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Nagakura T, Morono Y, Ito M, Mangelsdorf K, Pötz S, Schnabel E, Kallmeyer J. Microbial anabolic and catabolic utilization of hydrocarbons in deep subseafloor sediments of Guaymas Basin. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae093. [PMID: 38955392 PMCID: PMC11250447 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae093] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Guaymas Basin, located in the Gulf of California, is a hydrothermally active marginal basin. Due to steep geothermal gradients and localized heating by sill intrusions, microbial substrates like short-chain fatty acids and hydrocarbons are abiotically produced from sedimentary organic matter at comparatively shallow depths. We analyzed the effect of hydrocarbons on uptake of hydrocarbons by microorganisms via nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) and microbial sulfate reduction rates (SRR), using samples from two drill sites sampled by IODP Expedition 385 (U1545C and U1546D). These sites are in close proximity of each other (ca. 1 km) and have very similar sedimentology. Site U1546D experienced the intrusion of a sill that has since then thermally equilibrated with the surrounding sediment. Both sites currently have an identical geothermal gradient, despite their different thermal history. The localized heating by the sill led to thermal cracking of sedimentary organic matter and formation of potentially bioavailable organic substrates. There were low levels of hydrocarbon and nitrogen uptake in some samples from both sites, mostly in surficial samples. Hydrocarbon and methane additions stimulated SRR in near-seafloor samples from Site U1545C, while samples from Site U1546D reacted positively only on methane. Our data indicate the potential of microorganisms to metabolize hydrocarbons even in the deep subsurface of Guaymas Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Nagakura
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Yuki Morono
- JAMSTEC Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, 200 Monobe Otsu, 783-8502 Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Motoo Ito
- JAMSTEC Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, 200 Monobe Otsu, 783-8502 Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Kai Mangelsdorf
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Organic Geochemistry, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Stefanie Pötz
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Organic Geochemistry, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ellen Schnabel
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jens Kallmeyer
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
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2
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Siddique A, Al Disi Z, AlGhouti M, Zouari N. Diversity of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in mangroves rhizosphere as an indicator of oil-pollution bioremediation in mangrove forests. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 205:116620. [PMID: 38955089 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Mangrove ecosystems, characterized by high levels of productivity, are susceptible to anthropogenic activities, notably oil pollution arising from diverse origins including spills, transportation, and industrial effluents. Owing to their role in climate regulation and economic significance, there is a growing interest in developing mangrove conservation strategies. In the Arabian Gulf, mangroves stand as the sole naturally occurring green vegetation due to the region's hot and arid climate. However, they have faced persistent oil pollution for decades. This review focuses on global mangrove distribution, with a specific emphasis on Qatar's mangroves. It highlights the ongoing challenges faced by mangroves, particularly in relation to the oil industry, and the impact of oil pollution on these vital ecosystems. It outlines major oil spill incidents worldwide and the diverse hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities within polluted areas, elucidating their potential for bioremediation. The use of symbiotic interactions between mangrove plants and bacteria offers a more sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative. However, the success of these bioremediation strategies depends on a deep understanding of the dynamics of bacterial communities, environmental factors and specific nature of the pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afrah Siddique
- Environmental Sciences Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O.B 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Zulfa Al Disi
- Environmental Sciences Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O.B 2713, Doha, Qatar; Environmental Science Centre, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammad AlGhouti
- Environmental Sciences Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O.B 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nabil Zouari
- Environmental Sciences Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O.B 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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3
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Si G, Yang J, Zhang L, Gao J, Zhang S, Ni S, Peng Y. NH 2-MIL-101(Fe)-mediated photo-Fenton reaction enhanced simultaneous removal of nitrogen and refractory organics in anammox process through interfacial electron transfer. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 395:130390. [PMID: 38301944 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130390] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
In this study, H2O2 (0.1 ‰) and NH2-MIL-101(Fe)-driven (150 mg/L) photo-Fenton-coupled anammox were proposed to simultaneously improve the removal efficiency of nitrogen and humic acid. Long-term experiments showed that the total nitrogen removal efficiency was increased by the photo-Fenton reaction to 91.9 ± 1.5 % by altering the bioavailability of refractory organics. Correspondingly, the total organic carbon removal efficiency was significantly increased. Microbial community analyses indicated that Candidatus_Brocadia maintained high activity during photo-Fenton reaction and was the most abundant genus in the reactor. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium process and denitrification process were enhanced, resulting in reduced NO3--N production. The establishment of electron transfer between microorganisms and NH2-MIL-101 (Fe) improved the charge separation efficiency of the quantum dots and increased the intracellular adenosine triphosphate content of anammox bacteria. These results indicated that photo-Fenton-anammox process promoted the removal of nitrogen and refractory organics in one reactor which had good economic value and application prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangchao Si
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Jiachun Yang
- China Coal Technology & Engineering Group Co. Ltd., Tokyo 100-0011, Japan.
