1
|
Barbosa C, Tamayo-Leiva J, Alcorta J, Salgado O, Daniele L, Morata D, Díez B. Effects of hydrogeochemistry on the microbial ecology of terrestrial hot springs. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0024923. [PMID: 37754764 PMCID: PMC10581198 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00249-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Temperature, pH, and hydrochemistry of terrestrial hot springs play a critical role in shaping thermal microbial communities. However, the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors at this terrestrial-aquatic interface are still not well understood on a global scale, and the question of how underground events influence microbial communities remains open. To answer this, 11 new samples obtained from the El Tatio geothermal field were analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (V4 region), along with 191 samples from previous publications obtained from the Taupo Volcanic Zone, the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, and the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, with their temperature, pH, and major ion concentration. Microbial alpha diversity was lower in acid-sulfate waters, and no significant correlations were found with temperature. However, moderate correlations were observed between chemical parameters such as pH (mostly constrained to temperatures below 70°C), SO4 2- and abundances of members of the phyla Armatimonadota, Deinococcota, Chloroflexota, Campilobacterota, and Thermoplasmatota. pH and SO4 2- gradients were explained by phase separation of sulfur-rich hydrothermal fluids and oxidation of reduced sulfur in the steam phase, which were identified as key processes shaping these communities. Ordination and permutational analysis of variance showed that temperature, pH, and major element hydrochemistry explain only 24% of the microbial community structure. Therefore, most of the variance remained unexplained, suggesting that other environmental or biotic factors are also involved and highlighting the environmental complexity of the ecosystem and its great potential to test niche theory ecological associated questions. IMPORTANCE This is the first approach to investigate whether geothermal processes could have an influence on the ecology of thermal microbial communities on a global scale. In addition to temperature and pH, microbial communities are structured by sulfate concentrations, which depends on the tectono-magmatic settings (such as the depth of magmatic chambers) and the local settings (such as the availability of a confining layer separating NaCl waters from steam after phase separation) and the possibility of mixing with more diluted fluids. Comparison of microbial communities from different geothermal areas by homogeneous sequence processing showed that no significant geographic distance decay was detected on the microbial communities according to Bray-Curtis, Jaccard, unweighted, and weighted Unifrac similarity/dissimilarity indices. Instead, an ancient potential divergence in the same taxonomic groups is suggested between globally distant thermal zones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Barbosa
- Department of Geology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Andean Geothermal Center of Excellence (CEGA-Fondap), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javier Tamayo-Leiva
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)2, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center of Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime Alcorta
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center of Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar Salgado
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Facultad de Educación, Universidad Adventista de Chile, Chillán, Chile
| | - Linda Daniele
- Department of Geology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Andean Geothermal Center of Excellence (CEGA-Fondap), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Morata
- Department of Geology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Andean Geothermal Center of Excellence (CEGA-Fondap), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Beatríz Díez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)2, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Center of Genome Regulation (CGR), Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rogers TJ, Buongiorno J, Jessen GL, Schrenk MO, Fordyce JA, de Moor JM, Ramírez CJ, Barry PH, Yücel M, Selci M, Cordone A, Giovannelli D, Lloyd KG. Chemolithoautotroph distributions across the subsurface of a convergent margin. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:140-150. [PMID: 36257972 PMCID: PMC9751116 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01331-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Subducting oceanic crusts release fluids rich in biologically relevant compounds into the overriding plate, fueling subsurface chemolithoautotrophic ecosystems. To understand the impact of subsurface geochemistry on microbial communities, we collected fluid and sediments from 14 natural springs across a ~200 km transect across the Costa Rican convergent margin and performed shotgun metagenomics. The resulting 404 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) cluster into geologically distinct regions based on MAG abundance patterns: outer forearc-only (25% of total relative abundance), forearc/arc-only (38% of total relative abundance), and delocalized (37% of total relative abundance) clusters. In the outer forearc, Thermodesulfovibrionia, Candidatus Bipolaricaulia, and Firmicutes have hydrogenotrophic sulfate reduction and Wood-Ljungdahl (WL) carbon fixation pathways. In the forearc/arc, Anaerolineae, Ca. Bipolaricaulia, and Thermodesulfovibrionia have sulfur oxidation, nitrogen cycling, microaerophilic respiration, and WL, while Aquificae have aerobic sulfur oxidation and reverse tricarboxylic acid carbon fixation pathway. Transformation-based canonical correspondence analysis shows that MAG distribution corresponds to concentrations of aluminum, iron, nickel, dissolved inorganic carbon, and phosphate. While delocalized MAGs appear surface-derived, the subsurface chemolithoautotrophic, metabolic, and taxonomic landscape varies by the availability of minerals/metals and volcanically derived inorganic carbon. However, the WL pathway persists across all samples, suggesting that this versatile, energy-efficient carbon fixation pathway helps shape convergent margin subsurface ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joy Buongiorno
- Division of Natural Sciences, Maryville College, Maryville, TN, USA
| | - Gerdhard L Jessen
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Center for Oceanographic Research COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Valdivia, Chile
| | | | | | - J Maarten de Moor
- National University of Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Peter H Barry
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Yücel
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Erdemli, Turkey
| | - Matteo Selci
- Department of Biology, University of Naples -Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Cordone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples -Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples -Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, Rutgers, NJ, USA
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- National Research Council - Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies - CNR-IRBIM, Ancona, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Smrhova T, Jani K, Pajer P, Kapinusova G, Vylita T, Suman J, Strejcek M, Uhlik O. Prokaryotes of renowned Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) thermal springs: phylogenetic and cultivation analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:48. [PMID: 36089611 PMCID: PMC9465906 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00440-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extreme conditions of thermal springs constitute a unique aquatic habitat characterized by low nutrient contents and the absence of human impacts on the microbial community composition. Thus, these springs may host phylogenetically novel microorganisms with potential use in biotechnology. With this hypothesis in mind, we examined the microbial composition of four thermal springs of the world-renowned spa town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Czechia, which differ in their temperature and chemical composition. RESULTS Microbial profiling using 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed the presence of phylogenetically novel taxa at various taxonomic levels, spanning from genera to phyla. Many sequences belonged to novel classes within the phyla Hydrothermae, Altiarchaeota, Verrucomicrobia, and TA06. Cultivation-based methods employing oligotrophic media resulted in the isolation of 44 unique bacterial isolates. These include strains that withstand concentrations of up to 12% NaClw/v in cultivation media or survive a temperature of 100 °C, as well as hitherto uncultured bacterial species belonging to the genera Thermomonas, Paenibacillus, and Cellulomonas. These isolates harbored stress response genes that allow them to thrive in the extreme environment of thermal springs. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to analyze the overall microbial community composition of the renowned Karlovy Vary thermal springs. We provide insight into yet another level of uniqueness of these springs. In addition to their unique health benefits and cultural significance, we demonstrate that these springs harbor phylogenetically distinct microorganisms with unusual life strategies. Our findings open up avenues for future research with the promise of a deeper understanding of the metabolic potential of these microorganisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Smrhova
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kunal Jani
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pajer
- Military Health Institute, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Gabriela Kapinusova
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Vylita
- Institute of Balneology and Spa Sciences, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
| | - Jachym Suman
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strejcek
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Uhlik
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technicka 3, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Qian L, Yu X, Zhou J, Gu H, Ding J, Peng Y, He Q, Tian Y, Liu J, Wang S, Wang C, Shu L, Yan Q, He J, Liu G, Tu Q, He Z. MCycDB: a curated database for comprehensively profiling methane cycling processes of environmental microbiomes. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:1803-1823. [DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qian
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Xiaoli Yu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Jiayin Zhou
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Hang Gu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Jijuan Ding
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Yisheng Peng
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering the University of Tennessee Knoxville TN 37996 USA
| | - Yun Tian
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems School of Life Sciences Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Jihua Liu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Shanquan Wang
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Longfei Shu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Qingyun Yan
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Jianguo He
- School of Life Science Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Guangli Liu
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Qichao Tu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Zhili He
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou 510006 China
- College of Agronomy Hunan Agricultural University Changsha 410128 China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Functional and Taxonomic Effects of Organic Amendments on the Restoration of Semiarid Quarry Soils. mSystems 2021; 6:e0075221. [PMID: 34812648 PMCID: PMC8609970 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00752-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of organic amendments to mining soils has been shown to be a successful method of restoration, improving key physicochemical soil properties. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the soil bacterial community taxonomic and functional changes that are brought about by these treatments. We present further metagenomic sequencing (MGS) profiling of the effects of different restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain which had previously been profiled only with 16S rRNA gene (16S) and physicochemical analyses. Both taxonomic and functional MGS profiles showed clear separation of organic treatment amendments from control samples, and although taxonomic differences were quite clear, functional redundancy was higher than expected and the majority of the latter signal came from the aggregation of minor (<0.1%) community differences. Significant taxonomic differences were seen with the presumably less-biased MGS-for example, the phylum Actinobacteria and the two genera Chloracidobacterium (Acidobacteria) and Paenibacillus (Firmicutes) were determined to be major players by the MGS and this was consistent with their potential functional roles. The former phylum was much less present, and the latter two genera were either minor components or not detected in the 16S data. Mapping of reads to MetaCyc/BioCyc categories showed overall slightly higher biosynthesis and degradation capabilities in all treatments versus control soils, with sewage amendments showing highest values and vegetable-based amendments being at intermediate levels, matching higher nutrient levels, respiration rates, enzyme activities, and bacterial biomass previously observed in the treated soils. IMPORTANCE The restoration of soils impacted by human activities poses specific challenges regarding the reestablishment of functional microbial communities which will further support the reintroduction of plant species. Organic fertilizers, originating from either treated sewage or vegetable wastes, have shown promise in restoration experiments; however, we still do not have a clear understanding of the functional and taxonomic changes that occur during these treatments. We used metagenomics to profile restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain. We found that the assortments of individual functions and taxa within each soil could clearly identify treatments, while at the same time they demonstrated high functional redundancy. Functions grouped into higher pathways tended to match physicochemical measurements made on the same soils. In contrast, significant taxonomic differences were seen when the treatments were previously studied with a single marker gene, highlighting the advantage of metagenomic analysis for complex soil communities.
