Measurement and significance of specific activity in the heterotrophic bacteria of natural waters

Biofilms Comprise a Component of the Annual Cycle of Vibrio cholerae in the Bay of Bengal Estuary

Vibrio cholerae, an estuarine bacterium, is the causative agent of cholera, a severe diarrheal disease that demonstrates seasonal incidence in Bangladesh. In an extensive study of V. cholerae occurrence in a natural aquatic environment, water and plankton samples were collected biweekly between December 2005 and November 2006 from Mathbaria, an estuarine village of Bangladesh near the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. Toxigenic V. cholerae exhibited two seasonal growth peaks, one in spring (March to May) and another in autumn (September to November), corresponding to the two annual seasonal outbreaks of cholera in this region. The total numbers of bacteria determined by heterotrophic plate count (HPC), representing culturable bacteria, accounted for 1% to 2.7% of the total numbers obtained using acridine orange direct counting (AODC). The highest bacterial culture counts, including toxigenic V. cholerae, were recorded in the spring. The direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay was used to detect V. cholerae O1 cells throughout the year, as free-living cells, within clusters, or in association with plankton. V. cholerae O1 varied significantly in morphology, appearing as distinctly rod-shaped cells in the spring months, while small coccoid cells within thick clusters of biofilm were observed during interepidemic periods of the year, notably during the winter months. Toxigenic V. cholerae O1 was culturable in natural water during the spring when the temperature rose sharply. The results of this study confirmed biofilms to be a means of persistence for bacteria and an integral component of the annual life cycle of toxigenic V. cholerae in the estuarine environment of Bangladesh.

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, is autochthonous in the estuarine aquatic environment. This study describes morphological changes in naturally occurring V. cholerae O1 in the estuarine environment of Mathbaria, where the bacterium is culturable when the water temperature rises and is observable predominantly as distinct rods and dividing cells. In the spring and fall, these morphological changes coincide with the two seasonal peaks of endemic cholera in Bangladesh. V. cholerae O1 cells are predominantly coccoid within biofilms but are rod shaped as free-living cells and when attached to plankton or to particulate matter in interepidemic periods of the year. It is concluded that biofilms represent a stage of the annual life cycle of V. cholerae O1, the causative agent of cholera in Bangladesh.

Direct determination of activities for microorganisms of chesapeake bay populations

We used three methods in determination of the metabolically active individual microorganisms for Chesapeake Bay surface and near-bottom populations over a period of a year. Synthetically active bacteria were recognized as enlarged cells in samples amended with nalidixic acid and yeast extract and incubated for 6 h. Microorganisms with active electron transport systems were identified by the reduction of a tetrazolium salt electron acceptor. Microorganisms active in uptake of amino acids, thymidine, and acetate were determined by microautoradiography. In conjunction with enumeration of active organisms, a total direct count was made for each sample preparation by epifluorescence microscopy. For the majority of samples, numbers of amino acid uptake-active organisms were greater than numbers of organisms determined to be active by other direct measurements. Within a sample, the numbers of uptake-active organisms (amino acids or thymidine) and electron transport system-active organisms were significantly different for 68% of the samples. Numbers of synthetically active bacteria were generally less than numbers determined by the other direct activity measurements. The distribution of total counts in the 11 samplings showed a seasonal pattern, with significant dependence on in situ water temperature, increasing from March to September and then decreasing through February. Synthetically active bacteria and amino acid uptake-active organisms showed a significant dependence on in situ temperature, independent of the function of temperature on total counts. Numbers of active organisms determined by at least one of the methods used exceeded 25% of the total population of all samplings, and from June through September, >85% of the total population was found to be active by at least one direct activity measurement. Thus, active rather than dormant organisms compose a major portion of the microbial population in this region of Chesapeake Bay.

Heterotrophic activity throughout a vertical profile of seawater and sediment in halifax harbor, Canada

The relative heterotrophic activity of marine microorganisms was determined at two sites by the heterotrophic uptake technique throughout the water column, the sediment-water interface, and the surface layer of sediment. In the water column, uptake was greatest at the surface and steadily decreased with depth. The percentage of the substrate that was respired also decreased with depth from 69 to 56%. The activity of the sediment-water interface was several orders of magnitude greater than that of the overlying water and twice that of the sediment immediately below. Hand-collected water samples carefully taken as close as 1 cm from the sediment-water interface had the same characteristically low activity as the bottom few meters of water. Microautoradiography with H-labeled glucose, glutamic acid, or thymidine revealed a general decrease in the percentage of active cells with depth from 35 to <1%. The number of active cells in the interface and sediment averaged <10% of the total population. The data indicate that the sediment-water interface is the most active region in this system due to an increased number of active cells rather than an increased percentage of active cells or increased per-cell activity.

Heterotrophic potentials and hydrocarbon biodegradation potentials of sediment microorganisms within the athabasca oil sands deposit

Techniques for the enumeration and the determination of the potential activity of disturbed sediment mixed populations at control sites and sites within the Athabasca oil sands formation were applied to August and December samples. These techniques included the determination of general heterotrophic potential for the assimilation and respiration of glutamate, which indicated no oil sand-related changes in the sediments but which indicated a significant seasonal change. Enumeration by epifluorescence direct counts, oil sand hydrocarbon plate counts, and most-probable-number determinations of [C]hexadecane and [C]-naphthalene degraders indicated that only the plate count was sensitive to increased numbers of oil sand-related hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms within the oil sands deposit. Unlike the most probable number determinations of [C]hexadecane and [C]naphthalene degraders, however, the biodegradation potential results of these substrates indicated a significant increase in activity at oil sands sites. These biodegradation potentials also showed a marked seasonal fluctuation. Although the biodegradation potentials and the endogenous hydrocarbon plate counts indicated an oil sand-adapted mixed sediment population, the results of these techniques did not correlate well with the concentrations of bituminous hydrocarbons in the sediments. The results suggest that a general capability for hydrocarbon oxidation exists in the Athabasca River system and that this capability is enhanced within the natural bounds of the Athabasca oil sands.

