1
|
Cubillos CF, Aguilar P, Moreira D, Bertolino P, Iniesto M, Dorador C, López-García P. Exploring the prokaryote-eukaryote interplay in microbial mats from an Andean athalassohaline wetland. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0007224. [PMID: 38456669 PMCID: PMC10986560 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00072-24] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial community assembly results from the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. However, environmental selection is thought to predominantly shape communities in extreme ecosystems. Salar de Huasco, situated in the high-altitude Andean Altiplano, represents a poly-extreme ecosystem displaying spatial gradients of physicochemical conditions. To disentangle the influence of abiotic and biotic factors, we studied prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities from microbial mats and underlying sediments across contrasting areas of this athalassohaline ecosystem. The prokaryotic communities were primarily composed of bacteria, notably including a significant proportion of photosynthetic organisms like Cyanobacteria and anoxygenic photosynthetic members of Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria and Chloroflexi. Additionally, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Deltaproteobacteria were abundantly represented. Among eukaryotes, photosynthetic organisms (Ochrophyta and Archaeplastida) were predominant, alongside relatively abundant ciliates, cercozoans, and flagellated fungi. Salinity emerged as a key driver for the assembly of prokaryotic communities. Collectively, abiotic factors influenced both prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities, particularly those of algae. However, prokaryotic communities strongly correlated with photosynthetic eukaryotes, suggesting a pivotal role of biotic interactions in shaping these communities. Co-occurrence networks suggested potential interactions between different organisms, such as diatoms with specific photosynthetic and heterotrophic bacteria or with protist predators, indicating influences beyond environmental selection. While some associations may be explained by environmental preferences, the robust biotic correlations, alongside insights from other ecosystems and experimental studies, suggest that symbiotic and trophic interactions significantly shape microbial mat and sediment microbial communities in this athalassohaline ecosystem.IMPORTANCEHow biotic and abiotic factors influence microbial community assembly is still poorly defined. Here, we explore their influence on prokaryotic and eukaryotic community assembly within microbial mats and sediments of an Andean high-altitude polyextreme wetland system. We show that, in addition to abiotic elements, mutual interactions exist between prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities. Notably, photosynthetic eukaryotes exhibit a strong correlation with prokaryotic communities, specifically diatoms with certain bacteria and other protists. Our findings underscore the significance of biotic interactions in community assembly and emphasize the necessity of considering the complete microbial community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina F. Cubillos
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Pablo Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana, Instituto Antofagasta and Centro de Bioingeniería y Biotecnología (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Austral Invasive Salmonids - INVASAL, Concepción, Chile
| | - David Moreira
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Paola Bertolino
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Miguel Iniesto
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana, Instituto Antofagasta and Centro de Bioingeniería y Biotecnología (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Acosta E, Nitsche F, Dorador C, Arndt H. Protist communities of microbial mats from the extreme environments of five saline Andean lagoons at high altitudes in the Atacama Desert. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1356977. [PMID: 38572231 PMCID: PMC10987879 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1356977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Heterotrophic protists colonizing microbial mats have received little attention over the last few years, despite their importance in microbial food webs. A significant challenge originates from the fact that many protists remain uncultivable and their functions remain poorly understood. Methods Metabarcoding studies of protists in microbial mats across high-altitude lagoons of different salinities (4.3-34 practical salinity units) were carried out to provide insights into their vertical stratification at the millimeter scale. DNA and cDNA were analyzed for selected stations. Results Sequence variants classified as the amoeboid rhizarian Rhogostoma and the ciliate Euplotes were found to be common members of the heterotrophic protist communities. They were accompanied by diatoms and kinetoplastids. Correlation analyses point to the salinity of the water column as a main driver influencing the structure of the protist communities at the five studied microbial mats. The active part of the protist communities was detected to be higher at lower salinities (<20 practical salinity units). Discussion We found a restricted overlap of the protist community between the different microbial mats indicating the uniqueness of these different aquatic habitats. On the other hand, the dominating genotypes present in metabarcoding were similar and could be isolated and sequenced in comparative studies (Rhogostoma, Euplotes, Neobodo). Our results provide a snapshot of the unculturable protist diversity thriving the benthic zone of five athalossohaline lagoons across the Andean plateau.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Acosta
- Department of General Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Frank Nitsche
- Department of General Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Department of Biotechnology, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Hartmut Arndt
- Department of General Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Garvin ZK, Abades SR, Trefault N, Alfaro FD, Sipes K, Lloyd KG, Onstott TC. Prevalence of trace gas-oxidizing soil bacteria increases with radial distance from Polloquere hot spring within a high-elevation Andean cold desert. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae062. [PMID: 38625060 PMCID: PMC11094475 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae062] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
High-elevation arid regions harbor microbial communities reliant on metabolic niches and flexibility to survive under biologically stressful conditions, including nutrient limitation that necessitates the utilization of atmospheric trace gases as electron donors. Geothermal springs present "oases" of microbial activity, diversity, and abundance by delivering water and substrates, including reduced gases. However, it is unknown whether these springs exhibit a gradient of effects, increasing their impact on trace gas-oxidizers in the surrounding soils. We assessed whether proximity to Polloquere, a high-altitude geothermal spring in an Andean salt flat, alters the diversity and metabolic structure of nearby soil bacterial populations compared to the surrounding cold desert. Recovered DNA and metagenomic analyses indicate that the spring represents an oasis for microbes in this challenging environment, supporting greater biomass with more diverse metabolic functions in proximal soils that declines sharply with radial distance from the spring. Despite the sharp decrease in biomass, potential rates of atmospheric hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) uptake increase away from the spring. Kinetic estimates suggest this activity is due to high-affinity trace gas consumption, likely as a survival strategy for energy/carbon acquisition. These results demonstrate that Polloquere regulates a gradient of diverse microbial communities and metabolisms, culminating in increased activity of trace gas-oxidizers as the influence of the spring yields to that of the regional salt flat environment. This suggests the spring holds local importance within the context of the broader salt flat and potentially represents a model ecosystem for other geothermal systems in high-altitude desert environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary K Garvin
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States
| | - Sebastián R Abades
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Trefault
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando D Alfaro
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katie Sipes
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Karen G Lloyd
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Tullis C Onstott
