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Lazar CS, Schwab VF, Ueberschaar N, Pohnert G, Trumbore S, Küsel K. Microbial degradation and assimilation of veratric acid in oxic and anoxic groundwaters. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1252498. [PMID: 37901809 PMCID: PMC10602745 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1252498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities are key players in groundwater ecosystems. In this dark environment, heterotrophic microbes rely on biomass produced by the activity of lithoautotrophs or on the degradation of organic matter seeping from the surface. Most studies on bacterial diversity in groundwater habitats are based on 16S gene sequencing and full genome reconstructions showing potential metabolic pathways used in these habitats. However, molecular-based studies do not allow for the assessment of population dynamics over time or the assimilation of specific compounds and their biochemical transformation by microbial communities. Therefore, in this study, we combined DNA-, phospholipid fatty acid-, and metabolomic-stable isotope probing to target and identify heterotrophic bacteria in the groundwater setting of the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory (CZE), focusing on 2 aquifers with different physico-chemical conditions (oxic and anoxic). We incubated groundwater from 4 different wells using either 13C-labeled veratric acid (a lignin-derived compound) (single labeling) or a combination of 13CO2 and D-labeled veratric acid (dual labeling). Our results show that heterotrophic activities dominate all groundwater sites. We identified bacteria with the potential to break down veratric acid (Sphingobium or Microbacterium). We observed differences in heterotrophic activities between the oxic and anoxic aquifers, indicating local adaptations of bacterial populations. The dual labeling experiments suggested that the serine pathway is an important carbon assimilation pathway and that organic matter was an important source of hydrogen in the newly produced lipids. These experiments also yielded different labeled taxa compared to the single labeling experiments, showing that there exists a complex interaction network in the groundwater habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandre Sara Lazar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), Montreal, QC, Canada
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Valérie F. Schwab
- Department Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Nico Ueberschaar
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Georg Pohnert
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Susan Trumbore
- Department Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Kirsten Küsel
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Gagnon JC, Beauregard-Tousignant S, Marcil JS, Lazar CS. Deep Isolated Aquifer Brines Harbor Atypical Halophilic Microbial Communities in Quebec, Canada. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1529. [PMID: 37628582 PMCID: PMC10454208 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081529] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The deep terrestrial subsurface, hundreds of meters to kilometers below the surface, is characterized by oligotrophic conditions, dark and often anoxic settings, with fluctuating pH, salinity, and water availability. Despite this, microbial populations are detected and active, contributing to biogeochemical cycles over geological time. Because it is extremely difficult to access the deep biosphere, little is known about the identity and metabolisms of these communities, although they likely possess unknown pathways and might interfere with deep waste deposits. Therefore, we analyzed rock and groundwater microbial communities from deep, isolated brine aquifers in two regions dating back to the Ordovician and Devonian, using amplicon and whole genome sequencing. We observed significant differences in diversity and community structure between both regions, suggesting an impact of site age and composition. The deep hypersaline groundwater did not contain typical halophilic bacteria, and genomes suggested pathways involved in protein and hydrocarbon degradation, and carbon fixation. We identified mainly one strategy to cope with osmotic stress: compatible solute uptake and biosynthesis. Finally, we detected many bacteriophage families, potentially indicating that bacteria are infected. However, we also found auxiliary metabolic genes in the viral genomes, probably conferring an advantage to the infected hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Christophe Gagnon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM), C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada; (J.-C.G.); (S.B.-T.)
- Interuniversity Research Group in Limnology/Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL), Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Samuel Beauregard-Tousignant
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM), C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada; (J.-C.G.); (S.B.-T.)
| | - Jean-Sébastien Marcil
- Derena Geosciences, Quebec, QC G7A 3Y5, Canada;
- Ressources Utica Inc., Quebec, QC G1V 4M7, Canada
| | - Cassandre Sara Lazar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM), C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada; (J.-C.G.); (S.B.-T.)