Bacterioplankton in antarctic ocean waters during late austral winter: abundance, frequency of dividing cells, and estimates of production

Bacterioplankton productivity in Antarctic waters of the eastern South Pacific Ocean and Drake Passage was estimated by direct counts and frequency of dividing cells (FDC). Total bacterioplankton assemblages were enumerated by epifluorescent microscopy. The experimentally determined relationship between in situ FDC and the potential instantaneous growth rate constant (mu) is best described by the regression equation ln mu = 0.081 FDC - 3.73. In the eastern South Pacific Ocean, bacterioplankton abundance (2 x 10 to 3.5 x 10 cells per ml) and FDC (11%) were highest at the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence). North of the Subantarctic Front, abundance and FDC were between 1 x 10 to 2 x 10 cells per ml and 3 to 5%, respectively, and were vertically homogeneous to a depth of 600 m. In Drake Passage, abundance (10 x 10 cells per ml) and FDC (16%) were highest in waters south of the Polar Front and near the sea ice. Subantarctic waters in Drake Passage contained 4 x 10 cells per ml with 4 to 5% FDC. Instantaneous growth rate constants ranged between 0.029 and 0.088 h. Using estimates of potential mu and measured standing stocks, we estimated productivity to range from 0.62 mug of C per liter . day in the eastern South Pacific Ocean to 17.1 mug of C per liter . day in the Drake Passage near the sea ice.

Contribution of particle-bound bacteria to total microheterotrophic activity in five ponds and two marshes

We examined the abundance and heterotrophic uptake of bacteria attached to particulate matter suspended in five coastal ponds and two marshes near Woods Hole, Mass. Although the number of particle-bound bacteria was low (<10%), these bacteria incorporated a large proportion (>40%) of [C]glucose and [C]glutamate in selected aquatic systems. The uptake per cell was significantly higher for epibacteria than for unattached bacteria in all systems. Two groups of the aquatic environments sampled were statistically different in the contribution made by particle-bound bacteria to total bacterial abundance and to total assimilation of [C]glucose and [C]glutamate. Particle-bound bacteria were more important in those waters with a high particle concentration and not flushed regularly by tides than in waters with a low particle concentration and flushed regularly.

Improved microautoradiographic method to determine individual microorganisms active in substrate uptake in natural waters

We report a method which combines epifluorescence microscopy and microautoradiography to determine both the total number of microorganisms in natural water populations and those individual organisms active in the uptake of specific substrates. After incubation with H-labeled substrate, the sample is filtered and, while still on the filter, mounted directly in a film of autoradiographic emulsion on a microscope slide. The microautoradiogram is processed and stained with acridine orange, and, subsequently, the filter is removed before microscopic observation. This novel preparation resulted in increased accuracy in direct counts made from the autoradiogram, improved sensitivity in the recognition of uptake-active (H-labeled) organisms, and enumeration of a significantly greater number of labeled organisms compared with corresponding samples prepared by a previously reported method.

Turnover of extracellular DNA in eutrophic and oligotrophic freshwater environments of southwest Florida

The turnover of extracellular DNA was investigated in oligotrophic springs of the Crystal River and the eutrophic Medard Reservoir of southwest Florida. The Medard Reservoir possessed large populations of bacterioplankton and phytoplankton (6.8 x 10 cells per liter and 28.6 mug of chlorophyll a per liter, respectively), while the Crystal River springs only contained a fraction of the microbial biomass found in the Medard Reservoir. Although dissolved DNA values were greater in the Medard Reservoir, higher rates of DNA removal resulted in similar extracellular DNA turnover times in both environments (9.62 +/- 3.6 h in the Crystal River and 10.5 +/- 2.1 h in the Medard Reservoir). These results indicate that regardless of trophic status or microbial standing stock, extracellular DNA turns over rapidly in subtropical planktonic freshwater environments. Therefore, recombinant DNA sequences from released genetically engineered microorganisms might not be expected to survive for long periods of time in freshwater planktonic environments.

Estimating Bacterioplankton Production by Measuring [H]thymidine Incorporation in a Eutrophic Swedish Lake

Bacterioplankton abundance, [H]thymidine incorporation, CO(2) uptake in the dark, and fractionated primary production were measured on several occasions between June and August 1982 in eutrophic Lake Norrviken, Sweden. Bacterioplankton abundance and carbon biomass ranged from 0.5 x 10 to 2.4 x 10 cells liter and 7 to 47 mug of C liter, respectively. The average bacterial cell volume was 0.185 mum. [H]thymidine incorporation into cold-trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material ranged from 12 x 10 to 200 x 10 mol liter h. Bacterial carbon production rates were estimated to be 0.2 to 7.1 mug of C liter h. Bacterial production estimates from [H]thymidine incorporation and CO(2) uptake in the dark agreed when activity was high but diverged when activity was low and when blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) dominated the phytoplankton. Size fractionation indicated negligible uptake of [H]thymidine in the >3-mum fraction during a chrysophycean bloom in early June. We found that >50% of the H activity was in the >3-mum fraction in late August; this phenomenon was most likely due to Microcystis spp., their associated bacteria, or both. Over 60% of the CO(2) uptake in the dark was attributed to algae on each sampling occasion. Algal exudate was an important carbon source for planktonic bacteria. Bacterial production was roughly 50% of primary production.

