schmid C, Buchrieser C, Hilbi H. Small molecule communication of Legionella: the ins and outs of autoinducer and nitric oxide signaling. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0009723. [PMID: 39162424 PMCID: PMC11426016 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00097-23] [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: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYLegionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative environmental bacterium, which survives in planktonic form, colonizes biofilms, and infects protozoa. Upon inhalation of Legionella-contaminated aerosols, the opportunistic pathogen replicates within and destroys alveolar macrophages, thereby causing a severe pneumonia termed Legionnaires' disease. Gram-negative bacteria employ low molecular weight organic compounds as well as the inorganic gas nitric oxide (NO) for cell-cell communication. L. pneumophila produces, secretes, and detects the α-hydroxyketone compound Legionella autoinducer-1 (LAI-1, 3-hydroxypentadecane-4-one). LAI-1 is secreted by L. pneumophila in outer membrane vesicles and not only promotes communication among bacteria but also triggers responses from eukaryotic cells. L. pneumophila detects NO through three different receptors, and signaling through the volatile molecule translates into fluctuations of the intracellular second messenger cyclic-di-guanylate monophosphate. The LAI-1 and NO signaling pathways are linked via the pleiotropic transcription factor LvbR. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about inter-bacterial and inter-kingdom signaling through LAI-1 and NO by Legionella species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Michaelis
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Gomez-Valero
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, Paris, France
| | - Tong Chen
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Camille Schmid
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Buchrieser
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Unité Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, Paris, France
| | - Hubert Hilbi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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2
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Ariyadasa S, van Hamelsveld S, Taylor W, Lin S, Sitthirit P, Pang L, Billington C, Weaver L. Diversity of Free-Living Amoebae in New Zealand Groundwater and Their Ability to Feed on Legionella pneumophila. Pathogens 2024; 13:665. [PMID: 39204265 PMCID: PMC11357516 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13080665] [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: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoebae (FLA) are common in both natural and engineered freshwater ecosystems. They play important roles in biofilm control and contaminant removal through the predation of bacteria and other taxa. Bacterial predation by FLA is also thought to contribute to pathogen dispersal and infectious disease transmission in freshwater environments via the egestion of viable bacteria. Despite their importance in shaping freshwater microbial communities, the diversity and function of FLA in many freshwater ecosystems are poorly understood. In this study, we isolated and characterized FLA from two groundwater sites in Canterbury, New Zealand using microbiological, microscopic, and molecular techniques. Different methods for groundwater FLA isolation and enrichment were trialed and optimized. The ability of these isolated FLA to predate on human pathogen Legionella pneumophila was assessed. FLA were identified by 18S metagenomic amplicon sequencing. Our study showed that Acanthamoeba spp. (including A. polyphaga) and Vermamoeba veriformis were the main FLA species present in both groundwater sites examined. While most of the isolated FLA co-existed with L. pneumophila, the FLA populations in the L. pneumophila co-culture experiments predominantly consisted of A. polyphaga, Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria spp., V. vermiformis, Paravahlkampfia spp., and Echinamoeba spp. These observations suggest that FLA may have the potential to act as reservoirs for L. pneumophila in Canterbury, New Zealand groundwater systems and could be introduced into the local drinking water infrastructure, where they may promote the survival, multiplication, and dissemination of Legionella. This research addresses an important gap in our understanding of FLA-mediated pathogen dispersal in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Craig Billington
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, 27 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand (L.P.)