| | - Li Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Jingfeng Gao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Shujun Zhang
- Research and Development Center of Beijing Drainage Group Co. Ltd, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Shouqing Ni
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Yongzhen Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing 100124, China
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4
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Chen Q, Li Z, Chen Y, Liu M, Yang Q, Zhu B, Mu J, Feng L, Chen Z. Effects of electron acceptors and donors on anaerobic biodegradation of PAHs in marine sediments. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:115925. [PMID: 38113802 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115925] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are typical organic pollutants accumulated in the environment. PAHs' bioremediation in sediments can be promoted by adding electron acceptor (EA) and electron donor (ED). Bicarbonate and sulfate were chosen as two EAs, and acetate and lactate were selected as two EDs. Six groups of amendments were added into the sediments to access their role in the anaerobic biodegradation of five PAHs, containing phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene. The concentrations of PAHs, EAs and EDs, electron transport system activity, and microbial diversity were analyzed during 126-day biodegradation in serum bottles. The HA group (bicarbonate and acetate) achieved the maximum PAH degradation efficiency of 89.67 %, followed by the SL group (sulfate and lactate) with 87.10 %. As the main PAHs degrading bacteria, the abundance of Marinobacter in H group was 8.62 %, and the addition of acetate significantly increased the abundance of Marinobacter in the HA group by 75.65 %.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingguo Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China; National & local Joint Engineering Research Center of Harbor Oil & Gas Storage and Transportation Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China; School of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Yu Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China; School of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Mei Liu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Baikang Zhu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China; National & local Joint Engineering Research Center of Harbor Oil & Gas Storage and Transportation Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Jun Mu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, PR China.
| | - Lijuan Feng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Environmental Pollution, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China; National & local Joint Engineering Research Center of Harbor Oil & Gas Storage and Transportation Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, PR China
| | - Zhi Chen
- Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Computer Sciences, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec H3G1M8, Canada
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Xu J, Wang L, Lv W, Song X, Nie Y, Wu XL. Metabolic profiling of petroleum-degrading microbial communities incubated under high-pressure conditions. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1305731. [PMID: 38188585 PMCID: PMC10766756 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1305731] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
While pressure is a significant characteristic of petroleum reservoirs, it is often overlooked in laboratory studies. To clarify the composition and metabolic properties of microbial communities under high-pressure conditions, we established methanogenic and sulfate-reducing enrichment cultures under high-pressure conditions using production water from the Jilin Oilfield in China. We utilized a metagenomics approach to analyze the microbial community after a 90-day incubation period. Under methanogenic conditions, Firmicutes, Deferribacteres, Ignavibacteriae, Thermotogae, and Nitrospirae, in association with the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Archaeoglobaceae and acetoclastic Methanosaeta, were highly represented. Genomes for Ca. Odinarchaeota and the hydrogen-dependent methylotrophic Ca. Methanosuratus were also recovered from the methanogenic culture. The sulfate-reducing community was dominated by Firmicutes, Thermotogae, Nitrospirae, Archaeoglobus, and several candidate taxa including Ca. Bipolaricaulota, Ca. Aminicenantes, and Candidate division WOR-3. These candidate taxa were key pantothenate producers for other community members. The study expands present knowledge of the metabolic roles of petroleum-degrading microbial communities under high-pressure conditions. Our results also indicate that microbial community interactions were shaped by syntrophic metabolism and the exchange of amino acids and cofactors among members. Furthermore, incubation under in situ pressure conditions has the potential to reveal the roles of microbial dark matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbo Xu
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing, China
| | - Weifeng Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing, China
| | - Xinmin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Nie
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Wu
- College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
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6
