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Gago JF, Viver T, Urdiain M, Ferreira E, Robledo P, Rossello-Mora R. Metagenomics of two aquifers with thermal anomalies in Mallorca Island, and proposal of new uncultivated taxa named following the rules of SeqCode. Syst Appl Microbiol 2024; 47:126506. [PMID: 38640749 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2024.126506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Groundwater offers an intriguing blend of distinctive physical and chemical conditions, constituting a challenge for microbial life. In Mallorca, the largest island of Balearic archipelago, harbours a variety of thermal anomalies (i.e., geothermal manifestation where surface aquifers exhibiting temperatures exceeding the regional average). The metagenomes of two aquifers in the centre and southern of the island showed Pseudomonadota to be the most represented phylum when using extracted 16S rRNA gene sequences. However, the microbial structures within and between aquifers were remarkably diverse but similar in their metabolic profiles as revealed by the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) pointing to a prevalence of aerobic chemolithoautotrophic and heterotrophic metabolisms, especially in the Llucmajor aquifer. Also, some evidences of anaerobic lifestyles were detected, which would indicate that these environments either could suffer episodes of oxygen depletion or the anaerobes had been transported from deeper waters. We believe that the local environmental factors (temperature, external inputs or chemistry) seem to be more relevant than the connection and, eventually, transport of microbial cells within the aquifer in determining the highly divergent structures. Notably, most of the reconstructed genomes belonged to undescribed bacterial lineages and from them two high-quality MAGs could be classified as novel taxa named following the rules of the Code for Nomenclature of Prokaryotes Described from Sequence Data (SeqCode). Accordingly, we propose the new species and genus Costitxia debesea gen. nov., sp. nov., affiliated with the novel family Costitxiaceae fam. nov., order Costitxiales ord. nov. and class Costitxiia class. nov.; and the new new species and genus Lloretia debesea gen. nov. sp. nov. affiliated with the novel family Lloretiaceae fam. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Gago
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain; The Deep Blue Sea Enterprise S.L., Barcelona, Spain; Lipotrue S.L., Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Tomeu Viver
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain; Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mercedes Urdiain
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Elaine Ferreira
- The Deep Blue Sea Enterprise S.L., Barcelona, Spain; Lipotrue S.L., Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Robledo
- Unit of Geological and Mining Institute of Spain in Balearic Islands (IGME-CSIC), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Ramon Rossello-Mora
- Marine Microbiology Group, Department of Animal and Microbial Biodiversity, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain.
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2
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Mukhia S, Kumar A, Kumar R. Bacterial community distribution and functional potentials provide key insights into their role in the ecosystem functioning of a retreating Eastern Himalayan glacier. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae012. [PMID: 38305149 PMCID: PMC10876117 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Himalayan glaciers are receding at an exceptional rate, perturbing the local biome and ecosystem processes. Understanding the microbial ecology of an exclusively microbe-driven biome provides insights into their contributions to the ecosystem functioning through biogeochemical fluxes. Here, we investigated the bacterial communities and their functional potential in the retreating East Rathong Glacier (ERG) of Sikkim Himalaya. Amplicon-based taxonomic classification revealed the dominance of the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and candidate Patescibacteria in the glacial sites. Further, eight good-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Proteobacteria, Patescibacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Choloflexota retrieved from the metagenomes elucidated the microbial contributions to nutrient cycling. The ERG MAGs showed aerobic respiration as a primary metabolic feature, accompanied by carbon fixation and complex carbon degradation potentials. Pathways for nitrogen metabolism, chiefly dissimilatory nitrate reduction and denitrification, and a complete sulphur oxidation enzyme complex for sulphur metabolism were identified in the MAGs. We observed that DNA repair and oxidative stress response genes complemented with osmotic and periplasmic stress and protein chaperones were vital for adaptation against the intense radiation and stress conditions of the extreme Himalayan niche. Current findings elucidate the microbiome and associated functional potentials of a vulnerable glacier, emphasizing their significant ecological roles in a changing glacial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srijana Mukhia
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Post Box No. 06, Palampur 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Department of Microbiology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Anil Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Post Box No. 06, Palampur 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Rakshak Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Post Box No. 06, Palampur 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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3
