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Zhang B, Xu Y, Yan X, Pu T, Wang S, Yang X, Yang H, Zhang G, Zhang W, Chen T, Liu G. The diversity and risk of potential pathogenic bacteria on the surface of glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:173937. [PMID: 38880135 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Glaciers, which constitute the world's largest global freshwater reservoir, are also natural microbial repositories. The frequent pandemic in recent years underscored the potential biosafety risks associated with the release of microorganisms from the accelerated melting of glaciers due to global warming. However, the characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms in glaciers are not well understood. The glacier surface is the primary area where glacier melting occurs that is often the main subject of research on the dynamics of pathogenic microbial communities in efforts to assess glacier biosafety risks and devise preventive measures. In this study, high-throughput sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods were employed in analyses of the composition and quantities of potential pathogenic bacteria on the surfaces of glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The study identified 441 potential pathogenic species ranging from 215 to 4.39 × 1011 copies/g, with notable seasonal and environmental variations being found in the composition and quantity of potential pathogens. The highest level of diversity was observed in April and snow, while the highest quantities were observed in October and cryoconite. Host analysis revealed that >70 % of the species were pathogens affecting animals, with the highest proportion of zoonotic pathogens being observed in April. Analysis of aerosols and glacial meltwater dispersion suggested that these microbes originated from West Asia, primarily affecting the central and southern regions of China. Null model analysis indicated that the assembly of potential pathogenic microbial communities on glacier surfaces was largely governed by deterministic processes. In conclusion, potential pathogenic bacteria on glacier surfaces mainly originated from the snow and exhibited significant temporal and spatial variation patterns. These findings can be used to enhance researchers' ability to predict potential biosafety risks associated with pathogenic bacteria in glaciers and to prevent their negative impact on populations and ecological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binglin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Yulong Snow Station of Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Yeteng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Yulong Snow Station of Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Xiao Yan
- School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Tao Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Yulong Snow Station of Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shijin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Yulong Snow Station of Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinglou Yang
- Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Hang Yang
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Gaosen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Yulong Snow Station of Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Guangxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Microbial Resources and Engineering, Gansu Province 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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2
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Barno AR, Green K, Rohwer F, Silveira CB. Snow viruses and their implications on red snow algal blooms. mSystems 2024; 9:e0008324. [PMID: 38647296 PMCID: PMC11097641 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00083-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Algal blooms can give snowmelt a red color, reducing snow albedo and creating a runaway effect that accelerates snow melting. The occurrence of red snow is predicted to grow in polar and subpolar regions with increasing global temperatures. We hypothesize that these algal blooms affect virus-bacteria interactions in snow, with potential effects on snowmelt dynamics. A genomic analysis of double-stranded DNA virus communities in red and white snow from the Whistler region of British Columbia, Canada, identified 792 putative viruses infecting bacteria. The most abundant putative snow viruses displayed low genomic similarity with known viruses. We recovered the complete circular genomes of nine putative viruses, two of which were classified as temperate. Putative snow viruses encoded genes involved in energy metabolisms, such as NAD+ synthesis and salvage pathways. In model phages, these genes facilitate increased viral particle production and lysis rates. The frequency of temperate phages was positively correlated with microbial abundance in the snow samples. These results suggest the increased frequency of temperate virus-bacteria interactions as microbial densities increase during snowmelt. We propose that this virus-bacteria dynamic may facilitate the red snow algae growth stimulated by bacteria.IMPORTANCEMicrobial communities in red snow algal blooms contribute to intensifying snowmelt rates. The role of viruses in snow during this environmental shift, however, has yet to be elucidated. Here, we characterize novel viruses extracted from snow viral metagenomes and define the functional capacities of snow viruses in both white and red snow. These results are contextualized using the composition and functions observed in the bacterial communities from the same snow samples. Together, these data demonstrate the energy metabolism performed by viruses and bacteria in a snow algal bloom, as well as expand the overall knowledge of viral genomes in extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Barno
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kevin Green
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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Touchette D, Gostinčar C, Whyte LG, Altshuler I. Lichen-associated microbial members are prevalent in the snow microbiome of a sub-arctic alpine tundra. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad151. [PMID: 37977855 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Snow is the largest component of the cryosphere, with its cover and distribution rapidly decreasing over the last decade due to climate warming. It is imperative to characterize the snow (nival) microbial communities to better understand the role of microorganisms inhabiting these rapidly changing environments. Here, we investigated the core nival microbiome, the cultivable microbial members, and the microbial functional diversity of the remote Uapishka mountain range, a massif of alpine sub-arctic tundra and boreal forest. Snow samples were taken over a two-month interval along an altitude gradient with varying degree of anthropogenic traffic and vegetation cover. The core snow alpine tundra/boreal microbiome, which was present across all samples, constituted of Acetobacterales, Rhizobiales and Acidobacteriales bacterial orders, and of Mycosphaerellales and Lecanorales fungal orders, with the dominant fungal taxa being associated with lichens. The snow samples had low active functional diversity, with Richness values ranging from 0 to 19.5. The culture-based viable microbial enumeration ranged from 0 to 8.05 × 103 CFUs/mL. We isolated and whole-genome sequenced five microorganisms which included three fungi, one alga, and one potentially novel bacterium of the Lichenihabitans genus; all of which appear to be part of lichen-associated taxonomic clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Touchette
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
- River Ecosystems Laboratory, ALPOLE, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1950, Sion, Switzerland
| | - C Gostinčar
- University of Ljubljana, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - L G Whyte
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - I Altshuler
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
- MACE Laboratory, ALPOLE, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1950, Sion, Switzerland
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4
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Bendia AG, Moreira JCF, Ferreira JCN, Romano RG, Ferreira IGC, Franco DC, Evangelista H, Montone RC, Pellizari VH. Insights into Antarctic microbiomes: diversity patterns for terrestrial and marine habitats. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e20211442. [PMID: 37820122 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320211442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms in Antarctica are recognized for having crucial roles in ecosystems functioning and biogeochemical cycles. To explore the diversity and composition of microbial communities through different terrestrial and marine Antarctic habitats, we analyze 16S rRNA sequence datasets from fumarole and marine sediments, soil, snow and seawater environments. We obtained measures of alpha- and beta-diversities, as well as we have identified the core microbiome and the indicator microbial taxa of a particular habitat. Our results showed a unique microbial community structure according to each habitat, including specific taxa composing each microbiome. Marine sediments harbored the highest microbial diversity among the analyzed habitats. In the fumarole sediments, the core microbiome was composed mainly of thermophiles and hyperthermophilic Archaea, while in the majority of soil samples Archaea was absent. In the seawater samples, the core microbiome was mainly composed by cultured and uncultured orders usually identified on Antarctic pelagic ecosystems. Snow samples exhibited common taxa previously described for habitats of the Antarctic Peninsula, which suggests long-distance dispersal processes occurring from the Peninsula to the Continent. This study contributes as a baseline for further efforts on evaluating the microbial responses to environmental conditions and future changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda G Bendia
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Julio Cezar F Moreira
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana C N Ferreira
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato G Romano
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ivan G C Ferreira
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Diego C Franco
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Heitor Evangelista
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Maracanã, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rosalinda C Montone
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Física, Química e Geológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Vivian Helena Pellizari
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Malard LA, Bergk-Pinto B, Layton R, Vogel TM, Larose C, Pearce DA. Snow Microorganisms Colonise Arctic Soils Following Snow Melt. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:1661-1675. [PMID: 36939866 PMCID: PMC10497451 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Arctic soils are constantly subjected to microbial invasion from either airborne, marine, or animal sources, which may impact local microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. However, in winter, Arctic soils are isolated from outside sources other than snow, which is the sole source of microorganisms. Successful colonisation of soil by snow microorganisms depends on the ability to survive and compete of both, the invading and resident community. Using shallow shotgun metagenome sequencing and amplicon sequencing, this study monitored snow and soil microbial communities throughout snow melt to investigate the colonisation process of Arctic soils. Microbial colonisation likely occurred as all the characteristics of successful colonisation were observed. The colonising microorganisms originating from the snow were already adapted to the local environmental conditions and were subsequently subjected to many similar conditions in the Arctic soil. Furthermore, competition-related genes (e.g. motility and virulence) increased in snow samples as the snow melted. Overall, one hundred potentially successful colonisers were identified in the soil and, thus, demonstrated the deposition and growth of snow microorganisms in soils during melt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie A Malard
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK.
