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Litti Y, Elcheninov A, Botchkova E, Chernyh N, Merkel A, Vishnyakova A, Popova N, Zhang Y, Safonov A. Metagenomic evidence of a novel anammox community in a cold aquifer with high nitrogen pollution. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121629. [PMID: 38944958 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121629] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation by nitrite (anammox) is a globally essential part of N cycle. To date, 8 Candidatus genera and more than 22 species of anammox bacteria have been discovered in various anthropogenic and natural habitats, including nitrogen-polluted aquifers. In this work, anammox bacteria were detected for the first time in the groundwater ecosystem with high anthropogenic nitrogen pollution (up to 1760 mg NO3--N/L and 280 mg NH4+-N/L) and low year-round temperature (7-8 °C) in the zone of a uranium sludge repository. Further metagenomic analysis resulted in retrieval of metagenome-assembled genomes of 4 distinct anammox bacteria: a new genus named Ca. Frigussubterria, new species in Ca. Kuenenia, and two strains of a new species in Ca. Scalindua. Analysis of the genomes revealed essential genes involved in anammox metabolism. Both strains of Ca. Scalindua chemeplantae had a high copy number of genes encoding the cold shock proteins CspA/B, which can also function as an antifreeze protein (CspB). Ca. Kuenenia glazoviensis and Ca. Frigussubterria udmurtiae were abundant in less N-polluted site, while Ca. Scalindua chemeplantae inhabited both sites. Genes for urea utilization, reduction of insoluble Fe2O3 or MnO2, assimilatory sulfate reduction, reactive oxygen detoxification, nitrate reduction to ammonium, and putatively arsenate respiration were found. These findings enrich knowledge of the functional and phylogenetic diversity of anammox bacteria and improve understanding of the nitrogen cycle in polluted aquifers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriy Litti
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander Elcheninov
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Ekaterina Botchkova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Nikolay Chernyh
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander Merkel
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Anastasia Vishnyakova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 60 let Oktjabrja pr-t, 7, bld. 2, 117312, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Nadezhda Popova
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry RAS, 31, bld.4, Leninsky Prospect, 119071, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Yaobin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
| | - Alexey Safonov
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry RAS, 31, bld.4, Leninsky Prospect, 119071, Moscow, Russia.
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Johnston J, Vilardi K, Cotto I, Sudarshan A, Bian K, Klaus S, Bachmann M, Parsons M, Wilson C, Bott C, Pinto A. Metatranscriptomic Analysis Reveals Synergistic Activities of Comammox and Anammox Bacteria in Full-Scale Attached Growth Nitrogen Removal System. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:13023-13034. [PMID: 39001848 PMCID: PMC11271001 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Leveraging comammox Nitrospira and anammox bacteria for shortcut nitrogen removal can drastically lower the carbon footprint of wastewater treatment facilities by decreasing aeration energy, carbon, alkalinity, and tank volume requirements while also potentially reducing nitrous oxide emissions. However, their co-occurrence as dominant nitrifying bacteria is rarely reported in full-scale wastewater treatment. As a result, there is a poor understanding of how operational parameters, in particular, dissolved oxygen, impact their activity and synergistic behavior. Here, we report the impact of dissolved oxygen concentration (DO = 2, 4, 6 mg/L) on the microbial community's transcriptomic expression in a full-scale integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) municipal wastewater treatment facility where nitrogen removal is predominantly performed by comammox Nitrospira and anammox bacterial populations. 16S rRNA transcript compositions revealed anammox bacteria and Nitrospira were significantly more active in IFAS biofilms compared to suspended sludge biomass. In IFAS biofilms, anammox bacteria significantly increased hzo expression at lower dissolved oxygen concentrations and this increase was highly correlated with the amoA expression levels of comammox bacteria. Interestingly, the genes involved in nitrite oxidation by comammox bacteria were significantly more upregulated, relative to the genes involved in ammonia oxidation with decreasing dissolved oxygen concentrations. Ultimately, our findings suggest that comammox Nitrospira supplies anammox bacteria with nitrite via ammonia oxidation and that this synergistic behavior is dependent on dissolved oxygen concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Johnston
- School
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Katherine Vilardi
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Irmarie Cotto
- Department
of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Ashwin Sudarshan
- School
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Kaiqin Bian
- School
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Stephanie Klaus
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455, United States
| | - Megan Bachmann
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Mike Parsons
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455, United States
| | - Christopher Wilson
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455, United States
| | - Charles Bott
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455, United States
| | - Ameet Pinto
- School
