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Douchi D, Si Larbi G, Fel B, Bonnanfant M, Louwagie M, Jouhet J, Agnely M, Pouget S, Maréchal E. Dryland Endolithic Chroococcidiopsis and Temperate Fresh Water Synechocystis Have Distinct Membrane Lipid and Photosynthesis Acclimation Strategies upon Desiccation and Temperature Increase. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:939-957. [PMID: 37944070 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad139] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
An effect of climate change is the expansion of drylands in temperate regions, predicted to affect microbial biodiversity. Since photosynthetic organisms are at the base of ecosystem's trophic networks, we compared an endolithic desiccation-tolerant Chroococcidiopsis cyanobacteria isolated from gypsum rocks in the Atacama Desert with a freshwater desiccation-sensitive Synechocystis. We sought whether some acclimation traits in response to desiccation and temperature variations were shared, to evaluate the potential of temperate species to possibly become resilient to future arid conditions. When temperature varies, Synechocystis tunes the acyl composition of its lipids, via a homeoviscous acclimation mechanism known to adjust membrane fluidity, whereas no such change occurs in Chroococcidiopsis. Vice versa, a combined study of photosynthesis and pigment content shows that Chroococcidiopsis remodels its photosynthesis components and keeps an optimal photosynthetic capacity at all temperatures, whereas Synechocystis is unable to such adjustment. Upon desiccation on a gypsum surface, Synechocystis is rapidly unable to revive, whereas Chroococcidiopsis is capable to recover after three weeks. Using X-ray diffraction, we found no evidence that Chroococcidiopsis could use water extracted from gypsum crystals in such conditions as a surrogate for missing water. The sulfolipid sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol becomes the prominent membrane lipid in both dehydrated cyanobacteria, highlighting an overlooked function for this lipid. Chroococcidiopsis keeps a minimal level of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, which may be essential for the recovery process. Results support that two independent adaptation strategies have evolved in these species to cope with temperature and desiccation increase and suggest some possible scenarios for microbial biodiversity change triggered by climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Douchi
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Gregory Si Larbi
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Benjamin Fel
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Marlène Bonnanfant
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Mathilde Louwagie
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Juliette Jouhet
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Mathias Agnely
- Saint Gobain Research Paris, SAINT-GOBAIN, 39 quai Lucien Lefranc, Aubervilliers Cedex 93303, France
| | - Stéphanie Pouget
- Laboratoire Modélisation et Exploration des Matériaux, Université Grenoble Alpes, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, IRIG; CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Eric Maréchal
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire et Végétale, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Grenoble Alpes, IRIG, CEA-Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
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Kim M, Lopez-Canfin C, Lázaro R, Sánchez-Cañete EP, Weber B. Unravelling the main mechanism responsible for nocturnal CO 2 uptake by dryland soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171751. [PMID: 38503391 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Soil respiration, or CO2 efflux from soil, is a crucial component of the terrestrial carbon cycle in climate models. Contrastingly, many dryland soils absorb atmospheric CO2 at night, but the exact mechanisms driving this uptake are actively debated. Here we used a mechanistic model with heuristic approaches to unravel the underlying processes of the observed patterns of soil-atmosphere CO2 fluxes. We show that the temperature drop during nighttime is the main driver of CO2 uptake by increasing CO2 solubility and local water pH of a thin water film on soil particle surfaces, providing favourable conditions for carbonate precipitation. Our data demonstrate that the nocturnal inorganic carbon absorption is a common soil process, but often offset by biological CO2 production. The uptake rates can be impacted by different successional stages of biocrusts that consume or produce CO2 and modify the pH of the soil water film, which can be maintained by non-rainfall water inputs, such as pore space condensation. Annual estimates of nocturnal carbon uptake, based on in situ continuous measurements at the soil level in drylands are still very scarce, but fluxes of up to several tens of g C m-2 y-1 have been reported, potentially accounting for a considerable fraction of the global residual terrestrial carbon sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minsu Kim
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Clément Lopez-Canfin
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain; Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Roberto Lázaro
- Department of Desertification and Geo-Ecology, Experimental Station of Arid Zones (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Enrique P Sánchez-Cañete
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain; Inter-University Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), Granada, Spain
| | - Bettina Weber
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Multiphase Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
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Li W, Wang C, Che G, Su M, Zhang Z, Liu W, Lin Z, Zhang J. Enhanced extraction of heavy metals from gypsum-based hazardous waste by nanoscale sulfuric acid film at ambient conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:134027. [PMID: 38508110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Low-cost, low-energy extraction of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) from hazardous gypsum cake is the goal of the metallurgical industry to mitigate environmental risks and carbon emissions. However, current extracting routes of hydrometallurgy often suffer from great energy inputs and substantial chemical inputs. Here, we report a novel solid-like approach with low energy consumption and chemical input to extract HMs by thin films under ambient conditions. Through constructing a nanoscale sulfuric acid film (NSF) of ∼50 nm thickness on the surface of arsenic-bearing gypsum (ABG), 99.6% of arsenic can be removed, surpassing the 50.3% removal in bulk solution. In-situ X-ray diffraction, infrared spectral, and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations demonstrate that NSF plays a dual role in promoting the phase transformation from gypsum to anhydrite and in changing the ionic species to prevent re-doping in anhydrite, which is not occurred in bulk solutions. The potential of the NSF is further validated in extracting other heavy metal(loid)s (e.g., Cu, Zn, and Cr) from synthetic and actual gypsum cake. With energy consumption and costs at 1/200 and 1/10 of traditional hydrometallurgy separately, this method offers an efficient and economical pathway for extracting HMs from heavy metal-bearing waste and recycling industrial solid waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Li
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; Binzhou Institute of Technology, Weiqiao-UCAS Science and Technology Park, Binzhou, Shandong 256606, PR China
| | - Chunli Wang
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China.
| | - Guiquan Che
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China
| | - Min Su
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China
| | - Weizhen Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, the Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters (Ministry of Education), Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Zhang Lin
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, the Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters (Ministry of Education), Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha 410083, PR China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Research Center for Environmental Material and Pollution Control Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Materials & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, PR China; Binzhou Institute of Technology, Weiqiao-UCAS Science and Technology Park, Binzhou, Shandong 256606, PR China.