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Yavari-Bafghi M, Rezaei Somee M, Amoozegar MA, Dastgheib SMM, Shavandi M. Genome-resolved analyses of oligotrophic groundwater microbial communities along phenol pollution in a continuous-flow biodegradation model system. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1147162. [PMID: 37065124 PMCID: PMC10090433 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1147162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Groundwater pollution is one of the major environmental concerns. The entrance of pollutants into the oligotrophic groundwater ecosystems alters native microbial community structure and metabolism. This study investigated the application of innovative Small Bioreactor Chambers and CaO2 nanoparticles for phenol removal within continuous-flow sand-packed columns for 6 months. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis were conducted to indicate the impact of attached biofilm on sand surfaces in bioremediation columns. Then, the influence of each method on the microbial biodiversity of the column’s groundwater was investigated by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results indicated that the simultaneous application of biostimulation and bioaugmentation completely eliminated phenol during the first 42 days. However, 80.2% of phenol remained in the natural bioremediation column at the end of the experiment. Microbial diversity was decreased by CaO2 injection while order-level groups known for phenol degradation such as Rhodobacterales and Xanthomonadales dominated in biostimulation columns. Genome-resolved comparative analyses of oligotrophic groundwater prokaryotic communities revealed that Burkholderiales, Micrococcales, and Cytophagales were the dominant members of the pristine groundwater. Six-month exposure of groundwater to phenol shifted the microbial population towards increasing the heterotrophic members of Desulfobacterales, Pseudomonadales, and Xanthomonadales with the degradation potential of phenol and other hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Yavari-Bafghi
- Extremophiles Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Rezaei Somee
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Ali Amoozegar
- Extremophiles Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- Mohammad Ali Amoozegar,
| | - Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Dastgheib
- Microbiology and Biotechnology Group, Environment and Biotechnology Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Shavandi
- Microbiology and Biotechnology Group, Environment and Biotechnology Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran, Iran
- *Correspondence: Mahmoud Shavandi,
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7
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Edgcomb VP, Teske AP, Mara P. Microbial Hydrocarbon Degradation in Guaymas Basin-Exploring the Roles and Potential Interactions of Fungi and Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:831828. [PMID: 35356530 PMCID: PMC8959706 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.831828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrocarbons are degraded by specialized types of bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Their occurrence in marine hydrocarbon seeps and sediments prompted a study of their role and their potential interactions, using the hydrocarbon-rich hydrothermal sediments of Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California as a model system. This sedimented vent site is characterized by localized hydrothermal circulation that introduces seawater sulfate into methane- and hydrocarbon-rich sediments, and thus selects for diverse hydrocarbon-degrading communities of which methane, alkane- and aromatics-oxidizing sulfate-reducing bacteria and archaea have been especially well-studied. Current molecular and cultivation surveys are detecting diverse fungi in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal sediments, and draw attention to possible fungal-bacterial interactions. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we report on background, recent results and outcomes, and underlying hypotheses that guide current experiments on this topic in the Edgcomb and Teske labs in 2021, and that we will revisit during our ongoing investigations of bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities in the deep sedimentary subsurface of Guaymas Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas P. Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Paraskevi Mara
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States
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8
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Schweitzer HD, Smith HJ, Barnhart EP, McKay LJ, Gerlach R, Cunningham AB, Malmstrom RR, Goudeau D, Fields MW. Subsurface hydrocarbon degradation strategies in low- and high-sulfate coal seam communities identified with activity-based metagenomics. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:7. [PMID: 35177633 PMCID: PMC8854433 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00267-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmentally relevant metagenomes and BONCAT-FACS derived translationally active metagenomes from Powder River Basin coal seams were investigated to elucidate potential genes and functional groups involved in hydrocarbon degradation to methane in coal seams with high- and low-sulfate levels. An advanced subsurface environmental sampler allowed the establishment of coal-associated microbial communities under in situ conditions for metagenomic analyses from environmental and translationally active populations. Metagenomic sequencing demonstrated that biosurfactants, aerobic dioxygenases, and anaerobic phenol degradation pathways were present in active populations across the sampled coal seams. In particular, results suggested the importance of anaerobic degradation pathways under high-sulfate conditions with an emphasis on fumarate addition. Under low-sulfate conditions, a mixture of both aerobic and anaerobic pathways was observed but with a predominance of aerobic dioxygenases. The putative low-molecular-weight biosurfactant, lichysein, appeared to play a more important role compared to rhamnolipids. The methods used in this study—subsurface environmental samplers in combination with metagenomic sequencing of both total and translationally active metagenomes—offer a deeper and environmentally relevant perspective on community genetic potential from coal seams poised at different redox conditions broadening the understanding of degradation strategies for subsurface carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah D Schweitzer