Collapse
|
6
|
Zayulina KS, Elcheninov AG, Toshchakov SV, Kochetkova TV, Novikov AA, Blamey JM, Kublanov IV. Novel hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Infirmifilum lucidum gen. nov. sp. nov., reclassification of Thermofilum uzonense as Infirmifilum uzonense comb. nov. and assignment of the family Thermofilaceae to the order Thermofilales ord. nov. Syst Appl Microbiol 2021; 44:126230. [PMID: 34293647 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2021.126230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
A novel hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon, strain 3507LTT, was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring near Tinguiririca volcano, Chile. Cells were non-motile thin, slightly curved filamentous rods. It grew at 73-93 °C and pH range of 5 to 7.5 with an optimum at 85 °C and pH 6.0-6.7. The presence of culture broth filtrate of another hyperthemophilic archaeon as well as yeast extract was obligatory for growth of the novel isolate. Strain 3507LTT is an anaerobic chemoorganoheterotroph, fermenting monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides (lichenan, starch, xanthan gum, xyloglucan, alpha-cellulose and amorphous cellulose). No growth stimulation was detected when nitrate, thiosulfate, selenate or elemental sulfur were added as the electron acceptors. The complete genome of strain 3507LTT consisted of a single circular chromosome with size of 1.63 Mbp. The DNA G+C content was 53.9%. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence as well as conserved protein sequences phylogenetic analyses, strain 3507LTT together with Thermofilum uzonense formed a separate cluster within a Thermofilaceae family (Thermoproteales/Thermoprotei/Crenarchaeota). Based on phenotypic characteristics, phylogeny as well as AAI comparisons, a novel genus and species Infirmifilum lucidum strain 3507LTT (=VKM B-3376T = KCTC 15797T) gen. nov. sp. nov. was proposed. Its closest relative, Thermofilum uzonense strain 1807-2T should be reclassified as Infirmifilum uzonense strain 1807-2T comb. nov. Finally, based on phylogenomic and comparative genome analyses of representatives of Thermofilaceae family and other representatives of Thermoproteales order, a proposal of transfer of the family Thermofilaceae into a separate order Thermofilales ord. nov. was made.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kseniya S Zayulina
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology RAS, 7/2 Prospekt 60-letiya Oktyabrya, 117312 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexander G Elcheninov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology RAS, 7/2 Prospekt 60-letiya Oktyabrya, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Stepan V Toshchakov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology RAS, 7/2 Prospekt 60-letiya Oktyabrya, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana V Kochetkova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology RAS, 7/2 Prospekt 60-letiya Oktyabrya, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrei A Novikov
- Gubkin University, 65-1, Leninsky prospect, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Jenny M Blamey
- Fundacion Biociencia, Jose Domingo Cañas, 2280 Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Alameda 3363, Estación Central, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ilya V Kublanov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology RAS, 7/2 Prospekt 60-letiya Oktyabrya, 117312 Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Colman DR, Lindsay MR, Harnish A, Bilbrey EM, Amenabar MJ, Selensky MJ, Fecteau KM, Debes RV, Stott MB, Shock EL, Boyd ES. Seasonal hydrologic and geologic forcing drive hot spring geochemistry and microbial biodiversity. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4034-4053. [PMID: 34111905 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Hot springs integrate hydrologic and geologic processes that vary over short- and long-term time scales. However, the influence of temporal hydrologic and geologic change on hot spring biodiversity is unknown. Here, we coordinated near-weekly, cross-seasonal (~140 days) geochemical and microbial community analyses of three widely studied hot springs with local precipitation data in Yellowstone National Park. One spring ('HFS') exhibited statistically significant, coupled microbial and geochemical variation across seasons that was associated with recent precipitation patterns. Two other spring communities, 'CP' and 'DS', exhibited minimal to no variation across seasons. Variability in the seasonal response of springs is attributed to differences in the timing and extent of aquifer recharge with oxidized near-surface water from precipitation. This influx of oxidized water is associated with changes in community composition, and in particular, the abundances of aerobic sulfide-/sulfur-oxidizers that can acidify waters. During sampling, a new spring formed after a period of heavy precipitation and its successional dynamics were also influenced by surface water recharge. Collectively, these results indicate that changes in short-term hydrology associated with precipitation can impact hot spring geochemistry and microbial biodiversity. These results point to potential susceptibility of certain hot springs and their biodiversity to sustained, longer-term hydrologic changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Melody R Lindsay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Annette Harnish
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Evan M Bilbrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Maximiliano J Amenabar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Matthew J Selensky
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | | | - Randall V Debes
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Matthew B Stott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Everett L Shock
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.,School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gharwalová L, Palyzová A, Marešová H, Kolouchová I, Kyselová L, Řezanka T. Identification of Homologous Polyprenols from Thermophilic Bacteria. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061168. [PMID: 34071687 PMCID: PMC8226974 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sixteen strains of five genera of thermophilic bacteria, i.e., Alicyclobacillus, Brevibacillus, Geobacillus, Meiothermus, and Thermus, were cultivated at a temperature from 42 to 70 °C. Twelve strains were obtained from the Czech Collection of Microorganisms, while four were directly isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing from the hot springs of the world-famous Carlsbad spa (Czech Republic). Polyprenol homologs from C40 to C65 as well as free undecaprenol (C55), undecaprenyl phosphate, and undecaprenyl diphosphate were identified by shotgun analysis and RP-HPLC/MS-ESI+ (reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry). The limit of detection (50 pM) was determined for individual homologs and free polyprenols and their phosphates. Thus, it has been shown that at least some thermophilic bacteria produce not just the major C55 polyprenol as previously described, but a mixture of homologs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Gharwalová
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (I.K.)
| | - Andrea Palyzová
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.P.); (H.M.)
| | - Helena Marešová
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.P.); (H.M.)
| | - Irena Kolouchová
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 166 28 Prague, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (I.K.)
| | - Lucie Kyselová
- Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, 120 44 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Tomáš Řezanka
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.P.); (H.M.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Reichart NJ, Bowers RM, Woyke T, Hatzenpichler R. High Potential for Biomass-Degrading Enzymes Revealed by Hot Spring Metagenomics. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:668238. [PMID: 33968004 PMCID: PMC8098120 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.668238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzyme stability and activity at elevated temperatures are important aspects in biotechnological industries, such as the conversion of plant biomass into biofuels. In order to reduce the costs and increase the efficiency of biomass conversion, better enzymatic processing must be developed. Hot springs represent a treasure trove of underexplored microbiological and protein chemistry diversity. Herein, we conduct an exploratory study into the diversity of hot spring biomass-degrading potential. We describe the taxonomic diversity and carbohydrate active enzyme (CAZyme) coding potential in 71 publicly available metagenomic datasets from 58 globally distributed terrestrial geothermal features. Through taxonomic profiling, we detected a wide diversity of microbes unique to varying temperature and pH ranges. Biomass-degrading enzyme potential included all five classes of CAZymes and we described the presence or absence of genes encoding 19 glycosyl hydrolases hypothesized to be involved with cellulose, hemicellulose, and oligosaccharide degradation. Our results highlight hot springs as a promising system for the further discovery and development of thermo-stable biomass-degrading enzymes that can be applied toward generation of renewable biofuels. This study lays a foundation for future research to further investigate the functional diversity of hot spring biomass-degrading enzymes and their potential utility in biotechnological processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Reichart
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Robert M Bowers
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Tanja Woyke
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Roland Hatzenpichler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
The Microbial Composition in Circumneutral Thermal Springs from Chignahuapan, Puebla, Mexico Reveals the Presence of Particular Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacterial and Viral Communities. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111677. [PMID: 33137872 PMCID: PMC7692377 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Terrestrial thermal springs are widely distributed globally, and these springs harbor a broad diversity of organisms of biotechnological interest. In Mexico, few studies exploring this kind of environment have been described. In this work, we explore the microbial community in Chignahuapan hot springs, which provides clues to understand these ecosystems' diversity. We assessed the diversity of the microorganism communities in a hot spring environment with a metagenomic shotgun approach. Besides identifying similarities and differences with other ecosystems, we achieved a systematic comparison against 11 metagenomic samples from diverse localities. The Chignahuapan hot springs show a particular prevalence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from the genera Rhodococcus, Thermomonas, Thiomonas, Acinetobacter, Sulfurovum, and Bacillus, highlighting those that are different from other recovered bacterial populations in circumneutral hot springs environments around the world. The co-occurrence analysis of the bacteria and viruses in these environments revealed that within the Rhodococcus, Thiomonas, Thermonas, and Bacillus genera, the Chignahuapan samples have specific species of bacteria with a particular abundance, such as Rhodococcus erytropholis. The viruses in the circumneutral hot springs present bacteriophages within the order Caudovirales (Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, and Podoviridae), but the family of Herelleviridae was the most abundant in Chignahuapan samples. Furthermore, viral auxiliary metabolic genes were identified, many of which contribute mainly to the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins as well as carbohydrate metabolism. Nevertheless, the viruses and bacteria present in the circumneutral environments contribute to the sulfur cycle. This work represents an exhaustive characterization of a community structure in samples collected from hot springs in Mexico and opens opportunities to identify organisms of biotechnological interest.
