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Xin Y, Gao Q, Chen X, Sun S, Liu J, Gao H, Zhou J, Xia X. High biological N fixation potential dominated by heterotrophic diazotrophs in alpine permafrost rivers on the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 264:122239. [PMID: 39137482 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Biological nitrogen (N) fixation is a pivotal N source in N-deficient ecosystems. The Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau (QTP) region, which is assumed to be N limited and suboxic, is an ideal habitat for diazotrophs. However, the diazotrophic communities and associated N fixation rates in these high-altitude alpine permafrost QTP rivers remain largely unknown. Herein, we examined diazotrophic communities in the sediment and biofilm of QTP rivers via the nitrogenase (nifH) gene sequencing and assessed their N fixing activities via a 15N isotope incubation assay. Strikingly, anaerobic heterotrophic diazotrophs, such as sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria, had emerged as dominant N fixers. Remarkably, the nifH gene abundance and N fixation rates increased with altitude, and the average nifH gene abundance (2.57 ± 2.60 × 108 copies g-1) and N fixation rate (2.29 ± 3.36 nmol N g-1d-1) surpassed that documented in most aquatic environments (nifH gene abundance: 1.31 × 105 ∼ 2.57 × 108 copies g-1, nitrogen fixation rates: 2.34 × 10-4 ∼ 4.11 nmol N g-1d-1). Such distinctive heterotrophic diazotrophic communities and high N fixation potential in QTP rivers were associated with low-nitrogen, abundant organic carbon and unique C:N:P stoichiometries. Additionally, the significant presence of psychrophilic bacteria within the diazotrophic communities, along with the enhanced stability and complexity of the diazotrophic networks at higher altitudes, clearly demonstrate the adaptability of diazotrophic communities to extreme cold and high-altitude conditions in QTP rivers. We further determined that altitude, coupled with organic carbon and phosphorus, was the predominant driver shaping diazotrophic communities and their N-fixing activities. Overall, our study reveals high N fixation potential in N-deficient QTP rivers, which provides novel insights into nitrogen dynamics in alpine permafrost rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xin
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qun Gao
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Siyue Sun
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Hui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA; School of Computer Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA; Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Xinghui Xia
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
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Yang X, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Shi X, Wu Z. Dinoflagellate-Bacteria Interactions: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:579. [PMID: 39194517 DOI: 10.3390/biology13080579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Dinoflagellates and heterotrophic bacteria are two major micro-organism groups within marine ecosystems. Their coexistence has led to a co-evolutionary relationship characterized by intricate interactions that not only alter their individual behaviors but also exert a significant influence on the broader biogeochemical cycles. Our review commenced with an analysis of bacterial populations, both free-living and adherent to dinoflagellate surfaces. Members of Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group are repeatedly found to be associated with dinoflagellates, with representation by relatively few genera, such as Methylophaga, Marinobacter, and Alteromonas. These bacterial taxa engage with dinoflagellates in a limited capacity, involving nutrient exchange, the secretion of pathogenic substances, or participation in chemical production. Furthermore, the genomic evolution of dinoflagellates has been profoundly impacted by the horizontal gene transfer from bacteria. The integration of bacterial genes into dinoflagellates has been instrumental in defining their biological characteristics and nutritional strategies. This review aims to elucidate the nuanced interactions between dinoflagellates and their associated bacteria, offering a detailed perspective on their complex relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Yang
- Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Zijian Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Microbial Processes and Interactions (MiPI), TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Yanwen Zhang
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinguo Shi
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
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Zhu W, Zhao H, Ke J, Zhang J, Liu X, Zhou Y, Chen R, Wang A, Li X. Deciphering the environmental adaptation and functional trait of core and noncore bacterial communities in impacted coral reef seawater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172897. [PMID: 38697527 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172897] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Microorganisms play pivotal roles in different biogeochemical cycles within coral reef waters. Nevertheless, our comprehension of the microbially mediated processes following environmental perturbation is still limited. To gain a deeper insight into the environmental adaptation and nutrient cycling, particularly within core and noncore bacterial communities, it is crucial to understand reef ecosystem functioning. In this study, we delved into the microbial community structure and function of seawater in a coral reef under different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance. To achieve this, we harnessed the power of 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing and metagenomics techniques. The results showed that a continuous temporal succession but little spatial heterogeneity in the bacterial communities of core and noncore taxa and functional profiles involved in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling. Eutrophication state (i.e., nutrient concentration and turbidity) and temperature played pivotal roles in shaping both the microbial community composition and functional traits of coral reef seawater. Within this context, the core subcommunity exhibited a remarkably broader habitat niche breadth, stronger phylogenetic signal and lower environmental sensitivity when compared to the noncore taxa. Null model analysis further revealed that the core subcommunity was governed primarily by stochastic processes, while deterministic processes played a more significant role in shaping the noncore subcommunity. Furthermore, our observations indicated that changes in function related to N cycling were correlated to the variations in noncore taxa, while core taxa played a more substantial role in critical processes such as P cycling. Collectively, these findings facilitated our knowledge about environmental adaptability of core and noncore bacterial taxa and shed light on their respective roles in maintaining diverse nutrient cycling within coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - He Zhao