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA. .,Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA. .,UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, 9019, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Heidi J Smith
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA. .,Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Elliott P Barnhart
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,US Geological Survey, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Helena, MT, 59601, USA
| | - Luke J McKay
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Robin Gerlach
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,Energy Research Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Alfred B Cunningham
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,Energy Research Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.,Department of Civil Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew W Fields
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA. .,Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA. .,Energy Research Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
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9
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Ramdass AC, Rampersad SN. Diversity and Oil Degradation Potential of Culturable Microbes Isolated from Chronically Contaminated Soils in Trinidad. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1167. [PMID: 34071489 PMCID: PMC8230346 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Trinidad and Tobago is the largest producer of oil and natural gas in Central America and the Caribbean. Natural crude oil seeps, in addition to leaking petroleum pipelines, have resulted in chronic contamination of the surrounding terrestrial environments since the time of petroleum discovery, production, and refinement in Trinidad. In this study, we isolated microbes from soils chronically contaminated with crude oil using a culture-dependent approach with enrichment. The sampling of eight such sites located in the southern peninsula of Trinidad revealed a diverse microbial composition and novel oil-degrading filamentous fungi and yeast as single-isolate degraders and naturally occurring consortia, with specific bacterial species not previously reported in the literature. Multiple sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses confirmed the identity of the top degraders. The filamentous fungal community based on culturable species was dominated by Ascomycota, and the recovered yeast isolates were affiliated with Basidiomycota (65.23%) and Ascomycota (34.78%) phyla. Enhanced biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons is maintained by biocatalysts such as lipases. Five out of seven species demonstrated extracellular lipase activity in vitro. Our findings could provide new insights into microbial resources from chronically contaminated terrestrial environments, and this information will be beneficial to the bioremediation of petroleum contamination and other industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sephra N. Rampersad
- Biochemistry Research Laboratory (Rm216), Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies;
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10
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Sánchez-Soto MF, Cerqueda-García D, Alcántara-Hernández RJ, Falcón LI, Pech D, Árcega-Cabrera F, Aguirre-Macedo ML, García-Maldonado JQ. Assessing the Diversity of Benthic Sulfate-Reducing Microorganisms in Northwestern Gulf of Mexico by Illumina Sequencing of dsrB Gene. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:908-921. [PMID: 33196853 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01631-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the community composition, structure, and abundance of sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) in surficial sediments of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NWGoM) along a bathymetric gradient. For these purposes, Illumina sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase gene beta subunit (dsrB gene) were performed. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that SRM community was predominantly composed by members of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes across all the samples. However, Actinobacteria, Thermodesulfobacteria, and Chlorobi were also detected. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that unassigned dsrB sequences were related to Deltaproteobacteria and Nitrospirota superclusters, Euryarchaeota, and to environmental clusters. PCoA ordination revealed that samples clustered in three different groups. PERMANOVA indicated that water depth, temperature, redox, and nickel and cadmium content were the main environmental drivers for the SRM communities in the studied sites. Alpha diversity and abundance of SRM were lower for deeper sites, suggesting decreasing sulfate reduction activity with respect to water depth. This study contributes with the understanding of distribution and composition of dsrAB-containing microorganisms involved in sulfur transformations that may contribute to the resilience and stability of the benthic microbial communities facing metal and hydrocarbon pollution in the NWGoM, a region of recent development for oil and gas drilling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ma Fernanda Sánchez-Soto
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Daniel Cerqueda-García
- Consorcio de Investigación del Golfo de México (CIGOM), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | | | - Luisa I Falcón
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Yucatán, Sierra Papacal, Mexico
| | - Daniel Pech
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad Marina y Cambio Climático, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Flor Árcega-Cabrera