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Benoit Bergk-Pinto
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
- BioIT, TAG (Transversal Activities in Applied Genomics) Sciensano, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rose Layton
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Timothy M Vogel
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - David A Pearce
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK.
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6
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Keuschnig C, Vogel TM, Barbaro E, Spolaor A, Koziol K, Björkman MP, Zdanowicz C, Gallet JC, Luks B, Layton R, Larose C. Selection processes of Arctic seasonal glacier snowpack bacterial communities. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:35. [PMID: 36864462 PMCID: PMC9979512 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01473-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arctic snowpack microbial communities are continually subject to dynamic chemical and microbial input from the atmosphere. As such, the factors that contribute to structuring their microbial communities are complex and have yet to be completely resolved. These snowpack communities can be used to evaluate whether they fit niche-based or neutral assembly theories. METHODS We sampled snow from 22 glacier sites on 7 glaciers across Svalbard in April during the maximum snow accumulation period and prior to the melt period to evaluate the factors that drive snowpack metataxonomy. These snowpacks were seasonal, accumulating in early winter on bare ice and firn and completely melting out in autumn. Using a Bayesian fitting strategy to evaluate Hubbell's Unified Neutral Theory of Biodiversity at multiple sites, we tested for neutrality and defined immigration rates at different taxonomic levels. Bacterial abundance and diversity were measured and the amount of potential ice-nucleating bacteria was calculated. The chemical composition (anions, cations, organic acids) and particulate impurity load (elemental and organic carbon) of the winter and spring snowpack were also characterized. We used these data in addition to geographical information to assess possible niche-based effects on snow microbial communities using multivariate and variable partitioning analysis. RESULTS While certain taxonomic signals were found to fit the neutral assembly model, clear evidence of niche-based selection was observed at most sites. Inorganic chemistry was not linked directly to diversity, but helped to identify predominant colonization sources and predict microbial abundance, which was tightly linked to sea spray. Organic acids were the most significant predictors of microbial diversity. At low organic acid concentrations, the snow microbial structure represented the seeding community closely, and evolved away from it at higher organic acid concentrations, with concomitant increases in bacterial numbers. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that environmental selection plays a significant role in structuring snow microbial communities and that future studies should focus on activity and growth. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Keuschnig
- Formerly at Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134, Ecully Cedex, France
- Currently at Interface Geochemistry, German Research Center for Geosciences, GFZ, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Timothy M Vogel
- Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134, Ecully Cedex, France
| | - Elena Barbaro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, ISP-CNR, Via Torino 155, 30170, Venice Mestre, Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy
| | - Andrea Spolaor
- Institute of Polar Sciences, ISP-CNR, Via Torino 155, 30170, Venice Mestre, Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy
| | - Krystyna Koziol
- Department of Environmental Change and Geochemistry, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, the Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Mats P Björkman
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 460, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christian Zdanowicz
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, SE-75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Bartłomiej Luks
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Księcia Janusza 64, 01-452, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rose Layton
- Formerly at Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134, Ecully Cedex, France
| | - Catherine Larose
- Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134, Ecully Cedex, France.
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The Study of Soil Bacterial Diversity and the Influence of Soil Physicochemical Factors in Meltwater Region of Ny-Ålesund, Arctic. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10101913. [PMID: 36296189 PMCID: PMC9611652 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10101913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change has caused the changes of the ecological environment in the Arctic region, including sea ice melting, runoff increase, glacial lake expansion, and a typical meltwater area has formed in the Arctic coastal area. In this study, the meltwater areas near six different characteristic areas of Ny-Ålesund in 2018 were taken as the research objects, and high-throughput sequencing of V3–V4 regions of all samples were performed using 16S rDNA. Among the soil samples of six glacial meltwater areas in Ny-Ålesund, Arctic, the meltwater area near the reservoir bay had the highest bacterial abundance, and the meltwater area near the sand had the lowest one. The dominant phyla in soil samples were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria. The NH4+-N content in intertidal soil was higher than that in subtidal soil. Through WGCNA analysis and LEFSE analysis, it was found that the core bacteria significantly related to NH4+-N were basically distributed in the intertidal area. For example, Nitrosomonadaceae, Nitrospira and Sphingomonas were the core bacteria showed significant different abundance in the intertidal area, which have the ability to metabolize NH4+-N. Our findings suggest that NH4+-N plays an important role in soil bacterial community structure in the Arctic meltwater areas.
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Sanchez-Cid C, Keuschnig C, Torzewski K, Stachnik Ł, Kępski D, Luks B, Nawrot A, Niedzielski P, Vogel TM, Larose C. Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors Shape the Snow Microbiome and Antibiotic Resistome. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:918622. [PMID: 35783390 PMCID: PMC9245712 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.918622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Winter tourism can generate environmental pollution and affect microbial ecology in mountain ecosystems. This could stimulate the development of antibiotic resistance in snow and its dissemination through the atmosphere and through snow melting. Despite these potential impacts, the effect of winter tourism on the snow antibiotic resistome remains to be elucidated. In this study, snow samples subjected to different levels of anthropogenic activities and surrounding forest were obtained from the Sudety Mountains in Poland to evaluate the impact of winter tourism on snow bacteria using a metagenomic approach. Bacterial community composition was determined by the sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene and the composition of the antibiotic resistome was explored by metagenomic sequencing. Whereas environmental factors were the main drivers of bacterial community and antibiotic resistome composition in snow, winter tourism affected resistome composition in sites with similar environmental conditions. Several antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) showed a higher abundance in sites subjected to human activities. This is the first study to show that anthropogenic activities may influence the antibiotic resistome in alpine snow. Our results highlight the need to survey antibiotic resistance development in anthropogenically polluted sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concepcion Sanchez-Cid
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, CNRS UMR 5005 Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Écully, France
- Promega France, Charbonnières-les-Bains, France
- *Correspondence: Concepcion Sanchez-Cid,
| | - Christoph Keuschnig
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, CNRS UMR 5005 Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Écully, France
| | - Karol Torzewski
- Department of Ecology, Biogeochemistry and Environmental Protection, Institute of Botany, Wrocław University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Łukasz Stachnik
- Institute of Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Daniel Kępski
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Luks
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Nawrot
- Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- forScience Foundation, Toruń, Poland
| | - Przemysław Niedzielski
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
| | - Timothy M. Vogel
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, CNRS UMR 5005 Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Écully, France
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, CNRS UMR 5005 Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Écully, France
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9
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Trivedi CB, Keuschnig C, Larose C, Rissi DV, Mourot R, Bradley JA, Winkel M, Benning LG. DNA/RNA Preservation in Glacial Snow and Ice Samples. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:894893. [PMID: 35677909 PMCID: PMC9168539 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.894893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The preservation of nucleic acids for high-throughput sequencing is an ongoing challenge for field scientists. In particular, samples that are low biomass, or that have to be collected and preserved in logistically challenging environments (such as remote sites or during long sampling campaigns) can pose exceptional difficulties. With this work, we compare and assess the effectiveness of three preservation methods for DNA and RNA extracted from microbial communities of glacial snow and ice samples. Snow and ice samples were melted and filtered upon collection in Iceland, and filters were preserved using: (i) liquid nitrogen flash freezing, (ii) storage in RNAlater, or (iii) storage in Zymo DNA/RNA Shield. Comparative statistics covering nucleic acid recovery, sequencing library preparation, genome assembly, and taxonomic diversity were used to determine best practices for the preservation of DNA and RNA samples from these environments. Our results reveal that microbial community composition based on DNA was comparable at the class level across preservation types. Based on extracted RNA, the taxonomic composition of the active community was primarily driven by the filtered sample volume (i.e., biomass content). In low biomass samples (where <200 ml of sample volume was filtered) the taxonomic and functional signatures trend toward the composition of the control samples, while in samples where a larger volume (more biomass) was filtered our data showed comparable results independent of preservation type. Based on all comparisons our data suggests that flash freezing of filters containing low biomass is the preferred method for preserving DNA and RNA (notwithstanding the difficulties of accessing liquid nitrogen in remote glacial field sites). Generally, RNAlater and Zymo DNA/RNA Shield solutions work comparably well, especially for DNA from high biomass samples, but Zymo DNA/RNA Shield is favored due to its higher yield of preserved RNA. Biomass quantity from snow and ice samples appears to be the most important factor in regards to the collection and preservation of samples from glacial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Trivedi