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Horstmann L, Lipus D, Bartholomäus A, Arens F, Airo A, Ganzert L, Zamorano P, Schulze-Makuch D, Wagner D. Persistent microbial communities in hyperarid subsurface habitats of the Atacama Desert: Insights from intracellular DNA analysis. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae123. [PMID: 38655503 PMCID: PMC11037274 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Desert environments constitute one of the largest and yet most fragile ecosystems on Earth. Under the absence of regular precipitation, microorganisms are the main ecological component mediating nutrient fluxes by using soil components, like minerals and salts, and atmospheric gases as a source for energy and water. While most of the previous studies on microbial ecology of desert environments have focused on surface environments, little is known about microbial life in deeper sediment layers. Our study is extending the limited knowledge about microbial communities within the deeper subsurface of the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert. By employing intracellular DNA extraction and subsequent 16S rRNA sequencing of samples collected from a soil pit in the Yungay region of the Atacama Desert, we unveiled a potentially viable microbial subsurface community residing at depths down to 4.20 m. In the upper 80 cm of the playa sediments, microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes taxa showing a depth-related decrease in biomass correlating with increasing amounts of soluble salts. High salt concentrations are possibly causing microbial colonization to cease in the lower part of the playa sediments between 80 and 200 cm depth. In the underlying alluvial fan deposits, microbial communities reemerge, possibly due to gypsum providing an alternative water source. The discovery of this deeper subsurface community is reshaping our understanding of desert soils, emphasizing the need to consider subsurface environments in future explorations of arid ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Horstmann
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department Experimental Phycology and Culture Collection of Algae (EPSAG), Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Lipus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Alexander Bartholomäus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Felix Arens
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandro Airo
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Ganzert
- Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
| | - Pedro Zamorano
- Laboratorio de Microorganismos Extremófilos, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta 02800, Chile
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Wagner
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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Zorzano MP, Martínez G, Polkko J, Tamppari LK, Newman C, Savijärvi H, Goreva Y, Viúdez-Moreiras D, Bertrand T, Smith M, Hausrath EM, Siljeström S, Benison K, Bosak T, Czaja AD, Debaille V, Herd CDK, Mayhew L, Sephton MA, Shuster D, Simon JI, Weiss B, Randazzo N, Mandon L, Brown A, Hecht MH, Martínez-Frías J. Present-day thermal and water activity environment of the Mars Sample Return collection. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7175. [PMID: 38532041 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57458-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Mars Sample Return mission intends to retrieve a sealed collection of rocks, regolith, and atmosphere sampled from Jezero Crater, Mars, by the NASA Perseverance rover mission. For all life-related research, it is necessary to evaluate water availability in the samples and on Mars. Within the first Martian year, Perseverance has acquired an estimated total mass of 355 g of rocks and regolith, and 38 μmoles of Martian atmospheric gas. Using in-situ observations acquired by the Perseverance rover, we show that the present-day environmental conditions at Jezero allow for the hydration of sulfates, chlorides, and perchlorates and the occasional formation of frost as well as a diurnal atmospheric-surface water exchange of 0.5-10 g water per m2 (assuming a well-mixed atmosphere). At night, when the temperature drops below 190 K, the surface water activity can exceed 0.5, the lowest limit for cell reproduction. During the day, when the temperature is above the cell replication limit of 245 K, water activity is less than 0.02. The environmental conditions at the surface of Jezero Crater, where these samples were acquired, are incompatible with the cell replication limits currently known on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, 28850, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Germán Martínez
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX, USA
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jouni Polkko
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Leslie K Tamppari
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | | | | | - Yulia Goreva
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | | | - Tanguy Bertrand
- Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique (LESIA), Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne, France
| | - Michael Smith
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tanja Bosak
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew D Czaja
- Department of Geosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Vinciane Debaille
- Laboratoire G-Time, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christopher D K Herd
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Lisa Mayhew
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mark A Sephton
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Justin I Simon
- Center for Isotope Cosmochemistry and Geochronology, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin Weiss
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicolas Randazzo
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Lucia Mandon
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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Levchenko L, Xu S, Baranov O, Bazaka K. How to Survive at Point Nemo? Fischer-Tropsch, Artificial Photosynthesis, and Plasma Catalysis for Sustainable Energy at Isolated Habitats. GLOBAL CHALLENGES (HOBOKEN, NJ) 2024; 8:2300086. [PMID: 38223892 PMCID: PMC10784207 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202300086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Inhospitable, inaccessible, and extremely remote alike the famed pole of inaccessibility, aka Point Nemo, the isolated locations in deserts, at sea, or in outer space are difficult for humans to settle, let alone to thrive in. Yet, they present a unique set of opportunities for science, economy, and geopolitics that are difficult to ignore. One of the critical challenges for settlers is the stable supply of energy both to sustain a reasonable quality of life, as well as to take advantage of the local opportunities presented by the remote environment, e.g., abundance of a particular resource. The possible solutions to this challenge are heavily constrained by the difficulty and prohibitive cost of transportation to and from such a habitat (e.g., a lunar or Martian base). In this essay, the advantages and possible challenges of integrating Fischer-Tropsch, artificial photosynthesis, and plasma catalysis into a robust, scalable, and efficient self-contained system for energy harvesting, storage, and utilization are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- lgor Levchenko