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jingzhao Ke
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Junling Zhang
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiangbo Liu
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yinyin Zhou
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rouwen Chen
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiubao Li
- College of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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Berlinghof J, Montilla LM, Peiffer F, Quero GM, Marzocchi U, Meador TB, Margiotta F, Abagnale M, Wild C, Cardini U. Accelerated nitrogen cycling on Mediterranean seagrass leaves at volcanic CO 2 vents. Commun Biol 2024; 7:341. [PMID: 38503855 PMCID: PMC11254932 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06011-0] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Seagrass meadows form highly productive and diverse ecosystems in coastal areas worldwide, where they are increasingly exposed to ocean acidification (OA). Efficient nitrogen (N) cycling and uptake are essential to maintain plant productivity, but the effects of OA on N transformations in these systems are poorly understood. Here we show that complete N cycling occurs on leaves of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica at a volcanic CO2 vent near Ischia Island (Italy), with OA affecting both N gain and loss while the epiphytic microbial community structure remains largely unaffected. Daily leaf-associated N2 fixation contributes to 35% of the plant's N demand under ambient pH, while it contributes to 45% under OA. Nitrification potential is only detected under OA, and N-loss via N2 production increases, although the balance remains decisively in favor of enhanced N gain. Our work highlights the role of the N-cycling microbiome in seagrass adaptation to OA, with key N transformations accelerating towards increased N gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Berlinghof
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy.
- Department of Marine Ecology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
- Genoa Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Genova, Italy.
| | - Luis M Montilla
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
| | - Friederike Peiffer
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
- Department of Marine Ecology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Grazia M Quero
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology, National Research Council (CNR), Ancona, Italy
| | - Ugo Marzocchi
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
- Center for water technology (WATEC), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Travis B Meador
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Francesca Margiotta
- Department of Research Infrastructures for marine biological resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Abagnale
- Department of Research Infrastructures for marine biological resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy
| | - Christian Wild
- Department of Marine Ecology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ulisse Cardini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Naples, Italy.
- Genoa Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn - National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Genova, Italy.
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5
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Liu X, Li P, Wang H, Han LL, Yang K, Wang Y, Jiang Z, Cui L, Kao SJ. Nitrogen fixation and diazotroph diversity in groundwater systems. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:2023-2034. [PMID: 37715043 PMCID: PMC10579273 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01513-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), the conversion of N2 into bioavailable nitrogen (N), is the main process for replenishing N loss in the biosphere. However, BNF in groundwater systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the activity, abundance, and community composition of diazotrophs in groundwater in the Hetao Plain of Inner Mongolia using 15N tracing methods, reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR), and metagenomic/metatranscriptomic analyses. 15N2 tracing incubation of near in situ groundwater (9.5-585.4 nmol N L-1 h-1) and N2-fixer enrichment and isolates (13.2-1728.4 nmol N g-1 h-1, as directly verified by single-cell resonance Raman spectroscopy), suggested that BNF is a non-negligible source of N in groundwater in this region. The expression of nifH genes ranged from 3.4 × 103 to 1.2 × 106 copies L-1 and was tightly correlated with dissolved oxygen (DO), Fe(II), and NH4+. Diazotrophs in groundwater were chiefly aerobes or facultative anaerobes, dominated by Stutzerimonas, Pseudomonas, Paraburkholderia, Klebsiella, Rhodopseudomonas, Azoarcus, and additional uncultured populations. Active diazotrophs, which prefer reducing conditions, were more metabolically diverse and potentially associated with nitrification, sulfur/arsenic mobilization, Fe(II) transport, and CH4 oxidation. Our results highlight the importance of diazotrophs in subsurface geochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Helin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Li-Li Han
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
| | - Kai Yang
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Zhou Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Li Cui
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China
| | - Shuh-Ji Kao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
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6