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Université de Lyon, Ecully Cedex, France
| | | | - Rey Mourot
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - James A Bradley
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Winkel
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Liane G Benning
- Interface Geochemistry, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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10
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Winkel M, Trivedi CB, Mourot R, Bradley JA, Vieth-Hillebrand A, Benning LG. Seasonality of Glacial Snow and Ice Microbial Communities. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:876848. [PMID: 35651494 PMCID: PMC9149292 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.876848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Blooms of microalgae on glaciers and ice sheets are amplifying surface ice melting rates, which are already affected by climate change. Most studies on glacial microorganisms (including snow and glacier ice algae) have so far focused on the spring and summer melt season, leading to a temporal bias, and a knowledge gap in our understanding of the variations in microbial diversity, productivity, and physiology on glacier surfaces year-round. Here, we investigated the microbial communities from Icelandic glacier surface snow and bare ice habitats, with sampling spanning two consecutive years and carried out in both winter and two summer seasons. We evaluated the seasonal differences in microbial community composition using Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS marker genes and correlating them with geochemical signals in the snow and ice. During summer, Chloromonas, Chlainomonas, Raphidonema, and Hydrurus dominated surface snow algal communities, while Ancylonema and Mesotaenium dominated the surface bare ice habitats. In winter, algae could not be detected, and the community composition was dominated by bacteria and fungi. The dominant bacterial taxa found in both winter and summer samples were Bacteriodetes, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. The winter bacterial communities showed high similarities to airborne and fresh snow bacteria reported in other studies. This points toward the importance of dry and wet deposition as a wintertime source of microorganisms to the glacier surface. Winter samples were also richer in nutrients than summer samples, except for dissolved organic carbon-which was highest in summer snow and ice samples with blooming microalgae, suggesting that nutrients are accumulated during winter but primarily used by the microbial communities in the summer. Overall, our study shows that glacial snow and ice microbial communities are highly variable on a seasonal basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Winkel
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christopher B Trivedi
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rey Mourot
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - James A Bradley
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Vieth-Hillebrand
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Liane G Benning
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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11
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Life from a Snowflake: Diversity and Adaptation of Cold-Loving Bacteria among Ice Crystals. CRYSTALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst12030312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Incredible as it is, researchers have now the awareness that even the most extreme environment includes special habitats that host several forms of life. Cold environments cover different compartments of the cryosphere, as sea and freshwater ice, glaciers, snow, and permafrost. Although these are very particular environmental compartments in which various stressors coexist (i.e., freeze–thaw cycles, scarce water availability, irradiance conditions, and poorness of nutrients), diverse specialized microbial communities are harbored. This raises many intriguing questions, many of which are still unresolved. For instance, a challenging focus is to understand if microorganisms survive trapped frozen among ice crystals for long periods of time or if they indeed remain metabolically active. Likewise, a look at their site-specific diversity and at their putative geochemical activity is demanded, as well as at the equally interesting microbial activity at subzero temperatures. The production of special molecules such as strategy of adaptations, cryoprotectants, and ice crystal-controlling molecules is even more intriguing. This paper aims at reviewing all these aspects with the intent of providing a thorough overview of the main contributors in investigating the microbial life in the cryosphere, touching on the themes of diversity, adaptation, and metabolic potential.
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12
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Smirnova M, Miamin U, Kohler A, Valentovich L, Akhremchuk A, Sidarenka A, Dolgikh A, Shapaval V. Isolation and characterization of fast-growing green snow bacteria from coastal East Antarctica. Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1152. [PMID: 33377317 PMCID: PMC7887010 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Snow microorganisms play a significant role in climate change and affecting the snow melting rate in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. While research on algae inhabiting green and red snow has been performed extensively, bacteria dwelling in this biotope have been studied to a much lesser extent. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of two green snow samples collected from the coastal area of the eastern part of Antarctica and conducted genotypic and phenotypic profiling of 45 fast-growing bacteria isolated from these samples. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of two green snow samples showed that bacteria inhabiting these samples are mostly represented by families Burkholderiaceae (46.31%), Flavobacteriaceae (22.98%), and Pseudomonadaceae (17.66%). Identification of 45 fast-growing bacteria isolated from green snow was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We demonstrated that they belong to the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, and are represented by the genera Arthrobacter, Cryobacterium, Leifsonia, Salinibacterium, Paeniglutamicibacter, Rhodococcus, Polaromonas, Pseudomonas, and Psychrobacter. Nearly all bacterial isolates exhibited various growth temperatures from 4°C to 25°C, and some isolates were characterized by a high level of enzymatic activity. Phenotyping using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed a possible accumulation of intracellular polymer polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or lipids in some isolates. The bacteria showed different lipids/PHA and protein profiles. It was shown that lipid/PHA and protein spectral regions are the most discriminative for differentiating the isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Smirnova
- Faculty of Science and TechnologyNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | | | - Achim Kohler
- Faculty of Science and TechnologyNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Leonid Valentovich
- Faculty of BiologyBelarusian State UniversityMinskBelarus
- Institute of MicrobiologyNational Academy of Sciences of BelarusMinskBelarus
| | - Artur Akhremchuk
- Institute of MicrobiologyNational Academy of Sciences of BelarusMinskBelarus
| | - Anastasiya Sidarenka
- Faculty of BiologyBelarusian State UniversityMinskBelarus
- Institute of MicrobiologyNational Academy of Sciences of BelarusMinskBelarus
| | - Andrey Dolgikh
- Institute of GeographyRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | - Volha Shapaval
- Faculty of Science and TechnologyNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
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13
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Monaco P, Divino F, Naclerio G, Bucci A. Microbial community analysis with a specific statistical approach after a record breaking snowfall in Southern Italy. ANN MICROBIOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s13213-020-01604-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Snow and ice ecosystems present unexpectedly high microbial abundance and diversity. Although arctic and alpine snow environments have been intensively investigated from a microbiological point of view, few studies have been conducted in the Apennines. Accordingly, the main purpose of this research was to analyze the microbial communities of the snow collected in two different locations of Capracotta municipality (Southern Italy) after a snowfall record occurred on March 2015 (256 cm of snow in less than 24 h).
Methods
Bacterial communities were analyzed by the Next-Generation Sequencing techniques. Furthermore, a specific statistical approach for taxonomic hierarchy data was introduced, both for the assessment of diversity within microbial communities and the comparison between different microbiotas. In general, diversity and similarity indices are more informative when computed at the lowest level of the taxonomic hierarchy, the species level. This is not the case with microbial data, for which the species level is not necessarily the most informative. Indeed, the possibility to detect a large number of unclassified records at every level of the hierarchy (even at the top) is very realistic due to both the partial knowledge about the cultivable fraction of microbial communities and limitations to taxonomic assignment connected to the quality and completeness of the 16S rRNA gene reference databases. Thus, a global approach considering information from the whole taxonomic hierarchy was adopted in order to obtain a more consistent assessment of the biodiversity.