- School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and CyberneticsThe Australian National UniversityCanberraACT2600Australia
- Plasma Sources and Application Centre, NIENanyang Technological UniversitySingapore637616Singapore
| | - Shuyan Xu
- Plasma Sources and Application Centre, NIENanyang Technological UniversitySingapore637616Singapore
| | - Oleg Baranov
- Department of Theoretical MechanicsEngineering and Robomechanical SystemsNational Aerospace UniversityKharkiv61070Ukraine
- Department of Gaseous ElectronicsJozef Stefan InstituteLjubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Kateryna Bazaka
- School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and CyberneticsThe Australian National UniversityCanberraACT2600Australia
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Zhong J, Huang W, Zhou H. Multifunctionality in Nature: Structure-Function Relationships in Biological Materials. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:284. [PMID: 37504172 PMCID: PMC10807375 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern material design aims to achieve multifunctionality through integrating structures in a diverse range, resulting in simple materials with embedded functions. Biological materials and organisms are typical examples of this concept, where complex functionalities are achieved through a limited material base. This review highlights the multiscale structural and functional integration of representative natural organisms and materials, as well as biomimetic examples. The impact, wear, and crush resistance properties exhibited by mantis shrimp and ironclad beetle during predation or resistance offer valuable inspiration for the development of structural materials in the aerospace field. Investigating cyanobacteria that thrive in extreme environments can contribute to developing living materials that can serve in places like Mars. The exploration of shape memory and the self-repairing properties of spider silk and mussels, as well as the investigation of sensing-actuating and sensing-camouflage mechanisms in Banksias, chameleons, and moths, holds significant potential for the optimization of soft robot designs. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of mussel and gecko adhesion mechanisms can have a profound impact on medical fields, including tissue engineering and drug delivery. In conclusion, the integration of structure and function is crucial for driving innovations and breakthroughs in modern engineering materials and their applications. The gaps between current biomimetic designs and natural organisms are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; (J.Z.); (H.Z.)
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8
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Cowan DA, Cary SC, DiRuggiero J, Eckardt F, Ferrari B, Hopkins DW, Lebre PH, Maggs-Kölling G, Pointing SB, Ramond JB, Tribbia D, Warren-Rhodes K. 'Follow the Water': Microbial Water Acquisition in Desert Soils. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1670. [PMID: 37512843 PMCID: PMC10386458 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Water availability is the dominant driver of microbial community structure and function in desert soils. However, these habitats typically only receive very infrequent large-scale water inputs (e.g., from precipitation and/or run-off). In light of recent studies, the paradigm that desert soil microorganisms are largely dormant under xeric conditions is questionable. Gene expression profiling of microbial communities in desert soils suggests that many microbial taxa retain some metabolic functionality, even under severely xeric conditions. It, therefore, follows that other, less obvious sources of water may sustain the microbial cellular and community functionality in desert soil niches. Such sources include a range of precipitation and condensation processes, including rainfall, snow, dew, fog, and nocturnal distillation, all of which may vary quantitatively depending on the location and geomorphological characteristics of the desert ecosystem. Other more obscure sources of bioavailable water may include groundwater-derived water vapour, hydrated minerals, and metabolic hydro-genesis. Here, we explore the possible sources of bioavailable water in the context of microbial survival and function in xeric desert soils. With global climate change projected to have profound effects on both hot and cold deserts, we also explore the potential impacts of climate-induced changes in water availability on soil microbiomes in these extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don A Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - S Craig Cary
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand
| | - Jocelyne DiRuggiero
- Departments of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Departments of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Frank Eckardt
- Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - Belinda Ferrari
- School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - David W Hopkins
- Scotland's Rural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Pedro H Lebre
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | | | - Stephen B Pointing
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ramond
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- Departamento Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Dana Tribbia
- School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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9
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Corenblit D, Decaux O, Delmotte S, Toumazet JP, Arrignon F, André MF, Darrozes J, Davies NS, Julien F, Otto T, Ramillien G, Roussel E, Steiger J, Viles H. Signatures of Life Detected in Images of Rocks Using Neural Network Analysis Demonstrate New Potential for Searching for Biosignatures on the Surface of Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:308-326. [PMID: 36668995 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms play a role in the construction or modulation of various types of landforms. They are especially notable for forming microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS). Such microbial structures have been considered to be among the most likely biosignatures that might be encountered on the martian surface. Twenty-nine algorithms have been tested with images taken during a laboratory experiment for testing their performance in discriminating mat cracks (MISS) from abiotic mud cracks. Among the algorithms, neural network types produced excellent predictions with similar precision of 0.99. Following that step, a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach has been tested to see whether it can conclusively detect MISS in images of rocks and sediment surfaces taken at different natural sites where present and ancient (fossil) microbial mat cracks and abiotic desiccation cracks were observed. The CNN approach showed excellent prediction of biotic and abiotic structures from the images (global precision, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively, 0.99, 0.99, and 0.97). The key areas of interest of the machine matched well with human expertise for distinguishing biotic and abiotic forms (in their geomorphological meaning). The images indicated clear differences between the abiotic and biotic situations expressed at three embedded scales: texture (size, shape, and arrangement of the grains constituting the surface of one form), form (outer shape of one form), and pattern of form arrangement (arrangement of the forms over a few square meters). The most discriminative components for biogenicity were the border of the mat cracks with their tortuous enlarged and blistered morphology more or less curved upward, sometimes with thin laminations. To apply this innovative biogeomorphological approach to the images obtained by rovers on Mars, the main physical and biological sources of variation in abiotic and biotic outcomes must now be further considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Corenblit
