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Fernández-Martínez MÁ, García-Villadangos M, Moreno-Paz M, Gangloff V, Carrizo D, Blanco Y, González S, Sánchez-García L, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Altshuler I, Whyte LG, Parro V, Fairén AG. Geomicrobiological Heterogeneity of Lithic Habitats in the Extreme Environment of Antarctic Nunataks: A Potential Early Mars Analog. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:670982. [PMID: 34276605 PMCID: PMC8284421 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.670982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nunataks are permanent ice-free rocky peaks that project above ice caps in polar regions, thus being exposed to extreme climatic conditions throughout the year. They undergo extremely low temperatures and scarcity of liquid water in winter, while receiving high incident and reflected (albedo) UVA-B radiation in summer. Here, we investigate the geomicrobiology of the permanently exposed lithic substrates of nunataks from Livingston Island (South Shetlands, Antarctic Peninsula), with focus on prokaryotic community structure and their main metabolic traits. Contrarily to first hypothesis, an extensive sampling based on different gradients and multianalytical approaches demonstrated significant differences for most geomicrobiological parameters between the bedrock, soil, and loose rock substrates, which overlapped any other regional variation. Brevibacillus genus dominated on bedrock and soil substrates, while loose rocks contained a diverse microbial community, including Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and abundant Cyanobacteria inhabiting the milder and diverse microhabitats within. Archaea, a domain never described before in similar Antarctic environments, were also consistently found in the three substrates, but being more abundant and potentially more active in soils. Stable isotopic ratios of total carbon (δ 13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N), soluble anions concentrations, and the detection of proteins involved in key metabolisms via the Life Detector Chip (LDChip), suggest that microbial primary production has a pivotal role in nutrient cycling at these exposed areas with limited deposition of nutrients. Detection of stress-resistance proteins, such as molecular chaperons, suggests microbial molecular adaptation mechanisms to cope with these harsh conditions. Since early Mars may have encompassed analogous environmental conditions as the ones found in these Antarctic nunataks, our study also contributes to the understanding of the metabolic features and biomarker profiles of a potential Martian microbiota, as well as the use of LDChip in future life detection missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez
- Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sergi González
- Antarctic Group, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Ianina Altshuler
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Lyle G Whyte
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Microbial Communities in Permafrost Soils of Larsemann Hills, Eastern Antarctica: Environmental Controls and Effect of Human Impact. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8081202. [PMID: 32784619 PMCID: PMC7464515 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although ice-free areas cover only about 0.1% of Antarctica and are characterized by harsh environmental conditions, these regions provide quite diverse conditions for the soil-forming process, having various physical and geochemical properties, and also assuring different conditions for living organisms. This study is aimed to determine existing soil microbial communities, their relationship with soil parameters and the influence of anthropogenic activity in Larsemann Hills, Eastern Antarctica. The soil microbiome was investigated at different locations using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The taxonomic analysis of the soil microbiomes revealed 12 predominant bacterial and archaeal phyla—Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Armatimonadetes, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Thaumarchaeota. Some specific phyla have been also found in sub-surface horizons of soils investigated, thus providing additional evidence of the crucial role of gravel pavement in saving the favorable conditions for both soil and microbiome development. Moreover, our study also revealed that some bacterial species might be introduced into Antarctic soils by human activities. We also assessed the effect of different soil parameters on microbial community in the harsh environmental conditions of Eastern Antarctica. pH, carbon and nitrogen, as well as fine earth content, were revealed as the most accurate predictors of soil bacterial community composition.
