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Abstract
Biological soil crusts are thin, inconspicuous communities along the soil atmosphere ecotone that, until recently, were unrecognized by ecologists and even more so by microbiologists. In its broadest meaning, the term biological soil crust (or biocrust) encompasses a variety of communities that develop on soil surfaces and are powered by photosynthetic primary producers other than higher plants: cyanobacteria, microalgae, and cryptogams like lichens and mosses. Arid land biocrusts are the most studied, but biocrusts also exist in other settings where plant development is constrained. The minimal requirement is that light impinge directly on the soil; this is impeded by the accumulation of plant litter where plants abound. Since scientists started paying attention, much has been learned about their microbial communities, their composition, ecological extent, and biogeochemical roles, about how they alter the physical behavior of soils, and even how they inform an understanding of early life on land. This has opened new avenues for ecological restoration and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Garcia-Pichel
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics and School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA;
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2
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Dabravolski SA, Isayenkov SV. Metabolites Facilitating Adaptation of Desert Cyanobacteria to Extremely Arid Environments. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3225. [PMID: 36501264 PMCID: PMC9736550 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Desert is one of the harshest environments on the planet, characterized by exposure to daily fluctuations of extreme conditions (such as high temperature, low nitrogen, low water, high salt, etc.). However, some cyanobacteria are able to live and flourish in such conditions, form communities, and facilitate survival of other organisms. Therefore, to ensure survival, desert cyanobacteria must develop sophisticated and comprehensive adaptation strategies to enhance their tolerance to multiple simultaneous stresses. In this review, we discuss the metabolic pathways used by desert cyanobacteria to adapt to extreme arid conditions. In particular, we focus on the extracellular polysaccharides and compatible solutes biosynthesis pathways and their evolution and special features. We also discuss the role of desert cyanobacteria in the improvement of soil properties and their ecological and environmental impact on soil communities. Finally, we summarize recent achievements in the application of desert cyanobacteria to prevent soil erosion and desertification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siarhei A. Dabravolski
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude Academic College of Engineering, Snunit 51, Karmiel 2161002, Israel
| | - Stanislav V. Isayenkov
- Department of Plant Food Products and Biofortification, Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Osipovskogo Str. 2a, 04123 Kyiv, Ukraine
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3
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Employment of algae-based biological soil crust to control desertification for the sustainable development: A mini-review. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2022.102747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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4
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Xu HF, Dai GZ, Wang YJ, Cheng C, Shang JL, Li RH, Liu K, Duanmu D, Qiu BS. Expansion of bilin-based red light sensors in the subaerial desert cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2047-2058. [PMID: 35172392 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Light is the crucial environmental signal for desiccation-tolerant cyanobacteria to activate photosynthesis and prepare for desiccation at dawn. However, the photobiological characteristics of desert cyanobacteria adaptation to one of the harshest habitats on Earth remain unresolved. In this study, we surveyed the genome of a subaerial desert cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme and identified two phytochromes and seven cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) with one or more bilin-binding GAF (cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylyl cyclase/FhlA) domains. Biochemical and spectroscopic analyses of 69 purified GAF-containing proteins from recombinant phycocyanobilin (PCB), biliverdin or phycoerythrobilin-producing Escherichia coli indicated that nine of these proteins bind chromophores. Further investigation revealed that 11 GAFs form covalent adducts responsive to near-UV and visible light: eight GAFs contained PCB chromophores, three GAFs contained biliverdin chromophores and one contained the PCB isomer, phycoviolobilin. Interestingly, COO91_03972 is the first-ever reported GAF-only CBCR capable of sensing five wavelengths of light. Bioinformatics and biochemical analyses revealed that residue P132 of COO91_03972 is essential for chromophore binding to dual-cysteine CBCRs. Furthermore, the complement of N. flagelliforme CBCRs is enriched in red light sensors. We hypothesize that these sensors are critical for the acclimatization of N. flagelliforme to weak light environments at dawn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Feng Xu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Guo-Zheng Dai
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Yu-Jie Wang
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Jin-Long Shang
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Ren-Han Li
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Ke Liu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
| | - Deqiang Duanmu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Bao-Sheng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079, China
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5