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, Clermont-Ferrand, France
- CNRS, Laboratoire écologie fonctionnelle et environnement, Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - José Darrozes
- Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS/IRD, GET, Toulouse, France
| | - Neil S Davies
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Frédéric Julien
- CNRS, Laboratoire écologie fonctionnelle et environnement, Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Thierry Otto
- CNRS, Laboratoire écologie fonctionnelle et environnement, Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Erwan Roussel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Johannes Steiger
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Heather Viles
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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10
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Olsson-Francis K, Doran PT, Ilyin V, Raulin F, Rettberg P, Kminek G, Mier MPZ, Coustenis A, Hedman N, Shehhi OA, Ammannito E, Bernardini J, Fujimoto M, Grasset O, Groen F, Hayes A, Gallagher S, Kumar K P, Mustin C, Nakamura A, Seasly E, Suzuki Y, Peng J, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Sinibaldi S, Xu K, Zaitsev M. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for robotic missions to Mars: A review of current scientific knowledge and future perspectives. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2023; 36:27-35. [PMID: 36682826 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.12.001] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Planetary protection guidance for martian exploration has become a notable point of discussion over the last decade. This is due to increased scientific interest in the habitability of the red planet with updated techniques, missions becoming more attainable by smaller space agencies, and both the private sector and governments engaging in activities to facilitate commercial opportunities and human-crewed missions. The international standards for planetary protection have been developed through consultation with the scientific community and the space agencies by the Committee on Space Research's (COSPAR) Panel on Planetary Protection, which provides guidance for compliance with the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. In 2021, the Panel evaluated recent scientific data and literature regarding the planetary protection requirements for Mars and the implications of this on the guidelines. In this paper, we discuss the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for Mars, review the new scientific findings and discuss the next steps required to enable the next generation of robotic missions to Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Olsson-Francis
- AstrobiologyOU, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Peter T Doran
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Vyacheslav Ilyin
- Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Francois Raulin
- Univ Paris Est Cr Univ Paris Est Créteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Petra Rettberg
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Research Group Astrobiology, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | | | - María-Paz Zorzano Mier
- Centro deAstrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Athena Coustenis
- LESIA, Paris Observatory, PSL University, CNRS, Paris University, 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
| | - Niklas Hedman
- Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section, Office for Outer Space Affairs, United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - James Bernardini
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Masaki Fujimoto
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Frank Groen
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Alex Hayes
- Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, USA
| | - Sarah Gallagher
- Institute of Earth and Space Exploration, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Akiko Nakamura
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo,7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Elaine Seasly
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Yohey Suzuki
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo,7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Jing Peng
- China National Space Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Olga Prieto-Ballesteros
- Centro deAstrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Kanyan Xu
- Laboratory of Space Microbiology, Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group, Chinese Academy of Space Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Maxim Zaitsev
- Planetary Physics Dept., Space Research Inst. of Russian Acad. of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Church G. Picogram-Scale Interstellar Probes via Bioinspired Engineering. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1452-1458. [PMID: 36475966 PMCID: PMC9784576 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
For exploring nearby stars, let us consider the challenges of a picogram- to nanogram-scale probe to land, replicate, and produce a communications module based on biominerals at the destination. A billion such probes could be launched for similar cost as a single gram-scale probe. One design is a highly reflective light sail, traveling a long straight line toward the gravitational well of a destination star, and then photo-deflected to the closest nonluminous mass-ideally a planet or moon with exposed liquid water.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Church
- Wyss Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Iron acquisition and mineral transformation by cyanobacteria living in extreme environments. Mater Today Bio 2022; 17:100493. [PMCID: PMC9682352 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100493] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential micronutrient for most living organisms, including cyanobacteria. These microorganisms have been found in Earth's driest polar and non-polar deserts, including the Atacama Desert, Chile. Iron-containing minerals were identified in colonized rock substrates from the Atacama Desert, however, the interactions between microorganisms and iron minerals remain unclear. In the current study, we determined that colonized gypsum rocks collected from the Atacama Desert contained both magnetite and hematite phases. A cyanobacteria isolate was cultured on substrates consisting of gypsum with embedded magnetite nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy imaging revealed a significant reduction in the size of magnetite nanoparticles due to their dissolution, which occurred around the microbial biofilms. Concurrently, hematite was detected, likely from the oxidation of the magnetite nanoparticles. Higher cell counts and production of siderophores were observed in cultures with magnetite nanoparticles suggesting that cyanobacteria were actively acquiring iron from the magnetite nanoparticles. Magnetite dissolution and iron acquisition by the cyanobacteria was further confirmed using large bulk magnetite crystals, uncovering a survival strategy of cyanobacteria in these extreme environments.