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pavez VB, Pacheco N, Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Álvarez J, Zepeda P, Krüger G, Gallardo K, Melo F, Vernal R, Aranda C, Remonsellez F, Saavedra CP. Characterization of biofilm formation by Exiguobacterium strains in response to arsenic exposure. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0265723. [PMID: 37819075 PMCID: PMC10714750 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02657-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE In this work, we characterized the composition, structure, and functional potential for biofilm formation of Exiguobacterium strains isolated from the Salar de Huasco in Chile in the presence of arsenic, an abundant metalloid in the Salar that exists in different oxidation states. Our results showed that the Exiguobacterium strains tested exhibit a significant capacity to form biofilms when exposed to arsenic, which would contribute to their resistance to the metalloid. The results highlight the importance of biofilm formation and the presence of specific resistance mechanisms in the ability of microorganisms to survive and thrive under adverse conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina B. Pavez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Pacheco
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Microbiología Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Javiera Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Allergic Inflammation, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Phillippi Zepeda
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriel Krüger
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karem Gallardo
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Francisco Melo
- Laboratorio de Física no Lineal, Departamento de Física, USACH, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rolando Vernal
- Laboratorio de Biología Periodontal, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Aranda
- Laboratorio de Microscopía Avanzada, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Claudia P. Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pardo-Esté C, Leiva SG, Remonsellez F, Castro-Nallar E, Castro-Severyn J, Saavedra CP. Exploring the Influence of Small-Scale Geographical and Seasonal Variations Over the Microbial Diversity in a Poly-extreme Athalosaline Wetland. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:297. [PMID: 37490160 PMCID: PMC10368551 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03395-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms are the most diverse life form on the planet and are critical for maintaining the geochemical cycles, especially in extreme environments. Bacterial communities are dynamic and respond directly to changes in abiotic conditions; among these communities, poly-extremophiles are particularly sensitive to perturbations due to their high specialization. Salar de Huasco is a high-altitude wetland located on the Chilean Altiplano exhibiting several conditions considered extreme for life, including negative water balance, extreme variations in temperature and pH values, high UV radiation, and the presence of various toxic metal(oids). However, previous reports have revealed a diverse bacterial community that has adapted to these conditions, here, we aimed to determine whether microbial community diversity and composition changed in response to geographical and seasonal variations. We found that there are significant differences in diversity, abundance, and composition in bacterial taxa that could be attributed to local geographical and seasonal variations, which in turn, can be associated with microbial traits. In conclusion, in this poly-extreme environment, small-scale changes can trigger significant changes in the microbial communities that maintain basic biogeochemical cycles. Further in depth analysis of microbial functionality and geo-ecological dynamics are necessary to better understand the relationships between seasonal changes and bacterial communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Sergio Guajardo Leiva
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Avda. Lircay s/n, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Avda. Lircay s/n, Talca, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto-CEITSAZA, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Avda. Lircay s/n, Talca, Chile
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Avda. Lircay s/n, Talca, Chile
| | - Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Claudia P Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Paquis P, Hengst MB, Florez JZ, Tapia J, Molina V, Pérez V, Pardo-Esté C. Short-term characterisation of climatic-environmental variables and microbial community diversity in a high-altitude Andean wetland (Salar de Huasco, Chile). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160291. [PMID: 36410480 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160291] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microbial community structures are shaped by geochemical factors and their interactions with the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere through the processes of chemical mobilisation and mineralisation. High-altitude wetlands and salt flats in the central Andes are characterised by pronounced physicochemical gradients and extreme climatic conditions, representing hotspots of microbial diversity. We here hypothesise about the existence of direct relationships between the local microbiology and the climate cyclicity variables based on meteorological and biogeochemical patterns that develop over a short time scale (five years). We have here analysed the interactions between hydrometeorological and biogeochemical variables and the microbial communities of the Salar de Huasco. These results were obtained by correlating 16S cDNA and DNA gene Illumina sequences with meteorological/satellite data collected both at monitoring stations and by remote sensing between the years 2015 and 2020. The precipitation levels and flooded areas (i.e., areas covered and/or saturated with permanent water) detected in the Salar de Huasco revealed a marked hydric cyclicity that correlated seasonally with intra-annual wet and dry seasons. Overall, at this site, wet periods occurred from December to April, and dry periods from May to November. Meteorological variables such as solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and wind direction were well-defined, showing a potential association with the hydrogeology of the area, which is directly related to the wetlands' flooded areas. Finally, the microbial presence and potentially active microbial communities were determined through the sequencing of the 16S gene (DNA and cDNA, respectively), this were associated with climatic seasonality and spatially distributed physical and chemical heterogeneity. Other non-local inter-annual scale processes, such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, modify the physical and chemical context of the wetland, thus forming unique ecological niches in the Andean Mountains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Paquis
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias mención Geología, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Martha B Hengst
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - July Z Florez
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias y Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas y HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Joseline Tapia
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Verónica Molina
- Departamento de Ciencias y Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas y HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile; Centro COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Vilma Pérez
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Araya-Durán I, Gariazzo V, Cabezas C, Valdés J, Remonsellez F, Saavedra CP. Biochemical, genomic and structural characteristics of the Acr3 pump in Exiguobacterium strains isolated from arsenic-rich Salar de Huasco sediments. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1047283. [PMID: 36406427 PMCID: PMC9671657 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1047283] [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: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Arsenic is a highly toxic metalloid of major concern for public safety. However, microorganisms have several resistance mechanisms, particularly the expression of arsenic pumps is a critical component for bacterial ability to expel it and decrease intracellular toxicity. In this study, we aimed to characterize the biochemical, structural, and genomic characteristics of the Acr3 pump among a group of Exiguobacterium strains isolated from different sites of the arsenic-rich Salar de Huasco (SH) ecosystem. We also determined whether the differences in As(III) resistance levels presented by the strains could be attributed to changes in the sequence or structure of this protein. In this context, we found that based on acr3 sequences the strains isolated from the SH grouped together phylogenetically, even though clustering based on gene sequence identity did not reflect the strain’s geographical origin. Furthermore, we determined the genetic context of the acr3 sequences and found that there are two versions of the organization of acr3 gene clusters, that do not reflect the strain’s origin nor arsenic resistance level. We also contribute to the knowledge regarding structure of the Acr3 protein and its possible implications on the functionality of the pump, finding that although important and conserved components of this family of proteins are present, there are several changes in the amino acidic sequences that may affect the interactions among amino acids in the 3D model, which in fact are evidenced as changes in the structure and residues contacts. Finally, we demonstrated through heterologous expression that the Exiguobacterium Acr3 pump does indeed improve the organisms As resistance level, as evidenced in the complemented E. coli strains. The understanding of arsenic detoxification processes in prokaryotes has vast biotechnological potential and it can also provide a lot of information to understand the processes of evolutionary adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ingrid Araya-Durán