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Jurkevitch E, Pasternak Z. A walk on the dirt: soil microbial forensics from ecological theory to the crime lab. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:5937428. [PMID: 33098291 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Forensics aims at using physical evidence to solve investigations with science-based principles, thus operating within a theoretical framework. This however is often rather weak, the exception being DNA-based human forensics that is well anchored in theory. Soil is a most commonly encountered, easily and unknowingly transferred evidence but it is seldom employed as soil analyses require extensive expertise. In contrast, comparative analyses of soil bacterial communities using nucleic acid technologies can efficiently and precisely locate the origin of forensic soil traces. However, this application is still in its infancy, and is very rarely used. We posit that understanding the theoretical bases and limitations of their uses is essential for soil microbial forensics to be judiciously implemented. Accordingly, we review the ecological theory and experimental evidence explaining differences between soil microbial communities, i.e. the generation of beta diversity, and propose to integrate a bottom-up approach of interactions at the microscale, reflecting historical contingencies with top-down mechanisms driven by the geographic template, providing a potential explanation as to why bacterial communities map according to soil types. Finally, we delimit the use of soil microbial forensics based on the present technologies and ecological knowledge, and propose possible venues to remove existing bottlenecks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edouard Jurkevitch
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Zohar Pasternak
- Division of Identification and Forensic Science, Israel Police
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6
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Oren N, Timm S, Frank M, Mantovani O, Murik O, Hagemann M. Red/far-red light signals regulate the activity of the carbon-concentrating mechanism in cyanobacteria. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/34/eabg0435. [PMID: 34407941 PMCID: PMC8373116 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation-tolerant cyanobacteria can survive frequent hydration/dehydration cycles likely affecting inorganic carbon (Ci) levels. It was recently shown that red/far-red light serves as signal-preparing cells toward dehydration. Here, the effects of desiccation on Ci assimilation by Leptolyngbya ohadii isolated from Israel's Negev desert were investigated. Metabolomic investigations indicated a decline in ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase carboxylation activity, and this was accelerated by far-red light. Far-red light negatively affected the Ci affinity of L. ohadii during desiccation and in liquid cultures. Similar effects were evident in the non-desiccation-tolerant cyanobacterium Synechocystis The Synechocystis Δcph1 mutant lacking the major phytochrome exhibited reduced photosynthetic Ci affinity when exposed to far-red light, whereas the mutant ΔsbtB lacking a Ci uptake inhibitory protein lost the far-red light inhibition. Collectively, these results suggest that red/far-red light perception likely via phytochromes regulates Ci uptake by cyanobacteria and that this mechanism contributes to desiccation tolerance in strains such as L. ohadii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Oren
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany.
| | - Stefan Timm
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Marcus Frank
- Medical Biology and Electron Microscopy Centre, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Strempelstr. 14, 18057 Rostock, Germany
- Department of Life, Light, and Matter, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 25, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Oliver Mantovani
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Omer Murik
- Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Martin Hagemann
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
- Department of Life, Light, and Matter, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 25, 18059 Rostock, Germany
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7
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Xu HF, Raanan H, Dai GZ, Oren N, Berkowicz S, Murik O, Kaplan A, Qiu BS. Reading and surviving the harsh conditions in desert biological soil crust: The cyanobacterial viewpoint. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6308820. [PMID: 34165541 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are found in drylands, cover ∼12% of the Earth's surface in arid and semi-arid lands and their destruction is considered an important promoter of desertification. These crusts are formed by the adhesion of soil particles to polysaccharides excreted mostly by filamentous cyanobacteria, which are the pioneers and main primary producers in BSCs. Desert BSCs survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth, and are exposed to daily fluctuations of extreme conditions. The cyanobacteria inhabiting these habitats must precisely read the changing conditions and predict, for example, the forthcoming desiccation. Moreover, they evolved a comprehensive regulation of multiple adaptation strategies to enhance their stress tolerance. Here we focus on what distinguishes cyanobacteria able to revive after dehydration from those that cannot. While important progress has been made in our understanding of physiological, biochemical and omics aspects, clarification of the sensing, signal transduction and responses enabling desiccation tolerance are just emerging. We plot the trajectory of current research and open questions ranging from general strategies and regulatory adaptations in the hydration/desiccation cycle, to recent advances in our understanding of photosynthetic adaptation. The acquired knowledge provides new insights to mitigate desertification and improve plant productivity under drought conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Feng Xu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079 China