Collapse
|
11
|
Li L, Li W, Zou Q, Ma Z(S. Network analysis of the hot spring microbiome sketches out possible niche differentiations among ecological guilds. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
|
12
|
Li L, Ma ZS. Species Sorting and Neutral Theory Analyses Reveal Archaeal and Bacterial Communities Are Assembled Differently in Hot Springs. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:464. [PMID: 32548097 PMCID: PMC7271673 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the recognition of archaea as one of the three kingdoms in the tree of life has been nearly a half-century long, the comparative investigations on their ecological adaptations with bacteria have been limited. The mechanisms of their community assembly and diversity maintenance in hot springs have not been addressed. The mechanistic study is critical not only for understanding the hot-spring microbiome structure and dynamics, but also for shedding light on their evolutionary adaptations. We applied the neutral theory model and species sorting paradigm of metacommunity theory to investigate how hot-spring microbial communities were assembled, how their diversities were maintained, and how the temperature and pH influence these mechanisms. Through rigorous statistical tests based on the neutral theory and species sorting paradigm, we found (i) According to the neutral theory, archaeal and bacterial communities are assembled differently, with stochastic neutral force playing a more significant role in archaeal communities than in bacterial communities (neutrality-rate = 52.9 vs. 15.8%, p-value < 0.05). (ii) Temperature and pH account for rather limited (<10%) variations in hot-spring microbiomes based on the species sorting paradigm. The pH has more significant influences than temperature on archaeal communities, and both pH and temperature have similarly low influences on bacterial community structure. (iii) We postulate that the differences between archaea and bacteria are likely due to the longer evolutionary history and better adaptation of archaea to host spring environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lianwei Li
- Computational Biology and Medical Ecology Lab, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Zhanshan Sam Ma
- Computational Biology and Medical Ecology Lab, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Colman DR, Lindsay MR, Amenabar MJ, Boyd ES. The Intersection of Geology, Geochemistry, and Microbiology in Continental Hydrothermal Systems. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1505-1522. [PMID: 31592688 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Decompressional boiling of ascending hydrothermal waters and separation into a vapor (gas) and a liquid phase drive extensive variation in the geochemical composition of hot spring waters. Yet little is known of how the process of phase separation influences the distribution of microbial metabolisms in springs. Here, we determined the variation in protein coding genes in 51 metagenomes from chemosynthetic hot spring communities that span geochemical gradients in Yellowstone National Park. The 51 metagenomes could be divided into 5 distinct groups that correspond to low and high temperatures and acidic and circumneutral/alkaline springs. A fifth group primarily comprised metagenomes from springs with moderate acidity and that are influenced by elevated volcanic gas input. Protein homologs putatively involved in the oxidation of sulfur compounds, a process that leads to acidification of spring waters, in addition to those involved in the reduction of sulfur compounds were enriched in metagenomes from acidic springs sourced by vapor phase gases. Metagenomes from springs with evidence for elevated volcanic gas input were enriched in protein homologs putatively involved in oxidation of those gases, including hydrogen and methane. Finally, metagenomes from circumneutral/alkaline springs sourced by liquid phase waters were enriched in protein homologs putatively involved in heterotrophy and respiration of oxidized nitrogen compounds and oxygen. These results indicate that the geological process of phase separation shapes the ecology of thermophilic communities through its influence on the availability of nutrients in the form of gases, solutes, and minerals. Microbial acidification of hot spring waters further influences the kinetic and thermodynamic stabilities of nutrients and their bioavailability. These data therefore provide an important framework to understand how geological processes have shaped the evolutionary history of chemosynthetic thermophiles and how these organisms, in turn, have shaped their geochemical environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Colman
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Melody R Lindsay
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | | | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dong Y, Sanford RA, Inskeep WP, Srivastava V, Bulone V, Fields CJ, Yau PM, Sivaguru M, Ahrén D, Fouke KW, Weber J, Werth CR, Cann IK, Keating KM, Khetani RS, Hernandez AG, Wright C, Band M, Imai BS, Fried GA, Fouke BW. Physiology, Metabolism, and Fossilization of Hot-Spring Filamentous Microbial Mats. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1442-1458. [PMID: 31038352 PMCID: PMC6918859 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionarily ancient Aquificales bacterium Sulfurihydrogenibium spp. dominates filamentous microbial mat communities in shallow, fast-flowing, and dysoxic hot-spring drainage systems around the world. In the present study, field observations of these fettuccini-like microbial mats at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park are integrated with geology, geochemistry, hydrology, microscopy, and multi-omic molecular biology analyses. Strategic sampling of living filamentous mats along with the hot-spring CaCO3 (travertine) in which they are actively being entombed and fossilized has permitted the first direct linkage of Sulfurihydrogenibium spp. physiology and metabolism with the formation of distinct travertine streamer microbial biomarkers. Results indicate that, during chemoautotrophy and CO2 carbon fixation, the 87-98% Sulfurihydrogenibium-dominated mats utilize chaperons to facilitate enzyme stability and function. High-abundance transcripts and proteins for type IV pili and extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) are consistent with their strong mucus-rich filaments tens of centimeters long that withstand hydrodynamic shear as they become encrusted by more than 5 mm of travertine per day. Their primary energy source is the oxidation of reduced sulfur (e.g., sulfide, sulfur, or thiosulfate) and the simultaneous uptake of extremely low concentrations of dissolved O2 facilitated by bd-type cytochromes. The formation of elevated travertine ridges permits the Sulfurihydrogenibium-dominated mats to create a shallow platform from which to access low levels of dissolved oxygen at the virtual exclusion of other microorganisms. These ridged travertine streamer microbial biomarkers are well preserved and create a robust fossil record of microbial physiological and metabolic activities in modern and ancient hot-spring ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Dong
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Robert A. Sanford
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - William P. Inskeep
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Vaibhav Srivastava
- Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vincent Bulone
- Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
- Division School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Fields
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Peter M. Yau
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mayandi Sivaguru
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Carl Zeiss Labs @ Location Partner, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Dag Ahrén
- Microbial Ecology Group, Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Life Sciences, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kyle W. Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joseph Weber
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Charles R. Werth
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Isaac K. Cann
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Kathleen M. Keating
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Radhika S. Khetani
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Alvaro G. Hernandez
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Chris Wright
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark Band
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Brian S. Imai
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Glenn A. Fried
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Carl Zeiss Labs @ Location Partner, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Bruce W. Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Carl Zeiss Labs @ Location Partner, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Liu Y, Brandt D, Ishino S, Ishino Y, Koonin EV, Kalinowski J, Krupovic M, Prangishvili D. New archaeal viruses discovered by metagenomic analysis of viral communities in enrichment cultures. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:2002-2014. [PMID: 30451355 PMCID: PMC11128462 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Viruses infecting hyperthermophilic archaea of the phylum Crenarchaeota display enormous morphological and genetic diversity, and are classified into 12 families. Eight of these families include only one or two species, indicating sparse sampling of the crenarchaeal virus diversity. In an attempt to expand the crenarchaeal virome, we explored virus diversity in the acidic, hot spring Umi Jigoku in Beppu, Japan. Environmental samples were used to establish enrichment cultures under conditions favouring virus replication. The host diversity in the enrichment cultures was restricted to members of the order Sulfolobales. Metagenomic sequencing of the viral communities yielded seven complete or near-complete double-stranded DNA virus genomes. Six of these genomes could be attributed to polyhedral and filamentous viruses that were observed by electron microscopy in the enrichment cultures. Two icosahedral viruses represented species in the family Portogloboviridae. Among the filamentous viruses, two were identified as new species in the families Rudiviridae and Lipothrixviridae, whereas two other formed a group seemingly distinct from the known virus genera. No particle morphotype could be unequivocally assigned to the seventh viral genome, which apparently represents a new virus type. Our results suggest that filamentous viruses are globally distributed and are prevalent virus types in extreme geothermal environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Department of Microbiology, BMGE, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | - David Brandt
- Center for Biotechnology, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Sonoko Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yoshizumi Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Department of Microbiology, BMGE, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Garretto A, Hatzopoulos T, Putonti C. virMine: automated detection of viral sequences from complex metagenomic samples. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6695. [PMID: 30993039 PMCID: PMC6462185 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics has enabled sequencing of viral communities from a myriad of different environments. Viral metagenomic studies routinely uncover sequences with no recognizable homology to known coding regions or genomes. Nevertheless, complete viral genomes have been constructed directly from complex community metagenomes, often through tedious manual curation. To address this, we developed the software tool virMine to identify viral genomes from raw reads representative of viral or mixed (viral and bacterial) communities. virMine automates sequence read quality control, assembly, and annotation. Researchers can easily refine their search for a specific study system and/or feature(s) of interest. In contrast to other viral genome detection tools that often rely on the recognition of viral signature sequences, virMine is not restricted by the insufficient representation of viral diversity in public data repositories. Rather, viral genomes are identified through an iterative approach, first omitting non-viral sequences. Thus, both relatives of previously characterized viruses and novel species can be detected, including both eukaryotic viruses and bacteriophages. Here we present virMine and its analysis of synthetic communities as well as metagenomic data sets from three distinctly different environments: the gut microbiota, the urinary microbiota, and freshwater viromes. Several new viral genomes were identified and annotated, thus contributing to our understanding of viral genetic diversity in these three environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Garretto
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Thomas Hatzopoulos
- Department of Computer Science, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America.,Department of Computer Science, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America.,Department of Biology, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University of Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Li L, Ma Z(S. Global Microbiome Diversity Scaling in Hot Springs With DAR (Diversity-Area Relationship) Profiles. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:118. [PMID: 30853941 PMCID: PMC6395440 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial distribution of biodiversity (i.e., the biogeography) of the hot-spring microbiome is critical for understanding the microbial ecosystems in hot springs. We investigated the microbiome diversity scaling (changes) over space by analyzing the diversity-area relationship (DAR), which is an extension to classic SAR (species-area relationship) law in biogeography. We built DAR models for archaea and bacteria with 16S-rRNA sequencing datasets from 165 hot springs globally. From the DAR models, we sketch out the biogeographic maps of hot-spring microbiomes by constructing: (i) DAR profile-measuring the archaea or bacteria diversity scaling over space (areas); (ii) PDO (pair-wise diversity overlap or similarity) profile-estimating the PDO between two hot springs; (iii) MAD (maximal accrual diversity) profile-predicting the global MAD; (iv) LRD/LGD (ratio of local diversity to regional or global diversity) profile. We further investigated the differences between archaea and bacteria in their biogeographic maps. For example, the comparison of DAR-profile maps revealed that the archaea diversity is more heterogeneous (i.e., more diverse) or scaling faster than the bacterial diversity does in terms of species numbers (species richness), but is less heterogeneous (i.e., less diverse) or scaling slower than bacteria when the diversity (Hill numbers) were weighted in favor of more abundant dominant species. When the diversity is weighted equally in terms of species abundances, archaea, and bacteria are equally heterogeneous over space or scaling at the same rate. Finally, unified DAR models (maps) were built with the combined datasets of archaea and bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lianwei Li