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Gariazzo
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Cabezas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Valdés
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Claudia P. Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Claudia P. Saavedra,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang Y, Liu B, Zhao J, Ye C, Wei L, Sun J, Chu C, Lee TM. Global patterns and abiotic drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality in dominant natural ecosystems. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 168:107480. [PMID: 36007300 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The potential patterns and processes of ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) across global ecosystems are largely unknown, which limits our understanding of how ecosystems respond to drivers. Here we compile a global dataset that consists of 973 unique sites across the forest, grassland, and shrub ecosystems. We identify a critical global pattern of hump-shaped EMF relationship with mean annual precipitation at a threshold of ∼671 mm, where low and high precipitation patterns are discriminated. We find that climatic and soil factors jointly drive the EMF in low precipitation areas, and climatic factors dominate the EMF in high precipitation regions. However, when comparing across the three dominant ecosystems and precipitation regions, the key driver in EMF differs substantially. Specifically, climatic and soil factors dominate the EMF of low and high precipitation regions across forest ecosystems, respectively. Climatic drivers dominate the EMF under different precipitation conditions across grassland and shrub ecosystems. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of climatic and soil drivers on EMF, which should be considered in ecosystem stability models in response to global climate and land-use change scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Biying Liu
- School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Chongchong Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Lan Wei
- Center for Dynamic Supervision for Usage of Fangchenggang City Sea Area, Fangchenggang, 538001, China
| | - Jian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chengjin Chu
- School of Ecology and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Tien Ming Lee
- School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; School of Ecology and State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Eissler Y, Castillo-Reyes A, Dorador C, Cornejo-D'Ottone M, Celis-Plá PSM, Aguilar P, Molina V. Virus-to-prokaryote ratio in the Salar de Huasco and different ecosystems of the Southern hemisphere and its relationship with physicochemical and biological parameters. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:938066. [PMID: 36060762 PMCID: PMC9434117 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.938066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The virus-to-prokaryote ratio (VPR) has been used in many ecosystems to study the relationship between viruses and their hosts. While high VPR values indicate a high rate of prokaryotes' cell lysis, low values are interpreted as a decrease in or absence of viral activity. Salar de Huasco is a high-altitude wetland characterized by a rich microbial diversity associated with aquatic sites like springs, ponds, streams and a lagoon with variable physicochemical conditions. Samples from two ponds, Poza Rosada (PR) and Poza Verde (PV), were analyzed by epifluorescence microscopy to determine variability of viral and prokaryotic abundance and to calculate the VPR in a dry season. In addition, to put Salar de Huasco results into perspective, a compilation of research articles on viral and prokaryotic abundance, VPR, and metadata from various Southern hemisphere ecosystems was revised. The ecosystems were grouped into six categories: high-altitude wetlands, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans and Antarctic lakes. Salar de Huasco ponds recorded similar VPR values (an average of 7.4 and 1.7 at PR and PV, respectively), ranging from 3.22 to 15.99 in PR. The VPR variability was associated with VA and chlorophyll a, when considering all data available for this ecosystem. In general, high-altitude wetlands recorded the highest VPR average (53.22 ± 95.09), followed by the Oceans, Southern (21.91 ± 25.72), Atlantic (19.57 ± 15.77) and Indian (13.43 ± 16.12), then Antarctic lakes (11.37 ± 15.82) and the Pacific Ocean (6.34 ± 3.79). Physicochemical variables, i.e., temperature, conductivity, nutrients (nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate) and chlorophyll a as a biological variable, were found to drive the VPR in the ecosystems analyzed. Thus, the viral activity in the Wetland followed similar trends of previous reports based on larger sets of metadata analyses. In total, this study highlights the importance of including viruses as a biological variable to study microbial temporal dynamics in wetlands considering their crucial role in the carbon budgets of these understudied ecosystems in the southern hemisphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoanna Eissler
- Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: Yoanna Eissler
| | - Alonso Castillo-Reyes
- Escuela de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Antofagasta, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcela Cornejo-D'Ottone
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar e Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paula S. M. Celis-Plá
- Laboratory of Aquatic Environmental Research, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Viña del Mar, Chile
- HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Polette Aguilar
- HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Verónica Molina
- HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias y Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Verónica Molina
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pérez V, Liu Y, Hengst MB, Weyrich LS. A Case Study for the Recovery of Authentic Microbial Ancient DNA from Soil Samples. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081623. [PMID: 36014039 PMCID: PMC9414430 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
High Throughput DNA Sequencing (HTS) revolutionized the field of paleomicrobiology, leading to an explosive growth of microbial ancient DNA (aDNA) studies, especially from environmental samples. However, aDNA studies that examine environmental microbes routinely fail to authenticate aDNA, examine laboratory and environmental contamination, and control for biases introduced during sample processing. Here, we surveyed the available literature for environmental aDNA projects—from sample collection to data analysis—and assessed previous methodologies and approaches used in the published microbial aDNA studies. We then integrated these concepts into a case study, using shotgun metagenomics to examine methodological, technical, and analytical biases during an environmental aDNA study of soil microbes. Specifically, we compared the impact of five DNA extraction methods and eight bioinformatic pipelines on the recovery of microbial aDNA information in soil cores from extreme environments. Our results show that silica-based methods optimized for aDNA research recovered significantly more damaged and shorter reads (<100 bp) than a commercial kit or a phenol−chloroform method. Additionally, we described a stringent pipeline for data preprocessing, efficiently decreasing the representation of low-complexity and duplicated reads in our datasets and downstream analyses, reducing analytical biases in taxonomic classification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vilma Pérez
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Yichen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Martha B. Hengst
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Microbiología Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile
| | - Laura S. Weyrich
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
- Department of Anthropology and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
COLLA MARÍAFLORENCIA, LENCINA AGUSTINAINÉS, FARÍAS MARÍAEUGENIA. Diatom and Invertebrate Assemblages in High Altitude Saline Wetlands of the Argentinian Puna and their Relation to Environmental Factors. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220200070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- MARÍA FLORENCIA COLLA