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Turk-Kubo KA, Gradoville MR, Cheung S, Cornejo-Castillo FM, Harding KJ, Morando M, Mills M, Zehr JP. Non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs: global diversity, distribution, ecophysiology, and activity in marine waters. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuac046. [PMID: 36416813 PMCID: PMC10719068 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation supplies nitrogen to the oceans, supporting primary productivity, and is carried out by some bacteria and archaea referred to as diazotrophs. Cyanobacteria are conventionally considered to be the major contributors to marine N2 fixation, but non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs (NCDs) have been shown to be distributed throughout ocean ecosystems. However, the biogeochemical significance of marine NCDs has not been demonstrated. This review synthesizes multiple datasets, drawing from cultivation-independent molecular techniques and data from extensive oceanic expeditions, to provide a comprehensive view into the diversity, biogeography, ecophysiology, and activity of marine NCDs. A NCD nifH gene catalog was compiled containing sequences from both PCR-based and PCR-free methods, identifying taxa for future studies. NCD abundances from a novel database of NCD nifH-based abundances were colocalized with environmental data, unveiling distinct distributions and environmental drivers of individual taxa. Mechanisms that NCDs may use to fuel and regulate N2 fixation in response to oxygen and fixed nitrogen availability are discussed, based on a metabolic analysis of recently available Tara Oceans expedition data. The integration of multiple datasets provides a new perspective that enhances understanding of the biology, ecology, and biogeography of marine NCDs and provides tools and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra A Turk-Kubo
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Mary R Gradoville
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
- Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Shunyan Cheung
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Francisco M Cornejo-Castillo
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim Barceloneta, 37-49 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Katie J Harding
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Michael Morando
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
| | - Matthew Mills
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Jonathan P Zehr
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, United States
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Dellaert Z, Putnam HM. Reconciling the variability in the biological response of marine invertebrates to climate change. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245834. [PMID: 37655544 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
As climate change increases the rate of environmental change and the frequency and intensity of disturbance events, selective forces intensify. However, given the complicated interplay between plasticity and selection for ecological - and thus evolutionary - outcomes, understanding the proximate signals, molecular mechanisms and the role of environmental history becomes increasingly critical for eco-evolutionary forecasting. To enhance the accuracy of our forecasting, we must characterize environmental signals at a level of resolution that is relevant to the organism, such as the microhabitat it inhabits and its intracellular conditions, while also quantifying the biological responses to these signals in the appropriate cells and tissues. In this Commentary, we provide historical context to some of the long-standing challenges in global change biology that constrain our capacity for eco-evolutionary forecasting using reef-building corals as a focal model. We then describe examples of mismatches between the scales of external signals relative to the sensors and signal transduction cascades that initiate and maintain cellular responses. Studying cellular responses at this scale is crucial because these responses are the basis of acclimation to changing environmental conditions and the potential for environmental 'memory' of prior or historical conditions through molecular mechanisms. To challenge the field, we outline some unresolved questions and suggest approaches to align experimental work with an organism's perception of the environment; these aspects are discussed with respect to human interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Dellaert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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8
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Wiedenmann J, D'Angelo C, Mardones ML, Moore S, Benkwitt CE, Graham NAJ, Hambach B, Wilson PA, Vanstone J, Eyal G, Ben-Zvi O, Loya Y, Genin A. Reef-building corals farm and feed on their photosynthetic symbionts. Nature 2023; 620:1018-1024. [PMID: 37612503 PMCID: PMC10468396 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06442-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are highly diverse ecosystems that thrive in nutrient-poor waters, a phenomenon frequently referred to as the Darwin paradox1. The energy demand of coral animal hosts can often be fully met by the excess production of carbon-rich photosynthates by their algal symbionts2,3. However, the understanding of mechanisms that enable corals to acquire the vital nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from their symbionts is incomplete4-9. Here we show, through a series of long-term experiments, that the uptake of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus by the symbionts alone is sufficient to sustain rapid coral growth. Next, considering the nitrogen and phosphorus budgets of host and symbionts, we identify that these nutrients are gathered through symbiont 'farming' and are translocated to the host by digestion of excess symbiont cells. Finally, we use a large-scale natural experiment in which seabirds fertilize some reefs but not others, to show that the efficient utilization of dissolved inorganic nutrients by symbiotic corals established in our laboratory experiments has the potential to enhance coral growth in the wild at the ecosystem level. Feeding on symbionts enables coral animals to tap into an important nutrient pool and helps to explain the evolutionary and ecological success of symbiotic corals in nutrient-limited waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Wiedenmann
- The Coral Reef Laboratory, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
| | - Cecilia D'Angelo
- The Coral Reef Laboratory, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - M Loreto Mardones
- The Coral Reef Laboratory, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Shona Moore
- The Coral Reef Laboratory, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | | | - Bastian Hambach
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Paul A Wilson
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - James Vanstone
- The Coral Reef Laboratory, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Gal Eyal