- Unidad de Química en Sisal, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Ma Leopoldina Aguirre-Macedo
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
| | - José Q García-Maldonado
- CONACYT-Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
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11
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Unraveling the Metabolic Potential of Asgardarchaeota in a Sediment from the Mediterranean Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Water Basin Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040859. [PMID: 33923677 PMCID: PMC8072921 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing number of metagenome sequencing studies have proposed a central metabolic role of still understudied Archaeal members in natural and artificial ecosystems. However, their role in hydrocarbon cycling, particularly in the anaerobic biodegradation of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, is still mostly unknown in both marine and terrestrial environments. In this work, we focused our study on the metagenomic characterization of the archaeal community inhabiting the Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy, central Mediterranean) sediments heavily contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Among metagenomic bins reconstructed from Mar Piccolo microbial community, we have identified members of the Asgardarchaeota superphylum that has been recently proposed to play a central role in hydrocarbon cycling in natural ecosystems under anoxic conditions. In particular, we found members affiliated with Thorarchaeota, Heimdallarchaeota, and Lokiarchaeota phyla and analyzed their genomic potential involved in central metabolism and hydrocarbon biodegradation. Metabolic prediction based on metagenomic analysis identified the malonyl-CoA and benzoyl-CoA routes as the pathways involved in aliphatic and aromatic biodegradation in these Asgardarchaeota members. This is the first study to give insight into the archaeal community functionality and connection to hydrocarbon degradation in marine sediment historically contaminated by hydrocarbons.
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Laczi K, Erdeiné Kis Á, Szilágyi Á, Bounedjoum N, Bodor A, Vincze GE, Kovács T, Rákhely G, Perei K. New Frontiers of Anaerobic Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in the Multi-Omics Era. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:590049. [PMID: 33304336 PMCID: PMC7701123 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.590049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment substantially endangers terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Many microbial strains have been recognized to utilize aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons under aerobic conditions. Nevertheless, most of these pollutants are transferred by natural processes, including rain, into the underground anaerobic zones where their degradation is much more problematic. In oxic zones, anaerobic microenvironments can be formed as a consequence of the intensive respiratory activities of (facultative) aerobic microbes. Even though aerobic bioremediation has been well-characterized over the past few decades, ample research is yet to be done in the field of anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation. With the emergence of high-throughput techniques, known as omics (e.g., genomics and metagenomics), the individual biodegraders, hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities and metabolic pathways, interactions can be described at a contaminated site. Omics approaches provide the opportunity to examine single microorganisms or microbial communities at the system level and elucidate the metabolic networks, interspecies interactions during hydrocarbon mineralization. Metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics, for example, can shed light on the active genes and proteins and functional importance of the less abundant species. Moreover, novel unculturable hydrocarbon-degrading strains and enzymes can be discovered and fit into the metabolic networks of the community. Our objective is to review the anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation processes, the most important hydrocarbon degraders and their diverse metabolic pathways, including the use of various terminal electron acceptors and various electron transfer processes. The review primarily focuses on the achievements obtained by the current high-throughput (multi-omics) techniques which opened new perspectives in understanding the processes at the system level including the metabolic routes of individual strains, metabolic/electric interaction of the members of microbial communities. Based on the multi-omics techniques, novel metabolic blocks can be designed and used for the construction of microbial strains/consortia for efficient removal of hydrocarbons in anaerobic zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztián Laczi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Erdeiné Kis
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Árpád Szilágyi
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Naila Bounedjoum
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Environmental and Technological Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila Bodor
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Environmental and Technological Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Tamás Kovács
- Department of Biotechnology, Nanophagetherapy Center, Enviroinvest Corporation, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Rákhely
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Environmental and Technological Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Katalin Perei
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Institute of Environmental and Technological Sciences, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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13