- Centro Regional de Energía y Ambiente para el Desarrollo Sustentable (CREAS-UNCA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - AGUSTINA INÉS LENCINA
- Centro Regional de Energía y Ambiente para el Desarrollo Sustentable (CREAS-UNCA-CONICET), Argentina
| | - MARÍA EUGENIA FARÍAS
- Planta Piloto de Procesos Microbiológicos Industriales (PROIMI-CONICET), Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Mendez KN, Fortt J, Marquez S, Molina F, Castro-Nallar E, Remonsellez F, Saavedra CP. Living to the High Extreme: Unraveling the Composition, Structure, and Functional Insights of Bacterial Communities Thriving in the Arsenic-Rich Salar de Huasco Altiplanic Ecosystem. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0044421. [PMID: 34190603 PMCID: PMC8552739 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00444-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities inhabiting extreme environments such as Salar de Huasco (SH) in northern Chile are adapted to thrive while exposed to several abiotic pressures and the presence of toxic elements such as arsenic (As). Hence, we aimed to uncover the role of As in shaping bacterial composition, structure, and functional potential in five different sites in this altiplanic wetland using a shotgun metagenomic approach. The sites exhibit wide gradients of As (9 to 321 mg/kg), and our results showed highly diverse communities and a clear dominance exerted by the Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. Functional potential analyses show broadly convergent patterns, contrasting with their great taxonomic variability. As-related metabolism, as well as other functional categories such as those related to the CH4 and S cycles, differs among the five communities. Particularly, we found that the distribution and abundance of As-related genes increase as the As concentration rises. Approximately 75% of the detected genes for As metabolism belong to expulsion mechanisms; arsJ and arsP pumps are related to sites with higher As concentrations and are present almost exclusively in Proteobacteria. Furthermore, taxonomic diversity and functional potential are reflected in the 12 reconstructed high-quality metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) belonging to the Bacteroidetes (5), Proteobacteria (5), Cyanobacteria (1), and Gemmatimonadetes (1) phyla. We conclude that SH microbial communities are diverse and possess a broad genetic repertoire to thrive under extreme conditions, including increasing concentrations of highly toxic As. Finally, this environment represents a reservoir of unknown and undescribed microorganisms, with great metabolic versatility, which needs further study. IMPORTANCE As microbial communities inhabiting extreme environments are fundamental for maintaining ecosystems, many studies concerning composition, functionality, and interactions have been carried out. However, much is still unknown. Here, we sampled microbial communities in the Salar de Huasco, an extreme environment subjected to several abiotic stresses (high UV radiation, salinity and arsenic; low pressure and temperatures). We found that although microbes are taxonomically diverse, functional potential seems to have an important degree of convergence, suggesting high levels of adaptation. Particularly, arsenic metabolism showed differences associated with increasing concentrations of the metalloid throughout the area, and it effectively exerts a significant pressure over these organisms. Thus, the significance of this research is that we describe highly specialized communities thriving in little-explored environments subjected to several pressures, considered analogous of early Earth and other planets, that have the potential for unraveling technologies to face the repercussions of climate change in many areas of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katterinne N. Mendez
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jonathan Fortt
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Sebastian Marquez
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Franck Molina
- Sys2Diag, UMR9005 CNRS ALCEDIAG, Montpellier, France
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto-CEITSAZA, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Claudia P. Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
The Upcoming 6Li Isotope Requirements Might Be Supplied by a Microalgal Enrichment Process. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081753. [PMID: 34442832 PMCID: PMC8401424 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lithium isotopes are essential for nuclear energy, but new enrichment methods are required. In this study, we considered biotechnology as a possibility. We assessed the Li fractionation capabilities of three Chlorophyte strains: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Tetraselmis mediterranea, and a freshwater Chlorophyte, Desmodesmus sp. These species were cultured in Li containing media and were analysed just after inoculation and after 3, 12, and 27 days. Li mass was determined using a Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, and the isotope compositions were measured on a Thermo Element XR Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. The maximum Li capture was observed at day 27 with C. reinhardtii (31.66 µg/g). Desmodesmus sp. reached the greatest Li fractionation, (δ6 = 85.4‰). All strains fractionated preferentially towards 6Li. More studies are required to find fitter species and to establish the optimal conditions for Li capture and fractionation. Nevertheless, this is the first step for a microalgal nuclear biotechnology.
Collapse
|
14
|
Molina V, Eissler Y, Fernandez C, Cornejo-D'Ottone M, Dorador C, Bebout BM, Jeffrey WH, Romero C, Hengst M. Greenhouse gases and biogeochemical diel fluctuations in a high-altitude wetland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 768:144370. [PMID: 33454466 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The landscapes of high-altitude wetland ecosystems are characterized by different kinds of aquatic sites, including ponds holding conspicuous microbial life. Here, we examined a representative pond of the wetland landscape for dynamics of greenhouse gases, and their association with other relevant biogeochemical conditions including diel shifts of microbial communities' structure and activity over two consecutive days. Satellite image analysis indicates that the area of ponds cover 238 of 381.3 Ha (i.e., 62.4%), representing a significant landscape in this wetland. Solar radiation, wind velocity and temperature varied daily and between the days sampled, influencing the biogeochemical dynamics in the pond, shifting the pond reservoir of inorganic versus dissolved organic nitrogen/phosphorus bioavailability, between day 1 and day 2. Day 2 was characterized by high dissolved organic nitrogen/phosphorus and N2O accumulation. CH4 presented a positive excess showing maxima at hours of high radiation during both days. The microbial community in the sediment was diverse and enriched in keystone active groups potentially related with GHG recycling including bacteria and archaea, such as Cyanobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Rhodobacterales and Nanoarchaeaota (Woesearchaeia). Archaea account for the microbial community composition changes between both days and for the secondary productivity in the water measured during day 2. The results indicate that an intense recycling of organic matter occurs in the pond systems and that the activity of the microbial community is correlated with the availability of nutrients. Together, the above results indicate a net sink of CO2 and N2O, which has also been reported for other natural and artificial ponds. Overall, our two-day fluctuation study in a representative pond of a high-altitude wetland aquatic landscape indicates the need to explore in more detail the short-term besides the long-term biogeochemical variability in arid ecosystems of the Andes plateau, where wetlands are hotspots of life currently under high anthropogenic pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Molina
- Departamento de Biología, Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Avenida Leopoldo Carvallo 270, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile; HUB Ambiental UPLA, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Avenida Leopoldo Carvallo 200, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile.
| | - Yoanna Eissler
- Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile.
| | - Camila Fernandez
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne (LOMIC), Observatoire Océanologique, de Banyuls sur Mer, F-6665 Banyuls/mer, France; Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), PIA CONICYT COPAS SUR-AUSTRAL Program, Barrio Universitario s/n, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile; Centro Fondap IDEAL, Universidad Austral de Chile, Independencia 631, Valdivia 5110566, Chile.
| | - Marcela Cornejo-D'Ottone
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar e Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Altamirano 1480, Valparaíso 2360007, Chile.