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3
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Response of Prokaryotic Communities to Freshwater Salinization. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Each year, millions of tons of sodium chloride are dumped on roads, contributing to the salinization of freshwater environments. Thus, we sought to understand the effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) on freshwater lake prokaryotic communities, an important and understudied component of food webs. Using mesocosms with 0.01–2.74 ppt NaCl (0.27–1110.86 mg/L Cl−), we evaluated the effect generated on the diversity and absolute abundance of prokaryotic populations after three and six weeks. A positive relationship between Cl− values and absolute bacterial abundance was found after three weeks. The influence of eukaryotic diversity variation was observed as well. Significant differentiation of bacterial communities starting at 420 mg/L Cl− was observed after three weeks, levels lower than the Canadian and US recommendations for acute chloride exposure. The partial recovery of a “pre-disturbance” community was observed following a drop in salinity at the threshold level of 420 mg/L Cl−. A gradual transition of dominance from Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria to Bacteroidia and Alphaproteobacteria was observed and is overall similar to the natural transition observed in estuaries.
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Reji L, Cardarelli EL, Boye K, Bargar JR, Francis CA. Diverse ecophysiological adaptations of subsurface Thaumarchaeota in floodplain sediments revealed through genome-resolved metagenomics. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:1140-1152. [PMID: 34873295 PMCID: PMC8940955 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01167-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The terrestrial subsurface microbiome contains vastly underexplored phylogenetic diversity and metabolic novelty, with critical implications for global biogeochemical cycling. Among the key microbial inhabitants of subsurface soils and sediments are Thaumarchaeota, an archaeal phylum that encompasses ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as well as non-ammonia-oxidizing basal lineages. Thaumarchaeal ecology in terrestrial systems has been extensively characterized, particularly in the case of AOA. However, there is little knowledge on the diversity and ecophysiology of Thaumarchaeota in deeper soils, as most lineages, particularly basal groups, remain uncultivated and underexplored. Here we use genome-resolved metagenomics to examine the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of Thaumarchaeota along a 234 cm depth profile of hydrologically variable riparian floodplain sediments in the Wind River Basin near Riverton, Wyoming. Phylogenomic analysis of the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) indicates a shift in AOA population structure from the dominance of the terrestrial Nitrososphaerales lineage in the well-drained top ~100 cm of the profile to the typically marine Nitrosopumilales in deeper, moister, more energy-limited sediment layers. We also describe two deeply rooting non-AOA MAGs with numerous unexpected metabolic features, including the reductive acetyl-CoA (Wood-Ljungdahl) pathway, tetrathionate respiration, a form III RuBisCO, and the potential for extracellular electron transfer. These MAGs also harbor tungsten-containing aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, group 4f [NiFe]-hydrogenases and a canonical heme catalase, typically not found in Thaumarchaeota. Our results suggest that hydrological variables, particularly proximity to the water table, impart a strong control on the ecophysiology of Thaumarchaeota in alluvial sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linta Reji
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.16750.350000 0001 2097 5006Present Address: Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Emily L. Cardarelli
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.20861.3d0000000107068890Present Address: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Kristin Boye
- grid.445003.60000 0001 0725 7771Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA USA
| | - John R. Bargar
- grid.445003.60000 0001 0725 7771Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA USA
| | - Christopher A. Francis
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
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From Surface to Subsurface: Diversity, Composition, and Abundance of Sessile and Endolithic Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Communities in Sand, Clay and Rock Substrates in the Laurentians (Quebec, Canada). Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10010129. [PMID: 35056578 PMCID: PMC8781179 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities play an important role in shallow terrestrial subsurface ecosystems. Most studies of this habitat have focused on planktonic communities that are found in the groundwater of aquifer systems and only target specific microbial groups. Therefore, a systematic understanding of the processes that govern the assembly of endolithic and sessile communities is still missing. This study aims to understand the effect of depth and biotic factors on these communities, to better unravel their origins and to compare their composition with the communities detected in groundwater. To do so, we collected samples from two profiles (~0–50 m) in aquifer sites in the Laurentians (Quebec, Canada), performed DNA extractions and Illumina sequencing. The results suggest that changes in geological material characteristics with depth represent a strong ecological and phylogenetical filter for most archaeal and bacterial communities. Additionally, the vertical movement of water from the surface plays a major role in shallow subsurface microbial assembly processes. Furthermore, biotic interactions between bacteria and eukaryotes were mostly positive which may indicate cooperative or mutualistic potential associations, such as cross-feeding and/or syntrophic relationships in the terrestrial subsurface. Our results also point toward the importance of sampling both the geological formation and groundwater when it comes to studying its overall microbiology.