- Computational Biology and Medical Ecology Lab, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Zhanshan (Sam) Ma
- Computational Biology and Medical Ecology Lab, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang R, Lin JQ, Liu XM, Pang X, Zhang CJ, Yang CL, Gao XY, Lin CM, Li YQ, Li Y, Lin JQ, Chen LX. Sulfur Oxidation in the Acidophilic Autotrophic Acidithiobacillus spp. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3290. [PMID: 30687275 PMCID: PMC6335251 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfur oxidation is an essential component of the earth's sulfur cycle. Acidithiobacillus spp. can oxidize various reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs) with high efficiency to obtain electrons for their autotrophic growth. Strains in this genus have been widely applied in bioleaching and biological desulfurization. Diverse sulfur-metabolic pathways and corresponding regulatory systems have been discovered in these acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The sulfur-metabolic enzymes in Acidithiobacillus spp. can be categorized as elemental sulfur oxidation enzymes (sulfur dioxygenase, sulfur oxygenase reductase, and Hdr-like complex), enzymes in thiosulfate oxidation pathways (tetrathionate intermediate thiosulfate oxidation (S4I) pathway, the sulfur oxidizing enzyme (Sox) system and thiosulfate dehydrogenase), sulfide oxidation enzymes (sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase) and sulfite oxidation pathways/enzymes. The two-component systems (TCSs) are the typical regulation elements for periplasmic thiosulfate metabolism in these autotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Examples are RsrS/RsrR responsible for S4I pathway regulation and TspS/TspR for Sox system regulation. The proposal of sulfur metabolic and regulatory models provide new insights and overall understanding of the sulfur-metabolic processes in Acidithiobacillus spp. The future research directions and existing barriers in the bacterial sulfur metabolism are also emphasized here and the breakthroughs in these areas will accelerate the research on the sulfur oxidation in Acidithiobacillus spp. and other sulfur oxidizers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jian-Qun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lin-Xu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nishiyama E, Higashi K, Mori H, Suda K, Nakamura H, Omori S, Maruyama S, Hongoh Y, Kurokawa K. The Relationship Between Microbial Community Structures and Environmental Parameters Revealed by Metagenomic Analysis of Hot Spring Water in the Kirishima Area, Japan. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2018; 6:202. [PMID: 30619848 PMCID: PMC6306410 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2018.00202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse microorganisms specifically inhabit extreme environments, such as hot springs and deep-sea hydrothermal vents. To test the hypothesis that the microbial community structure is predictable based on environmental factors characteristic of such extreme environments, we conducted correlation analyses of microbial taxa/functions and environmental factors using metagenomic and 61 types of physicochemical data of water samples from nine hot springs in the Kirishima area (Kyusyu, Japan), where hot springs with diverse chemical properties are distributed in a relatively narrow area. Our metagenomic analysis revealed that the samples can be classified into two major types dominated by either phylum Crenarchaeota or phylum Aquificae. The correlation analysis showed that Crenarchaeota dominated in nutrient-rich environments with high concentrations of ions and total carbons, whereas Aquificae dominated in nutrient-poor environments with low ion concentrations. These environmental factors were also important explanatory variables in the generalized linear models constructed to predict the abundances of Crenarchaeota or Aquificae. Functional enrichment analysis of genes also revealed that the separation of the two major types is primarily attributable to genes involved in autotrophic carbon fixation, sulfate metabolism and nitrate reduction. Our results suggested that Aquificae and Crenarchaeota play a vital role in the Kirishima hot spring water ecosystem through their metabolic pathways adapted to each environment. Our findings provide a basis to predict microbial community structures in hot springs from environmental parameters, and also provide clues for the exploration of biological resources in extreme environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eri Nishiyama
- Biotechnological Research Support Division, FASMAC Co. Ltd, Kanagawa, Japan.,Department of Biological Information, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Higashi
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mori
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Konomi Suda
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hitomi Nakamura
- Department of Solid Earth Geochemistry, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Soichi Omori
- Faculty of Liberal Arts, The Open University of Japan, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shigenori Maruyama
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Kurokawa
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Calditol-linked membrane lipids are required for acid tolerance in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:12932-12937. [PMID: 30518563 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1814048115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaea have many unique physiological features of which the lipid composition of their cellular membranes is the most striking. Archaeal ether-linked isoprenoidal membranes can occur as bilayers or monolayers, possess diverse polar head groups, and a multiplicity of ring structures in the isoprenoidal cores. These lipid structures are proposed to provide protection from the extreme temperature, pH, salinity, and nutrient-starved conditions that many archaea inhabit. However, many questions remain regarding the synthesis and physiological role of some of the more complex archaeal lipids. In this study, we identify a radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) protein in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius required for the synthesis of a unique cyclopentyl head group, known as calditol. Calditol-linked glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are membrane spanning lipids in which calditol is ether bonded to the glycerol backbone and whose production is restricted to a subset of thermoacidophilic archaea of the Sulfolobales order within the Crenarchaeota phylum. Several studies have focused on the enzymatic mechanism for the synthesis of the calditol moiety, but to date no protein that catalyzes this reaction has been discovered. Phylogenetic analyses of this putative calditol synthase (Cds) reveal the genetic potential for calditol-GDGT synthesis in phyla other than the Crenarchaeota, including the Korarchaeota and Marsarchaeota. In addition, we identify Cds homologs in metagenomes predominantly from acidic ecosystems. Finally, we demonstrate that deletion of calditol synthesis renders S. acidocaldarius sensitive to extremely low pH, indicating that calditol plays a critical role in protecting archaeal cells from acidic stress.
Collapse
|
21
|
Hunt KA, Jennings RM, Inskeep WP, Carlson RP. Multiscale analysis of autotroph-heterotroph interactions in a high-temperature microbial community. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006431. [PMID: 30260956 PMCID: PMC6177205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions among microbial community members can lead to emergent properties, such as enhanced productivity, stability, and robustness. Iron-oxide mats in acidic (pH 2-4), high-temperature (> 65 °C) springs of Yellowstone National Park contain relatively simple microbial communities and are well-characterized geochemically. Consequently, these communities are excellent model systems for studying the metabolic activity of individual populations and key microbial interactions. The primary goals of the current study were to integrate data collected in situ with in silico calculations across process-scales encompassing enzymatic activity, cellular metabolism, community interactions, and ecosystem biogeochemistry, as well as to predict and quantify the functional limits of autotroph-heterotroph interactions. Metagenomic and transcriptomic data were used to reconstruct carbon and energy metabolisms of an important autotroph (Metallosphaera yellowstonensis) and heterotroph (Geoarchaeum sp. OSPB) from the studied Fe(III)-oxide mat communities. Standard and hybrid elementary flux mode and flux balance analyses of metabolic models predicted cellular- and community-level metabolic acclimations to simulated environmental stresses, respectively. In situ geochemical analyses, including oxygen depth-profiles, Fe(III)-oxide deposition rates, stable carbon isotopes and mat biomass concentrations, were combined with cellular models to explore autotroph-heterotroph interactions important to community structure-function. Integration of metabolic modeling with in situ measurements, including the relative population abundance of autotrophs to heterotrophs, demonstrated that Fe(III)-oxide mat communities operate at their maximum total community growth rate (i.e. sum of autotroph and heterotroph growth rates), as opposed to net community growth rate (i.e. total community growth rate subtracting autotroph consumed by heterotroph), as predicted from the maximum power principle. Integration of multiscale data with ecological theory provides a basis for predicting autotroph-heterotroph interactions and community-level cellular organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher A. Hunt
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Ryan M. Jennings
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - William P. Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WPI); (RPC)
| | - Ross P. Carlson
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WPI); (RPC)
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Watkins SC, Sible E, Putonti C. Pseudomonas PB1-Like Phages: Whole Genomes from Metagenomes Offer Insight into an Abundant Group of Bacteriophages. Viruses 2018; 10:v10060331. [PMID: 29914169 PMCID: PMC6024596 DOI: 10.3390/v10060331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the abundance, ubiquity and impact of environmental viruses, their inherent genomic plasticity and extreme diversity pose significant challenges for the examination of bacteriophages on Earth. Viral metagenomic studies have offered insight into broader aspects of phage ecology and repeatedly uncover genes to which we are currently unable to assign function. A combined effort of phage isolation and metagenomic survey of Chicago’s nearshore waters of Lake Michigan revealed the presence of Pbunaviruses, relatives of the Pseudomonas phage PB1. This prompted our expansive investigation of PB1-like phages. Genomic signatures of PB1-like phages and Pbunaviruses were identified, permitting the unambiguous distinction between the presence/absence of these phages in soils, freshwater and wastewater samples, as well as publicly available viral metagenomic datasets. This bioinformatic analysis led to the de novo assembly of nine novel PB1-like phage genomes from a metagenomic survey of samples collected from Lake Michigan. While this study finds that Pbunaviruses are abundant in various environments of Northern Illinois, genomic variation also exists to a considerable extent within individual communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan C Watkins
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
| | - Emily Sible
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
| | - Catherine Putonti
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Jay ZJ, Beam JP, Dlakić M, Rusch DB, Kozubal MA, Inskeep WP. Marsarchaeota are an aerobic archaeal lineage abundant in geothermal iron oxide microbial mats. Nat Microbiol 2018; 3:732-740. [PMID: 29760463 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of archaeal lineages is critical to our understanding of the universal tree of life and evolutionary history of the Earth. Geochemically diverse thermal environments in Yellowstone National Park provide unprecedented opportunities for studying archaea in habitats that may represent analogues of early Earth. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of a phylum-level archaeal lineage proposed and herein referred to as the 'Marsarchaeota', after the red planet. The Marsarchaeota contains at least two major subgroups prevalent in acidic, microaerobic geothermal Fe(III) oxide microbial mats across a temperature range from ~50-80 °C. Metagenomics, single-cell sequencing, enrichment culturing and in situ transcriptional analyses reveal their biogeochemical role as facultative aerobic chemoorganotrophs that may also mediate the reduction of Fe(III). Phylogenomic analyses of replicate assemblies corresponding to two groups of Marsarchaeota indicate that they branch between the Crenarchaeota and all other major archaeal lineages. Transcriptomic analyses of several Fe(III) oxide mat communities reveal that these organisms were actively transcribing two different terminal oxidase complexes in situ and genes comprising an F420-dependent butanal catabolism. The broad distribution of Marsarchaeota in geothermal, microaerobic Fe(III) oxide mats suggests that similar habitat types probably played an important role in the evolution of archaea.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zackary J Jay
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Jacob P Beam
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, USA
| | - Mensur Dlakić
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Douglas B Rusch
- Center for Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Mark A Kozubal