| | - Hagai Raanan
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Mobile Post Negev 2, 8531100 Israel
| | - Guo-Zheng Dai
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079 China
| | - Nadav Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - Simon Berkowicz
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel.,Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, P.O.B 469, Eilat, 8810302 Israel
| | - Omer Murik
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - Aaron Kaplan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Edmond J. Safra Campus, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190401 Israel
| | - Bao-Sheng Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430079 China
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8
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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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Cania B, Vestergaard G, Kublik S, Köhne JM, Fischer T, Albert A, Winkler B, Schloter M, Schulz S. Biological Soil Crusts from Different Soil Substrates Harbor Distinct Bacterial Groups with the Potential to Produce Exopolysaccharides and Lipopolysaccharides. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 79:326-341. [PMID: 31372685 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01415-6] [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] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) play an important role in improving soil stability and resistance to erosion by promoting aggregation of soil particles. During initial development, biocrusts are dominated by bacteria. Some bacterial members of the biocrusts can contribute to the formation of soil aggregates by producing exopolysaccharides and lipopolysaccharides that act as "glue" for soil particles. However, little is known about the dynamics of "soil glue" producers during the initial development of biocrusts. We hypothesized that different types of initial biocrusts harbor distinct producers of adhesive polysaccharides. To investigate this, we performed a microcosm experiment, cultivating biocrusts on two soil substrates. High-throughput shotgun sequencing was used to obtain metagenomic information on microbiomes of bulk soils from the beginning of the experiment, and biocrusts sampled after 4 and 10 months of incubation. We discovered that the relative abundance of genes involved in the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides and lipopolysaccharides increased in biocrusts compared with bulk soils. At the same time, communities of potential "soil glue" producers that were highly similar in bulk soils underwent differentiation once biocrusts started to develop. In the bulk soils, the investigated genes were harbored mainly by Betaproteobacteria, whereas in the biocrusts, the major potential producers of adhesive polysaccharides were, aside from Alphaproteobacteria, either Cyanobacteria or Chloroflexi and Acidobacteria. Overall, our results indicate that the potential to form exopolysaccharides and lipopolysaccharides is an important bacterial trait for initial biocrusts and is maintained despite the shifts in bacterial community composition during biocrust development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Cania
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Gisle Vestergaard
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Susanne Kublik
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - John Maximilian Köhne
- Department of Soil System Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Thomas Fischer
- Central Analytical Laboratory, Brandenburg Technical University, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 6, 03046, Cottbus, Germany
| | - Andreas Albert
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Barbro Winkler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair for Soil Science, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Straße 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schulz
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
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10
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Spectral Response Analysis: An Indirect and Non-Destructive Methodology for the Chlorophyll Quantification of Biocrusts. REMOTE SENSING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/rs11111350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Chlorophyll a concentration (Chla) is a well-proven proxy of biocrust development, photosynthetic organisms’ status, and recovery monitoring after environmental disturbances. However, laboratory methods for the analysis of chlorophyll require destructive sampling and are expensive and time consuming. Indirect estimation of chlorophyll a by means of soil surface reflectance analysis has been demonstrated to be an accurate, cheap, and quick alternative for chlorophyll retrieval information, especially in plants. However, its application to biocrusts has yet to be harnessed. In this study we evaluated the potential of soil surface reflectance measurements for non-destructive Chla quantification over a range of biocrust types and soils. Our results revealed that from the different spectral transformation methods and techniques, the first derivative of the reflectance and the continuum removal were the most accurate for Chla retrieval. Normalized difference values in the red-edge region and common broadband indexes (e.g., normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) were also sensitive to changes in Chla. However, such approaches should be carefully adapted to each specific biocrust type. On the other hand, the combination of spectral measurements with non-linear random forest (RF) models provided very good fits (R2 > 0.94) with a mean root mean square error (RMSE) of about 6.5 µg/g soil, and alleviated the need for a specific calibration for each crust type, opening a wide range of opportunities to advance our knowledge of biocrust responses to ongoing global change and degradation processes from anthropogenic disturbance.