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de la Puente L, Pedro Ferrio J, Palacio S. Disentangling water sources in a gypsum plant community. Gypsum crystallization water is a key source of water for shallow-rooted plants. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 129:87-100. [PMID: 34406365 PMCID: PMC8829898 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gypsum drylands are widespread worldwide. In these arid ecosystems, the ability of different species to access different water sources during drought is a key determining factor of the composition of plant communities. Gypsum crystallization water could be a relevant source of water for shallow-rooted plants, but the segregation in the use of this source of water among plants remains unexplored. We analysed the principal water sources used by 20 species living in a gypsum hilltop, the effect of rooting depth and gypsum affinity, and the interaction of the plants with the soil beneath them. METHODS We characterized the water stable isotope composition, δ 2H and δ 18O, of plant xylem water and related it to the free and gypsum crystallization water extracted from different depths throughout the soil profile and the groundwater, in both spring and summer. Bayesian isotope mixing models were used to estimate the contribution of water sources to plant xylem sap. KEY RESULTS In spring, all species used free water from the top soil as the main source. In summer, there was segregation in water sources used by different species depending on their rooting depth, but not on their gypsum affinity. Gypsum crystallization water was the main source for most shallow-rooted species, whereas free water from 50 to 100 cm depth was the main source for deep-rooted species. We detected plant-soil interactions in spring, and indirect evidence of possible hydraulic lift by deep-rooted species in summer. CONCLUSIONS Plants coexisting in gypsum communities segregate their hydrological niches according to their rooting depth. Crystallization water of gypsum represents an unaccounted for, vital source for most of the shallow-rooted species growing on gypsum drylands. Thus, crystallization water helps shallow-rooted species to endure arid conditions, which eventually accounts for the maintenance of high biodiversity in these specialized ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura de la Puente
- Departamento Biodiversidad y Restauración, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avenida Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, 16, Jaca, ES-22700, Spain
| | - Juan Pedro Ferrio
- Unidad de Recursos Forestales, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Av. Montañana 930, Zaragoza, ES-50059, Spain
| | - Sara Palacio
- Departamento Biodiversidad y Restauración, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avenida Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, 16, Jaca, ES-22700, Spain
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14
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Santomartino R, Zea L, Cockell CS. The smallest space miners: principles of space biomining. Extremophiles 2022; 26:7. [PMID: 34993644 PMCID: PMC8739323 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-021-01253-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
As we aim to expand human presence in space, we need to find viable approaches to achieve independence from terrestrial resources. Space biomining of the Moon, Mars and asteroids has been indicated as one of the promising approaches to achieve in-situ resource utilization by the main space agencies. Structural and expensive metals, essential mineral nutrients, water, oxygen and volatiles could be potentially extracted from extraterrestrial regolith and rocks using microbial-based biotechnologies. The use of bioleaching microorganisms could also be applied to space bioremediation, recycling of waste and to reinforce regenerative life support systems. However, the science around space biomining is still young. Relevant differences between terrestrial and extraterrestrial conditions exist, including the rock types and ores available for mining, and a direct application of established terrestrial biomining techniques may not be a possibility. It is, therefore, necessary to invest in terrestrial and space-based research of specific methods for space applications to learn the effects of space conditions on biomining and bioremediation, expand our knowledge on organotrophic and community-based bioleaching mechanisms, as well as on anaerobic biomining, and investigate the use of synthetic biology to overcome limitations posed by the space environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK.
| | - Luis Zea
- BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
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15
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Natalicchio M, Birgel D, Dela Pierre F, Ziegenbalg S, Hoffmann-Sell L, Gier S, Peckmann J. Messinian bottom-grown selenitic gypsum: An archive of microbial life. GEOBIOLOGY 2022; 20:3-21. [PMID: 34296807 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12464] [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: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Primary gypsum deposits, which accumulated in the Mediterranean Basin during the so-called Messinian salinity crisis (5.97-5.33 Ma), represent an excellent archive of microbial life. We investigated the molecular fossil inventory and the corresponding compound-specific δ13 C values of bottom-grown gypsum formed during the first stage of the crisis in four marginal basins across the Mediterranean (Nijar, Spain; Vena del Gesso, Italy; Heraklion, Crete; and Psematismenos, Cyprus). All studied gypsum samples contain intricate networks of filamentous microfossils, whose phylogenetic affiliation has been debated for a long time. Petrographic analysis, molecular fossil inventories (hydrocarbons, alcohols, and carboxylic acids), and carbon stable isotope patterns suggest that the mazes of filamentous fossils represent benthic microbial assemblages dominated by chemotrophic sulfide-oxidizing bacteria; in some of the samples, the body fossils are accompanied by lipids produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Abundant isoprenoid alcohols including diphytanyl glycerol diethers (DGDs) and glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), typified by highly variable carbon stable isotope composition with δ13 C values spanning from -40 to -14‰, reveal the presence of planktic and benthic archaeal communities dwelling in Messinian paleoenvironments. The compound inventory of archaeal lipids indicates the existence of a stratified water column, with a normal marine to diluted upper water column and more saline deeper waters. This study documents the lipid biomarker inventory of microbial life preserved in ancient gypsum deposits, helping to reconstruct the widely debated conditions under which Messinian gypsum formed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Natalicchio
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Daniel Birgel
- Institut für Geologie, Centrum für Erdsystemforschung und Nachhaltigkeit, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Francesco Dela Pierre
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | | | - Susanne Gier
- Institut für Geologie, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria
| | - Jörn Peckmann
- Institut für Geologie, Centrum für Erdsystemforschung und Nachhaltigkeit, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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16