Impact of storms on heterotrophic activity of epilimnetic bacteria in a southwestern reservoir

The impact of storm conditions on the heterotrophic activity of planktonic bacteria in a southwestern reservoir was investigated. Storm events were considered as rainfall in excess of 2.5 cm in a 24-h period before sampling. Storm conditions stimulated heterotrophic activities and resulted in increased uptake rates and decreased turnover times of glutamate and acetate. Uptake rates were 45 to 75% faster immediately after storm conditions than they were during calm conditions. Activity levels appeared to return to prestorm levels within 48 h. Bacterial cell numbers did not change substantially during storm events. Cell-specific activity indicated that increases in heterotrophic activity were the result of increased activity of individual cells. Light penetration, levels of particulate organic carbon, K(t) + S(n) values, and population levels of attached bacteria suggest that immediate sediment loading of the reservoir or increased substrate levels could not account for abrupt increases in heterotrophic activities.

Comparison of two direct-count methods for determining metabolizing bacteria in freshwater

Planktonic bacteria collected from several freshwater environments and cultured bacteria were used to compare two methods for determining the numbers of metabolizing bacteria. The methods used were (i) reduction of 2-(rho-iodophenyl)-3-(rho-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride 2-(rho-iodophenyl)-3-(rho-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl to tetrazolium chloride-formazan and (ii) elongation of cells by using yeast extract and nalidixic acid. No statistically significant difference was found between methods in determining metabolizing bacteria, although significant differences (P < 0.05) were found when comparing numbers of total bacteria. A combination of the two methods yielded significant changes, both positive and negative, in the numbers of metabolizing bacteria.

Effect of interfaces on small, starved marine bacteria

The copiotrophic marine Vibrio sp. strain DW1, shown previously in batch culture to increase in numbers at the onset of starvation and then to form viable small cells with low endogenous respiration, appears to have a survival advantage at interfaces. Vibrio sp. strain DW1 behaved differently at interfaces compared with the aqueous phase under starvation conditions: (i) small cells were observed at an air-water interface without nutrients, (ii) nutrients added to the air-water interface quickly produced larger cells at the surface, (iii) motility persisted many hours longer at the solid-water interface of a dialysis membrane in a microchamber at the onset of starvation, and (iv) regrowth and division at the solid-liquid interface occurred quickly and at nutrient concentrations too low to permit growth in the aqueous phase. It was concluded that, if small starved cells from copiotrophic bacteria can reach an interface, additional survival mechanisms become available to them: (i) interfaces constitute areas of favorable nutrient conditions, and (ii) interfaces lacking a sufficient amount of nutrient, nevertheless, trigger cells to become smaller, thus increasing their surface/volume ratio and the packing density.

Microbial dynamics of an epilithic mat community in a high alpine stream

Studies were conducted to examine interrelationships between the heterotrophic and phototrophic populations within an epilithic community in the outlet stream of a high alpine lake. Levels of nitrates, phosphates, and total organic compounds in the lake were consistently near the lower limits of detectability. Microscopic examination of the community by phase-contrast light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed diatoms, filamentous algae, and bacteria embedded within a dense gelatinous matrix. Chlorophyll a and primary productivity measurements had peak values in early August, with subsequent declines. Bacterial heterotrophic activity, as measured by V(max), turnover rate, and relative activity, increased significantly as the phototrophic community declined. This trend in heterotrophic activity was not accompanied by an increase in total bacterial numbers as determined by epi-illuminated fluorescence microscopy. These results suggest that the phototrophic community responded to changes in, or interactions among, various chemical and physical factors throughout the study period. The catabolic activity of the sessile bacteria appeared to be positively influenced by changes in the mat environment resulting from the decline of the phototrophic populations.

Transporter genes expressed by coastal bacterioplankton in response to dissolved organic carbon

Coastal ocean bacterioplankton control the flow of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from terrestrial and oceanic sources into the marine food web, and regulate the release of inorganic carbon to atmospheric and offshore reservoirs. While the fate of the chemically complex coastal DOC reservoir has long been recognized as a critical feature of the global carbon budget, it has been problematic to identify both the compounds that serve as major conduits for carbon flux and the roles of individual bacterioplankton taxa in mediating that flux. Here we analyse random libraries of expressed genes from a coastal bacterial community to identify sequences representing DOC-transporting proteins. Predicted substrates of expressed transporter genes indicated that carboxylic acids, compatible solutes, polyamines and lipids may be key components of the biologically labile DOC pool in coastal waters, in addition to canonical bacterial substrates such as amino acids, oligopeptides and carbohydrates. Half of the expressed DOC transporter sequences in this coastal ocean appeared to originate from just eight taxa: Roseobacter, SAR11, Flavobacteriales and five orders of γ-Proteobacteria. While all major taxa expressed transporter genes for some DOC components (e.g. amino acids), there were indications of specialization within the bacterioplankton community for others (e.g. carbohydrates, carboxylic acids and polyamines). Experimental manipulations of the natural DOC pool that increased the concentration of phytoplankton- or vascular plant-derived compounds invoked a readily measured response in bacterial transporter gene expression. This highly resolved view of the potential for carbon flux into heterotrophic bacterioplankton cells identifies possible bioreactive components of the coastal DOC pool and highlights differing ecological roles in carbon turnover for the resident bacterial taxa.