Result
The main phyla retrieved in the investigated snow samples were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. Interestingly, DNA from bacteria adapted to thrive at low temperatures, but also from microorganisms normally associated with other habitats, whose presence in the snow could be justified by wind-transport, was found. Biomolecular investigations and statistical data analysis showed relevant differences in terms of biodiversity, composition, and distribution of bacterial species between the studied snow samples.
Conclusion
The relevance of this research lies in the expansion of knowledge about microorganisms associated with cold environments in contexts poorly investigated such as the Italian Apennines, and in the development of a global statistical approach for the assessment of biological diversity and similarity of microbial communities as an additional tool to be usefully combined with the barcoding methods.
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14
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Zhu C, Miller M, Lusskin N, Bergk Pinto B, Maccario L, Häggblom M, Vogel T, Larose C, Bromberg Y. Snow microbiome functional analyses reveal novel aspects of microbial metabolism of complex organic compounds. Microbiologyopen 2020; 9:e1100. [PMID: 32762019 PMCID: PMC7520998 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes active in extreme cold are not as well explored as those of other extreme environments. Studies have revealed a substantial microbial diversity and identified cold-specific microbiome molecular functions. We analyzed the metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of 20 snow samples collected in early and late spring in Svalbard, Norway using mi-faser, our read-based computational microbiome function annotation tool. Our results reveal a more diverse microbiome functional capacity and activity in the early- vs. late-spring samples. We also find that functional dissimilarity between the same-sample metagenomes and metatranscriptomes is significantly higher in early than late spring samples. These findings suggest that early spring samples may contain a larger fraction of DNA of dormant (or dead) organisms, while late spring samples reflect a new, metabolically active community. We further show that the abundance of sequencing reads mapping to the fatty acid synthesis-related microbial pathways in late spring metagenomes and metatranscriptomes is significantly correlated with the organic acid levels measured in these samples. Similarly, the organic acid levels correlate with the pathway read abundances of geraniol degradation and inversely correlate with those of styrene degradation, suggesting a possible nutrient change. Our study thus highlights the activity of microbial degradation pathways of complex organic compounds previously unreported at low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengsheng Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | - Maximilian Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | - Nicholas Lusskin
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | - Benoît Bergk Pinto
- Environmental Microbial GenomicsLaboratoire AmpereEcole Centrale de LyonCNRS UMR 5005Université de LyonEcullyFrance
| | - Lorrie Maccario
- Environmental Microbial GenomicsLaboratoire AmpereEcole Centrale de LyonCNRS UMR 5005Université de LyonEcullyFrance
- Section of MicrobiologyCopenhagen UniversityCopenhagen ØDenmark
| | - Max Häggblom
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
| | - Timothy Vogel
- Environmental Microbial GenomicsLaboratoire AmpereEcole Centrale de LyonCNRS UMR 5005Université de LyonEcullyFrance
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial GenomicsLaboratoire AmpereEcole Centrale de LyonCNRS UMR 5005Université de LyonEcullyFrance
| | - Yana Bromberg
- Department of Biochemistry and MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNJUSA
- Department of GeneticsHuman Genetics InstituteRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNJUSA
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15
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Biotransformation fate and sustainable mitigation of a potentially toxic element of mercury from environmental matrices. ARAB J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2020.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
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16
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Cavaco MA, St Louis VL, Engel K, St Pierre KA, Schiff SL, Stibal M, Neufeld JD. Freshwater microbial community diversity in a rapidly changing High Arctic watershed. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 95:5585388. [PMID: 31599931 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current models predict increases in High Arctic temperatures and precipitation that will have profound impacts on the Arctic hydrological cycle, including enhanced glacial melt and thawing of active layer soils. However, it remains uncertain how these changes will impact the structure of downstream resident freshwater microbial communities and ensuing microbially driven freshwater ecosystem services. Using the Lake Hazen watershed (Nunavut, Canada; 82°N, 71°W) as a sentinel system, we related microbial community composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing) to physicochemical parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen and nutrients) over an annual hydrological cycle in three freshwater compartments within the watershed: (i) glacial rivers; (ii) active layer thaw-fed streams and waterbodies and (iii) Lake Hazen, into which (i) and (ii) drain. Microbial communities throughout these freshwater compartments were strongly interconnected, hydrologically, and often correlated with the presence of melt-sourced chemicals (e.g. dissolved inorganic carbon) as the melt season progressed. Within Lake Hazen itself, water column microbial communities were generally stable over spring and summer, despite fluctuating lake physicochemistry, indicating that these communities and the potential ecosystem services they provide therein may be resilient to environmental change. This work helps to establish a baseline understanding of how microbial communities and the ecosystem services they provide in Arctic watersheds might respond to future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Antonia Cavaco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | | | - Katja Engel
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | | | - Sherry Lin Schiff
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Marek Stibal
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 44, Czechia
| | - Josh David Neufeld
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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17
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Els N, Greilinger M, Reisecker M, Tignat-Perrier R, Baumann-Stanzer K, Kasper-Giebl A, Sattler B, Larose C. Comparison of Bacterial and Fungal Composition and Their Chemical Interaction in Free Tropospheric Air and Snow Over an Entire Winter Season at Mount Sonnblick, Austria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:980. [PMID: 32508790 PMCID: PMC7251065 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the interactions of air and snow over one entire winter accumulation period as well as the importance of chemical markers in a pristine free-tropospheric environment to explain variation in a microbiological dataset. To overcome the limitations of short term bioaerosol sampling, we sampled the atmosphere continuously onto quartzfiber air filters using a DIGITEL high volume PM10 sampler. The bacterial and fungal communities, sequenced using Illumina MiSeq, as well as the chemical components of the atmosphere were compared to those of a late season snow profile. Results reveal strong dynamics in the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in air and snow. In fall the two compartments were similar, suggesting a strong interaction between them. The overlap diminished as the season progressed due to an evolution within the snowpack throughout winter and spring. Certain bacterial and fungal genera were only detected in air samples, which implies that a distinct air microbiome might exist. These organisms are likely not incorporated in clouds and thus not precipitated or scavenged in snow. Although snow appears to be seeded by the atmosphere, both air and snow showed differing bacterial and fungal communities and chemical composition. Season and alpha diversity were major drivers for microbial variability in snow and air, and only a few chemical markers were identified as important in explaining microbial diversity. Air microbial community variation was more related to chemical markers than snow microbial composition. For air microbial communities Cl–, TC/OC, SO42–, Mg2+, and Fe/Al, all compounds related to dust or anthropogenic activities, were identified as related to bacterial variability while dust related Ca2+ was significant in snow. The only common driver for snow and air was SO42–, a tracer for anthropogenic sources. The occurrence of chemical compounds was coupled with boundary layer injections in the free troposphere (FT). Boundary layer injections also caused the observed variations in community composition and chemistry between the two compartments. Long-term monitoring is required for a more valid insight in post-depositional selection in snow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Els
- Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marion Greilinger
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria.,Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG), Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Reisecker
- Avalanche Warning Service Tyrol, Department of Civil Protection, Federal State Government of Tyrol, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Romie Tignat-Perrier
- Environmental Microbial Genomics Group, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Écully, France
| | | | - Anne Kasper-Giebl
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Sattler
- Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics Group, Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Écully, France
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18