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Banchi E, Corre E, Del Negro P, Celussi M, Malfatti F. Genome-resolved metagenomics of Venice Lagoon surface sediment bacteria reveals high biosynthetic potential and metabolic plasticity as successful strategies in an impacted environment. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:126-142. [PMID: 38433960 PMCID: PMC10902248 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00192-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria living in sediments play essential roles in marine ecosystems and deeper insights into the ecology and biogeochemistry of these largely unexplored organisms can be obtained from 'omics' approaches. Here, we characterized metagenome-assembled-genomes (MAGs) from the surface sediment microbes of the Venice Lagoon (northern Adriatic Sea) in distinct sub-basins exposed to various natural and anthropogenic pressures. MAGs were explored for biodiversity, major marine metabolic processes, anthropogenic activity-related functions, adaptations at the microscale, and biosynthetic gene clusters. Starting from 126 MAGs, a non-redundant dataset of 58 was compiled, the majority of which (35) belonged to (Alpha- and Gamma-) Proteobacteria. Within the broad microbial metabolic repertoire (including C, N, and S metabolisms) the potential to live without oxygen emerged as one of the most important features. Mixotrophy was also found as a successful lifestyle. Cluster analysis showed that different MAGs encoded the same metabolic patterns (e.g., C fixation, sulfate oxidation) thus suggesting metabolic redundancy. Antibiotic and toxic compounds resistance genes were coupled, a condition that could promote the spreading of these genetic traits. MAGs showed a high biosynthetic potential related to antimicrobial and biotechnological classes and to organism defense and interactions as well as adaptive strategies for micronutrient uptake and cellular detoxification. Our results highlighted that bacteria living in an impacted environment, such as the surface sediments of the Venice Lagoon, may benefit from metabolic plasticity as well as from the synthesis of a wide array of secondary metabolites, promoting ecosystem resilience and stability toward environmental pressures. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00192-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Banchi
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Erwan Corre
- FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Plateforme ABiMS (Analysis and Bioinformatics for Marine Science), Sorbonne Université CNRS, 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Paola Del Negro
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mauro Celussi
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesca Malfatti
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics OGS, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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4
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Jiang Q, Jing H, Li X, Wan Y, Chou IM, Hou L, Dong H, Niu Y, Gao D. Active pathways of anaerobic methane oxidization in deep-sea cold seeps of the South China Sea. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0250523. [PMID: 37916811 PMCID: PMC10715046 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02505-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Cold seeps occur in continental margins worldwide and are deep-sea oases. Anaerobic oxidation of methane is an important microbial process in the cold seeps and plays an important role in regulating methane content. This study elucidates the diversity and potential activities of major microbial groups in dependent anaerobic methane oxidation and sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation processes and provides direct evidence for the occurrence of nitrate-/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (Nr-/N-DAMO) as a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in the hydrate-bearing sediments of the South China Sea. This study provides direct evidence for occurrence of Nr-/N-DAMO as an important methane sink in the deep-sea cold seeps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyun Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongmei Jing
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- HKUST-CAS Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Xuegong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Ye Wan
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - I-Ming Chou
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Lijun Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongpo Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhui Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dengzhou Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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Qi X, Ji M, Yin CF, Zhou NY, Liu Y. Glacier as a source of novel polyethylene terephthalate hydrolases. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2822-2833. [PMID: 37775503 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a major component of microplastic contamination globally, which is now detected in pristine environments including Polar and mountain glaciers. As a carbon-rich molecule, PET could be a carbon source for microorganisms dwelling in glacier habitats. Thus, glacial microorganisms may be potential PET degraders with novel PET hydrolases. Here, we obtained 414 putative PET hydrolase sequences by searching a global glacier metagenome dataset. Metagenomes from the Alps and Tibetan glaciers exhibited a higher relative abundance of putative PET hydrolases than those from the Arctic and Antarctic. Twelve putative PET hydrolase sequences were cloned and expressed, with one sequence (designated as GlacPETase) proven to degrade amorphous PET film with a similar performance as IsPETase, but with a higher thermostability. GlacPETase exhibited only 30% sequence identity to known active PET hydrolases with a novel disulphide bridge location and, therefore may represent a novel PET hydrolases class. The present work suggests that extreme carbon-poor environments may harbour a diverse range of known and novel PET hydrolases for carbon acquisition as an environmental adaptation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chao-Fan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning-Yi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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6