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Chen Y, Qiu K, Zhong Z, Zhou T. Influence of Environmental Factors on the Variability of Archaeal Communities in a Karst Wetland. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:675665. [PMID: 34539596 PMCID: PMC8448418 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.675665] [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] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaea are ubiquitous and play an important role in elemental cycles in Earth’s biosphere; but little is known about their diversity, distribution, abundance, and impact in karst environments. The present study investigated the effect of environmental factors on the variability of archaeal communities in the sediment of the Huixian karst wetland, the largest karst wetland in South China. Sediment cores were obtained from four sampling sites with different water depths and macrophyte inhabitants in both the winter of 2016 and the summer of 2018. The community analysis was based on PacBio sequencing and quantitative PCR of the archaeal 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that Euryarchaeota (57.4%) and Bathyarchaeota (38.7%) were dominant in all the samples. Methanogenic Methanosarcinales (25.1%) and Methanomicrobiales (13.7%), and methanotrophic archaea ANME-2d (9.0%) were the dominant Euryarchaeota; MCG-11 (16.5%), MCG-6 (9.1%), and MCG-5b (5.5%) were the dominant Bathyarchaeota. The community composition remained stable between summer and winter, and the vertical distributions of the archaeal phyla conformed to two patterns among the four sampling sites. In the winter samples, the archaeal 16S rRNA gene abundance was approximately 1.0E+10 copies/g of wet sediment and the Shannon index was 7.3±5, which were significantly higher than in the summer samples and in other karst environments. A correlation analysis showed that the moisture content and pH were the factors that mostly affected the archaeal communities. The prevalence of nitrate in the summer may be a key factor causing a significant decrease in archaeal abundance and diversity. Two features specific to karst environments, calcium-richness and weak alkalescence of the water supplies, may benefit the prevalence of bathyarchaeotal subgroups MCG-11, MCG-5b, and MCG-6. These results suggest that in karst wetlands, most of the archaea belong to clades that have significant roles in carbon turnover; their composition remains stable, but their abundance and diversity vary significantly from season to season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- School of Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Kairui Qiu
- School of Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Ziyuan Zhong
- School of Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- School of Biotechnology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
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7
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Michel C, Baran N, André L, Charron M, Joulian C. Side Effects of Pesticides and Metabolites in Groundwater: Impact on Denitrification. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:662727. [PMID: 34054765 PMCID: PMC8155494 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.662727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of two pesticides (S-metolachlor and propiconazole) and their respective main metabolites (ESA-metolachlor and 1,2,4-triazole) on bacterial denitrification in groundwater was studied. For this, the denitrification activity and the bacterial diversity of a microbial community sampled from a nitrate-contaminated groundwater were monitored during 20 days in lab experiments in the presence or absence of pesticides or metabolites at 2 or 10 μg/L. The kinetics of nitrate reduction along with nitrite and N2O production all suggested that S-metolachlor had no or only little impact, whereas its metabolite ESA-metolachlor inhibited denitrification by 65% at 10 μg/L. Propiconazole and 1,2,4-triazole also inhibited denitrification at both concentrations, but to a lesser extent (29–38%) than ESA-metolachlor. When inhibition occurred, pesticides affected the reduction of nitrate into nitrite step. However, no significant differences were detected on the abundance of nitrate reductase narG and napA genes, suggesting an impact of pesticides/metabolites at the protein level rather than on denitrifying bacteria abundance. 16S rRNA gene Illumina sequencing indicated no major modification of bacterial diversity in the presence or absence of pesticides/metabolites, except for ESA-metolachlor and propiconazole at 10 μg/L that tended to increase or decrease Shannon and InvSimpson indices, respectively. General growth parameters suggested no impact of pesticides, except for propiconazole at 10 μg/L that partially inhibited acetate uptake and induced a decrease in microbial biomass. In conclusion, pesticides and metabolites can have side effects at environmental concentrations on microbial denitrification in groundwater and may thus affect ecosystem services based on microbial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Michel
- BRGM, DEPA (Direction de l'Eau, de l'Environnement, des Procédés et Analyses), Orléans, France
| | - Nicole Baran
- BRGM, DEPA (Direction de l'Eau, de l'Environnement, des Procédés et Analyses), Orléans, France
| | - Laurent André
- BRGM, DEPA (Direction de l'Eau, de l'Environnement, des Procédés et Analyses), Orléans, France.,Université d'Orléans, CNRS, BRGM, UMR 7327 Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - Mickael Charron
- BRGM, DEPA (Direction de l'Eau, de l'Environnement, des Procédés et Analyses), Orléans, France
| | - Catherine Joulian
- BRGM, DEPA (Direction de l'Eau, de l'Environnement, des Procédés et Analyses), Orléans, France
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8