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Edwards A, Cameron KA, Cook JM, Debbonaire AR, Furness E, Hay MC, Rassner SM. Microbial genomics amidst the Arctic crisis. Microb Genom 2020; 6:e000375. [PMID: 32392124 PMCID: PMC7371112 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arctic is warming - fast. Microbes in the Arctic play pivotal roles in feedbacks that magnify the impacts of Arctic change. Understanding the genome evolution, diversity and dynamics of Arctic microbes can provide insights relevant for both fundamental microbiology and interdisciplinary Arctic science. Within this synthesis, we highlight four key areas where genomic insights to the microbial dimensions of Arctic change are urgently required: the changing Arctic Ocean, greenhouse gas release from the thawing permafrost, 'biological darkening' of glacial surfaces, and human activities within the Arctic. Furthermore, we identify four principal challenges that provide opportunities for timely innovation in Arctic microbial genomics. These range from insufficient genomic data to develop unifying concepts or model organisms for Arctic microbiology to challenges in gaining authentic insights to the structure and function of low-biomass microbiota and integration of data on the causes and consequences of microbial feedbacks across scales. We contend that our insights to date on the genomics of Arctic microbes are limited in these key areas, and we identify priorities and new ways of working to help ensure microbial genomics is in the vanguard of the scientific response to the Arctic crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arwyn Edwards
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Karen A. Cameron
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Joseph M. Cook
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Aliyah R. Debbonaire
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Eleanor Furness
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Melanie C. Hay
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
| | - Sara M.E. Rassner
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Cledwyn Building, Aberystwyth University, Cymru SY23 3DD, UK
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19
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Soto DF, Fuentes R, Huovinen P, Gómez I. Microbial composition and photosynthesis in Antarctic snow algae communities: Integrating metabarcoding and pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry. ALGAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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20
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Sharma Ghimire P, Tripathee L, Zhang Q, Guo J, Ram K, Huang J, Sharma CM, Kang S. Microbial mercury methylation in the cryosphere: Progress and prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 697:134150. [PMID: 32380618 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals, and its cycle is mainly controlled by oxidation-reduction reactions carried out by photochemical or microbial process under suitable conditions. The deposition and accumulation of methylmercury (MeHg) in various ecosystems, including the cryospheric components such as snow, meltwater, glaciers, and ice sheet, and subsequently in the food chain pose serious health concerns for living beings. Unlike the abundance of knowledge about the processes of MeHg production over land and oceans, little is known about the sources and production/degradation rate of MeHg in cryosphere systems. In addition, processes controlling the concentration of Hg and MeHg in the cryosphere remains poorly understood, and filling this scientific gap has been challenging. Therefore, it is essential to study and review the deposition and accumulation by biological, physical, and chemical mechanisms involved in Hg methylation in the cryosphere. This review attempts to address knowledge gaps in understanding processes, especially biotic and abiotic, applicable for Hg methylation in the cryosphere. First, we focus on the variability in Hg concentration and mechanisms of Hg methylation, including physical, chemical, microbial, and biological processes, and transportation in the cryosphere. Then, we elaborate on the mechanism of redox reactions and biotic and abiotic factors controlling Hg methylation and biogeochemistry of Hg in the cryosphere. We also present possible mechanisms of Hg methylation with an emphasis on microbial transformation and molecular function to understand variability in Hg concentration in the cryosphere. Recent advancements in the genetic and physicochemical mechanisms of Hg methylation are also presented. Finally, we summarize and propose a method to study the unsolved issues of Hg methylation in the cryosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakriti Sharma Ghimire
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Lekhendra Tripathee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Qianggong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Junming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kirpa Ram
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Jie Huang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chhatra Mani Sharma
- Himalayan Environment Research Institute (HERI), Kathmandu, Nepal; Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
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21
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Domine F. Should We Not Further Study the Impact of Microbial Activity on Snow and Polar Atmospheric Chemistry? Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7080260. [PMID: 31416183 PMCID: PMC6723259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7080260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 1999, atmospheric and snow chemists have shown that snow is a very active photochemical reactor that releases reactive gaseous species to the atmosphere including nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, halocarbons, carboxylic acids and mercury. Snow photochemistry therefore affects the formation of ozone, a potent greenhouse gas, and of aerosols, which affect the radiative budget of the planet and, therefore, its climate. In parallel, microbiologists have investigated microbes in snow, identified and quantified species, and sometimes discussed their nutrient supplies and metabolism, implicitly acknowledging that microbes could modify snow chemical composition. However, it is only in the past 10 years that a small number of studies have revealed that microbial activity in cold snow (< 0 °C, in the absence of significant amounts of liquid water) could lead to the release of nitrogen oxides, halocarbons, and mercury into the atmosphere. I argue here that microbes may have a significant effect on snow and atmospheric composition, especially during the polar night when photochemistry is shut off. Collaborative studies between microbiologists and snow and atmospheric chemists are needed to investigate this little-explored field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Domine
- Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) and CNRS-INSU (France), Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
- Centre d'Études Nordiques (CEN), Department of Chemistry and Department of Geography, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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22
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Wang N, Guo Y, Li G, Xia Y, Ma M, Zang J, Ma Y, Yin X, Han W, Lv J, Cao H. Geochemical-Compositional-Functional Changes in Arctic Soil Microbiomes Post Land Submergence Revealed by Metagenomics. Microbes Environ 2019; 34:180-190. [PMID: 31178526 PMCID: PMC6594734 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me18091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Lakes of meltwater in the Artic have become one of the transforming landscape changes under global warming. We herein compared microbial communities between sediments and bank soils at an arctic lake post land submergence using geochemistry, 16S rRNA amplicons, and metagenomes. The results obtained showed that each sample had approximately 2,609 OTUs on average and shared 1,716 OTUs based on the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 region. Dominant phyla in sediments and soils included Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and Nitrospirae; sediments contained a unique phylum, Euryarchaeota, with the phylum Thaumarchaeota being primarily present in bank soils. Among the top 35 genera across all sites, 17 were more abundant in sediments, while the remaining 18 were more abundant in bank soils; seven out of the top ten genera across all sites were only from sediments. A redundancy analysis separated sediment samples from soil samples based on the components of nitrite and ammonium. Metagenome results supported the role of nitrite because most of the genes for denitrification and methane metabolic genes were more abundant in sediments than in soils, while the abundance of phosphorus-utilizing genes was similar and, thus, was not a significant explanatory factor. We identified several modules from the global networks of OTUs that were closely related to some geochemical factors, such as pH and nitrite. Collectively, the present results showing consistent changes in geochemistry, microbiome compositions, and functional genes suggest an ecological mechanism across molecular and community levels that structures microbiomes post land submergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nengfei Wang
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic AdministrationQingdao 266061China
| | - Yudong Guo
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Marine Sciences and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science & TechnologyQingdao 266042China
| | - Gaoyang Li
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Jilin UniversityChangchun, Jilin 100012China
| | - Yan Xia
- Jilin University First HospitalChangchun, Jilin 100012China
| | - Mingyang Ma
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic AdministrationQingdao 266061China
| | - Jiaye Zang
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic AdministrationQingdao 266061China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Marine Sciences and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science & TechnologyQingdao 266042China
| | - Xiaofei Yin
- Key Lab of Marine Bioactive Substances, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic AdministrationQingdao 266061China
| | - Wenbing Han
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao UniversityQingdao 266071China
| | - Jinjiang Lv
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao UniversityQingdao 266071China
| | - Huansheng Cao
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ 85287USA