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Marine Palaeoecology Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Or Ben-Zvi
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yossi Loya
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amatzia Genin
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
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9
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Zhu W, Liu X, Zhang J, Zhao H, Li Z, Wang H, Chen R, Wang A, Li X. Response of coral bacterial composition and function to water quality variations under anthropogenic influence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163837. [PMID: 37137368 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities play key roles in the adaptation of corals living in adverse environments, as the microbiome flexibility can enhance environmental plasticity of coral holobiont. However, the ecological association of coral microbiome and related function to locally deteriorating water quality remains underexplored. In this work, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) to investigate the seasonal changes of bacterial communities, particularly their functional genes related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycle, of the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis from nearshore reefs exposed anthropogenic influence. We used nutrient concentrations as the indicator of anthropogenic activities in coastal reefs, and found a higher nutrient pressure in spring than summer. The bacterial diversity, community structure and dominant bacteria of coral shifted significantly due to seasonal variations dominated by nutrient concentrations. Additionally, the network structure and nutrient cycling gene profiles in summer under low nutrient stress was distinct from that under poor environmental conditions in spring, with lower network complexity and abundance of CNPS cycling genes in summer compared with spring. We further identified significant correlations between microbial community (taxonomic composition and co-occurrence network) and geochemical functions (abundance of multiple functional genes and functional community). Nutrient enrichment was proved to be the most important environmental fluctuation in controlling the diversity, community structure, interactional network and functional genes of the coral microbiome. These results highlight that seasonal shifts in coral-associated bacteria due to anthropogenic activities alter the functional potentials, and provide novel insight about the mechanisms of coral adaptation to locally deteriorating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiangbo Liu
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Junling Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - He Zhao
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhuoran Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rouwen Chen
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiubao Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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10
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Li C, Jia Z, Zhang S, Li T, Ma S, Cheng X, Chen M, Nie H, Zhai L, Zhang B, Liu X, Zhang J, Müller C. The positive effects of mineral-solubilizing microbial inoculants on asymbiotic nitrogen fixation of abandoned mine soils are driven by keystone phylotype. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163663. [PMID: 37094687 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Toward the restoration of the increasing numbers of abandoned mines across China, external-soil spray seeding technologies have become more extensively utilized. However, considerable challenges remain that seriously hamper the effectiveness of these technologies, such as inadequate nutrient availability for plants. Previous studies have shown that mineral-solubilizing microbial inoculants can increase the nodules of legumes. However, their effects on symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF), asymbiotic nitrogen fixation (ANF), and diazotrophic communities remain unknown. Further, research into the application of functional microorganisms for the restoration of abandoned mines has been conducted either in greenhouses, or their application in the field has been too brief. Thus, we established a four-year field experiment in an abandoned mine and quantified the SNF, ANF, and diazotrophic communities. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to describe the long-term application of specific functional microorganisms for the remediation of abandoned mine sites in the field. We revealed that mineral-solubilizing microbial inoculants significantly increased the soil ANF rate and SNF content. There was no significant correlation between the diazotrophic alpha diversity and soil ANF rate; however, there were strong positive associations between the relative abundance and biodiversity of keystone phylotype (module #5) within ecological clusters and the ANF rate. Molecular ecological networks indicated that microbial inoculants increased network complexity and stability. Moreover, the inoculants significantly enhanced the deterministic ratio of diazotrophic communities. Furthermore, homogeneous selection predominantly mediated the assembly of soil diazotrophic communities. It was concluded that mineral-solubilizing microorganisms played a critical role in maintaining and enhancing nitrogen, which offers a new solution with great potential for the restoration of ecosystems at abandoned mine sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China; Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Zhaohui Jia
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Shuifeng Zhang
- Faculty of Information Technology, Nanjing Forest Police College, Nanjing 210000, China.
| | - Tao Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Shilin Ma
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Xuefei Cheng
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Meiling Chen
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Hui Nie
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Lu Zhai
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Xin Liu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Jinchi Zhang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Restoration, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China.
| | - Christoph Müller
- Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; School of Biology and Environmental Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland; Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, Justus Liebig University, Germany.