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Ruiz-González C, Rodellas V, Garcia-Orellana J. The microbial dimension of submarine groundwater discharge: current challenges and future directions. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6128669. [PMID: 33538813 PMCID: PMC8498565 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the relevance of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) for ocean biogeochemistry, the microbial dimension of SGD remains poorly understood. SGD can influence marine microbial communities through supplying chemical compounds and microorganisms, and in turn, microbes at the land–ocean transition zone determine the chemistry of the groundwater reaching the ocean. However, compared with inland groundwater, little is known about microbial communities in coastal aquifers. Here, we review the state of the art of the microbial dimension of SGD, with emphasis on prokaryotes, and identify current challenges and future directions. Main challenges include improving the diversity description of groundwater microbiota, characterized by ultrasmall, inactive and novel taxa, and by high ratios of sediment-attached versus free-living cells. Studies should explore microbial dynamics and their role in chemical cycles in coastal aquifers, the bidirectional dispersal of groundwater and seawater microorganisms, and marine bacterioplankton responses to SGD. This will require not only combining sequencing methods, visualization and linking taxonomy to activity but also considering the entire groundwater–marine continuum. Interactions between traditionally independent disciplines (e.g. hydrogeology, microbial ecology) are needed to frame the study of terrestrial and aquatic microorganisms beyond the limits of their presumed habitats, and to foster our understanding of SGD processes and their influence in coastal biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Ruiz-González
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC). Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, E08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valentí Rodellas
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Garcia-Orellana
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193 Bellaterra, Spain.,Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193 Bellaterra, Spain
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9
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Compte-Port S, Fillol M, Gich F, Borrego CM. Metabolic versatility of freshwater sedimentary archaea feeding on different organic carbon sources. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231238. [PMID: 32267873 PMCID: PMC7141681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the phylum Bathyarchaeota and the class Thermoplasmata are widespread in marine and freshwater sediments where they have been recognized as key players in the carbon cycle. Here, we tested the responsiveness of archaeal communities on settled plant debris and sediment from a karstic lake to different organic carbon amendments (amino acids, plant-derived carbohydrates, and aromatics) using a lab-scale microcosm. Changes in the composition and abundance of sediment and biofilm archaeal communities in both DNA and RNA fractions were assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and qPCR, respectively, after 7 and 30 days of incubation. Archaeal communities showed compositional changes in terms of alpha and beta diversity in relation to the type of carbon source (amino acids vs. plant-derived compounds), the nucleic acid fraction (DNA vs. RNA), and the incubation time (7 vs. 30 days). Distinct groups within the Bathyarchaeota (Bathy-15 and Bathy-6) and the Thermoplasmata (MBG-D) differently reacted to carbon supplements as deduced from the analysis of RNA libraries. Whereas Bathyarchaeota in biofilms showed a long-term positive response to humic acids, their counterparts in the sediment were mainly stimulated by the addition of tryptophan, suggesting the presence of different subpopulations in both habitats. Overall, our work presents an in vitro assessment of the versatility of archaea inhabiting freshwater sediments towards organic carbon and introduces settled leaf litter as a new habitat for the Bathyarchaeota and the Thermoplasmata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Compte-Port
- Water Quality and Microbial Diversity, Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Mireia Fillol
- Water Quality and Microbial Diversity, Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Frederic Gich
- Group of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Carles M. Borrego
- Water Quality and Microbial Diversity, Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Group of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- * E-mail:
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10
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Herrmann M, Geesink P, Yan L, Lehmann R, Totsche KU, Küsel K. Complex food webs coincide with high genetic potential for chemolithoautotrophy in fractured bedrock groundwater. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115306. [PMID: 31770650 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater ecosystems face the challenge of energy limitation due to the absence of light-driven primary production. Lack of space and low oxygen availability might further contribute to generally assumed low food web complexity. Chemolithoautotrophy provides additional input of carbon within the subsurface, however, we still do not understand how abundances of chemolithoautotrophs, differences in surface carbon input, and oxygen availability control subsurface food web complexity. Using a molecular approach, we aimed to disentangle the different levels of potential trophic interactions in oligotrophic groundwater along a hillslope setting of alternating mixed carbonate-/siliciclastic bedrock with contrasting hydrochemical conditions and hotspots of chemolithoautotrophy. Across all sites, groundwater harbored diverse protist communities including Ciliophora, Cercozoa, Centroheliozoa, and Amoebozoa but correlations with hydrochemical parameters were less pronounced for eukaryotes compared to bacteria. Ciliophora-affiliated reads dominated the eukaryotic data sets across all sites. DNA-based evidence for the presence of metazoan top predators such as Cyclopoida (Arthropoda) and Stenostomidae (Platyhelminthes) was only found at wells where abundances of functional genes associated with chemolithoautotrophy were 10-100 times higher compared to wells without indications of these top predators. At wells closer to recharge areas with presumably increased inputs of soil-derived substances and biota, fungi accounted for up to 85% of the metazoan-curated eukaryotic sequence data, together with a low potential for chemolithoautotrophy. Although we did not directly observe higher organisms, our results point to the existence of complex food webs with several trophic levels in oligotrophic groundwater. Chemolithoautotrophy appears to provide strong support to more complex trophic interactions, feeding in additional biomass produced by light-independent CO2-fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Herrmann