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Hay MC, Mitchell AC, Soares AR, Debbonaire AR, Mogrovejo DC, Els N, Edwards A. Metagenome-assembled genomes from High Arctic glaciers highlight the vulnerability of glacier-associated microbiota and their activities to habitat loss. Microb Genom 2023; 9. [PMID: 37937832 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid warming of the Arctic is threatening the demise of its glaciers and their associated ecosystems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore and understand the diversity of genomes resident within glacial ecosystems endangered by human-induced climate change. In this study we use genome-resolved metagenomics to explore the taxonomic and functional diversity of different habitats within glacier-occupied catchments. Comparing different habitats within such catchments offers a natural experiment for understanding the effects of changing habitat extent or even loss upon Arctic microbiota. Through binning and annotation of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) we describe the spatial differences in taxon distribution and their implications for glacier-associated biogeochemical cycling. Multiple taxa associated with carbon cycling included organisms with the potential for carbon monoxide oxidation. Meanwhile, nitrogen fixation was mediated by a single taxon, although diverse taxa contribute to other nitrogen conversions. Genes for sulphur oxidation were prevalent within MAGs implying the potential capacity for sulphur cycling. Finally, we focused on cyanobacterial MAGs, and those within cryoconite, a biodiverse microbe-mineral granular aggregate responsible for darkening glacier surfaces. Although the metagenome-assembled genome of Phormidesmis priestleyi, the cyanobacterium responsible for forming Arctic cryoconite was represented with high coverage, evidence for the biosynthesis of multiple vitamins and co-factors was absent from its MAG. Our results indicate the potential for cross-feeding to sustain P. priestleyi within granular cryoconite. Taken together, genome-resolved metagenomics reveals the vulnerability of glacier-associated microbiota to the deletion of glacial habitats through the rapid warming of the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie C Hay
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Present address: Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Andrew C Mitchell
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | - Andre R Soares
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (DGES), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Present address: Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Aliyah R Debbonaire
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
| | - Diana C Mogrovejo
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nora Els
- Department of Lake and Glacier Research, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Arwyn Edwards
- Department of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology (iCEM), Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
- Department of Arctic Biology, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
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Nosalova L, Mekadim C, Mrazek J, Pristas P. Thiothrix and Sulfurovum genera dominate bacterial mats in Slovak cold sulfur springs. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:72. [PMID: 37730677 PMCID: PMC10512639 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00527-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Microbiota of sulfur-rich environments has been extensively studied due to the biotechnological potential of sulfur bacteria, or as a model of ancient life. Cold terrestrial sulfur springs are less studied compared to sulfur-oxidizing microbiota of hydrothermal vents, volcanic environments, or soda lakes. Despite that, several studies suggested that sulfur springs harbor diverse microbial communities because of the unique geochemical conditions of upwelling waters. In this study, the microbiota of five terrestrial sulfur springs was examined using a 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. The clear dominance of the Proteobacteria and Campylobacterota phyla of cold sulfur springs microbiota was observed. Contrary to that, the microbiota of the hot sulfur spring was dominated by the Aquificota and Firmicutes phylum respectively. Sulfur-oxidizing genera constituted a dominant part of the microbial populations with the Thiothrix and Sulfurovum genera identified as the core microbiota of cold sulfur terrestrial springs in Slovakia. Additionally, the study emphasizes that sulfur springs in Slovakia support unique, poorly characterized bacterial communities of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Nosalova
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 54, Slovakia
| | - Chahrazed Mekadim
- Laboratory of Anaerobic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska, Prague, 1083, 14220, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Mrazek
- Laboratory of Anaerobic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska, Prague, 1083, 14220, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Pristas
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 54, Slovakia.