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Antofagasta, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avenida Universidad de Antofagasta s/n, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago 8320000, Chile.
| | - Brad M Bebout
- Exobiology Branch, Ames Research Center National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001, USA.
| | - Wade H Jeffrey
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA.
| | - Carlos Romero
- Laboratorio de Teledetección Ambiental, Departamento de Ciencias Geográficas, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha. Avenida Leopoldo Carvallo 270, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile.
| | - Martha Hengst
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago 8320000, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte. Av Angamos 0610, Antofagasta 1270709, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Virus and Potential Host Microbes from Viral-Enriched Metagenomic Characterization in the High-Altitude Wetland, Salar de Huasco, Chile. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8071077. [PMID: 32698305 PMCID: PMC7409041 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Salar de Huasco is a wetland in the Andes mountains, located 3800 m above sea level at the Chilean Altiplano. Here we present a study aimed at characterizing the viral fraction and the microbial communities through metagenomic analysis. Two ponds (H0 and H3) were examined in November 2015. Water samples were processed using tangential flow filtration to obtain metagenomes from which the DNA fraction of the sample was amplified and sequenced (HiSeq system, Illumina). The ponds were characterized by freshwater and the viral-like particles to picoplankton ratio was 12.1 and 2.3 for H0 and H3, respectively. A great number of unassigned viral sequences were found in H0 (55.8%) and H3 (32.8%), followed by the family Fuselloviridae 20.8% (H0) and other less relatively abundant groups such as Microviridae (H0, 11.7% and H3, 3.3%) and Inoviridae (H3, 2.7%). The dominant viral sequences in both metagenomes belong to the order Caudovirales, with Siphoviridae being the most important family, especially in H3 (32.7%). The most important bacteria phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in both sites, followed by Cyanobacteria (H0). Genes encoding lysogenic and lytic enzymes (i.e., recombinases and integrases) were found in H0 and H3, indicating a potential for active viral replication at the time of sampling; this was supported by the presence of viral metabolic auxiliary genes at both sites (e.g., cysteine hydrolase). In total, our study indicates a great novelty of viral groups, differences in taxonomic diversity and replication pathways between sites, which contribute to a better understanding of how viruses balance the cycling of energy and matter in this extreme environment.
Collapse
|
16
|
Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Mendez KN, Morales N, Marquez SL, Molina F, Remonsellez F, Castro-Nallar E, Saavedra CP. Genomic Variation and Arsenic Tolerance Emerged as Niche Specific Adaptations by Different Exiguobacterium Strains Isolated From the Extreme Salar de Huasco Environment in Chilean - Altiplano. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1632. [PMID: 32760381 PMCID: PMC7374977 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyextremophilic bacteria can thrive in environments with multiple stressors such as the Salar de Huasco (SH). Microbial communities in SH are exposed to low atmospheric pressure, high UV radiation, wide temperature ranges, salinity gradient and the presence of toxic compounds such as arsenic (As). In this work we focus on arsenic stress as one of the main adverse factors in SH and bacteria that belong to the Exiguobacterium genus due to their plasticity and ubiquity. Therefore, our aim was to shed light on the effect of niche conditions pressure (particularly arsenic), on the adaptation and divergence (at genotypic and phenotypic levels) of Exiguobacterium strains from five different SH sites. Also, to capture greater diversity in this genus, we use as outgroup five As(III) sensitive strains isolated from Easter Island (Chile) and The Great Salt Lake (United States). For this, samples were obtained from five different SH sites under an arsenic gradient (9 to 321 mg/kg: sediment) and isolated and sequenced the genomes of 14 Exiguobacterium strains, which had different arsenic tolerance levels. Then, we used comparative genomic analysis to assess the genomic divergence of these strains and their association with phenotypic differences such as arsenic tolerance levels and the ability to resist poly-stress. Phylogenetic analysis showed that SH strains share a common ancestor. Consequently, populations were separated and structured in different SH microenvironments, giving rise to multiple coexisting lineages. Hence, this genotypic variability is also evidenced by the COG (Clusters of Orthologous Groups) composition and the size of their accessory genomes. Interestingly, these observations correlate with physiological traits such as growth patterns, gene expression, and enzyme activity related to arsenic response and/or tolerance. Therefore, Exiguobacterium strains from SH are adapted to physiologically overcome the contrasting environmental conditions, like the arsenic present in their habitat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.,Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katterinne N Mendez
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Naiyulin Morales
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián L Marquez
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Franck Molina
- Sys2Diag CNRS/Alcediag, CNRS UMR 3145, Montpellier, France
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto-CEITSAZA, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia P Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Pérez V, Cortés J, Marchant F, Dorador C, Molina V, Cornejo-D’Ottone M, Hernández K, Jeffrey W, Barahona S, Hengst MB. Aquatic Thermal Reservoirs of Microbial Life in a Remote and Extreme High Andean Hydrothermal System. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E208. [PMID: 32028722 PMCID: PMC7074759 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrothermal systems are ideal to understand how microbial communities cope with challenging conditions. Lirima, our study site, is a polyextreme, high-altitude, hydrothermal ecosystem located in the Chilean Andean highlands. Herein, we analyze the benthic communities of three nearby springs in a gradient of temperature (42-72 °C represented by stations P42, P53, and P72) and pH, and we characterize their microbial diversity by using bacteria 16S rRNA (V4) gene metabarcoding and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (bacteria and archaea). Bacterial clone libraries of P42 and P53 springs showed that the community composition was mainly represented by phototrophic bacteria (Chlorobia, 3%, Cyanobacteria 3%, at P42; Chlorobia 5%, and Chloroflexi 5% at P53), Firmicutes (32% at P42 and 43% at P53) and Gammaproteobacteria (13% at P42 and 29% at P53). Furthermore, bacterial communities that were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding were characterized by an overall predominance of Chloroflexi in springs with lower temperatures (33% at P42), followed by Firmicutes in hotter springs (50% at P72). The archaeal diversity of P42 and P53 were represented by taxa belonging to Crenarchaeota, Diapherotrites, Nanoarchaeota, Hadesarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. The microbial diversity of the Lirima hydrothermal system is represented by groups from deep branches of the tree of life, suggesting this ecosystem as a reservoir of primitive life and a key system to study the processes that shaped the evolution of the biosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vilma Pérez
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Molecular y Microbiologia Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; (V.P.);
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Johanna Cortés
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Molecular y Microbiologia Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; (V.P.);
- Centro de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería (CeBiB), Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (F.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Francisca Marchant
- Centro de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería (CeBiB), Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (F.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Centro de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería (CeBiB), Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (F.M.); (C.D.)