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743, Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - P Geesink
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743, Jena, Germany
| | - L Yan
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743, Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - R Lehmann
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Geosciences, Chair of Hydrogeology, Burgweg 11, D-07749, Jena, Germany
| | - K U Totsche
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Geosciences, Chair of Hydrogeology, Burgweg 11, D-07749, Jena, Germany
| | - K Küsel
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743, Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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11
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Optimal Growth Temperature and Intergenic Distances in Bacteria, Archaea, and Plastids of Rhodophytic Branch. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:3465380. [PMID: 32025518 PMCID: PMC6991167 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3465380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The lengths of intergenic regions between neighboring genes that are convergent, divergent, or unidirectional were calculated for plastids of the rhodophytic branch and complete archaeal and bacterial genomes. Statistically significant linear relationships between any pair of the medians of these three length types have been revealed in each genomic group. Exponential relationships between the optimal growth temperature and each of the three medians have been revealed as well. The leading coefficients of the regression equations relating all pairs of the medians as well as temperature and any of the medians have the same sign and order of magnitude. The results obtained for plastids, archaea, and bacteria are also similar at the qualitative level. For instance, the medians are always low at high temperatures. At low temperatures, the medians tend to statistically significant greater values and scattering. The original model was used to test our hypothesis that the intergenic distances are optimized in particular to decrease the competition of RNA polymerases within the locus that results in transcribing shortened RNAs. Overall, this points to an effect of temperature for both remote and close genomes.
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12
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Lazar CS, Lehmann R, Stoll W, Rosenberger J, Totsche KU, Küsel K. The endolithic bacterial diversity of shallow bedrock ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 679:35-44. [PMID: 31078773 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial subsurface microbial communities are not restricted to the fluid-filled void system commonly targeted during groundwater sampling but are able to inhabit and dwell in rocks. However, compared to the exploration of the deep biosphere, endolithic niches in shallow sedimentary bedrock have received little interest so far. Despite the potential contribution of rock matrix dwellers to matter cycling and groundwater resource quality, their identity and diversity patterns are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the bacterial diversity in twenty-two rock cores in common limestone-mudstone alternations that differed in rock permeabilities and other geostructural and petrological factors. 16S rRNA gene analysis showed the existence of a unique rock matrix microbiome compared to surrounding groundwater. Typically, shallow weathered limestones contained bacterial groups most likely originating from soil habitats. In low-permeable mudstones, we found similar communities of oligotrophic heterotrophs, and thiosulfate-oxidizing autotrophs, without relation to depth, rock type and bulk rock permeability. In fractured limestone, the bacterial communities of fracture surfaces were distinct from their matrix counterparts and ranged from organic matter decomposers in outcrop areas to autotrophs in downdip positions that receive limited surface input. Contrastingly, rock matrices from lithologically corresponding, but highly isolated environments, were dominated by spore-forming bacteria, oligotrophic heterotrophs and hydrogen-oxidizing autotrophs. Neither depth, matrix permeability nor major mineralogy dominantly controlled the endolithic bacterial diversity. Instead, a combination of subsurface factors drives the supply of niches by fluids, matter and energy as well as the (re)dispersal conditions that likely shape bacterial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandre Sara Lazar
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Robert Lehmann
- Hydrogeology, Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Wenke Stoll
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743 Jena, Germany; Hydrogeology, Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Julia Rosenberger
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743 Jena, Germany; Hydrogeology, Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Kai Uwe Totsche
- Hydrogeology, Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Kirsten Küsel
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743 Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5E, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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13