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Soltesovej 4-6, Kosice, 040 01, Slovakia.
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Magnuson E, Altshuler I, Freyria NJ, Leveille RJ, Whyte LG. Sulfur-cycling chemolithoautotrophic microbial community dominates a cold, anoxic, hypersaline Arctic spring. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:203. [PMID: 37697305 PMCID: PMC10494364 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01628-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gypsum Hill Spring, located in Nunavut in the Canadian High Arctic, is a rare example of a cold saline spring arising through thick permafrost. It perennially discharges cold (~ 7 °C), hypersaline (7-8% salinity), anoxic (~ 0.04 ppm O2), and highly reducing (~ - 430 mV) brines rich in sulfate (2.2 g.L-1) and sulfide (9.5 ppm), making Gypsum Hill an analog to putative sulfate-rich briny habitats on extraterrestrial bodies such as Mars. RESULTS Genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics were utilized to describe an active microbial community containing novel metagenome-assembled genomes and dominated by sulfur-cycling Desulfobacterota and Gammaproteobacteria. Sulfate reduction was dominated by hydrogen-oxidizing chemolithoautotrophic Desulfovibrionaceae sp. and was identified in phyla not typically associated with sulfate reduction in novel lineages of Spirochaetota and Bacteroidota. Highly abundant and active sulfur-reducing Desulfuromusa sp. highly transcribed non-coding RNAs associated with transcriptional regulation, showing potential evidence of putative metabolic flexibility in response to substrate availability. Despite low oxygen availability, sulfide oxidation was primarily attributed to aerobic chemolithoautotrophic Halothiobacillaceae. Low abundance and transcription of photoautotrophs indicated sulfur-based chemolithoautotrophy drives primary productivity even during periods of constant illumination. CONCLUSIONS We identified a rare surficial chemolithoautotrophic, sulfur-cycling microbial community active in a unique anoxic, cold, hypersaline Arctic spring. We detected Mars-relevant metabolisms including hydrogenotrophic sulfate reduction, sulfur reduction, and sulfide oxidation, which indicate the potential for microbial life in analogous S-rich brines on past and present Mars. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisse Magnuson
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC Canada
| | - Ianina Altshuler
- MACE Laboratory, ALPOLE, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nastasia J. Freyria
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC Canada
| | - Richard J. Leveille
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
- Geosciences Department, John Abbott College, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC Canada
| | - Lyle G. Whyte
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC Canada
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Konrad R, Vergara-Barros P, Alcorta J, Alcamán-Arias ME, Levicán G, Ridley C, Díez B. Distribution and Activity of Sulfur-Metabolizing Bacteria along the Temperature Gradient in Phototrophic Mats of the Chilean Hot Spring Porcelana. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1803. [PMID: 37512975 PMCID: PMC10385741 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In terrestrial hot springs, some members of the microbial mat community utilize sulfur chemical species for reduction and oxidization metabolism. In this study, the diversity and activity of sulfur-metabolizing bacteria were evaluated along a temperature gradient (48-69 °C) in non-acidic phototrophic mats of the Porcelana hot spring (Northern Patagonia, Chile) using complementary meta-omic methodologies and specific amplification of the aprA (APS reductase) and soxB (thiosulfohydrolase) genes. Overall, the key players in sulfur metabolism varied mostly in abundance along the temperature gradient, which is relevant for evaluating the possible implications of microorganisms associated with sulfur cycling under the current global climate change scenario. Our results strongly suggest that sulfate reduction occurs throughout the whole temperature gradient, being supported by different taxa depending on temperature. Assimilative sulfate reduction is the most relevant pathway in terms of taxonomic abundance and activity, whereas the sulfur-oxidizing system (Sox) is likely to be more diverse at low rather than at high temperatures. Members of the phylum Chloroflexota showed higher sulfur cycle-related transcriptional activity at 66 °C, with a potential contribution to sulfate reduction and oxidation to thiosulfate. In contrast, at the lowest temperature (48 °C), Burkholderiales and Acetobacterales (both Pseudomonadota, also known as Proteobacteria) showed a higher contribution to dissimilative sulfate reduction/oxidation as well as to thiosulfate metabolism. Cyanobacteriota and Planctomycetota were especially active in assimilatory sulfate reduction. Analysis of the aprA and soxB genes pointed to members of the order Burkholderiales (Gammaproteobacteria) as the most dominant and active along the temperature gradient for these genes. Changes in the diversity and activity of different sulfur-metabolizing bacteria in photoautotrophic microbial mats along a temperature gradient revealed their important role in hot spring environments, especially the main primary producers (Chloroflexota/Cyanobacteriota) and diazotrophs (Cyanobacteriota), showing that carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles are highly linked in these extreme systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Konrad