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta & Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
| | - Verónica Molina
- Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Departamento de Biología Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile;
| | - Marcela Cornejo-D’Ottone
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar & Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile;
| | - Klaudia Hernández
- Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay CIMARQ, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8320000, Chile;
| | - Wade Jeffrey
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics & Bioremediation, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA;
| | - Sergio Barahona
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta & Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile;
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile
| | - Martha B. Hengst
- Laboratorio de Ecologia Molecular y Microbiologia Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile; (V.P.);
- Centro de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería (CeBiB), Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (F.M.); (C.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Sulbaran Y, Cabezas C, Gariazzo V, Briones A, Morales N, Séveno M, Decourcelle M, Salvetat N, Remonsellez F, Castro-Nallar E, Molina F, Molina L, Saavedra CP. Arsenic Response of Three Altiplanic Exiguobacterium Strains With Different Tolerance Levels Against the Metalloid Species: A Proteomics Study. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2161. [PMID: 31611848 PMCID: PMC6775490 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Exiguobacterium is a polyextremophile bacterial genus with a physiology that allows it to develop in different adverse environments. The Salar de Huasco is one of these environments due to its altitude, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, temperature variations, pH, salinity, and the presence of toxic compounds such as arsenic. However, the physiological and/or molecular mechanisms that enable them to prosper in these environments have not yet been described. Our research group has isolated several strains of Exiguobacterium genus from different sites of Salar de Huasco, which show different resistance levels to As(III) and As(V). In this work, we compare the protein expression patterns of the three strains in response to arsenic by a proteomic approach; strains were grown in absence of the metalloid and in presence of As(III) and As(V) sublethal concentrations and the protein separation was carried out in 2D electrophoresis gels (2D-GE). In total, 999 spots were detected, between 77 and 173 of which showed significant changes for As(III) among the three strains, and between 90 and 143 for As(V), respectively, compared to the corresponding control condition. Twenty-seven of those were identified by mass spectrometry (MS). Among these identified proteins, the ArsA [ATPase from the As(III) efflux pump] was found to be up-regulated in response to both arsenic conditions in the three strains, as well as the Co-enzyme A disulfide reductase (Cdr) in the two more resistant strains. Interestingly, in this genus the gene that codifies for Cdr is found within the genic context of the ars operon. We suggest that this protein could be restoring antioxidants molecules, necessary for the As(V) reduction. Additionally, among the proteins that change their expression against As, we found several with functions relevant to stress response, e.g., Hpf, LuxS, GLpX, GlnE, and Fur. This study allowed us to shed light into the physiology necessary for these bacteria to be able to tolerate the toxicity and stress generated by the presence of arsenic in their niche.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yoelvis Sulbaran
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Cabezas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Gariazzo
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alan Briones
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Naiyulin Morales
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martial Séveno
- BioCampus Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Mathilde Decourcelle
- BioCampus Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Extremófilos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Franck Molina
- Sys2Diag, UMR9005 CNRS ALCEDIAG, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Claudia P Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Cortés-Albayay C, Dorador C, Schumann P, Andrews B, Asenjo J, Nouioui I. Streptomyces huasconensis sp. nov., an haloalkalitolerant actinobacterium isolated from a high altitude saline wetland at the Chilean Altiplano. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019; 69:2315-2322. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cortés-Albayay
- 1School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Devonshire Building, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
- 2Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- 3Laboratory of Microbial Complexity and Functional Ecology, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mary Recursos Biológicos and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Peter Schumann
- 4Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Germany
| | - Barbara Andrews
- 2Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Asenjo
- 2Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago, Chile
| | - Imen Nouioui
- 1School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Devonshire Building, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Remonsellez F, Castro-Severyn J, Pardo-Esté C, Aguilar P, Fortt J, Salinas C, Barahona S, León J, Fuentes B, Areche C, Hernández KL, Aguayo D, Saavedra CP. Characterization and Salt Response in Recurrent Halotolerant Exiguobacterium sp. SH31 Isolated From Sediments of Salar de Huasco, Chilean Altiplano. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2228. [PMID: 30294311 PMCID: PMC6158405 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly-extremophiles microorganisms have the capacity to inhabit hostile environments and can survive several adverse conditions that include as variations in temperature, pH, and salinity, high levels UV light and atmospheric pressure, and even the presence of toxic compounds and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A halotolerant Exiguobacterium strain was isolated from Salar de Huasco (Chilean Altiplano), a well-known shallow lake area with variable salinity levels, little human intervention, and extreme environmental conditions, which makes it ideal for the study of resistant mechanisms and the evolution of adaptations. This bacterial genus has not been extensively studied, although its cosmopolitan location indicates that it has high levels of plasticity and adaptive capacity. However, to date, there are no studies regarding the tolerance and resistance to salinity and osmotic pressure. We set out to characterize the Exiguobacterium sp. SH31 strain and describe its phenotypical and genotypical response to osmotic stress. In this context, as a first step to characterize the response to the SH31 strain to salinity and to establish the bases for a molecular study, we proposed to compare its response under three salt conditions (0, 25, and 50 g/l NaCl). Using different physiology, genomic, and transcriptomic approaches, we determined that the bacterium is able to grow properly in a NaCl concentration of up to 50 g/l; however, the best growth rate was observed at 25 g/l. Although the presence of flagella is not affected by salinity, motility was diminished at 25 g/l NaCl and abolished at 50 g/l. Biofilm formation was induced proportionally with increases in salinity, which was expected. These phenotypic results correlated with the expression of related genes: fliG and fliS Motility); opuBA and putP (transport); glnA, proC, gltA, and gbsA (compatible solutes); ywqC, bdlA, luxS y pgaC (biofilm and stress response); and therefore, we conclude that this strain effectively modifies gene expression and physiology in a differential manner when faced with different concentrations of NaCl and these modifications aid survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Remonsellez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Aguilar
- Lake and Glacier Ecology Research Group, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jonathan Fortt
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Cesar Salinas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio Barahona
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Joice León
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Bárbara Fuentes
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Carlos Areche
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Klaudia L. Hernández
- Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Daniel Aguayo
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia P. Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Eissler Y, Gálvez MJ, Dorador C, Hengst M, Molina V. Active microbiome structure and its association with environmental factors and viruses at different aquatic sites of a high-altitude wetland. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00667. [PMID: 30062777 PMCID: PMC6436485 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Salar de Huasco is a high‐altitude wetland characterized by a highly diverse microbial life adapted to extreme climatic and environmental conditions. Our study aims to determine active microbial community structure changes within different aquatic sites and its relationship with environmental factors and viruses as potential drivers of diversification in different aquatic areas of this ecosystem. In this study, bacteria and archaea composition (16S rRNA subunit pyrolibraries) and picoplankton and viral abundance were determined at ponds, springs and lagoon sites of the wetland during wet and dry seasons (February and July 2012, respectively). In general, mixosaline waters (1,400–51,000 μS/cm) usually found in ponds and lagoon presented higher picoplanktonic abundances compared to freshwater (<800 μS/cm) spring sites, ranging from 1.07 × 105 to 1.83 × 107 cells/ml. Viral abundance and viral to picoplankton ratio (VPR) also presented greater values at ponds compared to spring sites, reaching up to 4.78 × 108 viruses‐like particles and up to 351 for VPR. In general, ponds hold a higher microbial diversity and complexity associated also with the presence of microbial mats compared with water sources or lagoon (Shannon index H′ 2.6–3.9 vs. <2.0). A greater richness of archaea was also detected in ponds characterized by functional groups such as known methanogens and ammonia oxidizers, and uncultured groups. In total, our results indicate that among the different aquatic sites of the wetland, ponds presented a great microbial community diversification associated to a higher top‐down control by viruses which may influence nutrient and greenhouse gases cycling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoanna Eissler
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Investigación y Gestión de Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - María-Jesús Gálvez
- Programa de Biodiversidad and Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martha Hengst
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Verónica Molina
- Programa de Biodiversidad and Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Aránguiz-Acuña A, Pérez-Portilla P, De la Fuente A, Fontaneto D. Life-history strategies in zooplankton promote coexistence of competitors in extreme environments with high metal content. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11060. [PMID: 30038433 PMCID: PMC6056428 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29487-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxicity of pollutants on aquatic communities is determined by the specific sensitivities and by the ecological relationships between species, although the role of ecological interactions on the specific sensitivity to pollutants is complex. We tested the effect of exposure to copper on the life-history strategies of two coexisting rotifer species of the genus Brachionus from Inca-Coya lagoon, an isolated water body located in Atacama Desert. The experiments looked at differences in the response to the stress by chemical pollution mimicking field conditions of copper exposure, levels of food, and salinity, between single-species cultures and coexisting species. Under single species cultures, B. ‘Nevada’ had lower densities, growth rates, and resting eggs production than B. quadridentatus; when in competition, B. ‘Nevada’ performed better than B. quadridentatus in most life-history traits. B. ‘Nevada’ was a copper-tolerant species, which outcompeted B. quadridentatus, more copper-sensitive, with higher levels of copper. Species-specific responses to environmental conditions and pollution, plus differential relationships between population density and production of resting eggs, resulted in reduced niche overlap between species, allowing stabilized coexistence. The extreme environmental conditions and the isolation of the Inca-Coya lagoon, make it an excellent model to understand the adaption of aquatic organisms to stressed environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Aránguiz-Acuña
- Faculty of Sciences, Chemistry Department, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile. .,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta, Chile.