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Dutta A, Sar P, Sarkar J, Dutta Gupta S, Gupta A, Bose H, Mukherjee A, Roy S. Archaeal Communities in Deep Terrestrial Subsurface Underneath the Deccan Traps, India. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1362. [PMID: 31379755 PMCID: PMC6646420 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaeal community structure and potential functions within the deep, aphotic, oligotrophic, hot, igneous provinces of ∼65 Myr old basalt and its Archean granitic basement was explored through archaeal 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from extracted environmental DNA of rocks. Rock core samples from three distinct horizons, basaltic (BS), transition (weathered granites) (TZ) and granitic (GR) showed limited organic carbon (4–48 mg/kg) and varied concentrations (<1.0–5000 mg/kg) of sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, iron and metal oxides. Quantitative PCR estimated the presence of nearly 103–104 archaeal cells per gram of rock. Archaeal communities within BS and GR horizons were distinct. The absence of any common OTU across the samples indicated restricted dispersal of archaeal cells. Younger, relatively organic carbon- and Fe2O3-rich BS rocks harbor Euryarchaeota, along with varied proportions of Thaumarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. Extreme acid loving, thermotolerant sulfur respiring Thermoplasmataceae, heterotrophic, ferrous-/H-sulfide oxidizing Ferroplasmaceae and Halobacteriaceae were more abundant and closely interrelated within BS rocks. Samples from the GR horizon represent a unique composition with higher proportions of Thaumarchaeota and uneven distribution of Euryarchaeota and Bathyarchaeota affiliated to Methanomicrobia, SAGMCG-1, FHMa11 terrestrial group, AK59 and unclassified taxa. Acetoclastic methanogenic Methanomicrobia, autotrophic SAGMCG-1 and MCG of Thaumarcheaota could be identified as the signature groups within the organic carbon lean GR horizon. Sulfur-oxidizing Sulfolobaceae was relatively more abundant in sulfate-rich amygdaloidal basalt and migmatitic gneiss samples. Methane-oxidizing ANME-3 populations were found to be ubiquitous, but their abundance varied greatly between the analyzed samples. Changes in diversity pattern among the BS and GR horizons highlighted the significance of local rock geochemistry, particularly the availability of organic carbon, Fe2O3 and other nutrients as well as physical constraints (temperature and pressure) in a niche-specific colonization of extremophilic archaeal communities. The study provided the first deep sequencing-based illustration of an intricate association between diverse extremophilic groups (acidophile-halophile-methanogenic), capable of sulfur/iron/methane metabolism and thus shed new light on their potential role in biogeochemical cycles and energy flow in deep biosphere hosted by hot, oligotrophic igneous crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Dutta
- Environmental Microbiology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.,School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Pinaki Sar
- Environmental Microbiology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Jayeeta Sarkar
- Environmental Microbiology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Srimanti Dutta Gupta
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Abhishek Gupta
- Environmental Microbiology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Himadri Bose
- Environmental Microbiology and Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Abhijit Mukherjee
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.,Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Sukanta Roy
- Ministry of Earth Sciences, Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory, Karad, India.,CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India
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14
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Divergent microbial communities in groundwater and overlying soils exhibit functional redundancy for plant-polysaccharide degradation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212937. [PMID: 30865693 PMCID: PMC6415789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Light driven primary production by plants is the main source of biomass in terrestrial ecosystems. But also in subsurface habitats like aquifers, life is fueled largely by this plant-derived biomass. Here, we investigate the degradation of plant-derived polysaccharides in a groundwater microbiome to identify the microbial key players involved, and compare them to those from soil of the groundwater recharge area. We quantified the activities of enzymes degrading the abundant plant polymers starch, cellulose and hemicellulose in oligotrophic groundwater samples, despite the low cell numbers present. Normalized to 16S rRNA gene copy numbers, these activities were only one order of magnitude lower than in soil. Stimulation of the groundwater microbiome with either starch or cellulose and hemicellulose led to changes of the enzymatic activity ratios, indicating autochthonous production of enzymes in response to the plant polymers. Furthermore, DNA stable isotope probing with 13C labelled plant polymers allowed us to identify microbes involved in the degradation of these compounds. In (hemi)cellulose microcosms, Bacteroidia and Candidatus Parcubacteria were active, while the active community in starch microcosms mostly comprised Candidatus Saccharibacteria, Cytophagia, and Actinobacteria. Not a single one of the active OTUs was also found to be labelled in soil microcosms. This indicates that the degradation of plant-derived polysaccharides in groundwater is driven by organisms completely distinct from those active in soil. The involvement of members of the candidate phyla Cand. Parcubacteria and Cand. Saccharibacteria, organisms known to be abundant in groundwater, in plant-derived organic matter degradation might strongly impact subsurface carbon cycling.