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Pablo Vergara-Barros
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - Jaime Alcorta
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - María E Alcamán-Arias
- Department of Oceanography, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4030000, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)2, Santiago 8370449, Chile
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil 0901952, Ecuador
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Biology Department, Chemistry and Biology Faculty, University of Santiago of Chile, Santiago 9170022, Chile
| | - Christina Ridley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Beatriz Díez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Biological Sciences Faculty, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago 8370186, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)2, Santiago 8370449, Chile
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10
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Kremer K, Meier D, Theis L, Miller S, Rost-Nasshan A, Naing YT, Zarzycki J, Paczia N, Serrania J, Blumenkamp P, Goesmann A, Becker A, Thanbichler M, Hochberg GKA, Carter MS, Erb TJ. Functional Degeneracy in Paracoccus denitrificans Pd1222 Is Coordinated via RamB, Which Links Expression of the Glyoxylate Cycle to Activity of the Ethylmalonyl-CoA Pathway. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023:e0023823. [PMID: 37318336 PMCID: PMC10370305 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00238-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic degeneracy describes the phenomenon that cells can use one substrate through different metabolic routes, while metabolic plasticity, refers to the ability of an organism to dynamically rewire its metabolism in response to changing physiological needs. A prime example for both phenomena is the dynamic switch between two alternative and seemingly degenerate acetyl-CoA assimilation routes in the alphaproteobacterium Paracoccus denitrificans Pd1222: the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway (EMCP) and the glyoxylate cycle (GC). The EMCP and the GC each tightly control the balance between catabolism and anabolism by shifting flux away from the oxidation of acetyl-CoA in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle toward biomass formation. However, the simultaneous presence of both the EMCP and GC in P. denitrificans Pd1222 raises the question of how this apparent functional degeneracy is globally coordinated during growth. Here, we show that RamB, a transcription factor of the ScfR family, controls expression of the GC in P. denitrificans Pd1222. Combining genetic, molecular biological and biochemical approaches, we identify the binding motif of RamB and demonstrate that CoA-thioester intermediates of the EMCP directly bind to the protein. Overall, our study shows that the EMCP and the GC are metabolically and genetically linked with each other, demonstrating a thus far undescribed bacterial strategy to achieve metabolic plasticity, in which one seemingly degenerate metabolic pathway directly drives expression of the other. IMPORTANCE Carbon metabolism provides organisms with energy and building blocks for cellular functions and growth. The tight regulation between degradation and assimilation of carbon substrates is central for optimal growth. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of metabolic control in bacteria is of importance for applications in health (e.g., targeting of metabolic pathways with new antibiotics, development of resistances) and biotechnology (e.g., metabolic engineering, introduction of new-to-nature pathways). In this study, we use the alphaproteobacterium P. denitrificans as model organism to study functional degeneracy, a well-known phenomenon of bacteria to use the same carbon source through two different (competing) metabolic routes. We demonstrate that two seemingly degenerate central carbon metabolic pathways are metabolically and genetically linked with each other, which allows the organism to control the switch between them in a coordinated manner during growth. Our study elucidates the molecular basis of metabolic plasticity in central carbon metabolism, which improves our understanding of how bacterial metabolism is able to partition fluxes between anabolism and catabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Kremer
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Doreen Meier
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Theis
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Yadanar T Naing
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Maryland, USA
| | - Jan Zarzycki
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Core Facility for Metabolomics and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Javier Serrania
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Blumenkamp
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Goesmann
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Anke Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Thanbichler
- Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
- Max Planck Fellow Group Bacterial Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Georg K A Hochberg
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Evolutionary Biochemistry Group, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Michael S Carter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Salisbury University, Maryland, USA