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Bontemps Z, Paranjape K, Guy L. Host-bacteria interactions: ecological and evolutionary insights from ancient, professional endosymbionts. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae021. [PMID: 39081075 PMCID: PMC11338181 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae021] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Interactions between eukaryotic hosts and their bacterial symbionts drive key ecological and evolutionary processes, from regulating ecosystems to the evolution of complex molecular machines and processes. Over time, endosymbionts generally evolve reduced genomes, and their relationship with their host tends to stabilize. However, host-bacteria relationships may be heavily influenced by environmental changes. Here, we review these effects on one of the most ancient and diverse endosymbiotic groups, formed by-among others-Legionellales, Francisellaceae, and Piscirickettsiaceae. This group is referred to as Deep-branching Intracellular Gammaproteobacteria (DIG), whose last common ancestor presumably emerged about 2 Ga ago. We show that DIGs are globally distributed, but generally at very low abundance, and are mainly identified in aquatic biomes. Most DIGs harbour a type IVB secretion system, critical for host-adaptation, but its structure and composition vary. Finally, we review the different types of microbial interactions that can occur in diverse environments, with direct or indirect effects on DIG populations. The increased use of omics technologies on environmental samples will allow a better understanding of host-bacterial interactions and help unravel the definition of DIGs as a group from an ecological, molecular, and evolutionary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zélia Bontemps
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiran Paranjape
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lionel Guy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Moreno Y, Moreno-Mesonero L, Soler P, Zornoza A, Soriano A. Influence of drinking water biofilm microbiome on water quality: Insights from a real-scale distribution system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171086. [PMID: 38382601 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171086] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Biofilms, constituting over 95 % of the biomass in drinking water distribution systems, form an ecosystem impacting both the aesthetic and microbiological quality of water. This study investigates the microbiome of biofilms within a real-scale drinking water distribution system in eastern Spain, utilizing amplicon-based metagenomics. Forty-one biofilm samples underwent processing and sequencing to analyze both bacterial and eukaryotic microbiomes, with an assessment of active biomass. Genus-level analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity, with Desulfovibrio, Ralstonia, Bradyrhizobium, Methylocystis, and Bacillus identified as predominant genera. Notably, bacteria associated with corrosion processes, including Desulfovibrio, Sulfuricella, Hyphomicrobium, and Methylobacterium, were prevalent. Potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Helicobacter, Pseudomonas, and Legionella were also detected. Among protozoa, Opisthokonta and Archaeplastida were the most abundant groups in biofilm samples, with potential pathogenic eukaryotes (Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Blastocystis) identified. Interestingly, no direct correlation between microbiota composition and pipe materials was observed. The study suggests that the usual concentration of free chlorine in bulk water proved insufficient to prevent the presence of undesirable bacteria and protozoa in biofilms, which exhibited a high concentration of active biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Moreno
- Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Laura Moreno-Mesonero
- Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Patricia Soler
- Empresa Mixta Valenciana de Aguas, S.A. (EMIVASA), Av. del Regne de València, 28, 46005, Valencia, Spain
| | - Andrés Zornoza
- Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain; H2OCITIES, SL, Arte Mayor de la Seda, 15, 46950 Xirivella, Valencia, Spain
| | - Adela Soriano
- Empresa Mixta Valenciana de Aguas, S.A. (EMIVASA), Av. del Regne de València, 28, 46005, Valencia, Spain
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5
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Jessu A, Delafont V, Moyen JL, Biet F, Samba-Louaka A, Héchard Y. Characterization of Rosculus vilicus sp. nov., a rhizarian amoeba interacting with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1324985. [PMID: 38188567 PMCID: PMC10770858 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1324985] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Free-living amoebae are described as potential reservoirs for pathogenic bacteria in the environment. It has been hypothesized that this might be the case for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for paratuberculosis. In a previous work, we isolated an amoeba from a water sample in the environment of infected cattle and showed that this amoeba was associated with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. While a partial 18S rRNA gene has allowed us to suggest that this amoeba was Rosculus-like, at that time we were not able to sub-cultivate it. In the present study, we succeeded in cultivating this strain at 20-25°C. This amoeba is among the smallest (5-7 μm) described. The sequencing of the whole genome allowed us to extract the full 18S rRNA gene and propose this strain as a new species of the Rosculus genus, i.e., R. vilicus. Of note, the mitochondrial genome is particularly large (184,954 bp). Finally, we showed that this amoeba was able to phagocyte Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis and that the bacterium was still observed within amoebae after at least 3 days. In conclusion, we characterized a new environmental amoeba species at the cellular and genome level that was able to interact with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. As a result, R. vilicus is a potential candidate as environmental reservoir for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis but further experiments are needed to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Jessu