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Torstensson A, Young JN, Carlson LT, Ingalls AE, Deming JW. Use of exogenous glycine betaine and its precursor choline as osmoprotectants in Antarctic sea-ice diatoms 1. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2019; 55:663-675. [PMID: 30685888 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12839] [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] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Wide salinity ranges experienced during the seasonal freeze and melt of sea ice likely constrain many biological processes. Microorganisms generally protect against fluctuating salinities through the uptake, production, and release of compatible solutes. Little is known, however, about the use or fate of glycine betaine (GBT hereafter), one of the most common compatible solutes, in sea-ice diatoms confronted with shifts in salinity. We quantified intracellular concentrations and used [14 C]-labeled compounds to track the uptake and fate of the nitrogen-containing osmolyte GBT and its precursor choline in three Antarctic sea-ice diatoms Nitzschia lecointei, Navicula cf. perminuta, and Fragilariopsis cylindrus at -1°C. Experiments show that these diatoms have effective transporters for GBT, but take up lesser amounts of choline. Neither compound was respired. Uptake of GBT protected cells against hyperosmotic shock and corresponded with reduced production of extracellular polysaccharides in N. lecointei cells, which released 85% of the retained GBT following hypoosmotic shock. The ability of sea-ice diatoms to rapidly scavenge and release compatible solutes is likely an important strategy for survival during steep fluctuations in salinity. The release and recycling of compatible solutes may play an important role in algal-bacterial interactions and nitrogen cycling within the semi-enclosed brines of sea ice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Torstensson
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington, 98195-7940, USA
| | - Jodi N Young
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington, 98195-7940, USA
| | - Laura T Carlson
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington, 98195-7940, USA
| | - Anitra E Ingalls
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington, 98195-7940, USA
| | - Jody W Deming
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Box 357940, Seattle, Washington, 98195-7940, USA
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Davey MP, Norman L, Sterk P, Huete‐Ortega M, Bunbury F, Loh BKW, Stockton S, Peck LS, Convey P, Newsham KK, Smith AG. Snow algae communities in Antarctica: metabolic and taxonomic composition. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:1242-1255. [PMID: 30667072 PMCID: PMC6492300 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Snow algae are found in snowfields across cold regions of the planet, forming highly visible red and green patches below and on the snow surface. In Antarctica, they contribute significantly to terrestrial net primary productivity due to the paucity of land plants, but our knowledge of these communities is limited. Here we provide the first description of the metabolic and species diversity of green and red snow algae communities from four locations in Ryder Bay (Adelaide Island, 68°S), Antarctic Peninsula. During the 2015 austral summer season, we collected samples to measure the metabolic composition of snow algae communities and determined the species composition of these communities using metabarcoding. Green communities were protein-rich, had a high chlorophyll content and contained many metabolites associated with nitrogen and amino acid metabolism. Red communities had a higher carotenoid content and contained more metabolites associated with carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism. Chloromonas, Chlamydomonas and Chlorella were found in green blooms but only Chloromonas was detected in red blooms. Both communities also contained bacteria, protists and fungi. These data show the complexity and variation within snow algae communities in Antarctica and provide initial insights into the contribution they make to ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P. Davey
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | - Louisa Norman
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | - Peter Sterk
- Cambridge Institute for Medical ResearchUniversity of CambridgeWellcome Trust MRC Building, Hills RoadCambridgeCB2 0QQUK
| | | | - Freddy Bunbury
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | | | - Sian Stockton
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | - Lloyd S. Peck
- British Antarctic SurveyNERCMadingley RoadCambridgeCB3 0ETUK
| | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic SurveyNERCMadingley RoadCambridgeCB3 0ETUK
| | | | - Alison G. Smith
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
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25
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Malard LA, Šabacká M, Magiopoulos I, Mowlem M, Hodson A, Tranter M, Siegert MJ, Pearce DA. Spatial Variability of Antarctic Surface Snow Bacterial Communities. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:461. [PMID: 30972032 PMCID: PMC6443967 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It was once a long-held view that the Antarctic was a pristine environment with low biomass, low biodiversity and low rates of microbial activity. However, as the intensity of scientific investigation has increased, so these views have started to change. In particular, the role and impact of human activity toward indigenous microbial communities has started to come under more intense scrutiny. During the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth exploration campaign in December 2012, a microbiological survey was conducted to determine the extent and likelihood of exogenous input into the subglacial lake system during the hot-water drilling process. Snow was collected from the surface to represent that used for melt water production for hot-water drilling. The results of this study showed that snow used to provide melt water differed in its microbiological composition from that of the surrounding area and raised the question of how the biogeography of snow-borne microorganisms might influence the potential outcome of scientific analyses. In this study, we investigated the biogeography of microorganisms in snow around a series of Antarctic logistic hubs, where human activity was clearly apparent, and from which scientific investigations have been undertaken. A change in microbial community structure with geographical location was apparent and, notably, a decrease in alpha diversity at more remote southern latitudes. Soil-related microorganisms dominated microbial assemblages suggesting terrestrial input, most likely from long-range aeolian transport into continental Antarctica. We also observed that relic DNA was not a major issue when assessing snow samples. Overall, our observations might have profound implications for future scientific activities in Antarctica, such as the need to establish "no-go" protected areas, the need for better characterization of field sites and improved protocols for sterilization and verification of ice drilling equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie A. Malard
- Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University at Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Šabacká
- Centre for Polar Ecology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Iordanis Magiopoulos
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece
- Ocean Technology and Engineering Group, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Matt Mowlem
- Ocean Technology and Engineering Group, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Hodson
- Arctic Geology, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Martyn Tranter
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J. Siegert
- Grantham Institute, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David A. Pearce
- Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University at Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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26
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Maccario L, Carpenter SD, Deming JW, Vogel TM, Larose C. Sources and selection of snow-specific microbial communities in a Greenlandic sea ice snow cover. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2290. [PMID: 30783153 PMCID: PMC6381142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38744-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea ice and its snow cover are critical for global processes including climate regulation and biogeochemical cycles. Despite an increase in studies focused on snow microorganisms, the ecology of snow inhabitants remains unclear. In this study, we investigated sources and selection of a snowpack-specific microbial community by comparing metagenomes from samples collected in a Greenlandic fjord within a vertical profile including atmosphere, snowpack with four distinct layers of snow, sea ice brine and seawater. Microbial communities in all snow layers derived from mixed sources, both marine and terrestrial, and were more similar to atmospheric communities than to sea ice or seawater communities. The surface snow metagenomes were characterized by the occurrence of genes involved in photochemical stress resistance, primary production and metabolism of diverse carbon sources. The basal saline snow layer that was in direct contact with the sea ice surface harbored a higher abundance of cells than the overlying snow layers, with a predominance of Alteromonadales and a higher relative abundance of marine representatives. However, the overall taxonomic structure of the saline layer was more similar to that of other snow layers and the atmosphere than to underlying sea ice and seawater. The expulsion of relatively nutrient-rich sea ice brine into basal snow might have stimulated the growth of copiotrophic psychro- and halotolerant snow members. Our study indicates that the size, composition and function of snowpack microbial communities over sea ice were influenced primarily by atmospheric deposition and inflow of sea ice brine and that they form a snow-specific assemblage reflecting the particular environmental conditions of the snowpack habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrie Maccario
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS, École Centrale de Lyon, Écully, France.