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany
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11
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Nosalova L, Piknova M, Kolesarova M, Pristas P. Cold Sulfur Springs-Neglected Niche for Autotrophic Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1436. [PMID: 37374938 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the beginning of unicellular life, dissimilation reactions of autotrophic sulfur bacteria have been a crucial part of the biogeochemical sulfur cycle on Earth. A wide range of sulfur oxidation states is reflected in the diversity of metabolic pathways used by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. This metabolically and phylogenetically diverse group of microorganisms inhabits a variety of environments, including extreme environments. Although they have been of interest to microbiologists for more than 150 years, meso- and psychrophilic chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing microbiota are less studied compared to the microbiota of hot springs. Several recent studies suggested that cold sulfur waters harbor unique, yet not described, bacterial taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Nosalova
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, 041 54 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Maria Piknova
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, 041 54 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Mariana Kolesarova
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, 041 54 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Peter Pristas
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia
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12
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Tian C, Lv Y, Yang Z, Zhang R, Zhu Z, Ma H, Li J, Zhang Y. Microbial Community Structure and Metabolic Potential at the Initial Stage of Soil Development of the Glacial Forefields in Svalbard. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02116-3. [PMID: 36239777 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02116-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities have been identified as the primary inhabitants of Arctic forefields. However, the metabolic potential of microbial communities in these newly exposed soils remains underexplored due to limited access. Here, we sampled the very edge of the glacial forefield in Svalbard and performed the 16S rRNA genes and metagenomic analysis to illustrate the ecosystem characteristics. Burkholderiales and Micrococcales were the dominant bacterial groups at the initial stage of soil development of glacial forefields. 214 metagenome-assembled genomes were recovered from glacier forefield microbiome datasets, including only 2 belonging to archaea. Analysis of these metagenome-assembled genomes revealed that 41% of assembled genomes had the genetic potential to use nitrate and nitrite as electron acceptors. Metabolic pathway reconstruction for these microbes suggested versatility for sulfide and thiosulfate oxidation, H2 and CO utilization, and CO2 fixation. Our results indicate the importance of anaerobic processes in elemental cycling in the glacial forefields. Besides, a range of genes related to adaption to low temperature and other stresses were detected, which revealed the presence of diverse mechanisms of adaption to the extreme environment of Svalbard. This research provides ecological insight into the initial stage of the soil developed during the retreating of glaciers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Polar Life and Environment Sciences, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science, MNR, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongxin Lv
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Polar Life and Environment Sciences, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifeng Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA
| | - Ruifeng Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Polar Life and Environment Sciences, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science, MNR, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuoyi Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Polar Life and Environment Sciences, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science, MNR, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongmei Ma
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science, MNR, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Li
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Polar Life and Environment Sciences, School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory for Polar Science, MNR, Polar Research Institute of China, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Trivedi CB, Keuschnig C, Larose C, Rissi DV, Mourot R, Bradley JA, Winkel M, Benning LG. DNA/RNA Preservation in Glacial Snow and Ice Samples. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:894893. [PMID: 35677909 PMCID: PMC9168539 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.894893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The preservation of nucleic acids for high-throughput sequencing is an ongoing challenge for field scientists. In particular, samples that are low biomass, or that have to be collected and preserved in logistically challenging environments (such as remote sites or during long sampling campaigns) can pose exceptional difficulties. With this work, we compare and assess the effectiveness of three preservation methods for DNA and RNA extracted from microbial communities of glacial snow and ice samples. Snow and ice samples were melted and filtered upon collection in Iceland, and filters were preserved using: (i) liquid nitrogen flash freezing, (ii) storage in RNAlater, or (iii) storage in Zymo DNA/RNA Shield. Comparative statistics covering nucleic acid recovery, sequencing library preparation, genome assembly, and taxonomic diversity were used to determine best practices for the preservation of DNA and RNA samples from these environments. Our results reveal that microbial community composition based on DNA was comparable at the class level across preservation types. Based on extracted RNA, the taxonomic composition of the active community was primarily driven by the filtered sample volume (i.e., biomass content). In low biomass samples (where <200 ml of sample volume was filtered) the taxonomic and functional signatures trend toward the composition of the control samples, while in samples where a larger volume (more biomass) was filtered our data showed comparable results independent of preservation type. Based on all comparisons our data suggests that flash freezing of filters containing low biomass is the preferred method for preserving DNA and RNA (notwithstanding the difficulties of accessing liquid nitrogen in remote glacial field sites). Generally, RNAlater and Zymo DNA/RNA Shield solutions work comparably well, especially for DNA from high biomass samples, but Zymo DNA/RNA Shield is favored due to its higher yield of preserved RNA. Biomass quantity from snow and ice samples appears to be the most important factor in regards to the collection and preservation of samples from glacial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Trivedi
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Université de Lyon, Ecully Cedex, France
| | | | - Rey Mourot
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - James A Bradley
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Winkel
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Liane G Benning
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems from James Ross Archipelago (West Antarctica). Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02997-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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15
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Functional and Taxonomic Effects of Organic Amendments on the Restoration of Semiarid Quarry Soils. mSystems 2021; 6:e0075221. [PMID: 34812648 PMCID: PMC8609970 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00752-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of organic amendments to mining soils has been shown to be a successful method of restoration, improving key physicochemical soil properties. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the soil bacterial community taxonomic and functional changes that are brought about by these treatments. We present further metagenomic sequencing (MGS) profiling of the effects of different restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain which had previously been profiled only with 16S rRNA gene (16S) and physicochemical analyses. Both taxonomic and functional MGS profiles showed clear separation of organic treatment amendments from control samples, and although taxonomic differences were quite clear, functional redundancy was higher than expected and the majority of the latter signal came from the aggregation of minor (<0.1%) community differences. Significant taxonomic differences were seen with the presumably less-biased MGS-for example, the phylum Actinobacteria and the two genera Chloracidobacterium (Acidobacteria) and Paenibacillus (Firmicutes) were determined to be major players by the MGS and this was consistent with their potential functional roles. The former phylum was much less present, and the latter two genera were either minor components or not detected in the 16S data. Mapping of reads to MetaCyc/BioCyc categories showed overall slightly higher biosynthesis and degradation capabilities in all treatments versus control soils, with sewage amendments showing highest values and vegetable-based amendments being at intermediate levels, matching higher nutrient levels, respiration rates, enzyme activities, and bacterial biomass previously observed in the treated soils. IMPORTANCE The restoration of soils impacted by human activities poses specific challenges regarding the reestablishment of functional microbial communities which will further support the reintroduction of plant species. Organic fertilizers, originating from either treated sewage or vegetable wastes, have shown promise in restoration experiments; however, we still do not have a clear understanding of the functional and taxonomic changes that occur during these treatments. We used metagenomics to profile restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain. We found that the assortments of individual functions and taxa within each soil could clearly identify treatments, while at the same time they demonstrated high functional redundancy. Functions grouped into higher pathways tended to match physicochemical measurements made on the same soils. In contrast, significant taxonomic differences were seen when the treatments were previously studied with a single marker gene, highlighting the advantage of metagenomic analysis for complex soil communities.