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15
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Schwab VF, Nowak ME, Elder CD, Trumbore SE, Xu X, Gleixner G, Lehmann R, Pohnert G, Muhr J, Küsel K, Totsche KU. 14C-Free Carbon Is a Major Contributor to Cellular Biomass in Geochemically Distinct Groundwater of Shallow Sedimentary Bedrock Aquifers. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH 2019; 55:2104-2121. [PMID: 31068736 PMCID: PMC6487957 DOI: 10.1029/2017wr022067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the global significance of the subsurface biosphere, the degree to which it depends on surface organic carbon (OC) is still poorly understood. Here, we compare stable and radiogenic carbon isotope compositions of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) with those of in situ potential microbial C sources to assess the major C sources for subsurface microorganisms in biogeochemical distinct shallow aquifers (Critical Zone Exploratory, Thuringia Germany). Despite the presence of younger OC, the microbes assimilated 14C-free OC to varying degrees; ~31% in groundwater within the oxic zone, ~47% in an iron reduction zone, and ~70% in a sulfate reduction/anammox zone. The persistence of trace amounts of mature and partially biodegraded hydrocarbons suggested that autochthonous petroleum-derived hydrocarbons were a potential 14C-free C source for heterotrophs in the oxic zone. In this zone, Δ14C values of dissolved inorganic carbon (-366 ± 18‰) and 11MeC16:0 (-283 ± 32‰), an important component in autotrophic nitrite oxidizers, were similar enough to indicate that autotrophy is an important additional C fixation pathway. In anoxic zones, methane as an important C source was unlikely since the 13C-fractionations between the PLFAs and CH4 were inconsistent with kinetic isotope effects associated with methanotrophy. In the sulfate reduction/anammox zone, the strong 14C-depletion of 10MeC16:0 (-942 ± 22‰), a PLFA common in sulfate reducers, indicated that those bacteria were likely to play a critical part in 14C-free sedimentary OC cycling. Results indicated that the 14C-content of microbial biomass in shallow sedimentary aquifers results from complex interactions between abundance and bioavailability of naturally occurring OC, hydrogeology, and specific microbial metabolisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie F. Schwab
- Institute of GeosciencesFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
- Max‐Planck‐Institute for BiogeochemistryJenaGermany
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical ChemistryFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
| | | | - Clayton D. Elder
- Department of Earth System ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCAUSA
| | - Susan E. Trumbore
- Max‐Planck‐Institute for BiogeochemistryJenaGermany
- Department of Earth System ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCAUSA
| | - Xiaomei Xu
- Department of Earth System ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCAUSA
| | | | - Robert Lehmann
- Institute of GeosciencesFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
| | - Georg Pohnert
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical ChemistryFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
| | - Jan Muhr
- Max‐Planck‐Institute for BiogeochemistryJenaGermany
| | - Kirsten Küsel
- Institute of EcologyFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Kai U. Totsche
- Institute of GeosciencesFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
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16
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Smith HJ, Zelaya AJ, De León KB, Chakraborty R, Elias DA, Hazen TC, Arkin AP, Cunningham AB, Fields MW. Impact of hydrologic boundaries on microbial planktonic and biofilm communities in shallow terrestrial subsurface environments. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:5107865. [PMID: 30265315 PMCID: PMC6192502 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Subsurface environments contain a large proportion of planetary microbial biomass and harbor diverse communities responsible for mediating biogeochemical cycles important to groundwater used by human society for consumption, irrigation, agriculture and industry. Within the saturated zone, capillary fringe and vadose zones, microorganisms can reside in two distinct phases (planktonic or biofilm), and significant differences in community composition, structure and activity between free-living and attached communities are commonly accepted. However, largely due to sampling constraints and the challenges of working with solid substrata, the contribution of each phase to subsurface processes is largely unresolved. Here, we synthesize current information on the diversity and activity of shallow freshwater subsurface habitats, discuss the challenges associated with sampling planktonic and biofilm communities across spatial, temporal and geological gradients, and discuss how biofilms may be constrained within shallow terrestrial subsurface aquifers. We suggest that merging traditional activity measurements and sequencing/-omics technologies with hydrological parameters important to sediment biofilm assembly and stability will help delineate key system parameters. Ultimately, integration will enhance our understanding of shallow subsurface ecophysiology in terms of bulk-flow through porous media and distinguish the respective activities of sessile microbial communities from more transient planktonic communities to ecosystem service and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J Smith