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Oren N, Raanan H, Kedem I, Turjeman A, Bronstein M, Kaplan A, Murik O. Desert cyanobacteria prepare in advance for dehydration and rewetting: The role of light and temperature sensing. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2305-2320. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Hagai Raanan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Rutgers University New Brunswick New Jersey
| | - Isaac Kedem
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Adi Turjeman
- The Center for Genomic Technologies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Michal Bronstein
- The Center for Genomic Technologies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Aaron Kaplan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Omer Murik
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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12
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Pierangelini M, Glaser K, Mikhailyuk T, Karsten U, Holzinger A. Light and Dehydration but Not Temperature Drive Photosynthetic Adaptations of Basal Streptophytes (Hormidiella, Streptosarcina and Streptofilum) Living in Terrestrial Habitats. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 77:380-393. [PMID: 29974184 PMCID: PMC6394494 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1225-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Streptophyte algae are the ancestors of land plants, and several classes contain taxa that are adapted to an aero-terrestrial lifestyle. In this study, four basal terrestrial streptophytes from the class Klebsormidiophyceae, including Hormidiella parvula; two species of the newly described genus Streptosarcina (S. costaricana and S. arenaria); and the newly described Streptofilum capillatum were investigated for their responses to radiation, desiccation and temperature stress conditions. All the strains showed low-light adaptation (Ik < 70 μmol photons m-2 s-1) but differed in photoprotective capacities (such as non-photochemical quenching). Acclimation to enhanced photon fluence rates (160 μmol photons m-2 s-1) increased photosynthetic performance in H. parvula and S. costaricana but not in S. arenaria, showing that low-light adaptation is a constitutive trait for S. arenaria. This lower-light adaptation of S. arenaria was coupled with a higher desiccation tolerance, providing further evidence that dehydration is a selective force shaping species occurrence in low light. For protection against ultraviolet radiation, all species synthesised and accumulated different amounts of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Biochemically, MAAs synthesised by Hormidiella and Streptosarcina were similar to MAAs from closely related Klebsormidium spp. but differed in retention time and spectral characteristics in S. capillatum. Unlike the different radiation and dehydration tolerances, Hormidiella, Streptosarcina and Streptofilum displayed preferences for similar thermal conditions. These species showed a temperature dependence of photosynthesis similar to respiration, contrasting with Klebsormidium spp. and highlighting an interspecific diversity in thermal requirements, which could regulate species distributions under temperature changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Pierangelini
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Physiologie des microalgues, InBioS/Phytosystems, Institut de Botanique, Université de Liège, Liege, 4000, Belgium
| | - Karin Glaser
- Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska Str. 2, Kyiv, 01004, Ukraine
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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13
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Oren N, Raanan H, Murik O, Keren N, Kaplan A. Dawn illumination prepares desert cyanobacteria for dehydration. Curr Biol 2018; 27:R1056-R1057. [PMID: 29017037 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Desert biological soil crusts (BSC), among the harshest environments on Earth, are formed by the adhesion of soil particles to polysaccharides excreted mainly by filamentous cyanobacteria (see [1] and references therein). These species are the main primary producers in this habitat where they cope with various stressors including frequent hydration-dehydration cycles. Water is mainly provided as early-morning dew, followed by dehydration with rising temperatures and declining relative humidity. Earlier studies focused on community structure and cyanobacterial activities in various BSCs [1,2]. They identified genes present in dehydration-tolerant, but not -sensitive cyanobacteria [3], and suggested that abiotic conditions during natural dehydration (Figure 1A) are critical for the recovery upon rewetting. Inability of Leptolyngbya ohadii, which is abundant in the BSC examined here, to recover after rapid desiccation (Figure 1B) [4] suggested that the cells must prepare themselves toward forthcoming dehydration, but the nature of the signal involved was unknown. We show here that the rising dawn illumination, perceived by photo-sensors, serves as the signal inciting BSC-inhabiting cyanobacteria to prepare for forthcoming dehydration. L. ohadii filaments were exposed to simulated natural conditions from the morning of October 14th 2009, using our environmental chamber that enables accurate reproduction of BSC environment [4] (Supplemental Figure S1A). Samples were withdrawn at specific time points (Figure 1A), followed by RNA extraction and global transcript profiling (accession PRJNA391854). Four hours of dehydration led to up-regulation of 567 genes and down-regulation of 1597 (by more than 2-fold). Since BSC-inhabiting organisms have not been used as genetic models, the functions of 3258 (43.5% of the 7487 L. ohadii genes [3]) are unknown. Nevertheless, a pronounced rise in transcript levels of genes involved in carbon metabolism, transport, osmolyte production, energy dissipation and other cellular activities was observed. On the other hand, a declining transcript abundance for genes involved in light harvesting, photosynthetic metabolism, protein biosynthesis, cell division and other pathways was detected. The analysis unraveled clear distinctions between early- and late-responding genes. Supplemental Table S1 lists the 40 strongest differentially expressed genes verified by RT-qPCR and used in further analyses.