| | - Pablo Pérez-Portilla
- Faculty of Sciences, Chemistry Department, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Ana De la Fuente
- Faculty of Sciences, Chemistry Department, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Ecosystem Study (CNR-ISE). Largo Tonolli 50, I-28922, Verbania, Pallanza (VB), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Molina V, Dorador C, Fernández C, Bristow L, Eissler Y, Hengst M, Hernandez K, Olsen LM, Harrod C, Marchant F, Anguita C, Cornejo M. The activity of nitrifying microorganisms in a high-altitude Andean wetland. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:4969675. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Molina
- Departamento de Biología, Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha. Avenida Leopoldo Carvallo 270, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Antofagasta, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta. Avenida Universidad de Antofagasta s/n, Antofagasta, Chile
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidad de Chile, Beaucheff 851 (Piso 7)
| | - Camila Fernández
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne (LOMIC), Observatoire Océanologique, F-66650, Banyuls/mer, France
- Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), COPAS SUR-AUSTRAL Program, Barrio Universitario s/n, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Laura Bristow
- Nordic Center for Earth Evolution (NordCEE), Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55-5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Yoanna Eissler
- Centro de Investigación y Gestión de Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Martha Hengst
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidad de Chile, Beaucheff 851 (Piso 7)
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte. Av Angamos 0610 Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Klaudia Hernandez
- Centro de Investigacion Marina Quintay, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Avenida República 440, Santiago, Chile10
| | | | - Chris Harrod
- Fish and Stable Isotope Ecology Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Francisca Marchant
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Antofagasta, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta. Avenida Universidad de Antofagasta s/n, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Cristobal Anguita
- Departamento de Ecologia y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecologia y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Av. Republica 440, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcela Cornejo
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar e Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía , Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile, Altamirano 1480, Valparaíso
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Molina V, Eissler Y, Cornejo M, Galand PE, Dorador C, Hengst M, Fernandez C, Francois JP. Distribution of greenhouse gases in hyper-arid and arid areas of northern Chile and the contribution of the high altitude wetland microbiome (Salar de Huasco, Chile). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:1421-1432. [PMID: 29626330 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-018-1078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Northern Chile harbors different bioclimatic zones including hyper-arid and arid ecosystems and hotspots of microbial life, such as high altitude wetlands, which may contribute differentially to greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). In this study, we explored ground level GHG distribution and the potential role of a wetland situated at 3800 m.a.s.l, and characterized by high solar radiation < 1600 W m-2, extreme temperature ranges (-12 to 24 °C) and wind stress (< 17 m s-1). The water source of the wetland is mainly groundwater springs, which generates streams and ponds surrounded by peatlands. These sites support a rich microbial aquatic life including diverse bacteria and archaea communities, which transiently form more complex structures, such as microbial mats. In this study, GHG were measured in the water and above ground level air at the wetland site and along an elevation gradient in different bioclimatic areas from arid to hyper-arid zones. The microbiome from the water and sediments was described by high-throughput sequencing 16S rRNA and rDNA genes. The results indicate that GHG at ground level were variable along the elevation gradient potentially associated with different bioclimatic zones, reaching high values at the high Andean steppe and variable but lower values in the Atacama Desert and at the wetland. The water areas of the wetland presented high concentrations of CH4 and CO2, particularly at the spring areas and in air bubbles below microbial mats. The microbial community was rich (> 40 phyla), including archaea and bacteria potentially active in the different matrices studied (water, sediments and mats). Functional microbial groups associated with GHG recycling were detected at low frequency, i.e., < 2.5% of total sequences. Our results indicate that hyper-arid and arid areas of northern Chile are sites of GHG exchange associated with various bioclimatic zones and particularly in aquatic areas of the wetland where this ecosystem could represent a net sink of N2O and a source for CH4 and CO2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Molina
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Observatorio de Ecología Microbiana, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Yoanna Eissler
- Centro de Investigación y Gestión de Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Marcela Cornejo
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar e Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Pierre E Galand
- Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques (LECOB), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, 66650, Banyuls/Mer, France
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Antofagasta & Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martha Hengst
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Camila Fernandez
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie microbienne (LOMIC), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, 66650, Banyuls/Mer, France.,FONDAP INCAR Center (15110027), PFB-31 COPAS Sur Austral, Departamento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Pérez V, Dorador C, Molina V, Yáñez C, Hengst M. Rhodobacter sp. Rb3, an aerobic anoxygenic phototroph which thrives in the polyextreme ecosystem of the Salar de Huasco, in the Chilean Altiplano. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:1449-1465. [PMID: 29569108 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-018-1067-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The Salar de Huasco is an evaporitic basin located in the Chilean Altiplano, which presents extreme environmental conditions for life, i.e. high altitude (3800 m.a.s.l.), negative water balance, a wide salinity range, high daily temperature changes and the occurrence of the highest registered solar radiation on the planet (> 1200 W m-2). This ecosystem is considered as a natural laboratory to understand different adaptations of microorganisms to extreme conditions. Rhodobacter, an anoxygenic aerobic phototrophic bacterial genus, represents one of the most abundant groups reported based on taxonomic diversity surveys in this ecosystem. The bacterial mat isolate Rhodobacter sp. strain Rb3 was used to study adaptation mechanisms to stress-inducing factors potentially explaining its success in a polyextreme ecosystem. We found that the Rhodobacter sp. Rb3 genome was characterized by a high abundance of genes involved in stress tolerance and adaptation strategies, among which DNA repair and oxidative stress were the most conspicuous. Moreover, many other molecular mechanisms associated with oxidative stress, photooxidation and antioxidants; DNA repair and protection; motility, chemotaxis and biofilm synthesis; osmotic stress, metal, metalloid and toxic anions resistance; antimicrobial resistance and multidrug pumps; sporulation; cold shock and heat shock stress; mobile genetic elements and toxin-antitoxin system were detected and identified as potential survival mechanism features in Rhodobacter sp. Rb3. In total, these results reveal a wide set of strategies used by the isolate to adapt and thrive under environmental stress conditions as a model of polyextreme environmental resistome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vilma Pérez