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.,Sustainable Bioproducts, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - William P Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Campbell KM, Kouris A, England W, Anderson RE, McCleskey RB, Nordstrom DK, Whitaker RJ. Sulfolobus islandicus meta-populations in Yellowstone National Park hot springs. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:2334-2347. [PMID: 28276174 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abiotic and biotic forces shape the structure and evolution of microbial populations. We investigated forces that shape the spatial and temporal population structure of Sulfolobus islandicus by comparing geochemical and molecular analysis from seven hot springs in five regions sampled over 3 years in Yellowstone National Park. Through deep amplicon sequencing, we uncovered 148 unique alleles at two loci whose relative frequency provides clear evidence for independent populations in different hot springs. Although geography controls regional geochemical composition and population differentiation, temporal changes in population were not explained by corresponding variation in geochemistry. The data suggest that the influence of extinction, bottleneck events and/or selective sweeps within a spring and low migration between springs shape these populations. We suggest that hydrologic events such as storm events and surface snowmelt runoff destabilize smaller hot spring environments with smaller populations and result in high variation in the S. islandicus population over time. Therefore, physical abiotic features such as hot spring size and position in the landscape are important factors shaping the stability and diversity of the S. islandicus meta-population within Yellowstone National Park.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela Kouris
- Department of Microbiology 601 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana IL 61801 and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Whitney England
- Department of Microbiology 601 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana IL 61801 and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Rika E Anderson
- Department of Microbiology 601 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana IL 61801 and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801.,Biology Department, Carleton College, Northfield, MN, 55057
| | | | | | - Rachel J Whitaker
- Department of Microbiology 601 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana IL 61801 and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Becraft ED, Dodsworth JA, Murugapiran SK, Thomas SC, Ohlsson JI, Stepanauskas R, Hedlund BP, Swingley WD. Genomic Comparison of Two Family-Level Groups of the Uncultivated NAG1 Archaeal Lineage from Chemically and Geographically Disparate Hot Springs. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2082. [PMID: 29163388 PMCID: PMC5671600 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress based on single-cell genomics and metagenomic investigations of archaea in a variety of extreme environments has led to significant advances in our understanding of the diversity, evolution, and metabolic potential of archaea, yet the vast majority of archaeal diversity remains undersampled. In this work, we coordinated single-cell genomics with metagenomics in order to construct a near-complete genome from a deeply branching uncultivated archaeal lineage sampled from Great Boiling Spring (GBS) in the U.S. Great Basin, Nevada. This taxon is distantly related (distinct families) to an archaeal genome, designated "Novel Archaeal Group 1" (NAG1), which was extracted from a metagenome recovered from an acidic iron spring in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). We compared the metabolic predictions of the NAG1 lineage to better understand how these archaea could inhabit such chemically distinct environments. Similar to the NAG1 population previously studied in YNP, the NAG1 population from GBS is predicted to utilize proteins as a primary carbon source, ferment simple carbon sources, and use oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor under oxic conditions. However, GBS NAG1 populations contained distinct genes involved in central carbon metabolism and electron transfer, including nitrite reductase, which could confer the ability to reduce nitrite under anaerobic conditions. Despite inhabiting chemically distinct environments with large variations in pH, GBS NAG1 populations shared many core genomic and metabolic features with the archaeon identified from YNP, yet were able to carve out a distinct niche at GBS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Becraft
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, United States.,Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, United States
| | - Jeremy A Dodsworth
- Department of Biology, California State University, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA, United States.,School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Senthil K Murugapiran
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States.,MetaGénoPolis, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Scott C Thomas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - J Ingemar Ohlsson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, United States
| | | | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States.,Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Wesley D Swingley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Occurrence and expression of novel methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene (mcrA) variants in hot spring sediments. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7252. [PMID: 28775334 PMCID: PMC5543129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07354-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries have shown that the marker gene for anaerobic methane cycling (mcrA) is more widespread in the Archaea than previously thought. However, it remains unclear whether novel mcrA genes associated with the Bathyarchaeota and Verstraetearchaeota are distributed across diverse environments. We examined two geochemically divergent but putatively methanogenic regions of Yellowstone National Park to investigate whether deeply-rooted archaea possess and express novel mcrA genes in situ. Small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene analyses indicated that Bathyarchaeota were predominant in seven of ten sediment layers, while the Verstraetearchaeota and Euryarchaeota occurred in lower relative abundance. Targeted amplification of novel mcrA genes suggested that diverse taxa contribute to alkane cycling in geothermal environments. Two deeply-branching mcrA clades related to Bathyarchaeota were identified, while highly abundant verstraetearchaeotal mcrA sequences were also recovered. In addition, detection of SSU rRNA and mcrA transcripts from one hot spring suggested that predominant Bathyarchaeota were also active, and that methane cycling genes are expressed by the Euryarchaeota, Verstraetearchaeota, and an unknown lineage basal to the Bathyarchaeota. These findings greatly expand the diversity of the key marker gene for anaerobic alkane cycling and outline the need for greater understanding of the functional capacity and phylogenetic affiliation of novel mcrA variants.
Collapse
|
27
|
Ward L, Taylor MW, Power JF, Scott BJ, McDonald IR, Stott MB. Microbial community dynamics in Inferno Crater Lake, a thermally fluctuating geothermal spring. THE ISME JOURNAL 2017; 11:1158-1167. [PMID: 28072418 PMCID: PMC5437927 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2016.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how microbial communities respond and adjust to ecosystem perturbation is often difficult to interpret due to multiple and often simultaneous variations in observed conditions. In this research, we investigated the microbial community dynamics of Inferno Crater Lake, an acidic geothermal spring in New Zealand with a unique thermal cycle that varies between 30 and 80 °C over a period of 40-60 days. Using a combination of next-generation sequencing, geochemical analysis and quantitative PCR we found that the microbial community composition was predominantly chemolithotrophic and strongly associated with the thermal cycle. At temperatures >65 °C, the microbial community was dominated almost exclusively by sulphur-oxidising archaea (Sulfolobus-like spp.). By contrast, at mesophilic temperatures the community structure was more mixed, comprising both archaea and bacteria but dominated primarily by chemolithotrophic sulphur and hydrogen oxidisers. Multivariate analysis of physicochemical data confirmed that temperature was the only significant variable associated with community turnover. This research contributes to our understanding of microbial community dynamics in variable environments, using a naturally alternating system as a model and extends our limited knowledge of acidophile ecology in geothermal habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ward
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Wairakei, Taup, New Zealand
- University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michael W Taylor
- University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jean F Power
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Wairakei, Taup, New Zealand
| | - Bradley J Scott
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Wairakei, Taup, New Zealand
| | - Ian R McDonald
- University of Waikato, School of Science, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Matthew B Stott
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Wairakei, Taup, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Jennings RDM, Moran JJ, Jay ZJ, Beam JP, Whitmore LM, Kozubal MA, Kreuzer HW, Inskeep WP. Integration of Metagenomic and Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence Reveals the Extent and Mechanisms of Carbon Dioxide Fixation in High-Temperature Microbial Communities. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:88. [PMID: 28217111 PMCID: PMC5289995 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the biological fixation of CO2 by chemolithoautotrophs provides a diverse suite of organic compounds utilized by chemoorganoheterotrophs as a carbon and energy source, the relative amounts of autotrophic C in chemotrophic microbial communities are not well-established. The extent and mechanisms of CO2 fixation were evaluated across a comprehensive set of high-temperature, chemotrophic microbial communities in Yellowstone National Park by combining metagenomic and stable 13C isotope analyses. Fifteen geothermal sites representing three distinct habitat types (iron-oxide mats, anoxic sulfur sediments, and filamentous “streamer” communities) were investigated. Genes of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate, dicarboxylate/4-hydroxybutyrate, and reverse tricarboxylic acid CO2 fixation pathways were identified in assembled genome sequence corresponding to the predominant Crenarchaeota and Aquificales observed across this habitat range. Stable 13C analyses of dissolved inorganic and organic C (DIC, DOC), and possible landscape C sources were used to interpret the 13C content of microbial community samples. Isotope mixing models showed that the minimum fractions of autotrophic C in microbial biomass were >50% in the majority of communities analyzed. The significance of CO2 as a C source in these communities provides a foundation for understanding community assembly and succession, and metabolic linkages among early-branching thermophilic autotrophs and heterotrophs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan de Montmollin Jennings
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA
| | - James J Moran
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratories Richland, WA, USA
| | - Zackary J Jay
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA
| | - Jacob P Beam
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Mark A Kozubal
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - William P Inskeep
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Hunt KA, Jennings RD, Inskeep WP, Carlson RP. Stoichiometric modelling of assimilatory and dissimilatory biomass utilisation in a microbial community. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:4946-4960. [PMID: 27387069 PMCID: PMC5629010 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Assimilatory and dissimilatory utilisation of autotroph biomass by heterotrophs is a fundamental mechanism for the transfer of nutrients and energy across trophic levels. Metagenome data from a tractable, thermoacidophilic microbial community in Yellowstone National Park was used to build an in silico model to study heterotrophic utilisation of autotroph biomass using elementary flux mode analysis and flux balance analysis. Assimilatory and dissimilatory biomass utilisation was investigated using 29 forms of biomass-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) including individual monomer pools, individual macromolecular pools and aggregate biomass. The simulations identified ecologically competitive strategies for utilizing DOC under conditions of varying electron donor, electron acceptor or enzyme limitation. The simulated growth environment affected which form of DOC was the most competitive use of nutrients; for instance, oxygen limitation favoured utilisation of less reduced and fermentable DOC while carbon-limited environments favoured more reduced DOC. Additionally, metabolism was studied considering two encompassing metabolic strategies: simultaneous versus sequential use of DOC. Results of this study bound the transfer of nutrients and energy through microbial food webs, providing a quantitative foundation relevant to most microbial ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher A. Hunt
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Ryan deM. Jennings
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - William P. Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Ross P. Carlson