Links between bacterial production, amino-acid utilization and community composition in productive lakes

Influence of distribution and abundance of bacterial taxa on ecosystem function are poorly understood for natural microbial communities. We related 16S rRNA-based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism to bacterial production and arginine uptake kinetics to test if functional features of bacterioplankton in four lakes could be predicted from community composition. Maximum arginine uptake rate (arginine V(max)) ranged from 10% to 100% of bacterial production. Owing to high growth efficiencies on arginine (63-77%), the bacterial community could potentially saturate its carbon demand using this single organic substrate, for example, during sudden surges of free amino acids. However, due to low in situ concentrations of arginine in these lakes (<0.9 microg l(-1)), actual uptake rates at ambient concentrations rarely exceeded 10% of V(max). Bacterial production and arginine V(max) could be predicted from a subset of bacterial ribotypes, tentatively affiliated with several bacterial divisions (Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria). Multivariate statistical analysis indicates that there were both highly important and less important ribotypes for the prediction of bacterial production and arginine V(max). These populations were either negatively or positively related to the respective functional feature, indicating contrasting ecological roles. Our study provides a statistically robust demonstration that, apart from environmental conditions, patterns in bacterial community composition can also be used to predict lake ecosystem function.

Mercury biogeochemistry in the Idrija river, Slovenia, from above the mine into the Gulf of Trieste

The Idrija Mine is the second largest Hg mine in the world which operated for 500 years. Mercury (Hg)-laden tailings still line the banks, and the system is a threat to the Idrija River and water bodies downstream including the Soca/Isonzo River and the Gulf of Trieste in the northern Adriatic Sea. A multidisciplinary study was conducted in June 1998 on water samples collected throughout the Idrija and Soca River systems and waters and sediments in the Gulf. Total Hg in the Idrija River increased >20-fold downstream of the mine from <3 to >60 ng liter(-1) with methyl mercury (MeHg) accounting for approximately 0.5%. Concentrations increased again downstream and into the estuary with MeHg accounting for nearly 1.5% of the total. While bacteria upstream of the mine did not contain mercury detoxification genes (mer), such genes were detected in bacteria collected downstream. Benthic macroinvertebrate diversity decreased downstream of the mine. Gulf waters near the river mouth contained up to 65 ng liter(-1) total Hg with approximately 0.05 ng liter(-1) MeHg. Gulf sediments near the river mouth contained 40 microgram g(-1) total Hg with MeHg concentrations of about 3 ng g(-1). Hg in sediment pore waters varied between 1 and 8 ng liter(-1), with MeHg accounting for up to 85%. Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation were active in Gulf sediments with highest activities near the surface. MeHg was degraded by an oxidative pathway with >97% C released from MeHg as CO(2). Hg methylation depth profiles resembled profiles of dissolved MeHg. Hg-laden waters still strongly impact the riverine, estuarine, and marine systems. Macroinvertebrates and bacteria in the Idrija River responded to Hg stress, and high Hg levels persist into the Gulf. Increases in total Hg and MeHg in the estuary demonstrate the remobilization of Hg, presumably as HgS dissolution and recycling. Gulf sediments actively produce MeHg, which enters bottom waters and presumably the marine food chain.

Growth kinetics of suspended microbial cells: from single-substrate-controlled growth to mixed-substrate kinetics

Growth kinetics, i.e., the relationship between specific growth rate and the concentration of a substrate, is one of the basic tools in microbiology. However, despite more than half a century of research, many fundamental questions about the validity and application of growth kinetics as observed in the laboratory to environmental growth conditions are still unanswered. For pure cultures growing with single substrates, enormous inconsistencies exist in the growth kinetic data reported. The low quality of experimental data has so far hampered the comparison and validation of the different growth models proposed, and only recently have data collected from nutrient-controlled chemostat cultures allowed us to compare different kinetic models on a statistical basis. The problems are mainly due to (i) the analytical difficulty in measuring substrates at growth-controlling concentrations and (ii) the fact that during a kinetic experiment, particularly in batch systems, microorganisms alter their kinetic properties because of adaptation to the changing environment. For example, for Escherichia coli growing with glucose, a physiological long-term adaptation results in a change in KS for glucose from some 5 mg liter-1 to ca. 30 microg liter-1. The data suggest that a dilemma exists, namely, that either "intrinsic" KS (under substrate-controlled conditions in chemostat culture) or micromax (under substrate-excess conditions in batch culture) can be measured but both cannot be determined at the same time. The above-described conventional growth kinetics derived from single-substrate-controlled laboratory experiments have invariably been used for describing both growth and substrate utilization in ecosystems. However, in nature, microbial cells are exposed to a wide spectrum of potential substrates, many of which they utilize simultaneously (in particular carbon sources). The kinetic data available to date for growth of pure cultures in carbon-controlled continuous culture with defined mixtures of two or more carbon sources (including pollutants) clearly demonstrate that simultaneous utilization results in lowered residual steady-state concentrations of all substrates. This should result in a competitive advantage of a cell capable of mixed-substrate growth because it can grow much faster at low substrate concentrations than one would expect from single-substrate kinetics. Additionally, the relevance of the kinetic principles obtained from defined culture systems with single, mixed, or multicomponent substrates to the kinetics of pollutant degradation as it occurs in the presence of alternative carbon sources in complex environmental systems is discussed. The presented overview indicates that many of the environmentally relevant apects in growth kinetics are still waiting to be discovered, established, and exploited.