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology & Bioengineering (CeBiB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Centre for Biotechnology & Bioengineering (CeBiB), Santiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta & Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Verónica Molina
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Carolina Yáñez
- Laboratorio Microbiología, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Martha Hengst
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile. .,Centre for Biotechnology & Bioengineering (CeBiB), Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Pérez V, Hengst M, Kurte L, Dorador C, Jeffrey WH, Wattiez R, Molina V, Matallana-Surget S. Bacterial Survival under Extreme UV Radiation: A Comparative Proteomics Study of Rhodobacter sp., Isolated from High Altitude Wetlands in Chile. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1173. [PMID: 28694800 PMCID: PMC5483449 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Salar de Huasco, defined as a polyextreme environment, is a high altitude saline wetland in the Chilean Altiplano (3800 m.a.s.l.), permanently exposed to the highest solar radiation doses registered in the world. We present here the first comparative proteomics study of a photoheterotrophic bacterium, Rhodobacter sp., isolated from this remote and hostile habitat. We developed an innovative experimental approach using different sources of radiation (in situ sunlight and UVB lamps), cut-off filters (Mylar, Lee filters) and a high-throughput, label-free quantitative proteomics method to comprehensively analyze the effect of seven spectral bands on protein regulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis of 40 common proteins revealed that all conditions containing the most damaging UVB radiation induced similar pattern of protein regulation compared with UVA and visible light spectral bands. Moreover, it appeared that the cellular adaptation of Rhodobacter sp. to osmotic stress encountered in the hypersaline environment from which it was originally isolated, might further a higher resistance to damaging UV radiation. Indeed, proteins involved in the synthesis and transport of key osmoprotectants, such as glycine betaine and inositol, were found in very high abundance under UV radiation compared to the dark control, suggesting the function of osmolytes as efficient reactive oxygen scavengers. Our study also revealed a RecA-independent response and a tightly regulated network of protein quality control involving proteases and chaperones to selectively degrade misfolded and/or damaged proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vilma Pérez
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad Católica del NorteAntofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology and BioengineeringSantiago, Chile.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de AntofagastaAntofagasta, Chile
| | - Martha Hengst
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad Católica del NorteAntofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology and BioengineeringSantiago, Chile
| | - Lenka Kurte
- Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad Católica del NorteAntofagasta, Chile.,Centre for Biotechnology and BioengineeringSantiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Centre for Biotechnology and BioengineeringSantiago, Chile.,Laboratory of Microbial Complexity and Functional Ecology, Institute of Antofagasta and Department of Biotechnology, Universidad de AntofagastaAntofagasta, Chile
| | - Wade H Jeffrey
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, University of West Florida, PensacolaFL, United States
| | - Ruddy Wattiez
- Proteomics and Microbiology Laboratory, Research Institute of Biosciences, University of MonsMons, Belgium
| | - Veronica Molina
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, Universidad de Playa AnchaValparaíso, Chile
| | - Sabine Matallana-Surget
- Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of StirlingStirling, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Castro-Severyn J, Remonsellez F, Valenzuela SL, Salinas C, Fortt J, Aguilar P, Pardo-Esté C, Dorador C, Quatrini R, Molina F, Aguayo D, Castro-Nallar E, Saavedra CP. Comparative Genomics Analysis of a New Exiguobacterium Strain from Salar de Huasco Reveals a Repertoire of Stress-Related Genes and Arsenic Resistance. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:456. [PMID: 28377753 PMCID: PMC5360010 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Atacama Desert hosts diverse ecosystems including salt flats and shallow Andean lakes. Several heavy metals are found in the Atacama Desert, and microorganisms growing in this environment show varying levels of resistance/tolerance to copper, tellurium, and arsenic, among others. Herein, we report the genome sequence and comparative genomic analysis of a new Exiguobacterium strain, sp. SH31, isolated from an altiplanic shallow athalassohaline lake. Exiguobacterium sp. SH31 belongs to the phylogenetic Group II and its closest relative is Exiguobacterium sp. S17, isolated from the Argentinian Altiplano (95% average nucleotide identity). Strain SH31 encodes a wide repertoire of proteins required for cadmium, copper, mercury, tellurium, chromium, and arsenic resistance. Of the 34 Exiguobacterium genomes that were inspected, only isolates SH31 and S17 encode the arsenic efflux pump Acr3. Strain SH31 was able to grow in up to 10 mM arsenite and 100 mM arsenate, indicating that it is arsenic resistant. Further, expression of the ars operon and acr3 was strongly induced in response to both toxics, suggesting that the arsenic efflux pump Acr3 mediates arsenic resistance in Exiguobacterium sp. SH31.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Castro-Severyn
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres BelloSantiago, Chile; Centro de Bioinformática y Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés BelloSantiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Laboratorio de Tecnologías de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Sandro L Valenzuela
- Centro de Bioinformática y Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Cesar Salinas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Jonathan Fortt
- Laboratorio de Tecnologías de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Pablo Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Tecnologías de Membranas, Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del NorteAntofagasta, Chile; Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta and Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de AntofagastaAntofagasta, Chile
| | - Coral Pardo-Esté
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Dorador
- Laboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana y Ecología Funcional, Instituto Antofagasta and Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de AntofagastaAntofagasta, Chile; Centre for Biotechnology and BioengineeringAntofagasta, Chile
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Microbiana, Fundación Ciencia and Vida Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Daniel Aguayo
- Centro de Bioinformática y Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés BelloSantiago, Chile; Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ValparaísoValparaíso, Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Centro de Bioinformática y Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés Bello Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia P Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andres Bello Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|