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Jiang X, Takacs-Vesbach CD. Microbial community analysis of pH 4 thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park. Extremophiles 2016; 21:135-152. [PMID: 27807621 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-016-0889-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The pH of the majority of thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is from 1 to 3 and 6 to 10; relatively few springs (~5%) have a pH range of 4-5. We used 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to investigate microbial communities sampled from four pH 4 thermal springs collected from four regions of YNP that differed in their fluid temperature and geochemistry. Our results revealed that the composition of bacterial communities varied among the sites, despite sharing similar pH values. The taxonomic composition and metabolic functional potential of the site with the lowest temperature (55 °C), a thermal spring from the Seven Mile Hole (SMH) area, were further investigated using shotgun metagenome sequencing. The taxonomic classification, based on 372 Mbp of unassembled metagenomic reads, indicated that this community included a high proportion of Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. Functional comparison with other YNP thermal spring metagenomes indicated that the SMH metagenome was enriched in genes related to energy production and conversion, transcription, and carbohydrate transport. Analysis of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism revealed assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathways, whereas the majority of genes involved in sulfur metabolism were related to the reduction of sulfate to adenylylsulfate, sulfite, and H2S. Given that pH 4 thermal springs are relatively less common in YNP and thermal areas worldwide, they may harbor novel microbiota and the communities that inhabit them deserve further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoben Jiang
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020 1UNM, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
DeCastro ME, Rodríguez-Belmonte E, González-Siso MI. Metagenomics of Thermophiles with a Focus on Discovery of Novel Thermozymes. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1521. [PMID: 27729905 PMCID: PMC5037290 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial populations living in environments with temperatures above 50°C (thermophiles) have been widely studied, increasing our knowledge in the composition and function of these ecological communities. Since these populations express a broad number of heat-resistant enzymes (thermozymes), they also represent an important source for novel biocatalysts that can be potentially used in industrial processes. The integrated study of the whole-community DNA from an environment, known as metagenomics, coupled with the development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, has allowed the generation of large amounts of data from thermophiles. In this review, we summarize the main approaches commonly utilized for assessing the taxonomic and functional diversity of thermophiles through metagenomics, including several bioinformatics tools and some metagenome-derived methods to isolate their thermozymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María-Eugenia DeCastro
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - Esther Rodríguez-Belmonte
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña A Coruña, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Boughanemi S, Lyonnet J, Infossi P, Bauzan M, Kosta A, Lignon S, Giudici-Orticoni MT, Guiral M. Microbial oxidative sulfur metabolism: biochemical evidence of the membrane-bound heterodisulfide reductase-like complex of the bacteriumAquifex aeolicus. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2016; 363:fnw156. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnw156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
33
|
Jay ZJ, Beam JP, Kozubal MA, Jennings RD, Rusch DB, Inskeep WP. The distribution, diversity and function of predominant Thermoproteales in high-temperature environments of Yellowstone National Park. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:4755-4769. [PMID: 27130276 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
High-temperature environments (> 70°C) contain diverse and abundant members of the crenarchaeal order Thermoproteales. However, a comprehensive study of the distribution and function of diverse members of this group across different habitat types has not been conducted. Consequently, the goals of this study were to determine the distribution of different Thermoproteales genera across geochemically distinct geothermal habitats of Yellowstone National Park, and to identify key functional attributes of major genera that correlate with environmental parameters. Curated sequence assemblies belonging to five genera were characterized in replicate samples of 11 high-temperature communities ranging in pH from 3 to 9. Thermocladium, Vulcanisaeta and Caldivirga spp. were the primary Thermoproteales populations present in low pH (pH < 5) habitats, whereas Thermoproteus populations were found in mildly-acidic (pH 5-6) sulfur sediments, and Pyrobaculum populations were confined to higher pH (pH > 6) sulfur sediments and/or filamentous 'streamer' communities. Metabolic reconstruction and comparative genomics among assemblies show that these populations are primarily chemoorganotrophs that utilize different electron acceptors depending on geochemical conditions. The presence of potential CO2 fixation pathways in some Thermoproteales populations appears to be linked with NiFe hydrogenases, which combined with high levels of H2 in many sulfidic systems, may provide the energy required to fix inorganic C.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zackary J Jay
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59175-3120, USA
| | - Jacob P Beam
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59175-3120, USA
| | - Mark A Kozubal
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59175-3120, USA
| | - Ryan deM Jennings
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59175-3120, USA
| | - Douglas B Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - William P Inskeep
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59175-3120, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Bacteria have traditionally been studied as single-cell organisms. In laboratory settings, aerobic bacteria are usually cultured in aerated flasks, where the cells are considered essentially homogenous. However, in many natural environments, bacteria and other microorganisms grow in mixed communities, often associated with surfaces. Biofilms are comprised of surface-associated microorganisms, their extracellular matrix material, and environmental chemicals that have adsorbed to the bacteria or their matrix material. While this definition of a biofilm is fairly simple, biofilms are complex and dynamic. Our understanding of the activities of individual biofilm cells and whole biofilm systems has developed rapidly, due in part to advances in molecular, analytical, and imaging tools and the miniaturization of tools designed to characterize biofilms at the enzyme level, cellular level, and systems level.
Collapse
|
35
|
Moran JJ, Whitmore LM, Isern NG, Romine MF, Riha KM, Inskeep WP, Kreuzer HW. Formaldehyde as a carbon and electron shuttle between autotroph and heterotroph populations in acidic hydrothermal vents of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. Extremophiles 2016; 20:291-9. [PMID: 26995682 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-016-0821-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park contains a large number of hydrothermal systems, which host microbial populations supported by primary productivity associated with a suite of chemolithotrophic metabolisms. We demonstrate that Metallosphaera yellowstonensis MK1, a facultative autotrophic archaeon isolated from a hyperthermal acidic hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) spring in Norris Geyser Basin, excretes formaldehyde during autotrophic growth. To determine the fate of formaldehyde in this low organic carbon environment, we incubated native microbial mat (containing M. yellowstonensis) from a HFO spring with (13)C-formaldehyde. Isotopic analysis of incubation-derived CO2 and biomass showed that formaldehyde was both oxidized and assimilated by members of the community. Autotrophy, formaldehyde oxidation, and formaldehyde assimilation displayed different sensitivities to chemical inhibitors, suggesting that distinct sub-populations in the mat selectively perform these functions. Our results demonstrate that electrons originally resulting from iron oxidation can energetically fuel autotrophic carbon fixation and associated formaldehyde excretion, and that formaldehyde is both oxidized and assimilated by different organisms within the native microbial community. Thus, formaldehyde can effectively act as a carbon and electron shuttle connecting the autotrophic, iron oxidizing members with associated heterotrophic members in the HFO community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James J Moran
- Chemical and Biological Signature Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
| | - Laura M Whitmore
- Chemical and Biological Signature Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- Department of Marine Science, University of Southern Mississippi, Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529, USA
| | - Nancy G Isern
- Environmental and Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Margaret F Romine
- Microbiology Department, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Krystin M Riha
- Chemical and Biological Signature Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - William P Inskeep
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Helen W Kreuzer
- Chemical and Biological Signature Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Shchegolkova NM, Krasnov GS, Belova AA, Dmitriev AA, Kharitonov SL, Klimina KM, Melnikova NV, Kudryavtseva AV. Microbial Community Structure of Activated Sludge in Treatment Plants with Different Wastewater Compositions. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:90. [PMID: 26925033 PMCID: PMC4757684 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Activated sludge (AS) plays a crucial role in the treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater. AS is a biocenosis of microorganisms capable of degrading various pollutants, including organic compounds, toxicants, and xenobiotics. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing of AS and incoming sewage in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) responsible for processing sewage with different origins: municipal wastewater, slaughterhouse wastewater, and refinery sewage. In contrast to incoming wastewater, the taxonomic structure of AS biocenosis was found to become stable in time, and each WWTP demonstrated a unique taxonomic pattern. Most pathogenic microorganisms (Streptococcus, Trichococcus, etc.), which are abundantly represented in incoming sewage, were significantly decreased in AS of all WWTPs, except for the slaughterhouse wastewater. Additional load of bioreactors with influent rich in petroleum products and organic matter was associated with the increase of bacteria responsible for AS bulking and foaming. Here, we present a novel approach enabling the prediction of the metabolic potential of bacterial communities based on their taxonomic structures and MetaCyc database data. We developed a software application, XeDetect, to implement this approach. Using XeDetect, we found that the metabolic potential of the three bacterial communities clearly reflected the substrate composition. We revealed that the microorganisms responsible for AS bulking and foaming (most abundant in AS of slaughterhouse wastewater) played a leading role in the degradation of substrates such as fatty acids, amino acids, and other bioorganic compounds. Moreover, we discovered that the chemical, rather than the bacterial composition of the incoming wastewater was the main factor in AS structure formation. XeDetect (freely available: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xedetect) represents a novel powerful tool for the analysis of the metabolic capacity of bacterial communities. The tool will help to optimize bioreactor performance and avoid some most common technical problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya M Shchegolkova
- Water Problems Institute, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia
| | - George S Krasnov
- Water Problems Institute, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia A Belova
- Water Problems Institute, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A Dmitriev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey L Kharitonov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Kseniya M Klimina
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Nataliya V Melnikova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna V Kudryavtseva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Beam JP, Bernstein HC, Jay ZJ, Kozubal MA, Jennings RD, Tringe SG, Inskeep WP. Assembly and Succession of Iron Oxide Microbial Mat Communities in Acidic Geothermal Springs. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:25. [PMID: 26913020 PMCID: PMC4753309 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomineralized ferric oxide microbial mats are ubiquitous features on Earth, are common in hot springs of Yellowstone National Park (YNP, WY, USA), and form due to direct interaction between microbial and physicochemical processes. The overall goal of this study was to determine the contribution of different community members to the assembly and succession of acidic high-temperature Fe(III)-oxide mat ecosystems. Spatial and temporal changes in Fe(III)-oxide accretion and the abundance of relevant community members were monitored over 70 days using sterile glass microscope slides incubated in the outflow channels of two acidic geothermal springs (pH = 3–3.5; temperature = 68–75°C) in YNP. Hydrogenobaculum spp. were the most abundant taxon identified during early successional stages (4–40 days), and have been shown to oxidize arsenite, sulfide, and hydrogen coupled to oxygen reduction. Iron-oxidizing populations of Metallosphaera yellowstonensis were detected within 4 days, and reached steady-state levels within 14–30 days, corresponding to visible Fe(III)-oxide accretion. Heterotrophic archaea colonized near 30 days, and emerged as the dominant functional guild after 70 days and in mature Fe(III)-oxide mats (1–2 cm thick). First-order rate constants of Fe(III)-oxide accretion ranged from 0.046 to 0.05 day−1, and in situ microelectrode measurements showed that the oxidation of Fe(II) is limited by the diffusion of O2 into the Fe(III)-oxide mat. The formation of microterracettes also implicated O2 as a major variable controlling microbial growth and subsequent mat morphology. The assembly and succession of Fe(III)-oxide mat communities follows a repeatable pattern of colonization by lithoautotrophic organisms, and the subsequent growth of diverse organoheterotrophs. The unique geochemical signatures and micromorphology of extant biomineralized Fe(III)-oxide mats are also useful for understanding other Fe(II)-oxidizing systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P Beam
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Hans C Bernstein
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Biodetection Science and Biological Science Division, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryRichland, WA, USA
| | - Zackary J Jay
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State UniversityBozeman, MT, USA