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Vignale FA, Lencina AI, Stepanenko TM, Soria MN, Saona LA, Kurth D, Guzmán D, Foster JS, Poiré DG, Villafañe PG, Albarracín VH, Contreras M, Farías ME. Lithifying and Non-Lithifying Microbial Ecosystems in the Wetlands and Salt Flats of the Central Andes. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:1-17. [PMID: 33730193 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The wetlands and salt flats of the Central Andes region are unique extreme environments as they are located in high-altitude saline deserts, largely influenced by volcanic activity. Environmental factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, arsenic content, high salinity, low dissolved oxygen content, extreme daily temperature fluctuation, and oligotrophic conditions, resemble the early Earth and potentially extraterrestrial conditions. The discovery of modern microbialites and microbial mats in the Central Andes during the past decade has increased the interest in this area as an early Earth analog. In this work, we review the current state of knowledge of Central Andes region environments found within lakes, small ponds or puquios, and salt flats of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, many of them harboring a diverse range of microbial communities that we have termed Andean Microbial Ecosystems (AMEs). We have integrated the data recovered from all the known AMEs and compared their biogeochemistry and microbial diversity to achieve a better understanding of them and, consequently, facilitate their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico A Vignale
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN)-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustina I Lencina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Tatiana M Stepanenko
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Mariana N Soria
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Luis A Saona
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel Kurth
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel Guzmán
- Centro de Biotecnología (CBT), Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS), Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Jamie S Foster
- Space Life Science Lab, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Merritt Island, FL, USA
| | - Daniel G Poiré
- Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CIG), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)-CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Patricio G Villafañe
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Virginia H Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME)-CCT-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | - María E Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI)-CCT-CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
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17
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Seeds of imperfection rule the mesocrystalline disorder in natural anhydrite single crystals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2111213118. [PMID: 34815342 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2111213118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, we have come to appreciate the astounding intricacies associated with the formation of minerals from ions in aqueous solutions. In this context, a number of studies have revealed that the nucleation of calcium sulfate systems occurs nonclassically, involving the aggregation and reorganization of nanosized prenucleation species. In recent work, we have shown that this particle-mediated nucleation pathway is actually imprinted in the resultant micrometer-sized CaSO4 crystals. This property of CaSO4 minerals provides us with the unique opportunity to search for evidence of nonclassical nucleation pathways in geological environments. In particular, we focused on large anhydrite crystals extracted from the Naica Mine in Mexico. We were able to shed light on this mineral's growth history by mapping defects at different length scales. Based on this, we argue that the nanoscale misalignment of the structural subunits, observed in the initial calcium sulfate crystal seeds, propagates through different length scales both in morphological, as well as in strictly crystallographic aspects, eventually causing the formation of large mesostructured single crystals of anhydrite. Hence, the nonclassical nucleation mechanism introduces a "seed of imperfection," which leads to a macroscopic "single" crystal whose fragments do not fit together at different length scales in a self-similar manner. Consequently, anisotropic voids of various sizes are formed with very well-defined walls/edges. However, at the same time, the material retains in part its single crystal nature.
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18
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Williams RM, Irwin RP, Noe Dobrea EZ, Howard AD, Dietrich WE, Cawley J. Inverted channel variations identified on a distal portion of a bajada in the central Atacama Desert, Chile. GEOMORPHOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 393:107925. [PMID: 34785830 PMCID: PMC8587680 DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In deserts, the interplay between occasional fluvial events and persistent aeolian erosion can form composite modern and relict surfaces, especially on the distal portion of alluvial fans. There, relief inversion of alluvial deposits by differential erosion can form longitudinal ridges. We identified two distinct ridge types formed by relief inversion on converging alluvial fans in the hyperarid Chilean Atacama Desert. Although they are co-located and similar in scale, the ridge types have different ages and formation histories that apparently correspond to minor paleoclimate variations. Gravel-armored ridges are remnants of deflated alluvial deposits with a bimodal sediment distribution (gravel and sand) dated to a minor pluvial phase at the end of the Late Pleistocene (~12 kyr). In contrast, younger (~9 kyr) sulfate-capped ridges formed during a minor arid phase with evaporite deposition in a pre-existing channel that armored the underlying deposits. Collectively, inverted channels at Salar de Llamara resulted from multiple episodes of surface overland flow and standing water spanning several thousand years. Based on ridge relief and age, the minimum long-term deflation rate is 0.1-0.2 m/kyr, driven primarily by wind erosion. This case study is an example of the equifinality concept whereby different processes lead to similar landforms. The complex history of the two ridge types can only be generally constrained in remotely sensed data. In situ observations are required to discern the specifics of the aqueous history, including the flow type, magnitude, sequence, and paleoenvironment. These findings have relevance for interpreting similar landforms on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M.E. Williams
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States of America
| | - Rossman P. Irwin
- Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC 315, Washington, DC 20013-7012, United States of America
| | - Eldar Z. Noe Dobrea
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States of America
| | - Alan D. Howard
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States of America
| | - William E. Dietrich
- Earth & Planetary Science, University of California—Berkeley, 307 McCone Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America
| | - J.C. Cawley
- Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC 315, Washington, DC 20013-7012, United States of America
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19