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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3
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Skoog EJ, Bosak T. Predicted metabolic roles and stress responses provide insights into candidate phyla Hydrogenedentota and Sumerlaeota as members of the rare biosphere in biofilms from various environments. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13228. [PMID: 38192240 PMCID: PMC10866078 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Pustular mats from Shark Bay, Western Australia, host complex microbial communities bound within an organic matrix. These mats harbour many poorly characterized organisms with low relative abundances (<1%), such as candidate phyla Hydrogenedentota and Sumerlaeota. Here, we aim to constrain the metabolism and physiology of these candidate phyla by analyzing two representative metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from a pustular mat. Metabolic reconstructions of these MAGs suggest facultatively anaerobic, chemoorganotrophic lifestyles of both organisms and predict that both MAGs can metabolize a diversity of carbohydrate substrates. Ca. Sumerlaeota possesses genes involved in degrading chitin, cellulose and other polysaccharides, while Ca. Hydrogenedentota can metabolize cellulose derivatives in addition to glycerol, fatty acids and phosphonates. Both Ca. phyla can respond to nitrosative stress and participate in nitrogen metabolism. Metabolic comparisons of MAGs from Shark Bay and those from various polyextreme environments (i.e., hot springs, hydrothermal vents, subsurface waters, anaerobic digesters, etc.) reveal similar metabolic capabilities and adaptations to hypersalinity, oxidative stress, antibiotics, UV radiation, nitrosative stress, heavy metal toxicity and life in surface-attached communities. These adaptations and capabilities may account for the widespread nature of these organisms and their contributions to biofilm communities in a range of extreme surface and subsurface environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie J. Skoog
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
- Integrative Oceanography DivisionScripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tanja Bosak
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
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Gios E, Mosley OE, Hoggard M, Handley KM. High niche specificity and host genetic diversity of groundwater viruses. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae035. [PMID: 38452204 PMCID: PMC10980836 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Viruses are key members of microbial communities that exert control over host abundance and metabolism, thereby influencing ecosystem processes and biogeochemical cycles. Aquifers are known to host taxonomically diverse microbial life, yet little is known about viruses infecting groundwater microbial communities. Here, we analysed 16 metagenomes from a broad range of groundwater physicochemistries. We recovered 1571 viral genomes that clustered into 468 high-quality viral operational taxonomic units. At least 15% were observed to be transcriptionally active, although lysis was likely constrained by the resource-limited groundwater environment. Most were unclassified (95%), and the remaining 5% were Caudoviricetes. Comparisons with viruses inhabiting other aquifers revealed no shared species, indicating substantial unexplored viral diversity. In silico predictions linked 22.4% of the viruses to microbial host populations, including to ultra-small prokaryotes, such as Patescibacteria and Nanoarchaeota. Many predicted hosts were associated with the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. Metabolic predictions revealed the presence of 205 putative auxiliary metabolic genes, involved in diverse processes associated with the utilization of the host's intracellular resources for biosynthesis and transformation reactions, including those involved in nucleotide sugar, glycan, cofactor, and vitamin metabolism. Viruses, prokaryotes overall, and predicted prokaryotic hosts exhibited narrow spatial distributions, and relative abundance correlations with the same groundwater parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and iron), consistent with host control over viral distributions. Results provide insights into underexplored groundwater viruses, and indicate the large extent to which viruses may manipulate microbial communities and biogeochemistry in the terrestrial subsurface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Gios
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- NINA, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Olivia E Mosley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- NatureMetrics Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7HJ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hoggard
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Kim M Handley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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5
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Mosley OE, Gios E, Handley KM. Implications for nitrogen and sulphur cycles: phylogeny and niche-range of Nitrospirota in terrestrial aquifers. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae047. [PMID: 38650708 PMCID: PMC11033732 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae047] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests Nitrospirota are important contributors to aquatic and subsurface nitrogen and sulphur cycles. We determined the phylogenetic and ecological niche associations of Nitrospirota colonizing terrestrial aquifers. Nitrospirota compositions were determined across 59 groundwater wells. Distributions were strongly influenced by oxygen availability in groundwater, marked by a trade-off between aerobic (Nitrospira, Leptospirillum) and anaerobic (Thermodesulfovibrionia, unclassified) lineages. Seven Nitrospirota metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), or populations, were recovered from a subset of wells, including three from the recently designated class 9FT-COMBO-42-15. Most were relatively more abundant and transcriptionally active in dysoxic groundwater. These MAGs were analysed with 743 other Nitrospirota genomes. Results illustrate the predominance of certain lineages in aquifers (e.g. non-nitrifying Nitrospiria, classes 9FT-COMBO-42-15 and UBA9217, and Thermodesulfovibrionales family UBA1546). These lineages are characterized by mechanisms for nitrate reduction and sulphur cycling, and, excluding Nitrospiria, the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, consistent with carbon-limited, low-oxygen, and sulphur-rich aquifer conditions. Class 9FT-COMBO-42-15 is a sister clade of Nitrospiria and comprises two families spanning a transition in carbon fixation approaches: f_HDB-SIOIB13 encodes rTCA (like Nitrospiria) and f_9FT-COMBO-42-15 encodes Wood-Ljungdahl CO dehydrogenase (like Thermodesulfovibrionia and UBA9217). The 9FT-COMBO-42-15 family is further differentiated by its capacity for sulphur oxidation (via DsrABEFH and SoxXAYZB) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, and gene transcription indicated active coupling of nitrogen and sulphur cycles by f_9FT-COMBO-42-15 in dysoxic groundwater. Overall, results indicate that Nitrospirota are widely distributed in groundwater and that oxygen availability drives the spatial differentiation of lineages with ecologically distinct roles related to nitrogen and sulphur metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia E Mosley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Present address: NatureMetrics Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7HJ, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Gios
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Present address: NINA, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim 7034, Norway
| | - Kim M Handley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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6
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Kop LFM, Koch H, Jetten MSM, Daims H, Lücker S. Metabolic and phylogenetic diversity in the phylum Nitrospinota revealed by comparative genome analyses. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycad017. [PMID: 38317822 PMCID: PMC10839748 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycad017] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The most abundant known nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in the marine water column belong to the phylum Nitrospinota. Despite their importance in marine nitrogen cycling and primary production, there are only few cultured representatives that all belong to the class Nitrospinia. Moreover, although Nitrospinota were traditionally thought to be restricted to marine environments, metagenome-assembled genomes have also been recovered from groundwater. Over the recent years, metagenomic sequencing has led to the discovery of several novel classes of Nitrospinota (UBA9942, UBA7883, 2-12-FULL-45-22, JACRGO01, JADGAW01), which remain uncultivated and have not been analyzed in detail. Here, we analyzed a nonredundant set of 98 Nitrospinota genomes with focus on these understudied Nitrospinota classes and compared their metabolic profiles to get insights into their potential role in biogeochemical element cycling. Based on phylogenomic analysis and average amino acid identities, the highly diverse phylum Nitrospinota could be divided into at least 33 different genera, partly with quite distinct metabolic capacities. Our analysis shows that not all Nitrospinota are nitrite oxidizers and that members of this phylum have the genomic potential to use sulfide and hydrogen for energy conservation. This study expands our knowledge of the phylogeny and potential ecophysiology of the phylum Nitrospinota and offers new avenues for the isolation and cultivation of these elusive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea F M Kop
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Hanna Koch
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, Tulln an der Donau 3430, Austria
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Holger Daims
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Sebastian Lücker
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
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7
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Liu X, Li P, Wang H, Han LL, Yang K, Wang Y, Jiang Z, Cui L, Kao SJ. Nitrogen fixation and diazotroph diversity in groundwater systems. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:2023-2034. [PMID: 37715043 PMCID: PMC10579273 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01513-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), the conversion of N2 into bioavailable nitrogen (N), is the main process for replenishing N loss in the biosphere. However, BNF in groundwater systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the activity, abundance, and community composition of diazotrophs in groundwater in the Hetao Plain of Inner Mongolia using 15N tracing methods, reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR), and metagenomic/metatranscriptomic analyses. 15N2 tracing incubation of near in situ groundwater (9.5-585.4 nmol N L-1 h-1) and N2-fixer enrichment and isolates (13.2-1728.4 nmol N g-1 h-1, as directly verified by single-cell resonance Raman spectroscopy), suggested that BNF is a non-negligible source of N in groundwater in this region. The expression of nifH genes ranged from 3.4 × 103 to 1.2 × 106 copies L-1 and was tightly correlated with dissolved oxygen (DO), Fe(II), and NH4+. Diazotrophs in groundwater were chiefly aerobes or facultative anaerobes, dominated by Stutzerimonas, Pseudomonas, Paraburkholderia, Klebsiella, Rhodopseudomonas, Azoarcus, and additional uncultured populations. Active diazotrophs, which prefer reducing conditions, were more metabolically diverse and potentially associated with nitrification, sulfur/arsenic mobilization, Fe(II) transport, and CH4 oxidation. Our results highlight the importance of diazotrophs in subsurface geochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