Bacterial Standing Stock, Activity, and Carbon Production during Formation and Growth of Sea Ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica

Bacterial response to formation and growth of sea ice was investigated during autumn in the northeastern Weddell Sea. Changes in standing stock, activity, and carbon production of bacteria were determined in successive stages of ice development. During initial ice formation, concentrations of bacterial cells, in the order of 1 × 10 8 to 3 × 10 8 liter -1 , were not enhanced within the ice matrix. This suggests that physical enrichment of bacteria by ice crystals is not effective. Due to low concentrations of phytoplankton in the water column during freezing, incorporation of bacteria into newly formed ice via attachment to algal cells or aggregates was not recorded in this study. As soon as the ice had formed, the general metabolic activity of bacterial populations was strongly suppressed. Furthermore, the ratio of [ 3 H]leucine incorporation into proteins to [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into DNA changed during ice growth. In thick pack ice, bacterial activity recovered and growth rates up to 0.6 day -1 indicated actively dividing populations. However, biomass-specific utilization of organic compounds remained lower than in open water. Bacterial concentrations of up to 2.8 × 10 9 cells liter -1 along with considerably enlarged cell volumes accumulated within thick pack ice, suggesting reduced mortality rates of bacteria within the small brine pores. In the course of ice development, bacterial carbon production increased from about 0.01 to 0.4 μg of C liter -1 h -1 . In thick ice, bacterial secondary production exceeded primary production of microalgae.

Kinetic Analysis of Protein Degradation by a Freshwater Wetland Sediment Community

The mineralization of proteins by the sediment microflora of a freshwater wetland conformed to a kinetic model developed for polymer degradation. The maximum velocity of protein mineralization ranged from 2,078 to 147 nmol of protein cm h from May to October. The turnover time of protein was 13 to 69 h. A statistical comparison of the kinetic parameters by the standard error of the estimate demonstrated that protein degradation exhibited significant random fluctuations throughout the growing season. These fluctuations were related to changes in the concentration of readily degradable protein as estimated by K(t). Utilization of amino acids was 9 to 57 times greater than the utilization of protein, and the turnover time for amino acids was 1.6 to 3.7 h.

Abundance and distribution of bacterioplankton in the Gambia River, West Africa

Four ecological zones of the Gambia River were sampled during four different hydrologic seasons for determination of microbial, nutrient, and physical parameters. A Greco-Latin Square experimental design was used to define the particular transect, station, depth, and tide/time-of-day of samples taken. Ranges of total bacterioplankton densities (10(6) cells/ml) were similar to those of tropical and temperate environments. Numbers of free bacteria were similar temporally, whereas attached bacteria numbers were greater during periods of high stream flows when suspended solids concentrations were higher. Free bacteria were usually twice as numerous in the freshwater zones than in the estuarine zones. Attached bacterial densities were approximately four times greater in the estuarine zones than in the freshwater zones. Uptake of(3)H-glucose on both a sample volume and per-cell basis increased from the early stages of the flood (6.95±SE 1.37 ng/liter/hour and 3.8 pg/hour/10(6) cells, respectively) and reached observed annual maximums during the dry season (21.01±SE 3.05 ng/ liter/hour and 13.0 pg/hour/10(6) cells, respectively). Spatially,(3)H-glucose uptake per sample volume and per cell was highest in the upper river zone and lowest in the lower estuary zone. The lower estuary zone consistently acted out of concert with the other river zones in terms of(3)H-glucose and(14)C-bicarbonate uptake. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that free and attached bacterioplankton densities were not homogeneous among transects, stations, depths, and tide/time-of-day at the different zones during the four hydrologic seasons. The results suggested that heterotrophy overshadowed autotrophy in the river and that the bacterial abundance, distribution, and glucose uptake activity in this tropical floodplain river were greatly influenced by the annual flood and the presence of extensive mangrove forests in the estuary.

Methods for detecting recombinant DNA in the environment

The successful introduction of genetically modified and genetically engineered microorganisms into the environment requires a quantitative evaluation of the survival and dispersion of the microorganisms and specific gene(s) in the environment. The objective of this article is to examine the applicability, suitability, and significance of existing and new methods for detecting and monitoring the recombinant genes or organisms introduced into the environment. Conventional microbiological method(s) involving the selective and differential growth of microorganism(s) adn other quantitative approaches such as the most-probable-number (MPN) method and direct microscopic observation (e.g., acridine orange direct count analysis) have drawbacks and are not specific or universally applicable. Direct enumeration by immunofluorescence by the use of fluorescent dye seems more sensitive although still not perfect. However, the molecular methodologies such as the use of gene probes, plasmid epidemiology, antibiotic resistant marker strains, and protein electrophoresis and bacteriophage sensitivity are receiving more attention. As yet, the technology of DNA:DNA hybridization appears to be very useful, sensitive, and accurate for detecting and monitoring the microorganisms in the environment, although improvements are required. New approaches can be developed which may include biochemical signature compounds as well as gene cassettes to be used in a complementary fashion with conventional and molecular techniques for quantifying specific genotypes and genes in the environment.

Growth determinations for unattached bacteria in a contaminated aquifer

Growth rates of unattached bacteria in groundwater contaminated with treated sewage and collected at various distances from the source of contamination were estimated by using frequency of dividing cells and tritiated-thymidine uptake and compared with growth rates obtained with unsupplemented, closed-bottle incubations. Estimates of bacterial generation times [(In 2)/mu] along a 3-km-long transect in oxygen-depleted (0.1 to 0.7 mg of dissolved oxygen liter-1) groundwater ranged from 16 h at 0.26 km downgradient from an on-land, treated-sewage outfall to 139 h at 1.6 km and correlated with bacterial abundance (r2 = 0.88 at P less than 0.001). Partitioning of assimilated thymidine into nucleic acid generally decreased with distance from the contaminant source, and one population in heavily contaminated groundwater assimilated little thymidine during a 20-h incubation. Several assumptions commonly made when frequency of dividing cells and tritiated-thymidine uptake are used were not applicable to the groundwater samples.