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Vignale FA, Kurth D, Lencina AI, Poiré DG, Chihuailaf E, Muñoz-Herrera NC, Novoa F, Contreras M, Turjanski AG, Farías ME. Geobiology of Andean Microbial Ecosystems Discovered in Salar de Atacama, Chile. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:762076. [PMID: 34777316 PMCID: PMC8581658 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.762076] [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: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Salar de Atacama in the Chilean Central Andes harbors unique microbial ecosystems due to extreme environmental conditions, such as high altitude, low oxygen pressure, high solar radiation, and high salinity. Combining X-ray diffraction analyses, scanning electron microscopy and molecular diversity studies, we have characterized twenty previously unexplored Andean microbial ecosystems in eight different lakes and wetlands from the middle-east and south-east regions of this salt flat. The mats and microbialites studied are mainly formed by calcium carbonate (aragonite and calcite) and halite, whereas the endoevaporites are composed predominantly of gypsum and halite. The carbonate-rich mats and microbialites are dominated by Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria phyla. Within the phylum Proteobacteria, the most abundant classes are Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria. While in the phylum Bacteroidetes, the most abundant classes are Bacteroidia and Rhodothermia. Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia phyla are also well-represented in the majority of these systems. Gypsum endoevaporites, on the contrary, are dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Euryarchaeota phyla. The Cyanobacteria phylum is also abundant in these systems, but it is less represented in comparison to mats and microbialites. Regarding the eukaryotic taxa, diatoms are key structural components in most of the microbial ecosystems studied. The genera of diatoms identified were Achnanthes, Fallacia, Halamphora, Mastogloia, Navicula, Nitzschia, and Surirella. Normally, in the mats and microbialites, diatoms form nano-globular carbonate aggregates with filamentous cyanobacteria and other prokaryotic cells, suggesting their participation in the mineral precipitation process. This work expands our knowledge of the microbial ecosystems inhabiting the extreme environments from the Central Andes region, which is important to ensure their protection and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico A. Vignale
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática Estructural, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN)-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Kurth
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Agustina I. Lencina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Daniel G. Poiré
- Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CIG), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)-CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | | | | | | | | | - Adrián G. Turjanski
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática Estructural, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN)-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María E. Farías
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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20
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Green H, Gleadow A, Levchenko VA, Finch D, Myers C, McGovern J, Heaney P, Pickering R. Dating correlated microlayers in oxalate accretions from rock art shelters: New archives of paleoenvironments and human activity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabf3632. [PMID: 34389535 PMCID: PMC8363142 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf3632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Oxalate-rich mineral accretions, often found in rock shelters around the world, offer important opportunities for radiocarbon dating of associated rock art. Here, sample characterization and chemical pretreatment techniques are used to characterize the accretions, prescreen for evidence of open-system behavior, and address potential contamination. The results provide stratigraphically consistent sequences of radiocarbon dates in millimeter-scale laminated accretions, demonstrating their reliability for dating rock art, particularly symbolic markings commonly engraved into these relatively soft deposits. The age sequences are also consistent with correlations between distinctive patterns in the layer sequences visible in shelters up to 90 km apart in the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia, suggesting their synchronized formation is not entirely shelter specific but broadly controlled by variations in regional environmental conditions. Consequently, these accretions also offer potential as paleoenvironmental archives, with radiocarbon dating of layers in nine accretions indicating four, approximately synchronous growth intervals covering the past 43 ka.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Green
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Andrew Gleadow
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vladimir A Levchenko
- Centre for Accelerator Science, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, New South Wales 2232, Australia
| | - Damien Finch
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cecilia Myers
- Dunkeld Pastoral Co. Pty Ltd Theda Station, PMB 14, Kununurra, Western Australia 6743, Australia
| | - Jenna McGovern
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pauline Heaney
- Lettuce Create/Rock Art Australia, 16 Chaucer Parade, Strathpine, Queensland 4500, Australia
| | - Robyn Pickering
- Department of Geological Science, Human Evolution Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701 Cape Town, South Africa
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21
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Schulze-Makuch D, Lipus D, Arens FL, Baqué M, Bornemann TLV, de Vera JP, Flury M, Frösler J, Heinz J, Hwang Y, Kounaves SP, Mangelsdorf K, Meckenstock RU, Pannekens M, Probst AJ, Sáenz JS, Schirmack J, Schloter M, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Schneider B, Uhl J, Vestergaard G, Valenzuela B, Zamorano P, Wagner D. Microbial Hotspots in Lithic Microhabitats Inferred from DNA Fractionation and Metagenomics in the Atacama Desert. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051038. [PMID: 34065975 PMCID: PMC8151210 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The existence of microbial activity hotspots in temperate regions of Earth is driven by soil heterogeneities, especially the temporal and spatial availability of nutrients. Here we investigate whether microbial activity hotspots also exist in lithic microhabitats in one of the most arid regions of the world, the Atacama Desert in Chile. While previous studies evaluated the total DNA fraction to elucidate the microbial communities, we here for the first time use a DNA separation approach on lithic microhabitats, together with metagenomics and other analysis methods (i.e., ATP, PLFA, and metabolite analysis) to specifically gain insights on the living and potentially active microbial community. Our results show that hypolith colonized rocks are microbial hotspots in the desert environment. In contrast, our data do not support such a conclusion for gypsum crust and salt rock environments, because only limited microbial activity could be observed. The hypolith community is dominated by phototrophs, mostly Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi, at both study sites. The gypsum crusts are dominated by methylotrophs and heterotrophic phototrophs, mostly Chloroflexi, and the salt rocks (halite nodules) by phototrophic and halotolerant endoliths, mostly Cyanobacteria and Archaea. The major environmental constraints in the organic-poor arid and hyperarid Atacama Desert are water availability and UV irradiation, allowing phototrophs and other extremophiles to play a key role in desert ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; (F.L.A.); (J.H.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Experimental Limnology, 16775 Stechlin, Germany
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
- Correspondence: (D.S.-M.); (D.W.); Tel.: +49-(30)-314-23736 (D.S.-M.); +49-(331)-288-28800 (D.W.)