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Chemical Profiling Provides Insights into the Metabolic Machinery of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Deep-Sea Microbes. mSystems 2020; 5:5/6/e00824-20. [PMID: 33172970 PMCID: PMC7657597 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00824-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine microbes are known to degrade hydrocarbons; however, microbes inhabiting deep-sea sediments remain largely unexplored. Previous studies into the classical pathways of marine microbial metabolism reveal diverse chemistries; however, metabolic profiling of marine microbes cultured with hydrocarbons is limited. In this study, taxonomic (amplicon sequencing) profiles of two environmental deep-sea sediments (>1,200 m deep) were obtained, along with taxonomic and metabolomic (mass spectrometry-based metabolomics) profiles of microbes harbored in deep-sea sediments cultured with hydrocarbons as the sole energy source. Samples were collected from the Gulf of México (GM) and cultured for 28 days using simple (toluene, benzene, hexadecane, and naphthalene) and complex (petroleum API 40) hydrocarbon mixtures as the sole energy sources. The sediment samples harbored diverse microbial communities predominantly classified into Woeseiaceae and Kiloniellaceae families, whereas Pseudomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae families prevailed after sediments were cultured with hydrocarbons. Chemical profiling of microbial metabolomes revealed diverse chemical groups belonging primarily to the lipids and lipid-like molecules superclass, as well as the organoheterocyclic compound superclass (ClassyFire annotation). Metabolomic data and prediction of functional profiles indicated an increase in aromatic and alkane degradation in samples cultured with hydrocarbons. Previously unreported metabolites, identified as intermediates in the degradation of hydrocarbons, were annotated as hydroxylated polyunsaturated fatty acids and carboxylated benzene derivatives. In summary, this study used mass spectrometry-based metabolomics coupled to chemoinformatics to demonstrate how microbes from deep-sea sediments could be cultured in the presence of hydrocarbons. This study also highlights how this experimental approach can be used to increase the understanding of hydrocarbon degradation by deep-sea sediment microbes.IMPORTANCE High-throughput technologies and emerging informatics tools have significantly advanced knowledge of hydrocarbon metabolism by marine microbes. However, research into microbes inhabiting deep-sea sediments (>1,000 m) is limited compared to those found in shallow waters. In this study, a nontargeted and nonclassical approach was used to examine the diversity of bacterial taxa and the metabolic profiles of hydrocarbon-degrading deep-sea microbes. In conclusion, this study used metabolomics and chemoinformatics to demonstrate that microbes from deep-sea sediment origin thrive in the presence of toxic and difficult-to-metabolize hydrocarbons. Notably, this study provides evidence of previously unreported metabolites and the global chemical repertoire associated with the metabolism of hydrocarbons by deep-sea microbes.
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Development of nitrate stimulated hydrocarbon degrading microbial consortia from refinery sludge as potent bioaugmenting agent for enhanced bioremediation of petroleum contaminated waste. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:156. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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15
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Hidalgo KJ, Sierra-Garcia IN, Dellagnezze BM, de Oliveira VM. Metagenomic Insights Into the Mechanisms for Biodegradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Oil Supply Chain. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:561506. [PMID: 33072021 PMCID: PMC7530279 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.561506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Petroleum is a very complex and diverse organic mixture. Its composition depends on reservoir location and in situ conditions and changes once crude oil is spilled into the environment, making the characteristics associated with every spill unique. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common components of the crude oil and constitute a group of persistent organic pollutants. Due to their highly hydrophobic, and their low solubility tend to accumulate in soil and sediment. The process by which oil is sourced and made available for use is referred to as the oil supply chain and involves three parts: (1) upstream, (2) midstream and (3) downstream activities. As consequence from oil supply chain activities, crude oils are subjected to biodeterioration, acidification and souring, and oil spills are frequently reported affecting not only the environment, but also the economy and human resources. Different bioremediation techniques based on microbial metabolism, such as natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, biostimulation are promising approaches to minimize the environmental impact of oil spills. The rate and efficiency of this process depend on multiple factors, like pH, oxygen content, temperature, availability and concentration of the pollutants and diversity and structure of the microbial community present in the affected (contaminated) area. Emerging approaches, such as (meta-)taxonomics and (meta-)genomics bring new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PAH microbial degradation at both single species and community levels in oil reservoirs and groundwater/seawater spills. We have scrutinized the microbiological aspects of biodegradation of PAHs naturally occurring in oil upstream activities (exploration and production), and crude oil and/or by-products spills in midstream (transport and storage) and downstream (refining and distribution) activities. This work addresses PAH biodegradation in different stages of oil supply chain affecting diverse environments (groundwater, seawater, oil reservoir) focusing on genes and pathways as well as key players involved in this process. In depth understanding of the biodegradation process will provide/improve knowledge for optimizing and monitoring bioremediation in oil spills cases and/or to impair the degradation in reservoirs avoiding deterioration of crude oil quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J. Hidalgo