Influence of Cyanobacterial Hyperscum on Heterotrophic Activity of Planktonic Bacteria in a Hypertrophic Lake

The response of the planktonic heterotrophic bacterial community to the buildup and breakdown of a semipermanent, crusted, floating cyanobacterial mat, or hyperscum, that covered 1 to 2 ha was studied in a hypertrophic lake (Hartbeespoort Dam, South Africa). The initial response of bacteria in the main basin to the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the hyperscum 1 km away was an increase in activity per cell from 35 × 10 −12 to 153 × 10 −12 μg of C cell −1 h −1 for total cell counts, while activity per cell for metabolically active cells increased from 19 × 10 −11 to 85 × 10 −11 μg of C cell −1 h −1 . No major population growth occurred at this stage. Later, with the continuous supply of DOC from the hyperscum, total bacterial numbers increased from 6.6 × 10 6 to 20 × 10 6 cells ml −1 , while the activity per cell declined. Metabolically active bacteria followed the same trend. Shorter-term DOC increases caused only increases in bacterial activity per cell. The data from Hartbeespoort Dam demonstrate an interesting and little-documented mechanism by which aquatic bacteria respond to increased DOC concentration and which may be universal for aquatic systems.

Adaptation of Aquatic Microbial Communities to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

The effects of long-chain (C 12 to C 18 ) quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) on the density, heterotrophic activity, and biodegradation capabilities of heterotrophic bacteria were examined in situ in a lake ecosystem. Monoalkyl and dialkyl substituted QACs were tested over a range of concentrations (0.001 to 10 mg/liter) in both acute (3 h) and chronic (21 day) exposures. In general, none of the QACs tested had significant adverse effects on bacterial densities in either acute or chronic studies. However, significant decreases in bacterial heterotrophic activity were noted in acute studies at QAC concentrations from 0.1 to 10 mg/liter. Chronic exposure of lake microbial communities to a specific monoalkyl QAC resulted in an adaptive response and recovery of heterotrophic activity. No-observable-effect level in the adapted populations was >10 mg/liter. Chronic exposure also resulted in significant increases in the number and activity of bacteria capable of biodegrading the material. The increase in biodegradation capability was observed at low (microgram per liter) concentrations which are approximately the same as realistic environmental levels. In general, our studies indicated that exposure of lake microbial communities to QACs results in the development of adapted communities which are less sensitive to potential toxic effects and more active in the biodegradation of these materials.

Specific uptake rates of amino acids by attached and free-living bacteria in a mesotrophic lake

Seasonal and spatial patterns of specific uptake rates of amino acids by bacteria in Lake Constance were studied. The total bacterial population was divided into small (0.2- to 1.0-micron) and large (1.0- to 3.0-micron) free-living bacteria and attached bacteria by fractionated filtration. Data for attached bacteria, received by retention on 3.0-micron-pore Nuclepore filters, were corrected for free-living bacteria in this fraction. Specific uptake rates based on autoradiography were also recorded. Specific uptake rates for attached bacteria ranged from 9.41 X 10(-11) to 6.11 X 10(-8) ng of C h-1 cell-1 and were therefore significantly greater than those for free-living bacteria during most time periods. However, they were not significantly different from those for cells proven to be active by autoradiography. Specific uptake rates for small free-living bacteria ranged between 7.68 X 10(-11) and 4.60 X 10(-9) ng of C h-1 cell-1. They were nearly in the same range of those for large free-living bacteria (5.10 X 10(-11) to 1.07 X 10(-8) ng of C h-1 cell-1), although both fractions exhibited pronounced differences in their seasonal and vertical distributions.

Benthic bacterial biomass supported by streamwater dissolved organic matter

Bacterial biomass in surface sediments of a headwater stream was measured as a function of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux and temperature. Bacterial biomass was estimated using epifluorescence microscopic counts (EMC) and ATP determinations during exposure to streamwater containing 1,788μg DOC/liter and after transfer to groundwater containing 693μg DOC/liter. Numbers of bacteria and ATP concentrations averaged 1.36×10(9) cells and 1,064 ng per gram dry sediment, respectively, under initial DOC exposure. After transfer to low DOC water, biomass estimates dropped by 53 and 55% from EMC and ATP, respectively. The decline to a new steady state occurred within 4 days from ATP assays and within 11 days from EMC measures. A 4°C difference during these exposures had little effect on generation times. The experiment indicated that 27.59 mg/hour of natural DOC supported a steady state bacterial biomass of approximately 10μg C/g dry weight of sediment (from EMC determinations). Steady state bacterial biomass estimates on sediments that were previously muffled to remove organic matter were approximately 20-fold lower. The ratio of GTP∶ATP indicated differences in physiological condition or community composition between natural and muffled sediments.

Size of Suspended Bacterial Cells and Association of Heterotrophic Activity with Size Fractions of Particles in Estuarine and Coastal Waters

The size of bacteria and the size distribution of heterotrophic activity were examined in estuarine, neritic, and coastal waters. The data indicated the small size of suspended marine bacteria and the predominance of free-living cells in numerical abundance and in the incorporation of dissolved amino acids. The average per-cell volume of suspended marine bacteria in all environments was less than 0.1 μm 3 . Cell volume ranged from 0.072 to 0.096 μm 3 at salinities of 0 to 34.3‰ in the Newport River estuary, N.C., and from 0.078 to 0.096 μm 3 in diverse areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, the free-living bacteria were too small to be susceptible to predation by copepods. In the Newport River estuary, ca. 93 to 99% of the total number of cells and 75 to 97% of incorporated tritium (from 3 H-labeled mixed amino acids) retained by a 0.2-μm-pore-size filter passed through a 3.0-μm-pore-size filter. Although the amino acid turnover rate per cell was higher for the bacteria in the >3.0-μm size fraction than in the <3.0-μm size fraction, the small number of bacteria associated with the >3.0-μm size particles resulted in the low relative contribution of attached bacteria to total heterotrophic activity in the estuary. For coastal and neritic samples, collected off the coast of Georgia and northeast Florida and in the plume of the Mississippi River, 56 to 98% of incorporated label passed through a 3.0-μm-pore-size filter. The greatest activity in the >3.0-μm fraction in the Georgia Bight was at nearshore stations and in the bottom samples. Our data were consistent with the hypothesis that resuspension of bottom material is an important factor in influencing the proportion of heterotrophic activity attributable to particle-associated bacteria.