| | - Mark A Kozubal
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Ryan deM Jennings
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Susannah G Tringe
- United States Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute Walnut Creek, CA, USA
| | - William P Inskeep
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Jiang Z, Li P, Jiang D, Dai X, Zhang R, Wang Y, Wang Y. Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146331. [PMID: 26761709 PMCID: PMC4711897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73–0.86). Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation), Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation), Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation). Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41–95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail: (PL); (YXW)
| | - Dawei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyue Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail: (PL); (YXW)
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Gudbergsdóttir SR, Menzel P, Krogh A, Young M, Peng X. Novel viral genomes identified from six metagenomes reveal wide distribution of archaeal viruses and high viral diversity in terrestrial hot springs. Environ Microbiol 2015; 18:863-74. [PMID: 26439881 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Limited by culture-dependent methods the number of viruses identified from thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria is still very small. In this study we retrieved viral sequences from six hot spring metagenomes isolated worldwide, revealing a wide distribution of four archaeal viral families, Ampullaviridae, Bicaudaviridae, Lipothrixviridae and Rudiviridae. Importantly, we identified 10 complete or near complete viral genomes allowing, for the first time, an assessment of genome conservation and evolution of the Ampullaviridae family as well as Sulfolobus Monocaudavirus 1 (SMV1)-related viruses. Among the novel genomes, one belongs to a putative thermophilic virus infecting the bacterium Hydrogenobaculum, for which no virus has been reported in the literature. Moreover, a high viral diversity was observed in the metagenomes, especially among the Lipothrixviridae, as indicated by the large number of unique contigs and the lack of a completely assembled genome for this family. This is further supported by the large number of novel genes in the complete and partial genomes showing no sequence similarities to public databases. CRISPR analysis revealed hundreds of novel CRISPR loci and thousands of novel CRISPR spacers from each metagenome, reinforcing the notion of high viral diversity in the thermal environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Menzel
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen N, DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Anders Krogh
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen N, DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Mark Young
- Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717-3150, USA
| | - Xu Peng
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, Copenhagen N, DK-2200, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Inskeep WP, Jay ZJ, Macur RE, Clingenpeel S, Tenney A, Lovalvo D, Beam JP, Kozubal MA, Shanks WC, Morgan LA, Kan J, Gorby Y, Yooseph S, Nealson K. Geomicrobiology of sublacustrine thermal vents in Yellowstone Lake: geochemical controls on microbial community structure and function. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1044. [PMID: 26579074 PMCID: PMC4620420 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Yellowstone Lake (Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA) is a large high-altitude (2200 m), fresh-water lake, which straddles an extensive caldera and is the center of significant geothermal activity. The primary goal of this interdisciplinary study was to evaluate the microbial populations inhabiting thermal vent communities in Yellowstone Lake using 16S rRNA gene and random metagenome sequencing, and to determine how geochemical attributes of vent waters influence the distribution of specific microorganisms and their metabolic potential. Thermal vent waters and associated microbial biomass were sampled during two field seasons (2007–2008) using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Sublacustrine thermal vent waters (circa 50–90°C) contained elevated concentrations of numerous constituents associated with geothermal activity including dissolved hydrogen, sulfide, methane and carbon dioxide. Microorganisms associated with sulfur-rich filamentous “streamer” communities of Inflated Plain and West Thumb (pH range 5–6) were dominated by bacteria from the Aquificales, but also contained thermophilic archaea from the Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. Novel groups of methanogens and members of the Korarchaeota were observed in vents from West Thumb and Elliot's Crater (pH 5–6). Conversely, metagenome sequence from Mary Bay vent sediments did not yield large assemblies, and contained diverse thermophilic and nonthermophilic bacterial relatives. Analysis of functional genes associated with the major vent populations indicated a direct linkage to high concentrations of carbon dioxide, reduced sulfur (sulfide and/or elemental S), hydrogen and methane in the deep thermal ecosystems. Our observations show that sublacustrine thermal vents in Yellowstone Lake support novel thermophilic communities, which contain microorganisms with functional attributes not found to date in terrestrial geothermal systems of YNP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William P Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA ; Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Zackary J Jay
- Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Richard E Macur
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jacob P Beam
- Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Mark A Kozubal
- Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | | | - Jinjun Kan
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuri Gorby
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Kenneth Nealson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Badhai J, Ghosh TS, Das SK. Taxonomic and functional characteristics of microbial communities and their correlation with physicochemical properties of four geothermal springs in Odisha, India. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1166. [PMID: 26579081 PMCID: PMC4620158 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This study describes microbial diversity in four tropical hot springs representing moderately thermophilic environments (temperature range: 40–58°C; pH: 7.2–7.4) with discrete geochemistry. Metagenome sequence data showed a dominance of Bacteria over Archaea; the most abundant phyla were Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria, although other phyla were also present, such as Acetothermia, Nitrospirae, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Bacteroidetes, Thermotogae, Euryarchaeota, Verrucomicrobia, Ignavibacteriae, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Spirochaetes, Armatimonadetes, Crenarchaeota, and Aquificae. The distribution of major genera and their statistical correlation analyses with the physicochemical parameters predicted that the temperature, aqueous concentrations of ions (such as sodium, chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate), total hardness, dissolved solids and conductivity were the main environmental variables influencing microbial community composition and diversity. Despite the observed high taxonomic diversity, there were only little variations in the overall functional profiles of the microbial communities in the four springs. Genes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and carbon fixation were the most abundant functional class of genes present in these hot springs. The distribution of genes involved in carbon fixation predicted the presence of all the six known autotrophic pathways in the metagenomes. A high prevalence of genes involved in membrane transport, signal transduction, stress response, bacterial chemotaxis, and flagellar assembly were observed along with genes involved in the pathways of xenobiotic degradation and metabolism. The analysis of the metagenomic sequences affiliated to the candidate phylum Acetothermia from spring TB-3 provided new insight into the metabolism and physiology of yet-unknown members of this lineage of bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jhasketan Badhai
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences Bhubaneswar, India
| | | | - Subrata K Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences Bhubaneswar, India
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Menzel P, Gudbergsdóttir SR, Rike AG, Lin L, Zhang Q, Contursi P, Moracci M, Kristjansson JK, Bolduc B, Gavrilov S, Ravin N, Mardanov A, Bonch-Osmolovskaya E, Young M, Krogh A, Peng X. Comparative Metagenomics of Eight Geographically Remote Terrestrial Hot Springs. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2015; 70:411-424. [PMID: 25712554 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0576-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Hot springs are natural habitats for thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria. In this paper, we present the metagenomic analysis of eight globally distributed terrestrial hot springs from China, Iceland, Italy, Russia, and the USA with a temperature range between 61 and 92 (∘)C and pH between 1.8 and 7. A comparison of the biodiversity and community composition generally showed a decrease in biodiversity with increasing temperature and decreasing pH. Another important factor shaping microbial diversity of the studied sites was the abundance of organic substrates. Several species of the Crenarchaeal order Thermoprotei were detected, whereas no single bacterial species was found in all samples, suggesting a better adaptation of certain archaeal species to different thermophilic environments. Two hot springs show high abundance of Acidithiobacillus, supporting the idea of a true thermophilic Acidithiobacillus species that can thrive in hyperthermophilic environments. Depending on the sample, up to 58 % of sequencing reads could not be assigned to a known phylum, reinforcing the fact that a large number of microorganisms in nature, including those thriving in hot environments remain to be isolated and characterized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Menzel
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Jay ZJ, Inskeep WP. The distribution, diversity, and importance of 16S rRNA gene introns in the order Thermoproteales. Biol Direct 2015; 10:35. [PMID: 26156036 PMCID: PMC4496867 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-015-0065-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intron sequences are common in 16S rRNA genes of specific thermophilic lineages of Archaea, specifically the Thermoproteales (phylum Crenarchaeota). Environmental sequencing (16S rRNA gene and metagenome) from geothermal habitats in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) has expanded the available datasets for investigating 16S rRNA gene introns. The objectives of this study were to characterize and curate archaeal 16S rRNA gene introns from high-temperature habitats, evaluate the conservation and distribution of archaeal 16S rRNA introns in geothermal systems, and determine which “universal” archaeal 16S rRNA gene primers are impacted by the presence of intron sequences. Results Several new introns were identified and their insertion loci were constrained to thirteen locations across the 16S rRNA gene. Many of these introns encode homing endonucleases, although some introns were short or partial sequences. Pyrobaculum, Thermoproteus, and Caldivirga 16S rRNA genes contained the most abundant and diverse intron sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of introns revealed that sequences within the same locus are distributed biogeographically. The most diverse set of introns were observed in a high-temperature, circumneutral (pH 6) sulfur sediment environment, which also contained the greatest diversity of different Thermoproteales phylotypes. Conclusions The widespread presence of introns in the Thermoproteales indicates a high probability of misalignments using different “universal” 16S rRNA primers employed in environmental microbial community analysis. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Dr. Eugene Koonin and Dr. W. Ford Doolittle. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13062-015-0065-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zackary J Jay
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
| | - William P Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pyrobaculum yellowstonensis Strain WP30 Respires on Elemental Sulfur and/or Arsenate in Circumneutral Sulfidic Geothermal Sediments of Yellowstone National Park. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:5907-16. [PMID: 26092468 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01095-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermoproteales (phylum Crenarchaeota) populations are abundant in high-temperature (>70°C) environments of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and are important in mediating the biogeochemical cycles of sulfur, arsenic, and carbon. The objectives of this study were to determine the specific physiological attributes of the isolate Pyrobaculum yellowstonensis strain WP30, which was obtained from an elemental sulfur sediment (Joseph's Coat Hot Spring [JCHS], 80°C, pH 6.1, 135 μM As) and relate this organism to geochemical processes occurring in situ. Strain WP30 is a chemoorganoheterotroph and requires elemental sulfur and/or arsenate as an electron acceptor. Growth in the presence of elemental sulfur and arsenate resulted in the formation of thioarsenates and polysulfides. The complete genome of this organism was sequenced (1.99 Mb, 58% G+C content), revealing numerous metabolic pathways for the degradation of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. Multiple dimethyl sulfoxide-molybdopterin (DMSO-MPT) oxidoreductase genes, which are implicated in the reduction of sulfur and arsenic, were identified. Pathways for the de novo synthesis of nearly all required cofactors and metabolites were identified. The comparative genomics of P. yellowstonensis and the assembled metagenome sequence from JCHS showed that this organism is highly related (∼95% average nucleotide sequence identity) to in situ populations. The physiological attributes and metabolic capabilities of P. yellowstonensis provide an important foundation for developing an understanding of the distribution and function of these populations in YNP.