- Université de Poitiers, CNRS, EBI, Poitiers, France
- Laboratoire Départemental d’Analyse et de Recherche de la Dordogne, Coulounieix-Chamiers, France
| | | | - Jean-Louis Moyen
- Laboratoire Départemental d’Analyse et de Recherche de la Dordogne, Coulounieix-Chamiers, France
| | - Franck Biet
- Laboratoire Départemental d’Analyse et de Recherche de la Dordogne, Coulounieix-Chamiers, France
| | | | - Yann Héchard
- Université de Poitiers, CNRS, EBI, Poitiers, France
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6
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Sieber G, Drees F, Shah M, Stach TL, Hohrenk-Danzouma L, Bock C, Vosough M, Schumann M, Sures B, Probst AJ, Schmidt TC, Beisser D, Boenigk J. Exploring the efficacy of metabarcoding and non-target screening for detecting treated wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:167457. [PMID: 37777125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment processes can eliminate many pollutants, yet remainder pollutants contain organic compounds and microorganisms released into ecosystems. These remainder pollutants have the potential to adversely impact downstream ecosystem processes, but their presence is currently not being monitored. This study was set out with the aim of investigating the effectiveness and sensitivity of non-target screening of chemical compounds, 18S V9 rRNA gene, and full-length 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding techniques for detecting treated wastewater in receiving waters. We aimed at assessing the impact of introducing 33 % treated wastewater into a triplicated large-scale mesocosm setup during a 10-day exposure period. Discharge of treated wastewater significantly altered the chemical signature as well as the microeukaryotic and prokaryotic diversity of the mesocosms. Non-target screening, 18S V9 rRNA gene, and full-length 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding detected these changes with significant covariation of the detected pattern between methods. The 18S V9 rRNA gene metabarcoding exhibited superior sensitivity immediately following the introduction of treated wastewater and remained one of the top-performing methods throughout the study. Full-length 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding demonstrated sensitivity only in the initial hour, but became insignificant thereafter. The non-target screening approach was effective throughout the experiment and in contrast to the metabarcoding methods the signal to noise ratio remained similar during the experiment resulting in an increasing relative strength of this method. Based on our findings, we conclude that all methods employed for monitoring environmental disturbances from various sources are suitable. The distinguishing factor of these methods is their ability to detect unknown pollutants and organisms, which sets them apart from previously utilized approaches and allows for a more comprehensive perspective. Given their diverse strengths, particularly in terms of temporal resolution, these methods are best suited as complementary approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Sieber
- Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany.
| | - Felix Drees
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, Germany
| | - Manan Shah
- Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Tom L Stach
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Lotta Hohrenk-Danzouma
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, Germany
| | - Christina Bock
- Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany
| | - Maryam Vosough
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, Germany
| | - Mark Schumann
- Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany
| | - Bernd Sures
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, Germany
| | - Alexander J Probst
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Torsten C Schmidt
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, Germany
| | - Daniela Beisser
- Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany
| | - Jens Boenigk
- Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Universitätsstraße. 5, Germany
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7
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Acosta E, Fincke V, Nitsche F, Arndt H. Novel cercozoan and heterolobosean protists from the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of two endemic cacti from the Atacama Desert. Eur J Protistol 2023; 91:126034. [PMID: 38006640 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Cercozoans and heterolobose amoebae are found across terrestrial habitats where they feed on other unicellular microbes, including bacteria, fungi and microalgae. They constitute a significant fraction of soil ecosystems and are integral members of plant microbiota. Here, we present the results on the isolation of protozoans from the rhizosphere and phyllosphere of Browningia candelaris (Meyen) in the Andean Altiplano and Eulychnia taltalensis (F. Ritter) from the Coastal Cordillera of the Atacama Desert, both endemic to this ancient desert. We identified a new heterolobose amoeba species of the genus Allovahlkampfia isolated from cactus soil, three new species of the different glissomonad genera Allapsa, Neoheteromita, Neocercomonas and one new thecofilosean amoeba of the genus Rhogostoma isolated from the phyllosphere of one studied cactus. In addition, one bacterivorous flagellate was isolated from cactus spines and identified as a member of the non-scaled imbricatean family Spongomonadidae (Spongomonas). The isolation of protists from cactus spines extends the knowledge on the habitat ranges of taxa typically found on plant leaves or soils. The molecular data presented here is a prerequisite for further investigations on the ecology and diversity of protists including next-generation sequencing of microhabitats in plants and the rhizosphere, allowing for deeper taxonomic classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Acosta
- University of Cologne, Institute of Zoology, General Ecology, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Victoria Fincke