Response of marine bacterioplankton to differential filtration and confinement

The bacterioplankton community of confined seawater at 25 degrees C changed significantly within 16 h of collection. Confinement increased CFU, total cell number (by epifluorescence microscopy), and average cell volume of bacterioplankton and increased the turnover rate of amino acids in seawater sampled at Frying Pan Shoals, N.C. The bacterioplankton community was characterized by two components: differential doubling times during confinement shifted dominance from bacteria which were nonculturable to bacteria which were culturable on a complex nutrient medium. Culturable cells (especially those of the genera Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, and Acinetobacter) increased from 0.08% of the total cell number in the seawater immediately after collection to 13% at 16 h and 41% at 32 h of confinement. Differential filtration before confinement indicated that particles passing through a 3.9-microns-, but retained by a 0.2-micron-, pore-size Nuclepore filter may be a major source of primary amines to the confined population. The 3.0-microns filtration increased growth rate and ultimate numbers of culturable cells through the removal of bacterial predators or the release of primary amines from cells damaged during filtration or both.

Bacterial activity at the air/water interface

By using substrate molecules of varying degrees of surface activity, we were able to measure some features of bacterial activity in the surface microlayers (SM) and in the subsurface (bulk) water. The fraction of active cells was determined by a combined microautoradiography-epifluorescence (ME) method. Measurements were made of(14)CO2 evolution to determine the rate of respiration. Results from in situ measurements showed no significant difference between fraction of active cells in the SM and in the bulk. This may be due to an exchange of bacteria between SM and bulk. This exchange was assessed by spreading a film of(3)H-palmitic acid on the surface and, after incubation, measuring the amount of labeled cells at the surface and in the bulk. Test bacteria showing a high accumulation at the surface also showed a low exchange between the 2 strata. When low concentrations of added(14)C-protein were used, the respiration measurements showed a lower value for bulk than for interface localized protein. At higher concentrations, the evolved(14)CO2 was the same whether the protein was mixed in the bulk or spread at the surface. When 2.4-12 ng·cm(-2) of(14)C-palmitic acid was spread on the surface, there was a linear relation between turnover time and amount of added substrate. At higher substrate concentrations there was a deviation from the straight line. Results are discussed in terms of the unique habitat found at an interface.

Simple Assay for Accurate Determination of [ 35 S]sulfate Reduction Activity

A method is described for the assay of [ 35 S]sulfate reduction in which filter paper wicks are used to trap [ 35 S]sulfide. The simplicity of the technique enables large numbers of samples to be conveniently processed. Enhanced sensitivity is achieved since all acid-volatile [ 35 S]sulfides produced during the incubation period are counted. Recovery of radioactivity from added Na 2 35 S is excellent (mean, 100.1%; standard deviation, 1.81; n = 9) and is unaffected by sulfide concentrations of up to 400 μg per sample. Field trial results with anoxic sediment samples are presented.

Transport of microbial biomass through the North Inlet ecosystem

Tidal fluctuations and transports of total microbial biomass (measured as adenosine triphosphate [ATP]) were investigated at three marsh creeks comprising the major transfer points between the North Inlet marsh and the adjoining aquatic ecosystems. Two creeks, Town Creek and North Jones Creek, form the inlet mouth and are the only marsh-ocean exchange points. The third creek, South Jones Creek, connects to a brackish water embayment. The creeks were simultaneously sampled every 1.5 hours for 50 consecutive hours during neap tides (four tidal cycles) and 50 consecutive hours during spring tides of each season. At the inlet, ATP concentration fluctuated in phase with the tide during winter and fall and out of phase with the tide during the spring. Fluctuation patterns at South Jones Creek were irregular. The highest ATP concentrations were during the spring (mean=2.17 mg of ATP per m(3)) and the lowest concentrations were during the winter (mean=0.65 mg of ATP per m(3)). Net transports of ATP varied from tidal cycle to tidal cycle with regard to direction of transport (import or export) and magnitude. Net transports were small compared to large instantaneous transports and only 4 of 22 determinations of net transport were different from zero transport.

Heterotrophic activity and biodegradation of labile and refractory compounds by groundwater and stream microbial populations

The bacteriology and heterotrophic activity of a stream and of nearby groundwater in Marmot Basin, Alberta, Canada, were studied. Acridine orange direct counts indicated that bacterial populations in the groundwater were greater than in the stream. Bacteria that were isolated from the groundwater were similar to species associated with soils. Utilization of labile dissolved organic material as measured by the heterotrophic potential technique with glutamic acid, phenylalanine, and glycolic acid as substrates was generally greater in the groundwater. In addition, specific activity indices for the populations suggested greater metabolic activity per bacterium in the groundwater. 14C-labeled lignocellulose, preferentially labeled in the lignin fraction by feeding Picea engelmannii [14C]phenylalanine, was mineralized by microorganisms in both the groundwater and the stream, but no more than 4% of the added radioactivity was lost as 14CO2 within 960 h. Up to 20% of [3'-14C]cinnamic acid was mineralized by microorganisms in both environments within 500 h. Both microbial populations appear to influence the levels of labile and recalcitrant dissolved organic material in mountain streams.