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Jingwen Ran, Yu Y, Li L. Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Photocatalytic Properties of Two Novel Fe-Complexes Based on Oxalato Ligands. RUSS J INORG CHEM+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s003602361909016x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Ramírez-Fernández L, Trefault N, Carú M, Orlando J. Seabird and pinniped shape soil bacterial communities of their settlements in Cape Shirreff, Antarctica. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209887. [PMID: 30625192 PMCID: PMC6326729 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Seabirds and pinnipeds play an important role in biogeochemical cycling by transferring nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial environments. Indeed, soils rich in animal depositions have generally high organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Several studies have assessed bacterial diversity in Antarctic soils influenced by marine animals; however most have been conducted in areas with significant human impact. Thus, we chose Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, an Antarctic Specially Protected Area designated mainly to protect the diversity of marine vertebrate fauna, and selected sampling sites with different types of animals coexisting in a relatively small space, and where human presence and impact are negligible. Using 16S rRNA gene analyses through massive sequencing, we assessed the influence of animal concentrations, via their modification of edaphic characteristics, on soil bacterial diversity and composition. The nutrient composition of soils impacted by Antarctic fur seals and kelp gulls was more similar to that of control soils (i.e. soils without visible presence of plants or animals), which may be due to the more active behaviour of these marine animals compared to other species. Conversely, the soils from concentrations of southern elephant seals and penguins showed greater differences in soil nutrients compared to the control. In agreement with this, the bacterial communities of the soils associated with these animals were most different from those of the control soils, with the soils of penguin colonies also possessing the lowest bacterial diversity. However, all the soils influenced by the presence of marine animals were dominated by bacteria belonging to Gammaproteobacteria, particularly those of the genus Rhodanobacter. Therefore, we conclude that the modification of soil nutrient composition by marine vertebrates promotes specific groups of bacteria, which could play an important role in the recycling of nutrients in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lía Ramírez-Fernández
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Trefault
- Centre for Genomics, Ecology and Environment (GEMA), Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Margarita Carú
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julieta Orlando
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Department of Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail:
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Predicting the biotechnological potential of bacteria isolated from Antarctic soils, including the rhizosphere of vascular plants. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-2065-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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6
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Wang L, Liu X, Yu S, Shi X, Wang X, Zhang XH. Bacterial community structure in intertidal sediments of Fildes Peninsula, maritime Antarctica. Polar Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-1958-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kim K, Islam R, Benson A, Joe MM, Denver W, Chanratan M, Chatterjee P, Kang Y, Sa T. An Overview of Different Techniques on the Microbial Community Structure, and Functional Diversity of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.7745/kjssf.2016.49.2.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Wang NF, Zhang T, Zhang F, Wang ET, He JF, Ding H, Zhang BT, Liu J, Ran XB, Zang JY. Diversity and structure of soil bacterial communities in the Fildes Region (maritime Antarctica) as revealed by 454 pyrosequencing. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1188. [PMID: 26579095 PMCID: PMC4623505 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study assessed the diversity and composition of bacterial communities in four different soils (human-, penguin-, seal-colony impacted soils and pristine soil) in the Fildes Region (King George Island, Antarctica) using 454 pyrosequencing with bacterial-specific primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were abundant phyla in almost all the soil samples. The four types of soils were significantly different in geochemical properties and bacterial community structure. Thermotogae, Cyanobacteria, Fibrobacteres, Deinococcus-Thermus, and Chlorobi obviously varied in their abundance among the 4 soil types. Considering all the samples together, members of the genera Gaiella, Chloracidobacterium, Nitrospira, Polaromonas, Gemmatimonas, Sphingomonas, and Chthoniobacter were found to predominate, whereas members of the genera Chamaesiphon, Herbaspirillum, Hirschia, Nevskia, Nitrosococcus, Rhodococcus, Rhodomicrobium, and Xanthomonas varied obviously in their abundance among the four soil types. Distance-based redundancy analysis revealed that pH (p < 0.01), phosphate phosphorus (p < 0.01), organic carbon (p < 0.05), and organic nitrogen (p < 0.05) were the most significant factors that correlated with the community distribution of soil bacteria. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the soil bacterial communities in human-, penguin-, and seal- colony impacted soils from ice-free areas in maritime Antarctica using high-throughput pyrosequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neng Fei Wang
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, The First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration Qingdao, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai, China
| | - En Tao Wang
- Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Mexico, Mexico
| | - Jian Feng He
- Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Ding
- Chemical Engineering Institute, Qingdao University Qingdao, China
| | - Bo Tao Zhang
- Chemical Engineering Institute, Qingdao University Qingdao, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology Qingdao, China
| | - Xiang Bin Ran
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, The First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration Qingdao, China
| | - Jia Ye Zang
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, The First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration Qingdao, China
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Wu R, Yu M, Liu X, Meng L, Wang Q, Xue Y, Wu J, Yue X. Changes in flavour and microbial diversity during natural fermentation of suan-cai, a traditional food made in Northeast China. Int J Food Microbiol 2015; 211:23-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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