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11
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Li S, Wang Y, Hu L, Zhao J, Liao X, Xie T, Wen J, Bao Y, Li L. Nitrogen fixation of Cyndon dactylon: A possible strategy coping with long-term flooding in the Three Gorges Reservoir. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 866:161422. [PMID: 36621487 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is one of the largest hydropower projects around the world which greatly alters the ecological function of the original ecosystem. The riparian zone of TGR is subject to a frequent fluctuation of water level, leading to severe nitrogen loss by leaching. Cyndon dactylon, a perennial stress tolerant plant, is one of the dominant plant species in the riparian zone of TGR. The underlying mechanism that C. dactylon can survive the nitrogen limitation has been under debate. In this study, we sampled the plant tissues of C. dactylon and the surrounding soils across different water levels and seasons in the riparian zone of TGR to explore the possible strategy for them to mining nitrogen. Our study found that the C. dactylon in the TGR riparian zone had endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, particularly enriched in the plant foliage. The abundance of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria was significantly negatively correlated with soil ammonia, nitrate, and organic matter, and significantly positively correlated with total phosphorous and moisture content. The endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in C. dactylon were highly diverse, with Proteobacteria as the main dominant genera. The mutual cooperation mode among bacterial species made the endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria community of C. dactylon more resilient to environmental pressure, thus more readily adapting to conditions of repeated long-term flooding in the riparian zone of the TGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanze Li
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Yuchun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Lechen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Engineering Research, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jianwei Zhao
- Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Engineering Research, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Xiaolin Liao
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian Xie
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jie Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Yufei Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Department of Water Ecology and Environment, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Longfei Li
- Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Engineering Research, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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12
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Nair S, Zhang Z, Li H, Zhao H, Shen H, Kao SJ, Jiao N, Zhang Y. Inherent tendency of Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria for mutualism on long-term coexistence despite environmental interference. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabf4792. [PMID: 36179022 PMCID: PMC9524826 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf4792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mutualism between Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria has been found to support their prolonged survival in nutrient-depleted conditions. However, environmental interference on the fate of their mutualism is not understood. Here, we show that exogenous nutrients disrupt their established mutualism. Once the exogenous nutrients were exhausted, Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria gradually reestablished their metabolic mutualism during 450 days of culture, which revived unhealthy Synechococcus cells. Using metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and the 15N tracer method, we reveal that the associated bacterial nitrogen fixation triggered the reestablishment of the mutualism and revival of Synechococcus health. During this process, bacterial community structure and functions underwent tremendous adjustments to achieve the driving effect, and a cogeneration of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin by the heterotrophic bacteria sustained Synechococcus's prolonged healthy growth. Our findings suggest that Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria may have an inherent tendency toward mutualism despite environmental interference. This may exhibit their coevolutionary adaptations in nutrient-deficient environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailesh Nair
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zenghu Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hanshuang Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Shuh-Ji Kao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Nianzhi Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
| | - Yongyu Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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13
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Dong X, Zhang C, Peng Y, Zhang HX, Shi LD, Wei G, Hubert CRJ, Wang Y, Greening C. Phylogenetically and catabolically diverse diazotrophs reside in deep-sea cold seep sediments. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4885. [PMID: 35985998 PMCID: PMC9391474 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32503-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbially mediated nitrogen cycling in carbon-dominated cold seep environments remains poorly understood. So far anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME-2) and their sulfate-reducing bacterial partners (SEEP-SRB1 clade) have been identified as diazotrophs in deep sea cold seep sediments. However, it is unclear whether other microbial groups can perform nitrogen fixation in such ecosystems. To fill this gap, we analyzed 61 metagenomes, 1428 metagenome-assembled genomes, and six metatranscriptomes derived from 11 globally distributed cold seeps. These sediments contain phylogenetically diverse nitrogenase genes corresponding to an expanded diversity of diazotrophic lineages. Diverse catabolic pathways were predicted to provide ATP for nitrogen fixation, suggesting diazotrophy in cold seeps is not necessarily associated with sulfate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane. Nitrogen fixation genes among various diazotrophic groups in cold seeps were inferred to be genetically mobile and subject to purifying selection. Our findings extend the capacity for diazotrophy to five candidate phyla (Altarchaeia, Omnitrophota, FCPU426, Caldatribacteriota and UBA6262), and suggest that cold seep diazotrophs might contribute substantially to the global nitrogen balance. Microbial nitrogen fixation could be important in the deep sea. Here the authors investigate metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of diazotrophs from deep sea cold seep sediments, reveal greater phylogenetic and functional diversity than hitherto known.