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Paulínia, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Isabel N. Sierra-Garcia
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Paulínia, Brazil
- Biology Department & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Bruna M. Dellagnezze
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Paulínia, Brazil
| | - Valéria Maia de Oliveira
- Microbial Resources Division, Research Center for Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture (CPQBA), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Paulínia, Brazil
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16
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Karthikeyan S, Kim M, Heritier-Robbins P, Hatt JK, Spain JC, Overholt WA, Huettel M, Kostka JE, Konstantinidis KT. Integrated Omics Elucidate the Mechanisms Driving the Rapid Biodegradation of Deepwater Horizon Oil in Intertidal Sediments Undergoing Oxic-Anoxic Cycles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:10088-10099. [PMID: 32667785 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Crude oil buried in intertidal sands may be exposed to alternating oxic and anoxic conditions but the effect of this tidally induced biogeochemical oscillation remains poorly understood, limiting the effectiveness of remediation and managing efforts after oil spills. Here, we used a combination of metatranscriptomics and genome-resolved metagenomics to study microbial activities in oil-contaminated sediments during oxic-anoxic cycles in laboratory chambers that closely emulated in situ conditions. Approximately 5-fold higher reductions in the total petroleum hydrocarbons were observed in the oxic as compared to the anoxic phases with a relatively constant ratio between aerobic and anaerobic oil decomposition rates even after prolonged anoxic conditions. Metatranscriptomics analysis indicated that the oxic phases promoted oil biodegradation in subsequent anoxic phases by microbially mediated reoxidation of alternative electron acceptors like sulfide and by providing degradation-limiting nitrogen through biological nitrogen fixation. Most population genomes reconstructed from the mesocosm samples represented uncultured taxa and were present typically as members of the rare biosphere in metagenomic data from uncontaminated field samples, implying that the intertidal communities are adapted to changes in redox conditions. Collectively, these results have important implications for enhancing oil spill remediation efforts in beach sands and coastal sediments and underscore the role of uncultured taxa in such efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smruthi Karthikeyan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Minjae Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Patrick Heritier-Robbins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Janet K Hatt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Jim C Spain
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics & Bioremediation, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola 32514, Florida, United States
| | - Will A Overholt
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Markus Huettel
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee 32306-4320, Florida, United States
| | - Joel E Kostka
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332-0002, Georgia, United States
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17
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Duan JL, Sun JW, Ji MM, Ma Y, Cui ZT, Tian RK, Xu PC, Sun WL, Yuan XZ. Indicatory bacteria and chemical composition related to sulfur distribution in the river-lake systems. Microbiol Res 2020; 236:126453. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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18
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Phale PS, Malhotra H, Shah BA. Degradation strategies and associated regulatory mechanisms/features for aromatic compound metabolism in bacteria. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2020; 112:1-65. [PMID: 32762865 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
As a result of anthropogenic activity, large number of recalcitrant aromatic compounds have been released into the environment. Consequently, microbial communities have adapted and evolved to utilize these compounds as sole carbon source, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The constitutive expression of enzymes necessary for metabolism imposes a heavy energy load on the microbe which is overcome by arrangement of degradative genes as operons which are induced by specific inducers. The segmentation of pathways into upper, middle and/or lower operons has allowed microbes to funnel multiple compounds into common key aromatic intermediates which are further metabolized through central carbon pathway. Various proteins belonging to diverse families have evolved to regulate the transcription of individual operons participating in aromatic catabolism. These proteins, complemented with global regulatory mechanisms, carry out the regulation of aromatic compound metabolic pathways in a concerted manner. Additionally, characteristics like chemotaxis, preferential utilization, pathway compartmentalization and biosurfactant production confer an advantage to the microbe, thus making bioremediation of the aromatic pollutants more efficient and effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant S Phale
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Mumbai, India.