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Meslier V, Casero MC, Dailey M, Wierzchos J, Ascaso C, Artieda O, McCullough PR, DiRuggiero J. Fundamental drivers for endolithic microbial community assemblies in the hyperarid Atacama Desert. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1765-1781. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Meslier
- Department of BiologyThe Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore MD USA
| | | | - Micah Dailey
- Department of BiologyThe Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore MD USA
| | | | - Carmen Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSICMadrid Spain
| | - Octavio Artieda
- Departamento Biologica Vegetal, Ecologia y ciencias de la TierraUniversidad de ExtremaduraPlasencia Spain
| | - P. R. McCullough
- Department of Physics and AstronomyThe Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore MD USA
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Ferrenberg S, Reed SC. Biocrust ecology: unifying micro- and macro-scales to confront global change. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 216:643-646. [PMID: 29034973 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Ferrenberg
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT 84532, USA
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16
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Pierangelini M, Ryšánek D, Lang I, Adlassnig W, Holzinger A. Terrestrial adaptation of green algae Klebsormidium and Zygnema (Charophyta) involves diversity in photosynthetic traits but not in CO 2 acquisition. PLANTA 2017; 246:971-986. [PMID: 28721563 PMCID: PMC5633629 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-017-2741-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The basal streptophyte Klebsormidium and the advanced Zygnema show adaptation to terrestrialization. Differences are found in photoprotection and resistance to short-term light changes, but not in CO 2 acquisition. Streptophyte green algae colonized land about 450-500 million years ago giving origin to terrestrial plants. We aim to understand how their physiological adaptations are linked to the ecological conditions (light, water and CO2) characterizing modern terrestrial habitats. A new Klebsormidium isolate from a strongly acidic environment of a former copper mine (Schwarzwand, Austria) is investigated, in comparison to Klebsormidium cf. flaccidum and Zygnema sp. We show that these genera possess different photosynthetic traits and water requirements. Particularly, the Klebsormidium species displayed a higher photoprotection capacity, concluded from non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and higher tolerance to high light intensity than Zygnema. However, Klebsormidium suffered from photoinhibition when the light intensity in the environment increased rapidly, indicating that NPQ is involved in photoprotection against strong and stable irradiance. Klebsormidium was also highly resistant to cellular water loss (dehydration) under low light. On the other hand, exposure to relatively high light intensity during dehydration caused a harmful over-reduction of the electron transport chain, leading to PSII damages and impairing the ability to recover after rehydration. Thus, we suggest that dehydration is a selective force shaping the adaptation of this species towards low light. Contrary to the photosynthetic characteristics, the inorganic carbon (C i ) acquisition was equivalent between Klebsormidium and Zygnema. Despite their different habitats and restriction to hydro-terrestrial environment, the three organisms showed similar use of CO2 and HCO3- as source of Ci for photosynthesis, pointing out a similar adaptation of their CO2-concentrating mechanisms to terrestrial life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Pierangelini
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Ryšánek
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 12801, Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, v. v. i., Průmyslová 595, 252 42, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ingeborg Lang
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfram Adlassnig
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Department of Botany, Functional Plant Biology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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17
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Lenton TM, Daines SJ. Matworld - the biogeochemical effects of early life on land. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 215:531-537. [PMID: 27883194 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contents 531 I. 531 II. 532 III. 534 IV. 535 V. 535 VI. 535 Acknowledgements 536 References 536 SUMMARY: There is growing evidence that life has been on land for billions of years. Microbial mats fuelled by oxygenic photosynthesis were probably present in terrestrial habitats from c. 3.0 billion yr ago (Ga) onwards, creating localized 'oxygen oases' under a reducing atmosphere, which left a characteristic oxidative weathering signal. After the Great Oxidation c. 2.4 Ga, the now oxidizing atmosphere masked that redox signal, but ancient soils record the mobilization of phosphorus and other elements by organic acids in weathering profiles. Evidence for Neoproterozoic 'greening of the land' and intensification of weathering c. 0.85-0.54 Ga is currently equivocal. However, the mid-Palaeozoic c. 0.45-0.4 Ga shows global atmospheric changes consistent with increased terrestrial productivity and intensified weathering by the first land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Lenton
- Earth System Science Group, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Stuart J Daines
- Earth System Science Group, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
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18