| | - Helin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Li-Li Han
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
| | - Kai Yang
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Zhou Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, PR China
| | - Li Cui
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, PR China
| | - Shuh-Ji Kao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
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8
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Gios E, Mosley OE, Weaver L, Close M, Daughney C, Handley KM. Ultra-small bacteria and archaea exhibit genetic flexibility towards groundwater oxygen content, and adaptations for attached or planktonic lifestyles. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:13. [PMID: 36808147 PMCID: PMC9938205 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00223-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aquifers are populated by highly diverse microbial communities, including unusually small bacteria and archaea. The recently described Patescibacteria (or Candidate Phyla Radiation) and DPANN radiation are characterized by ultra-small cell and genomes sizes, resulting in limited metabolic capacities and probable dependency on other organisms to survive. We applied a multi-omics approach to characterize the ultra-small microbial communities over a wide range of aquifer groundwater chemistries. Results expand the known global range of these unusual organisms, demonstrate the wide geographical range of over 11,000 subsurface-adapted Patescibacteria, Dependentiae and DPANN archaea, and indicate that prokaryotes with ultra-small genomes and minimalistic metabolism are a characteristic feature of the terrestrial subsurface. Community composition and metabolic activities were largely shaped by water oxygen content, while highly site-specific relative abundance profiles were driven by a combination of groundwater physicochemistries (pH, nitrate-N, dissolved organic carbon). We provide insights into the activity of ultra-small prokaryotes with evidence that they are major contributors to groundwater community transcriptional activity. Ultra-small prokaryotes exhibited genetic flexibility with respect to groundwater oxygen content, and transcriptionally distinct responses, including proportionally greater transcription invested into amino acid and lipid metabolism and signal transduction in oxic groundwater, along with differences in taxa transcriptionally active. Those associated with sediments differed from planktonic counterparts in species composition and transcriptional activity, and exhibited metabolic adaptations reflecting a surface-associated lifestyle. Finally, results showed that groups of phylogenetically diverse ultra-small organisms co-occurred strongly across sites, indicating shared preferences for groundwater conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Gios
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- NINA, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Olivia E Mosley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- NatureMetrics Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, UK
| | - Louise Weaver
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Murray Close
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Chris Daughney
- GNS Science, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
- NIWA, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kim M Handley
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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9
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Botchkova E, Vishnyakova A, Popova N, Sukhacheva M, Kolganova T, Litti Y, Safonov A. Characterization of Enrichment Cultures of Anammox, Nitrifying and Denitrifying Bacteria Obtained from a Cold, Heavily Nitrogen-Polluted Aquifer. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020221. [PMID: 36829499 PMCID: PMC9952944 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Anammox bacteria related to Candidatus Scalindua were recently discovered in a cold (7.5 °C) aquifer near sludge repositories containing solid wastes of uranium and processed polymetallic concentrate. Groundwater has a very high level of nitrate and ammonia pollution (up to 10 and 0.5 g/L, respectively) and a very low content of organic carbon (2.5 mg/L). To assess the potential for bioremediation of polluted groundwater in situ, enrichment cultures of anammox, nitrifying, and denitrifying bacteria were obtained and analyzed. Fed-batch enrichment of anammox bacteria was not successful. Stable removal of ammonium and nitrite (up to 100%) was achieved in a continuous-flow reactor packed with a nonwoven fabric at 15 °C, and enrichment in anammox bacteria was confirmed by FISH and qPCR assays. The relatively low total N removal efficiency (up to 55%) was due to nonstoichiometric nitrate buildup. This phenomenon can be explained by a shift in the metabolism of anammox bacteria towards the production of more nitrates and less N2 at low temperatures compared to the canonical stoichiometry. In addition, the too high an estimate of specific anammox activity suggests that N cycle microbial groups other than anammox bacteria may have contributed significantly to N removal. Stable nitrite production was observed in the denitrifying enrichment culture, while no "conventional" nitrifiers were found in the corresponding enrichment cultures. Xanthomonadaceae was a common taxon for all microbial communities, indicating its exclusive role in this ecosystem. This study opens up new knowledge about the metabolic capabilities of N cycle bacteria and potential approaches for sustainable bioremediation of heavily N-polluted cold ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Botchkova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Vishnyakova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda Popova