- Microbiology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Jody W Deming
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Timothy M Vogel
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS, École Centrale de Lyon, Écully, France
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS, École Centrale de Lyon, Écully, France
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Margesin R, Collins T. Microbial ecology of the cryosphere (glacial and permafrost habitats): current knowledge. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:2537-2549. [PMID: 30719551 PMCID: PMC6443599 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09631-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms in cold ecosystems play a key ecological role in their natural habitats. Since these ecosystems are especially sensitive to climate changes, as indicated by the worldwide retreat of glaciers and ice sheets as well as permafrost thawing, an understanding of the role and potential of microbial life in these habitats has become crucial. Emerging technologies have added significantly to our knowledge of abundance, functional activity, and lifestyles of microbial communities in cold environments. The current knowledge of microbial ecology in glacial habitats and permafrost, the most studied habitats of the cryosphere, is reported in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Margesin
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Tony Collins
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
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28
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29
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Terashima M, Umezawa K, Mori S, Kojima H, Fukui M. Microbial Community Analysis of Colored Snow from an Alpine Snowfield in Northern Japan Reveals the Prevalence of Betaproteobacteria with Snow Algae. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1481. [PMID: 28824603 PMCID: PMC5545588 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychrophilic algae blooms can be observed coloring the snow during the melt season in alpine snowfields. These algae are important primary producers on the snow surface environment, supporting the microbial community that coexists with algae, which includes heterotrophic bacteria and fungi. In this study, we analyzed the microbial community of green and red-colored snow containing algae from Mount Asahi, Japan. We found that Chloromonas spp. are the dominant algae in all samples analyzed, and Chlamydomonas is the second-most abundant genus in the red snow. For the bacterial community profile, species belonging to the subphylum Betaproteobacteria were frequently detected in both green and red snow, while members of the phylum Bacteroidetes were also prominent in red snow. Furthermore, multiple independently obtained strains of Chloromonas sp. from inoculates of red snow resulted in the growth of Betaproteobacteria with the alga and the presence of bacteria appears to support growth of the xenic algal cultures under laboratory conditions. The dominance of Betaproteobacteria in algae-containing snow in combination with the detection of Chloromonas sp. with Betaproteobacteria strains suggest that these bacteria can utilize the available carbon source in algae-rich environments and may in turn promote algal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Terashima
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido UniversitySapporo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Umezawa
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido UniversitySapporo, Japan
| | - Shoichi Mori
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido UniversitySapporo, Japan
| | - Hisaya Kojima
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido UniversitySapporo, Japan
| | - Manabu Fukui
- Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido UniversitySapporo, Japan
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30
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Pinos S, Pontarotti P, Raoult D, Merhej V. Identification of constraints influencing the bacterial genomes evolution in the PVC super-phylum. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:75. [PMID: 28274202 PMCID: PMC5343374 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0921-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal transfer plays an important role in the evolution of bacterial genomes, yet it obeys several constraints, including the ecological opportunity to meet other organisms, the presence of transfer systems, and the fitness of the transferred genes. Bacteria from the Planctomyctetes, Verrumicrobia, Chlamydiae (PVC) super-phylum have a compartmentalized cell plan delimited by an intracytoplasmic membrane that might constitute an additional constraint with particular impact on bacterial evolution. In this investigation, we studied the evolution of 33 genomes from PVC species and focused on the rate and the nature of horizontally transferred sequences in relation to their habitat and their cell plan. RESULTS Using a comparative phylogenomic approach, we showed that habitat influences the evolution of the bacterial genome's content and the flux of horizontal transfer of DNA (HT). Thus bacteria from soil, from insects and ubiquitous bacteria presented the highest average of horizontal transfer compared to bacteria living in water, extracellular bacteria in vertebrates, bacteria from amoeba and intracellular bacteria in vertebrates (with a mean of 379 versus 110 events per species, respectively and 7.6% of each genomes due to HT against 4.8%). The partners of these transfers were mainly bacterial organisms (94.9%); they allowed us to differentiate environmental bacteria, which exchanged more with Proteobacteria, and bacteria from vertebrates, which exchanged more with Firmicutes. The functional analysis of the horizontal transfers revealed a convergent evolution, with an over-representation of genes encoding for membrane biogenesis and lipid metabolism, among compartmentalized bacteria in the different habitats. CONCLUSIONS The presence of an intracytoplasmic membrane in PVC species seems to affect the genome's evolution through the selection of transferred DNA, according to their encoded functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Pinos
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, I2M UMR 7373, Evolution Biologique et Modélisation, 3 place Victor Hugo, Marseille, 13331 France
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INSERM, AP-HM URMITE, IHU -Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille, 13005 France
| | - Pierre Pontarotti
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, I2M UMR 7373, Evolution Biologique et Modélisation, 3 place Victor Hugo, Marseille, 13331 France
| | - Didier Raoult
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INSERM, AP-HM URMITE, IHU -Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille, 13005 France
| | - Vicky Merhej
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INSERM, AP-HM URMITE, IHU -Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille, 13005 France
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31
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Gionfriddo CM, Tate MT, Wick RR, Schultz MB, Zemla A, Thelen MP, Schofield R, Krabbenhoft DP, Holt KE, Moreau JW. Microbial mercury methylation in Antarctic sea ice. Nat Microbiol 2016; 1:16127. [PMID: 27670112 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Atmospheric deposition of mercury onto sea ice and circumpolar sea water provides mercury for microbial methylation, and contributes to the bioaccumulation of the potent neurotoxin methylmercury in the marine food web. Little is known about the abiotic and biotic controls on microbial mercury methylation in polar marine systems. However, mercury methylation is known to occur alongside photochemical and microbial mercury reduction and subsequent volatilization. Here, we combine mercury speciation measurements of total and methylated mercury with metagenomic analysis of whole-community microbial DNA from Antarctic snow, brine, sea ice and sea water to elucidate potential microbially mediated mercury methylation and volatilization pathways in polar marine environments. Our results identify the marine microaerophilic bacterium Nitrospina as a potential mercury methylator within sea ice. Anaerobic bacteria known to methylate mercury were notably absent from sea-ice metagenomes. We propose that Antarctic sea ice can harbour a microbial source of methylmercury in the Southern Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Gionfriddo
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Michael T Tate
- Wisconsin Water Science Center, US Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, USA
| | - Ryan R Wick
- Centre for Systems Genomics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Mark B Schultz
- Centre for Systems Genomics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Adam Zemla
- Computation Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 USA
| | - Michael P Thelen
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - Robyn Schofield
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - David P Krabbenhoft
- Wisconsin Water Science Center, US Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, USA
| | - Kathryn E Holt
- Centre for Systems Genomics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - John W Moreau
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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32
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Isolation and degradation potential of a cold-adapted oil/PAH-degrading marine bacterial consortium from Kongsfjorden (Arctic region). RENDICONTI LINCEI-SCIENZE FISICHE E NATURALI 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s12210-016-0550-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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33
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Wunderlin T, Ferrari B, Power M. Global and local-scale variation in bacterial community structure of snow from the Swiss and Australian Alps. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2016; 92:fiw132. [PMID: 27297721 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiw132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonally, snow environments cover up to 50% of the land's surface, yet the microbial diversity and ecosystem functioning within snow, particularly from alpine regions are not well described. This study explores the bacterial diversity in snow using next-generation sequencing technology. Our data expand the global inventory of snow microbiomes by focusing on two understudied regions, the Swiss Alps and the Australian Alps. A total biomass similar to cell numbers in polar snow was detected, with 5.2 to 10.5 × 10(3) cells mL(-1) of snow. We found that microbial community structure of surface snow varied by country and site and along the altitudinal range (alpine and sub-alpine). The bacterial communities present were diverse, spanning 25 distinct phyla, but the six phyla Proteobacteria (Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria), Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes, accounted for 72%-98% of the total relative abundance. Taxa such as Acidobacteriaceae and Methylocystaceae, associated with cold soils, may be part of the atmospherically sourced snow community, while families like Sphingomonadaceae were detected in every snow sample and are likely part of the common snow biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Wunderlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, NSW, Australia Molecular Ecology, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Belinda Ferrari
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Australia, Randwick, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Power
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, NSW, Australia
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34