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14
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Morrow KM, Pankey MS, Lesser MP. Community structure of coral microbiomes is dependent on host morphology. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:113. [PMID: 35902906 PMCID: PMC9331152 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of symbiosis has long been recognized on coral reefs, where the photosynthetic dinoflagellates of corals (Symbiodiniaceae) are the primary symbiont. Numerous studies have now shown that a diverse assemblage of prokaryotes also make-up part of the microbiome of corals. A subset of these prokaryotes is capable of fixing nitrogen, known as diazotrophs, and is also present in the microbiome of scleractinian corals where they have been shown to supplement the holobiont nitrogen budget. Here, an analysis of the microbiomes of 16 coral species collected from Australia, Curaçao, and Hawai'i using three different marker genes (16S rRNA, nifH, and ITS2) is presented. These data were used to examine the effects of biogeography, coral traits, and ecological life history characteristics on the composition and diversity of the microbiome in corals and their diazotrophic communities. RESULTS The prokaryotic microbiome community composition (i.e., beta diversity) based on the 16S rRNA gene varied between sites and ecological life history characteristics, but coral morphology was the most significant factor affecting the microbiome of the corals studied. For 15 of the corals studied, only two species Pocillopora acuta and Seriotopora hystrix, both brooders, showed a weak relationship between the 16S rRNA gene community structure and the diazotrophic members of the microbiome using the nifH marker gene, suggesting that many corals support a microbiome with diazotrophic capabilities. The order Rhizobiales, a taxon that contains primarily diazotrophs, are common members of the coral microbiome and were eight times greater in relative abundances in Hawai'i compared to corals from either Curacao or Australia. However, for the diazotrophic component of the coral microbiome, only host species significantly influenced the composition and diversity of the community. CONCLUSIONS The roles and interactions between members of the coral holobiont are still not well understood, especially critical functions provided by the coral microbiome (e.g., nitrogen fixation), and the variation of these functions across species. The findings presented here show the significant effect of morphology, a coral "super trait," on the overall community structure of the microbiome in corals and that there is a strong association of the diazotrophic community within the microbiome of corals. However, the underlying coral traits linking the effects of host species on diazotrophic communities remain unknown. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Morrow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
- Present address: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, 6560 Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA, 22312, USA
| | - M Sabrina Pankey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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15
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Shaffique S, Khan MA, Wani SH, Pande A, Imran M, Kang SM, Rahim W, Khan SA, Bhatta D, Kwon EH, Lee IJ. A Review on the Role of Endophytes and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria in Mitigating Heat Stress in Plants. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071286. [PMID: 35889005 PMCID: PMC9319882 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Among abiotic stresses, heat stress is described as one of the major limiting factors of crop growth worldwide, as high temperatures elicit a series of physiological, molecular, and biochemical cascade events that ultimately result in reduced crop yield. There is growing interest among researchers in the use of beneficial microorganisms. Intricate and highly complex interactions between plants and microbes result in the alleviation of heat stress. Plant–microbe interactions are mediated by the production of phytohormones, siderophores, gene expression, osmolytes, and volatile compounds in plants. Their interaction improves antioxidant activity and accumulation of compatible osmolytes such as proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugar, and trehalose, and enriches the nutrient status of stressed plants. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the heat response of plants and to understand the mechanisms of microbe-mediated stress alleviation on a physio-molecular basis. This review indicates that microbes have a great potential to enhance the protection of plants from heat stress and enhance plant growth and yield. Owing to the metabolic diversity of microorganisms, they can be useful in mitigating heat stress in crop plants. In this regard, microorganisms do not present new threats to ecological systems. Overall, it is expected that continued research on microbe-mediated heat stress tolerance in plants will enable this technology to be used as an ecofriendly tool for sustainable agronomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifa Shaffique
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - Muhammad Aaqil Khan
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - Shabir Hussain Wani
- Mountain Research Center for Field Crops Khudwani, Shere-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology Srinagar, Anantnag 190025, Jammu and Kashmir, India;
| | - Anjali Pande
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Pathology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Biosciences, School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea; (A.P.); (W.R.)