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16
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Rapp JZ, Sullivan MB, Deming JW. Divergent Genomic Adaptations in the Microbiomes of Arctic Subzero Sea-Ice and Cryopeg Brines. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:701186. [PMID: 34367102 PMCID: PMC8339730 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.701186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Subzero hypersaline brines are liquid microbial habitats within otherwise frozen environments, where concentrated dissolved salts prevent freezing. Such extreme conditions presumably require unique microbial adaptations, and possibly altered ecologies, but specific strategies remain largely unknown. Here we examined prokaryotic taxonomic and functional diversity in two seawater-derived subzero hypersaline brines: first-year sea ice, subject to seasonally fluctuating conditions; and ancient cryopeg, under relatively stable conditions geophysically isolated in permafrost. Overall, both taxonomic composition and functional potential were starkly different. Taxonomically, sea-ice brine communities (∼105 cells mL–1) had greater richness, more diversity and were dominated by bacterial genera, including Polaribacter, Paraglaciecola, Colwellia, and Glaciecola, whereas the more densely inhabited cryopeg brines (∼108 cells mL–1) lacked these genera and instead were dominated by Marinobacter. Functionally, however, sea ice encoded fewer accessory traits and lower average genomic copy numbers for shared traits, though DNA replication and repair were elevated; in contrast, microbes in cryopeg brines had greater genetic versatility with elevated abundances of accessory traits involved in sensing, responding to environmental cues, transport, mobile elements (transposases and plasmids), toxin-antitoxin systems, and type VI secretion systems. Together these genomic features suggest adaptations and capabilities of sea-ice communities manifesting at the community level through seasonal ecological succession, whereas the denser cryopeg communities appear adapted to intense bacterial competition, leaving fewer genera to dominate with brine-specific adaptations and social interactions that sacrifice some members for the benefit of others. Such cryopeg genomic traits provide insight into how long-term environmental stability may enable life to survive extreme conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Z Rapp
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Matthew B Sullivan
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Center of Microbiome Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jody W Deming
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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17
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Wang D, Tao J, Fan F, Xu R, Meng F. A novel pilot-scale IFAS-MBR system with low aeration for municipal wastewater treatment: Linkages between nutrient removal and core functional microbiota. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 776:145858. [PMID: 33640551 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we proposed a novel IFAS-MBR with low aeration for the treatment of real municipal wastewater. With biocarriers packed in the anoxic tank, the pilot-scale IFAS-MBR operated with average dissolved oxygen concentrations of 0.56 mg/L in the oxic tank. Over 110 days of operation, highly efficient nutrient removal was achieved with the total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies of 78.1 ± 7.2% and 93.7 ± 5.8%, respectively. The average effluent concentrations of TN and TP reached 5.4 and 0.26 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile, the removal efficiency of COD reached 95.3 ± 1.3% in the system, and the concentrations of COD decreased from 31.9 ± 3.7 (sludge supernatant) to 12.7 ± 1.6 mg/L (permeate) after membrane filtration. Microbial community analysis showed that Nitrosomonas (0.32%) and Nitrospira (1.85%) in activated sludge were the main drivers of the nitrification process, while various denitrifying bacteria in activated sludge and biofilms were responsible for nitrate reduction in the anoxic tank. Candidatus Accumulibacter (0.34%) and Dechloromonas (1.31%) primarily contributed to denitrifying phosphorus uptake in the anoxic tank. Furthermore, these organisms (i.e., core functional microbiota) exhibited stable levels over the entire operation. The highly enriched hydrolytic fermentation bacteria drove community succession, and the remarkable functional robustness of microbial communities in activated sludge and biofilms favored nutrient removal. Overall, the novel IFAS-MBR system provides an energy-efficient MBR alternative owing to its highly efficient performance and low operating costs enabled by low aeration rates and the absence of an external carbon source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Depeng Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China
| | - Junshi Tao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China
| | - Fuqiang Fan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China
| | - Ronghua Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China
| | - Fangang Meng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China.
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