- University of Cologne, Institute of Zoology, General Ecology, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Frank Nitsche
- University of Cologne, Institute of Zoology, General Ecology, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Hartmut Arndt
- University of Cologne, Institute of Zoology, General Ecology, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
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8
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Heck N, Freudenthal J, Dumack K. Microeukaryotic predators shape the wastewater microbiome. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120293. [PMID: 37421865 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120293] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The physicochemical parameters that shape the prokaryotic community composition in wastewater have been extensively studied. In contrast, it is poorly understood whether and how biotic interactions affect the prokaryotic community composition in wastewater. We used metatranscriptomics data from a bioreactor sampled weekly over 14 months to investigate the wastewater microbiome, including often neglected microeukaryotes. Our analysis revealed that while prokaryotes are unaffected by seasonal changes in water temperature, they are impacted by a seasonal, temperature-induced change in the microeukaryotic community. Our findings suggest that selective predation pressure exerted by microeukaryotes is a significant factor shaping the prokaryotic community in wastewater. This study underscores the importance of investigating the entire wastewater microbiome to develop a comprehensive understanding of wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Heck
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Köln 50674, Germany
| | - Jule Freudenthal
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Köln 50674, Germany
| | - Kenneth Dumack
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Köln 50674, Germany.
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9
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Li LJ, Lin C, Huang XR, An XL, Li WJ, Su JQ, Zhu YG. Characterizing potential pathogens from intracellular bacterial community of protists in wastewater treatment plants. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107723. [PMID: 36584423 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Protists are a trophically diverse and biogeochemically significant component of water environments and are widely reported as hosts of bacteria. However, the potential role of protists in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as reservoirs for human pathogens does not appear to have received adequate attention. Here, a combination of fluorescence-activated cell sorting and Illumina sequencing was applied to characterize the dynamics of the internalized bacterial community of the enriched protists from the influents and effluents of five WWTPs. The results showed that Proteobacteria (mainly Betaproteobacteria) dominate the intracellular bacterial communities of protists in both influents and effluents of WWTPs, accounting for 72.6% of the total intracellular bacterial communities. The most frequently detected genus was Sulfuricurvum in the influent samples, Chryseobacterium and Pseudomonas were most prevalent in the effluent samples. Compared with the influents, a more diverse and abundant intracellular bacterial community was observed in the effluents. Moreover, the potential intracellular bacterial pathogens were 26 times higher in effluents than in influents, with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida significantly enriched in effluents. This work provides insights into the dynamics of bacterial communities and potential pathogens harbored by protists in the influents and effluents from WWTPs, contributing to the improved evaluation of biosafety in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Li
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenshuo Lin
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin-Rong Huang
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin-Li An
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Wen-Jing Li
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian-Qiang Su
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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10
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Freudenthal J, Ju F, Bürgmann H, Dumack K. Microeukaryotic gut parasites in wastewater treatment plants: diversity, activity, and removal. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:27. [PMID: 35139924 PMCID: PMC8827150 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01225-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During wastewater treatment, the wastewater microbiome facilitates the degradation of organic matter, reduction of nutrients, and removal of gut parasites. While the latter function is essential to minimize public health risks, the range of parasites involved and how they are removed is still poorly understood. RESULTS Using shotgun metagenomic (DNA) and metatranscriptomic (RNA) sequencing data from ten wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland, we were able to assess the entire wastewater microbiome, including the often neglected microeukaryotes (protists). In the latter group, we found a surprising richness and relative abundance of active parasites, particularly in the inflow. Using network analysis, we tracked these taxa across the various treatment compartments and linked their removal to trophic interactions. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the combination of DNA and RNA data is essential for assessing the full spectrum of taxa present in wastewater. In particular, we shed light on an important but poorly understood function of wastewater treatment - parasite removal. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jule Freudenthal
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
| | - Feng Ju
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024 China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, 310024 China
| | - Helmut Bürgmann
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Kenneth Dumack
- Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany
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