Attached and Free-Floating Bacteria in a Diverse Selection of Water Bodies

The contribution of attached and free-floating bacteria to the bacterial numbers and heterotrophic uptake in 44 diverse aquatic environments was studied. A factor analysis reduced the variability of the raw data base to three major factors explaining 53.6% of total variance. These factors were (i) salinity, (ii) heterotrophic uptake, and (iii) particulate load. A cluster analysis categorized the 44 habitats into five distinct environmental types based on these three factors. There was no significant pattern in the distribution of attached versus free-floating bacteria when assessed by epifluorescent microscopy. However the contribution of attached bacteria to the uptake of an amino acids mix was reduced in marine waters. Heavy particulate loads resulted in an increased percentage uptake of amino acids and glucose from the attached bacteria. Uptake response was found to be substrate specific especially in oliogotrophic freshwater. Amino acid uptake was more associated with the attached fraction, whereas glucose uptake was mediated more by the free-floating fraction.

Effect of Temperature on Heterotrophic Glucose Uptake, Mineralization, and Turnover Rates in Lake Sediments

The V max and turnover rates (TR) of [ U - 14 C]glucose uptake and mineralization of Lake Kinneret (Israel) sediment are temperature dependent. The following activation energies were determined: glucose uptake, ∼15,000 cal (62,760 J); TR of glucose uptake, ∼10,000 cal (41,840 J); glucose mineralization, 7,500 to 15,000 cal (31,380 to 62,760 J); and TR of glucose mineralization, ∼15,000 cal. Q 10 values varied as follows: glucose uptake, ∼2.3; TR of glucose uptake, ∼1.8; and glucose mineralization, ∼2.5. K + S n values increased slightly with temperature and might reflect an increased K with increased temperatures. Glucose respiration/uptake ratios were low (9.5 to 12%) and were apparently not greatly influenced by the presence or absence of oxygen or by different assay temperatures. Aerobic or anaerobic sediments assayed under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions did not exhibit greatly different V max , TR, or K + S n values.

Effects of pharmaceutical wastes on microbial populations in surface waters at the puerto rico dump site in the atlantic ocean

A series of cruises during 1979 and 1980 to the pharmaceutical dump site located 64 km north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, in the Atlantic Ocean, was carried out to evaluate effects of wastes on the ecology of the microflora of surface waters of the dump site. In addition to bacteriological monitoring of the waste plume created by the release of wastes from the disposal barge, stations along a series of transects, extending north from coastal waters through and beyond the dump site, were sampled. Largest numbers of culturable bacteria on marine agar were found at stations closest to shore and in the vicinity of the dump site. Bacteria recovered on marine agar were predominantly Vibrio and Aeromonas spp., with the relative abundance of these organisms decreasing as gram-positive organisms (staphylococci, micrococci, and bacilli) became dominant in areas immediately affected by waste dumping. Total numbers of bacteria (determined by acridine orange direct counts [AODC]), which were relatively stable throughout the region, and a direct estimate of viable cells (DVC), i.e., those cells responsive to additions of yeast extract and nalidixic acid, were determined by acridine orange staining and epifluorescence microscopy. Heterotrophic bacterial activity, measured by the uptake (V(max)) of C-labeled amino acids, declined relative to distance from land. Increases in specific activity indices (DVC/AODC and V(max)/AODC) were observed near the dump site. The composite results of this study, i.e., increased specific activities (determined by two methods), increased numbers of culturable marine bacteria, and marked alteration of the taxonomic composition of the culturable bacterial community in waters within and surrounding the Puerto Rico dump site, indicate demonstrable changes in the marine microbial community in the region used for waste disposal.

Filterable marine bacteria found in the deep sea: Distribution, taxonomy, and response to starvation

A significant number of viable colony-forming bacteria were recovered from deep-ocean bottom water samples passed through a 0.45μm filter. However, these bacteria small enough to pass through a 0.45μm membrane filter and termed "filterable bacteria" were less abundant in open-ocean surface water and coastal water samples. The reduced size of bacterial cells present in deep-ocean bottom water samples was documented by scanning electron microscopy. The concentration of ATP in the water samples was found to be correlated with results of direct counts of bacteria.Numerical taxonomy of bacterial strains isolated from water samples collected at two stations in the deep sea yielded taxonomic clusters grouped according to sample and size fraction. The generic composition of bacterial populations of bottom water filtrates was compared with that of bacteria retained by 0.45μ m filters. Strains ofAlcaligenes, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, andVibrio spp. were identified among those retained by, as well as passing through, 0.45μm filters.Two marine isolates obtained from the filtrate of a deep-ocean water sample were incubated for 9 weeks in nutrient-free artificial seawater, during which the cells became rounded and reduced in size. After the 9-week incubation period, more than 10% of the viable cells of both cultures were able to pass through a 0.4μm filter. The viable count at 9 weeks wasca. 10% of that of the initial population, although from direct counts the total population number remained relatively constant throughout the incubation period. From the observed reduction in cell size and increased starvation resistance of cells held under low nutrient conditions, it is concluded that a significant relationship exists between decreased cell size and increased survival of marine bacteria in the deep sea.

A pressure-retaining deep ocean sampler and transfer system for measurement of microbial activity in the deep sea

A deep ocean sampler (DOS) has been developed for microbiological sampling and is capable of aseptically collecting 400-ml water samples from any depth in the world oceans. The instrument maintains samples under in situ pressure and temperature. A hyperbaric transfer system has also been developed, enabling transfer of sample volumes up to 150 ml, without decompression or dilution, to pressurized incubation chambers. Utilization of(14)C-glutamate (21 to 96μg/l) and(14)C-acetate (4.6μg/l) by microbial populations in undecompressed water samples from the N.W. Atlantic and the Cape and Angola Basins was recorded over incubation periods of 2 to 18 weeks. Rates of substrate utilization ranged from 1 to 38×10(-2) μg/l/day.