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Lopatina A, Medvedeva S, Shmakov S, Logacheva MD, Krylenkov V, Severinov K. Metagenomic Analysis of Bacterial Communities of Antarctic Surface Snow. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:398. [PMID: 27064693 PMCID: PMC4814470 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of bacteria present in surface snow around four Russian stations in Eastern Antarctica was studied by high throughput sequencing of amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Considerable class- and genus-level variation between the samples was revealed indicating a presence of inter-site diversity of bacteria in Antarctic snow. Flavobacterium was a major genus in one sampling site and was also detected in other sites. The diversity of flavobacterial type II-C CRISPR spacers in the samples was investigated by metagenome sequencing. Thousands of unique spacers were revealed with less than 35% overlap between the sampling sites, indicating an enormous natural variety of flavobacterial CRISPR spacers and, by extension, high level of adaptive activity of the corresponding CRISPR-Cas system. None of the spacers matched known spacers of flavobacterial isolates from the Northern hemisphere. Moreover, the percentage of spacers with matches with Antarctic metagenomic sequences obtained in this work was significantly higher than with sequences from much larger publically available environmental metagenomic database. The results indicate that despite the overall very high level of diversity, Antarctic Flavobacteria comprise a separate pool that experiences pressures from mobile genetic elements different from those present in other parts of the world. The results also establish analysis of metagenomic CRISPR spacer content as a powerful tool to study bacterial populations diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lopatina
- Department of Molecular Genetics of Cell, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Department of Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Research Complex of "Nanobiotechnology", Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnical UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sofia Medvedeva
- Department of Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo, Russia
| | - Sergey Shmakov
- Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology Skolkovo, Russia
| | - Maria D Logacheva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University Moscow, Russia
| | - Vjacheslav Krylenkov
- Department of Botany, Saint-Petersburg State University Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Department of Molecular Genetics of Cell, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscow, Russia; Research Complex of "Nanobiotechnology", Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnical UniversitySaint-Petersburg, Russia; Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and TechnologySkolkovo, Russia
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35
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Pearce DA, Alekhina IA, Terauds A, Wilmotte A, Quesada A, Edwards A, Dommergue A, Sattler B, Adams BJ, Magalhães C, Chu WL, Lau MCY, Cary C, Smith DJ, Wall DH, Eguren G, Matcher G, Bradley JA, de Vera JP, Elster J, Hughes KA, Cuthbertson L, Benning LG, Gunde-Cimerman N, Convey P, Hong SG, Pointing SB, Pellizari VH, Vincent WF. Aerobiology Over Antarctica - A New Initiative for Atmospheric Ecology. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:16. [PMID: 26909068 PMCID: PMC4754734 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of aerial dispersal in shaping patterns of biodiversity remains poorly understood, mainly due to a lack of coordinated efforts in gathering data at appropriate temporal and spatial scales. It has been long known that the rate of dispersal to an ecosystem can significantly influence ecosystem dynamics, and that aerial transport has been identified as an important source of biological input to remote locations. With the considerable effort devoted in recent decades to understanding atmospheric circulation in the south-polar region, a unique opportunity has emerged to investigate the atmospheric ecology of Antarctica, from regional to continental scales. This concept note identifies key questions in Antarctic microbial biogeography and the need for standardized sampling and analysis protocols to address such questions. A consortium of polar aerobiologists is established to bring together researchers with a common interest in the airborne dispersion of microbes and other propagules in the Antarctic, with opportunities for comparative studies in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Pearce
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria UniversityNewcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; British Antarctic SurveyCambridge, UK
| | - Irina A Alekhina
- Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleks Terauds
- Australian Antarctic Division Kingston, TAS, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Catarina Magalhães
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Wan-Loy Chu
- International Medical University Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Maggie C Y Lau
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Craig Cary
- University of Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Josef Elster
- University of South BohemiaČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Botany of the Academy of Science of the Czech RepublicTřeboň, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Liane G Benning
- Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences Potsdam, Germany
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36
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Hisakawa N, Quistad SD, Hester ER, Martynova D, Maughan H, Sala E, Gavrilo MV, Rohwer F. Metagenomic and satellite analyses of red snow in the Russian Arctic. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1491. [PMID: 26713242 PMCID: PMC4690372 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryophilic algae thrive in liquid water within snow and ice in alpine and polar regions worldwide. Blooms of these algae lower albedo (reflection of sunlight), thereby altering melting patterns (Kohshima, Seko & Yoshimura, 1993; Lutz et al., 2014; Thomas & Duval, 1995). Here metagenomic DNA analysis and satellite imaging were used to investigate red snow in Franz Josef Land in the Russian Arctic. Franz Josef Land red snow metagenomes confirmed that the communities are composed of the autotroph Chlamydomonas nivalis that is supporting a complex viral and heterotrophic bacterial community. Comparisons with white snow communities from other sites suggest that white snow and ice are initially colonized by fungal-dominated communities and then succeeded by the more complex C. nivalis-heterotroph red snow. Satellite image analysis showed that red snow covers up to 80% of the surface of snow and ice fields in Franz Josef Land and globally. Together these results show that C. nivalis supports a local food web that is on the rise as temperatures warm, with potential widespread impacts on alpine and polar environments worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nao Hisakawa
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University , San Diego, CA , United States
| | - Steven D Quistad
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University , San Diego, CA , United States
| | - Eric R Hester
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University , San Diego, CA , United States ; Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen , Nijmegen , Netherlands
| | - Daria Martynova
- White Sea Biological Station, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences , St. Petersburg , Russia ; National Park Russian Arctic , Archangelsk , Russia
| | | | - Enric Sala
- National Geographic Society , Washington, DC , United States
| | | | - Forest Rohwer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University , San Diego, CA , United States
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Maccario L, Sanguino L, Vogel TM, Larose C. Snow and ice ecosystems: not so extreme. Res Microbiol 2015; 166:782-95. [PMID: 26408452 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Snow and ice environments cover up to 21% of the Earth's surface. They have been regarded as extreme environments because of their low temperatures, high UV irradiation, low nutrients and low water availability, and thus, their microbial activity has not been considered relevant from a global microbial ecology viewpoint. In this review, we focus on why snow and ice habitats might not be extreme from a microbiological perspective. Microorganisms interact closely with the abiotic conditions imposed by snow and ice habitats by having diverse adaptations, that include genetic resistance mechanisms, to different types of stresses in addition to inhabiting various niches where these potential stresses might be reduced. The microbial communities inhabiting snow and ice are not only abundant and taxonomically diverse, but complex in terms of their interactions. Altogether, snow and ice seem to be true ecosystems with a role in global biogeochemical cycles that has likely been underestimated. Future work should expand past resistance studies to understanding the function of these ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrie Maccario
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS UMR 5005, Université de Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France
| | - Laura Sanguino
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS UMR 5005, Université de Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France
| | - Timothy M Vogel
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS UMR 5005, Université de Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France
| | - Catherine Larose
- Environmental Microbial Genomics, Laboratoire Ampère, CNRS UMR 5005, Université de Lyon, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, France.
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38
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Boetius A, Anesio AM, Deming JW, Mikucki JA, Rapp JZ. Microbial ecology of the cryosphere: sea ice and glacial habitats. Nat Rev Microbiol 2015; 13:677-90. [PMID: 26344407 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Earth's cryosphere comprises those regions that are cold enough for water to turn into ice. Recent findings show that the icy realms of polar oceans, glaciers and ice sheets are inhabited by microorganisms of all three domains of life, and that temperatures below 0 °C are an integral force in the diversification of microbial life. Cold-adapted microorganisms maintain key ecological functions in icy habitats: where sunlight penetrates the ice, photoautotrophy is the basis for complex food webs, whereas in dark subglacial habitats, chemoautotrophy reigns. This Review summarizes current knowledge of the microbial ecology of frozen waters, including the diversity of niches, the composition of microbial communities at these sites and their biogeochemical activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antje Boetius
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Alexandre M Anesio
- Bristol Glaciology Center, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK
| | - Jody W Deming
- School of Oceanography, Box 357940, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Jill A Mikucki
- Department of Biology, 276 Bicentennial Way, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753, USA
| | - Josephine Z Rapp
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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39
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Microbial abundance and community structure in a melting alpine snowpack. Extremophiles 2015; 19:631-42. [PMID: 25783662 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-015-0744-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Snowmelt is a crucial period for alpine soil ecosystems, as it is related to inputs of nutrients, particulate matter and microorganisms to the underlying soil. Although snow-inhabiting microbial communities represent an important inoculum for soils, they have thus far received little attention. The distribution and structure of these microorganisms in the snowpack may be linked to the physical properties of the snowpack at snowmelt. Snow samples were taken from snow profiles at four sites (1930-2519 m a.s.l.) in the catchment of the Tiefengletscher, Canton Uri, Switzerland. Microbial (Archaea, Bacteria and Fungi) communities were investigated through T-RFLP profiling of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. In parallel, we assessed physical and chemical parameters relevant to the understanding of melting processes. Along the snow profiles, density increased with depth due to compaction, while other physico-chemical parameters, such as temperature and concentrations of DOC and soluble ions, remained in the same range (e.g. <2 mg DOC L(-1), 5-30 μg NH4 (+)-N L(-1)) in all samples at all sites. Along the snow profiles, no major change was observed either in cell abundance or in bacterial and fungal diversity. No Archaea could be detected in the snow. Microbial communities, however, differed significantly between sites. Our results show that meltwater rearranges soluble ions and microbial communities in the snowpack.
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