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - A J Zelaya
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - K B De León
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - R Chakraborty
- Climate and Ecosystems Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - D A Elias
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - T C Hazen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - A P Arkin
- Department of Bioengineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - A B Cunningham
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- Department of Civil Engineering, Montana State University, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
| | - M W Fields
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
- ENIGMA (www.enigma.lbl.gov) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Biosciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS:977, Berkeley, CA 94720
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17
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Nawaz A, Purahong W, Lehmann R, Herrmann M, Totsche KU, Küsel K, Wubet T, Buscot F. First insights into the living groundwater mycobiome of the terrestrial biogeosphere. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 145:50-61. [PMID: 30118976 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.07.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although fungi play important roles in biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems and have received a great deal of attention, much remains unknown about the living fractions of fungal communities in aquifers of the terrestrial subsurface in terms of diversity, community dynamics, functional roles, the impact of environmental factors and presence of fungal pathogens. Here we address this gap in knowledge by using RNA-based high throughput pair-end illumina sequencing analysis of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene markers, to target the living fractions of groundwater fungal communities from fractured alternating carbonate-/siliciclastic-rock aquifers of the Hainich Critical Zone Exploratory. The probed levels of the hillslope multi-storey aquifer system differ primarily in their oxygen and nitrogen content due to their different connections to the surface. We discovered highly diverse living fungal communities (384 Operational Taxonomic Units, OTUs) with different taxonomic affiliations and ecological functions. The observed fungal communities primarily belonged to three phyla: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota. Perceived dynamics in the composition of living fungal communities were significantly shaped by the concentration of ammonium in the moderately agriculturally impacted aquifer system. Apart from fungal saprotrophs, we also detected living plant and animal pathogens for the first time in this aquifer system. This work also demonstrates that the RNA-based high throughput pair-end illumina sequencing method can be used in future for water quality monitoring in terms of living fungal load and subsequent risk assessments. In general, this study contributes towards the growing knowledge of aquatic fungi in terrestrial subsurface biogeosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Nawaz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Soil Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany; Department of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Witoon Purahong
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Soil Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Robert Lehmann
- Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749, Jena, Germany
| | - Martina Herrmann
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743, Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kai Uwe Totsche
- Institute of Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Burgweg 11, 07749, Jena, Germany
| | - Kirsten Küsel
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743, Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Soil Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - François Buscot
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Soil Ecology, Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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18
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Kumar S, Herrmann M, Blohm A, Hilke I, Frosch T, Trumbore SE, Küsel K. Thiosulfate- and hydrogen-driven autotrophic denitrification by a microbial consortium enriched from groundwater of an oligotrophic limestone aquifer. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:5056153. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Swatantar Kumar
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Martina Herrmann
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Annika Blohm
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Ines Hilke
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Torsten Frosch
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 6, D-07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Susan E Trumbore
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Kirsten Küsel
- Aquatic Geomicrobiology, Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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