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Murik O, Oren N, Shotland Y, Raanan H, Treves H, Kedem I, Keren N, Hagemann M, Pade N, Kaplan A. What distinguishes cyanobacteria able to revive after desiccation from those that cannot: the genome aspect. Environ Microbiol 2016; 19:535-550. [PMID: 27501380 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Filamentous cyanobacteria are the main founders and primary producers in biological desert soil crusts (BSCs) and are likely equipped to cope with one of the harshest environmental conditions on earth including daily hydration/dehydration cycles, high irradiance and extreme temperatures. Here, we resolved and report on the genome sequence of Leptolyngbya ohadii, an important constituent of the BSC. Comparative genomics identified a set of genes present in desiccation-tolerant but not in dehydration-sensitive cyanobacteria. RT qPCR analyses showed that the transcript abundance of many of them is upregulated during desiccation in L. ohadii. In addition, we identified genes where the orthologs detected in desiccation-tolerant cyanobacteria differs substantially from that found in desiccation-sensitive cells. We present two examples, treS and fbpA (encoding trehalose synthase and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase respectively) where, in addition to the orthologs present in the desiccation-sensitive strains, the resistant cyanobacteria also possess genes with different predicted structures. We show that in both cases the two orthologs are transcribed during controlled dehydration of L. ohadii and discuss the genetic basis for the acclimation of cyanobacteria to the desiccation conditions in desert BSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Murik
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Nadav Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Yoram Shotland
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shamoon College of Engineering, Beer Sheva, 84100, Israel
| | - Hagai Raanan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Haim Treves
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Isaac Kedem
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Nir Keren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Martin Hagemann
- Institut für Biowissenschaften, Abteilung Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Rostock, A.-Einstein-Str. 3, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Nadin Pade
- Institut für Biowissenschaften, Abteilung Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Rostock, A.-Einstein-Str. 3, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Aaron Kaplan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
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19
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Garcia-Pichel F, Felde VJMNL, Drahorad SL, Weber B. Microstructure and Weathering Processes Within Biological Soil Crusts. BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS: AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE IN DRYLANDS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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20
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Raanan H, Oren N, Treves H, Berkowicz SM, Hagemann M, Pade N, Keren N, Kaplan A. Simulated soil crust conditions in a chamber system provide new insights on cyanobacterial acclimation to desiccation. Environ Microbiol 2015; 18:414-26. [PMID: 26234786 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental research often faces two major hurdles: (i) fluctuating spatial and temporal conditions and consequently large variability in the organisms' abundance and performance, and (ii) complex, costly logistics involved in field experiments. Measurements of physiological parameters or molecular analyses often represent single shot experiments. To study desiccation acclimation of filamentous cyanobacteria, the founders and main primary producers in desert biological soil crusts (BSC), we constructed an environmental chamber that can reproducibly and accurately simulate ambient conditions and measure microorganism performance. We show that recovery from desiccation of BSC cyanobacteria and Leptolyngbya ohadii isolated thereof are strongly affected by dehydration rate following morning dew. This effect is most pronounced in cells exposed to high light and temperature in the dry phase. Simultaneous measurements of water content, gas exchange and fluorescence were performed during dehydration. Photosynthetic performance measured by fluorescence begins declining when light intensity reaches values above 100 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1), even in fully hydrated cells. In contrast, photosynthetic rates measured using O2 evolution and CO2 uptake increased during rising irradiance to the point where the water content declined below ∼ 50%. Thus, fluorescence cannot serve as a reliable measure of photosynthesis in desert cyanobacteria. The effects of drying on gas exchange are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagai Raanan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Nadav Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Haim Treves
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Simon M Berkowicz
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.,Arid Ecosystems Research Center, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Martin Hagemann
- Institut für Biowissenschaften, Abteilung Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Rostock, A.-Einstein-Str. 3, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Nadin Pade
- Institut für Biowissenschaften, Abteilung Pflanzenphysiologie, Universität Rostock, A.-Einstein-Str. 3, Rostock, D-18059, Germany
| | - Nir Keren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Aaron Kaplan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel.,Arid Ecosystems Research Center, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
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