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina Sukhacheva
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatyana Kolganova
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuriy Litti
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, “Fundamentals of Biotechnology” Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-9263699243
| | - Alexey Safonov
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117312 Moscow, Russia
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10
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Suarez C, Hackl T, Wilen BM, Persson F, Hagelia P, Jetten MSM, Dalcin Martins P. Novel and unusual genes for nitrogen and metal cycling in Planctomycetota- and KSB1-affiliated metagenome-assembled genomes reconstructed from a marine subsea tunnel. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2023; 370:fnad049. [PMID: 37291701 PMCID: PMC10732223 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnad049] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Oslofjord subsea road tunnel is a unique environment in which the typically anoxic marine deep subsurface is exposed to oxygen. Concrete biodeterioration and steel corrosion in the tunnel have been linked to the growth of iron- and manganese-oxidizing biofilms in areas of saline water seepage. Surprisingly, previous 16S rRNA gene surveys of biofilm samples revealed microbial communities dominated by sequences affiliated with nitrogen-cycling microorganisms. This study aimed to identify microbial genomes with metabolic potential for novel nitrogen- and metal-cycling reactions, representing biofilm microorganisms that could link these cycles and play a role in concrete biodeterioration. We reconstructed 33 abundant, novel metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated with the phylum Planctomycetota and the candidate phylum KSB1. We identified novel and unusual genes and gene clusters in these MAGs related to anaerobic ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, and other nitrogen-cycling reactions. Additionally, 26 of 33 MAGs also had the potential for iron, manganese, and arsenite cycling, suggesting that bacteria represented by these genomes might couple these reactions. Our results expand the diversity of microorganisms putatively involved in nitrogen and metal cycling, and contribute to our understanding of potential biofilm impacts on built infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Suarez
- Division of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund 221 00, Sweden
| | - Thomas Hackl
- Microbial Ecology Cluster, GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747 AG, Netherlands
| | - Britt-Marie Wilen
- Division of Water Environment Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Frank Persson
- Division of Water Environment Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Per Hagelia
- Construction Division, The Norwegian Public Roads, Administration, Oslo 0667, Norway
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, RIBES, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, Netherlands
| | - Paula Dalcin Martins
- Microbial Ecology Cluster, GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747 AG, Netherlands
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Mosley OE, Gios E, Close M, Weaver L, Daughney C, Handley KM. Nitrogen cycling and microbial cooperation in the terrestrial subsurface. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:2561-2573. [PMID: 35941171 PMCID: PMC9562985 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01300-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The nitrogen cycle plays a major role in aquatic nitrogen transformations, including in the terrestrial subsurface. However, the variety of transformations remains understudied. To determine how nitrogen cycling microorganisms respond to different aquifer chemistries, we sampled groundwater with varying nutrient and oxygen contents. Genes and transcripts involved in major nitrogen-cycling pathways were quantified from 55 and 26 sites, respectively, and metagenomes and metatranscriptomes were analyzed from a subset of oxic and dysoxic sites (0.3-1.1 mg/L bulk dissolved oxygen). Nitrogen-cycling mechanisms (e.g. ammonia oxidation, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) were prevalent and highly redundant, regardless of site-specific physicochemistry or nitrate availability, and present in 40% of reconstructed genomes, suggesting that nitrogen cycling is a core function of aquifer communities. Transcriptional activity for nitrification, denitrification, nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) occurred simultaneously in oxic and dysoxic groundwater, indicating the availability of oxic-anoxic interfaces. Concurrent activity by these microorganisms indicates potential synergisms through metabolite exchange across these interfaces (e.g. nitrite and oxygen). Fragmented denitrification pathway encoding and transcription was widespread among groundwater bacteria, although a considerable proportion of associated transcriptional activity was driven by complete denitrifiers, especially under dysoxic conditions. Despite large differences in transcription, the capacity for the final steps of denitrification was largely invariant to aquifer conditions, and most genes and transcripts encoding N2O reductases were the atypical Sec-dependant type, suggesting energy-efficiency prioritization. Results provide insights into the capacity for cooperative relationships in groundwater communities, and the richness and complexity of metabolic mechanisms leading to the loss of fixed nitrogen.
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