| | - Daniel Lipus
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; (D.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Felix L. Arens
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; (F.L.A.); (J.H.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Mickael Baqué
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Till L. V. Bornemann
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; (T.L.V.B.); (J.F.); (R.U.M.); (M.P.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Jean-Pierre de Vera
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC), 51147 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Markus Flury
- Department of Crop and Soil Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
- Department of Crop and Soil Science, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA
| | - Jan Frösler
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; (T.L.V.B.); (J.F.); (R.U.M.); (M.P.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Jacob Heinz
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; (F.L.A.); (J.H.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Yunha Hwang
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; (F.L.A.); (J.H.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Samuel P. Kounaves
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02155, USA;
- Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Kai Mangelsdorf
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Organic Geochemistry, 14473 Potsdam, Germany;
| | - Rainer U. Meckenstock
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; (T.L.V.B.); (J.F.); (R.U.M.); (M.P.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Mark Pannekens
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; (T.L.V.B.); (J.F.); (R.U.M.); (M.P.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Alexander J. Probst
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45141 Essen, Germany; (T.L.V.B.); (J.F.); (R.U.M.); (M.P.); (A.J.P.)
| | - Johan S. Sáenz
- Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (J.S.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Janosch Schirmack
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; (F.L.A.); (J.H.); (Y.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (J.S.S.); (M.S.)
| | - Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (P.-S.K.); (J.U.)
| | - Beate Schneider
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jenny Uhl
- Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; (P.-S.K.); (J.U.)
| | - Gisle Vestergaard
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark;
| | - Bernardita Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Microorganismos Extremófilos, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Av. Angamos 601, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; (B.V.); (P.Z.)
| | - Pedro Zamorano
- Laboratorio de Microorganismos Extremófilos, Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Av. Angamos 601, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; (B.V.); (P.Z.)
| | - Dirk Wagner
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; (D.L.); (B.S.)
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Correspondence: (D.S.-M.); (D.W.); Tel.: +49-(30)-314-23736 (D.S.-M.); +49-(331)-288-28800 (D.W.)
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Fanelli G, Coleine C, Gevi F, Onofri S, Selbmann L, Timperio AM. Metabolomics of Dry Versus Reanimated Antarctic Lichen-Dominated Endolithic Communities. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:96. [PMID: 33514042 PMCID: PMC7911838 DOI: 10.3390/life11020096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptoendolithic communities are almost the sole life form in the ice-free areas of the Antarctic desert, encompassing among the most extreme-tolerant organisms known on Earth that still assure ecosystems functioning, regulating nutrient and biogeochemical cycles under conditions accounted as incompatible with active life. If high-throughput sequencing based studies are unravelling prokaryotic and eukaryotic diversity, they are not yet characterized in terms of stress adaptations and responses, despite their paramount ecological importance. In this study, we compared the responses of Antarctic endolithic communities, with special focus on fungi, both under dry conditions (i.e., when dormant), and after reanimation by wetting, light, and optimal temperature (15 °C). We found that several metabolites were differently expressed in reanimated opposite sun exposed communities, suggesting a critical role in their success. In particular, the saccharopine pathway was up-regulated in the north surface, while the spermine/spermidine pathway was significantly down-regulated in the shaded exposed communities. The carnitine-dependent pathway is up-regulated in south-exposed reanimated samples, indicating the preferential involvement of the B-oxidation for the functioning of TCA cycle. The role of these metabolites in the performance of the communities is discussed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Fanelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
| | - Claudia Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
| | - Federica Gevi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
- Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, 16166 Genoa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Timperio
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (G.F.); (C.C.); (F.G.); (S.O.)
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23
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Ertekin E, Meslier V, Browning A, Treadgold J, DiRuggiero J. Rock structure drives the taxonomic and functional diversity of endolithic microbial communities in extreme environments. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:3937-3956. [PMID: 33078515 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Endolithic (rock-dwelling) microbial communities are ubiquitous in hyper-arid deserts around the world and the last resort for life under extreme aridity. These communities are excellent models to explore biotic and abiotic drivers of diversity because they are of low complexity. Using high-throughput amplicon and metagenome sequencing, combined with X-ray computed tomography, we investigated how water availability and substrate architecture modulated the taxonomic and functional composition of gypsum endolithic communities in the Atacama Desert, Chile. We found that communities inhabiting gypsum rocks with a more fragmented substrate architecture had higher taxonomic and functional diversity, despite having less water available. This effect was tightly linked with community connectedness and likely the result of niche differentiation. Gypsum communities were functionally similar, yet adapted to their unique micro-habitats by modulating their carbon and energy acquisition strategies and their growth modalities. Reconstructed population genomes showed that these endolithic microbial populations encoded potential pathways for anoxygenic phototrophy and atmospheric hydrogen oxidation as supplemental energy sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Ertekin
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Victoria Meslier
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,MetaGenoPolis, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | | | - Jocelyne DiRuggiero
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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24
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Crystalline water in gypsum is unavailable for cyanobacteria in laboratory experiments and in natural desert endolithic habitats. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:27786-27787. [PMID: 33093212 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013134117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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25
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Reply to Wierzchos et al.: Microorganism-induced gypsum to anhydrite phase transformation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:27788-27790. [PMID: 33093211 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2018184117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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