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
Viruses of Archaea continue to surprise us. Archaeal viruses have revealed new morphologies, protein folds, and gene content. This is especially true for large spindle viruses, which infect only Archaea. We present a comparison of particle morphologies, major coat protein structures, and gene content among the five characterized large spindle viruses to elucidate defining characteristics. Structural similarities and a core set of genes support the grouping of the large spindle viruses into a new superfamily.
Collapse
|
46
|
Lau MCY, Cameron C, Magnabosco C, Brown CT, Schilkey F, Grim S, Hendrickson S, Pullin M, Sherwood Lollar B, van Heerden E, Kieft TL, Onstott TC. Phylogeny and phylogeography of functional genes shared among seven terrestrial subsurface metagenomes reveal N-cycling and microbial evolutionary relationships. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:531. [PMID: 25400621 PMCID: PMC4215791 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative studies on community phylogenetics and phylogeography of microorganisms living in extreme environments are rare. Terrestrial subsurface habitats are valuable for studying microbial biogeographical patterns due to their isolation and the restricted dispersal mechanisms. Since the taxonomic identity of a microorganism does not always correspond well with its functional role in a particular community, the use of taxonomic assignments or patterns may give limited inference on how microbial functions are affected by historical, geographical and environmental factors. With seven metagenomic libraries generated from fracture water samples collected from five South African mines, this study was carried out to (1) screen for ubiquitous functions or pathways of biogeochemical cycling of CH4, S, and N; (2) to characterize the biodiversity represented by the common functional genes; (3) to investigate the subsurface biogeography as revealed by this subset of genes; and (4) to explore the possibility of using metagenomic data for evolutionary study. The ubiquitous functional genes are NarV, NPD, PAPS reductase, NifH, NifD, NifK, NifE, and NifN genes. Although these eight common functional genes were taxonomically and phylogenetically diverse and distinct from each other, the dissimilarity between samples did not correlate strongly with geographical or environmental parameters or residence time of the water. Por genes homologous to those of Thermodesulfovibrio yellowstonii detected in all metagenomes were deep lineages of Nitrospirae, suggesting that subsurface habitats have preserved ancestral genetic signatures that inform the study of the origin and evolution of prokaryotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maggie C Y Lau
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Cara Magnabosco
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - C Titus Brown
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Faye Schilkey
- National Center for Genome Resources Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Sharon Grim
- The Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | | | - Michael Pullin
- Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Tech Socorro, NM, USA
| | | | - Esta van Heerden
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Free State Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | | | - Tullis C Onstott
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Alsop EB, Boyd ES, Raymond J. Merging metagenomics and geochemistry reveals environmental controls on biological diversity and evolution. BMC Ecol 2014; 14:16. [PMID: 24886397 PMCID: PMC4047435 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-14-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The metabolic strategies employed by microbes inhabiting natural systems are, in large part, dictated by the physical and geochemical properties of the environment. This study sheds light onto the complex relationship between biology and environmental geochemistry using forty-three metagenomes collected from geochemically diverse and globally distributed natural systems. It is widely hypothesized that many uncommonly measured geochemical parameters affect community dynamics and this study leverages the development and application of multidimensional biogeochemical metrics to study correlations between geochemistry and microbial ecology. Analysis techniques such as a Markov cluster-based measure of the evolutionary distance between whole communities and a principal component analysis (PCA) of the geochemical gradients between environments allows for the determination of correlations between microbial community dynamics and environmental geochemistry and provides insight into which geochemical parameters most strongly influence microbial biodiversity. Results By progressively building from samples taken along well defined geochemical gradients to samples widely dispersed in geochemical space this study reveals strong links between the extent of taxonomic and functional diversification of resident communities and environmental geochemistry and reveals temperature and pH as the primary factors that have shaped the evolution of these communities. Moreover, the inclusion of extensive geochemical data into analyses reveals new links between geochemical parameters (e.g. oxygen and trace element availability) and the distribution and taxonomic diversification of communities at the functional level. Further, an overall geochemical gradient (from multivariate analyses) between natural systems provides one of the most complete predictions of microbial taxonomic and functional composition. Conclusions Clustering based on the frequency in which orthologous proteins occur among metagenomes facilitated accurate prediction of the ordering of community functional composition along geochemical gradients, despite a lack of geochemical input. The consistency in the results obtained from the application of Markov clustering and multivariate methods to distinct natural systems underscore their utility in predicting the functional potential of microbial communities within a natural system based on system geochemistry alone, allowing geochemical measurements to be used to predict purely biological metrics such as microbial community composition and metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jason Raymond
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, ISTB4, Room 795, 781 E, Terrace Rd, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Carbon dioxide fixation by Metallosphaera yellowstonensis and acidothermophilic iron-oxidizing microbial communities from Yellowstone National Park. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:2665-71. [PMID: 24532073 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03416-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The fixation of inorganic carbon has been documented in all three domains of life and results in the biosynthesis of diverse organic compounds that support heterotrophic organisms. The primary aim of this study was to assess carbon dioxide fixation in high-temperature Fe(III)-oxide mat communities and in pure cultures of a dominant Fe(II)-oxidizing organism (Metallosphaera yellowstonensis strain MK1) originally isolated from these environments. Protein-encoding genes of the complete 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (3-HP/4-HB) carbon dioxide fixation pathway were identified in M. yellowstonensis strain MK1. Highly similar M. yellowstonensis genes for this pathway were identified in metagenomes of replicate Fe(III)-oxide mats, as were genes for the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle from Hydrogenobaculum spp. (Aquificales). Stable-isotope ((13)CO2) labeling demonstrated CO2 fixation by M. yellowstonensis strain MK1 and in ex situ assays containing live Fe(III)-oxide microbial mats. The results showed that strain MK1 fixes CO2 with a fractionation factor of ∼2.5‰. Analysis of the (13)C composition of dissolved inorganic C (DIC), dissolved organic C (DOC), landscape C, and microbial mat C showed that mat C is from both DIC and non-DIC sources. An isotopic mixing model showed that biomass C contains a minimum of 42% C of DIC origin, depending on the fraction of landscape C that is present. The significance of DIC as a major carbon source for Fe(III)-oxide mat communities provides a foundation for examining microbial interactions that are dependent on the activity of autotrophic organisms (i.e., Hydrogenobaculum and Metallosphaera spp.) in simplified natural communities.
Collapse
|
49
|
Beam JP, Jay ZJ, Kozubal MA, Inskeep WP. Niche specialization of novel Thaumarchaeota to oxic and hypoxic acidic geothermal springs of Yellowstone National Park. ISME JOURNAL 2013; 8:938-51. [PMID: 24196321 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Revised: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Novel lineages of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are endemic to thermal habitats, and may exhibit physiological capabilities that are not yet observed in members of this phylum. The primary goals of this study were to conduct detailed phylogenetic and functional analyses of metagenome sequence assemblies of two different thaumarchaeal populations found in high-temperature (65-72 °C), acidic (pH~3) iron oxide and sulfur sediment environments of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Metabolic reconstruction was coupled with detailed geochemical measurements of each geothermal habitat and reverse-transcriptase PCR to confirm the in situ activity of these populations. Phylogenetic analyses of ribosomal and housekeeping proteins place these archaea near the root of the thaumarchaeal branch. Metabolic reconstruction suggests that these populations are chemoorganotrophic and couple growth with the reduction of oxygen or nitrate in iron oxide habitats, or sulfur in hypoxic sulfur sediments. The iron oxide population has the potential for growth via the oxidation of sulfide to sulfate using a novel reverse sulfate reduction pathway. Possible carbon sources include aromatic compounds (for example, 4-hydroxyphenylacetate), complex carbohydrates (for example, starch), oligopeptides and amino acids. Both populations contain a type III ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase used for carbon dioxide fixation or adenosine monophosphate salvage. No evidence for the oxidation of ammonia was obtained from de novo sequence assemblies. Our results show that thermoacidophilic Thaumarchaeota from oxic iron mats and hypoxic sulfur sediments exhibit different respiratory machinery depending on the presence of oxygen versus sulfide, represent deeply rooted lineages within the phylum Thaumarchaeota and are endemic to numerous sites in YNP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob P Beam
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Zackary J Jay
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Mark A Kozubal
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - William P Inskeep
- Thermal Biology Institute and Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Predominant Acidilobus-like populations from geothermal environments in yellowstone national park exhibit similar metabolic potential in different hypoxic microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 80:294-305. [PMID: 24162572 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02860-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
High-temperature (>70°C) ecosystems in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) provide an unparalleled opportunity to study chemotrophic archaea and their role in microbial community structure and function under highly constrained geochemical conditions. Acidilobus spp. (order Desulfurococcales) comprise one of the dominant phylotypes in hypoxic geothermal sulfur sediment and Fe(III)-oxide environments along with members of the Thermoproteales and Sulfolobales. Consequently, the primary goals of the current study were to analyze and compare replicate de novo sequence assemblies of Acidilobus-like populations from four different mildly acidic (pH 3.3 to 6.1) high-temperature (72°C to 82°C) environments and to identify metabolic pathways and/or protein-encoding genes that provide a detailed foundation of the potential functional role of these populations in situ. De novo assemblies of the highly similar Acidilobus-like populations (>99% 16S rRNA gene identity) represent near-complete consensus genomes based on an inventory of single-copy genes, deduced metabolic potential, and assembly statistics generated across sites. Functional analysis of coding sequences and confirmation of gene transcription by Acidilobus-like populations provide evidence that they are primarily chemoorganoheterotrophs, generating acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) via the degradation of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and auxotrophic with respect to several external vitamins, cofactors, and metabolites. No obvious pathways or protein-encoding genes responsible for the dissimilatory reduction of sulfur were identified. The presence of a formate dehydrogenase (Fdh) and other protein-encoding genes involved in mixed-acid fermentation supports the hypothesis that Acidilobus spp. function as degraders of complex organic constituents in high-temperature, mildly acidic, hypoxic geothermal systems.
Collapse
|