| | - Harshit Malhotra
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Bhavik A Shah
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Mumbai, India
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19
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Karthikeyan S, Rodriguez-R LM, Heritier-Robbins P, Hatt JK, Huettel M, Kostka JE, Konstantinidis KT. Genome repository of oil systems: An interactive and searchable database that expands the catalogued diversity of crude oil-associated microbes. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2094-2106. [PMID: 32114693 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Microbial communities ultimately control the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) that enter the natural environment, but the interactions of microbes with PHCs and the environment are highly complex and poorly understood. Genome-resolved metagenomics can help unravel these complex interactions. However, the lack of a comprehensive database that integrates existing genomic/metagenomic data from oil environments with physicochemical parameters known to regulate the fate of PHCs currently limits data analysis and interpretations. Here, we curated a comprehensive, searchable database that documents microbial populations in natural oil ecosystems and oil spills, along with available underlying physicochemical data, geocoded via geographic information system to reveal their geographic distribution patterns. Analysis of the ~2000 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) available in the database revealed strong ecological niche specialization within habitats. Over 95% of the recovered MAGs represented novel taxa underscoring the limited representation of cultured organisms from oil-contaminated and oil reservoir ecosystems. The majority of MAGs linked to oil-contaminated ecosystems were detectable in non-oiled samples from the Gulf of Mexico but not in comparable samples from elsewhere, indicating that the Gulf is primed for oil biodegradation. The repository should facilitate future work toward a predictive understanding of the microbial taxa and their activities that control the fate of oil spills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smruthi Karthikeyan
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Building, Room 3321, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Luis M Rodriguez-R
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Building, Room 3321, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Patrick Heritier-Robbins
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Building, Room 3321, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Janet K Hatt
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Building, Room 3321, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Markus Huettel
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Joel E Kostka
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Konstantinos T Konstantinidis
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, ES&T Building, Room 3321, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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20
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Sun X, Chu L, Mercando E, Romero I, Hollander D, Kostka JE. Dispersant Enhances Hydrocarbon Degradation and Alters the Structure of Metabolically Active Microbial Communities in Shallow Seawater From the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2387. [PMID: 31749769 PMCID: PMC6842959 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Dispersant application is a primary emergency oil spill response strategy and yet the efficacy and unintended consequences of this approach in marine ecosystems remain controversial. To address these uncertainties, ex situ incubations were conducted to quantify the impact of dispersant on petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) biodegradation rates and microbial community structure at as close as realistically possible to approximated in situ conditions [2 ppm v/v oil with or without dispersant, at a dispersant to oil ratio (DOR) of 1:15] in surface seawater. Biodegradation rates were not substantially affected by dispersant application at low mixing conditions, while under completely dispersed conditions, biodegradation was substantially enhanced, decreasing the overall half-life of total PHC compounds from 15.4 to 8.8 days. While microbial respiration and growth were not substantially altered by dispersant treatment, RNA analysis revealed that dispersant application resulted in pronounced changes to the composition of metabolically active microbial communities, and the abundance of nitrogen-fixing prokaryotes, as determined by qPCR of nitrogenase (nifH) genes, showed a large increase. While the Gammaproteobacteria were enriched in all treatments, the Betaproteobacteria and different families of Alphaproteobacteria predominated in the oil and dispersant treatment, respectively. Results show that mixing conditions regulate the efficacy of dispersant application in an oil slick, and the quantitative increase in the nitrogen-fixing microbial community indicates a selection pressure for nitrogen fixation in response to a readily biodegradable, nitrogen-poor substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Sun
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment Pollution Integrated Control, Guangdong Institute of Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lena Chu
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Elisa Mercando
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Isabel Romero
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - David Hollander
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - Joel E Kostka
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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