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - Sang-Mo Kang
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - Waqas Rahim
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Pathology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Biosciences, School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea; (A.P.); (W.R.)
| | - Sumera Afzal Khan
- Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 45000, Pakistan;
| | - Dibya Bhatta
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - Eun-Hae Kwon
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
| | - In-Jung Lee
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea; (S.S.); (M.A.K.); (M.I.); (S.-M.K.); (D.B.); (E.-H.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-950-5708
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16
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Interaction and Assembly of Bacterial Communities in High-Latitude Coral Habitat Associated Seawater. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030558. [PMID: 35336132 PMCID: PMC8955259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Threatened by climate change and ocean warming, coral reef ecosystems have been shifting in geographic ranges toward a higher latitude area. The water-associated microbial communities and their potential role in primary production contribution are well studied in tropical coral reefs, but poorly defined in high-latitude coral habitats to date. In this study, amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and cbbL gene, co-occurrence network, and βNTI were used. The community structure of bacterial and carbon-fixation bacterial communities showed a significant difference between the center of coral, transitional, and non-coral area. Nitrite, DOC, pH, and coral coverage ratio significantly impacted the β-diversity of bacterial and carbon-fixation communities. The interaction of heterotrophs and autotrophic carbon-fixers was more complex in the bottom than in surface water. Carbon-fixers correlated with diverse heterotrophs in surface water but fewer lineages of heterotrophic taxa in the bottom. Bacterial community assembly showed an increase by deterministic process with decrease of coral coverage in bottom water, which may correlate with the gradient of nitrite and pH in the habitat. A deterministic process dominated the assembly of carbon-fixation bacterial community in surface water, while stochastic process dominated t the bottom. In conclusion, the structure and assembly of bacterial and carbon-fixer community were affected by multi-environmental variables in high-latitude coral habitat-associated seawater.
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17
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Rädecker N, Pogoreutz C, Gegner HM, Cárdenas A, Perna G, Geißler L, Roth F, Bougoure J, Guagliardo P, Struck U, Wild C, Pernice M, Raina JB, Meibom A, Voolstra CR. Heat stress reduces the contribution of diazotrophs to coral holobiont nitrogen cycling. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 16:1110-1118. [PMID: 34857934 PMCID: PMC8941099 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01158-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Efficient nutrient cycling in the coral-algal symbiosis requires constant but limited nitrogen availability. Coral-associated diazotrophs, i.e., prokaryotes capable of fixing dinitrogen, may thus support productivity in a stable coral-algal symbiosis but could contribute to its breakdown when overstimulated. However, the effects of environmental conditions on diazotroph communities and their interaction with other members of the coral holobiont remain poorly understood. Here we assessed the effects of heat stress on diazotroph diversity and their contribution to holobiont nutrient cycling in the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata from the central Red Sea. In a stable symbiotic state, we found that nitrogen fixation by coral-associated diazotrophs constitutes a source of nitrogen to the algal symbionts. Heat stress caused an increase in nitrogen fixation concomitant with a change in diazotroph communities. Yet, this additional fixed nitrogen was not assimilated by the coral tissue or the algal symbionts. We conclude that although diazotrophs may support coral holobiont functioning under low nitrogen availability, altered nutrient cycling during heat stress abates the dependence of the coral host and its algal symbionts on diazotroph-derived nitrogen. Consequently, the role of nitrogen fixation in the coral holobiont is strongly dependent on its nutritional status and varies dynamically with environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. .,Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Hagen M Gegner
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Metabolomics Core Technology Platform, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gabriela Perna
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Laura Geißler
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Florian Roth
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jeremy Bougoure
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ulrich Struck
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Wild
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, Marine Ecology Department, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Center for Advanced Surface Analysis, Institute of Earth Sciences, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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