1
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de la Rosa F, Pezzoni M, De Troch M, Costa CS, Hernando M. Effects of temperature up-shift and UV-A radiation on fatty acids content and expression of desaturase genes in cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa: stress tolerance and acclimation responses. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2024; 23:1167-1178. [PMID: 38717721 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00584-9] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Temperature up-shift and UV-A radiation effects on growth, lipid damage, fatty acid (FA) composition and expression of desaturase genes desA and desB were investigated in the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Although UV-A damaging effect has been well documented, reports on the interactive effects of UV radiation exposure and warming on cyanobacteria are scarce. Temperature and UV-A doses were selected based on the physiological responses previously obtained by studies with the same M. aeruginosa strain used in this study. Cells pre-grown at 26 °C were incubated at the same temperature or 29 °C and exposed to UV-A + PAR and only PAR for 9 days. Growth rate was significantly affected by UV-A radiation independently of the temperature throughout the experiment. High temperature produced lipid damage significantly higher throughout the experiment, decreasing at day 9 as compared to 26 °C. In addition, the cells grown at 29 °C under UV-A displayed a decrease in polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) levels, with ω3 PUFA being mostly affected at the end of exposure. Previously, we reported that UV-A-induced lipid damage affects differentially ω3 and ω6 PUFAs. We report that UV-A radiation leads to an upregulation of desA, possibly due to lipid damage. In addition, the temperature up-shift upregulates desA and desB regardless of the radiation. The lack of lipid damage for UV-A on ω3 could explain the lack of transcription induction of desB. The significant ω6 decrease at 26 °C in cells exposed to UV-A could be due to the lack of upregulation of desA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia de la Rosa
- Instituto de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad de Morón, General Machado 914, 1708, Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- CONICET, 2290, Godoy Cruz, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Magdalena Pezzoni
- CONICET, 2290, Godoy Cruz, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Radiobiología, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Centro Atómico Constituyentes, Av. Gral. Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marleen De Troch
- Faculty of Sciences, Marine Biology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S8, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Cristina S Costa
- Departamento de Radiobiología, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Centro Atómico Constituyentes, Av. Gral. Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Hernando
- CONICET, 2290, Godoy Cruz, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Radiobiología, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA), Centro Atómico Constituyentes, Av. Gral. Paz 1499, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Red de Investigación de Estresores Marinos-Costeros en América Latina y El Caribe, REMARCO, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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2
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Rider Z, Percich A, Hiripitiyage Y, Harris TD, Sturm BSM, Wilson AE, Pollock ED, Beaver JR, Husic A. Drivers of cyanotoxin and taste-and-odor compound presence within the benthic algae of human-disturbed rivers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121357. [PMID: 38401471 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121357] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater benthic algae form complex mat matrices that can confer ecosystem benefits but also produce harmful cyanotoxins and nuisance taste-and-odor (T&O) compounds. Despite intensive study of the response of pelagic systems to anthropogenic change, the environmental factors controlling toxin presence in benthic mats remain uncertain. Here, we present a unique dataset from a rapidly urbanizing community (Kansas City, USA) that spans environmental, toxicological, taxonomic, and genomic indicators to identify the prevalence of three cyanotoxins (microcystin, anatoxin-a, and saxitoxin) and two T&O compounds (geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol). Thereafter, we construct a random forest model informed by game theory to assess underlying drivers. Microcystin (11.9 ± 11.6 µg/m2), a liver toxin linked to animal fatalities, and geosmin (0.67 ± 0.67 µg/m2), a costly-to-treat malodorous compound, were the most abundant compounds and were present in 100 % of samples, irrespective of land use or environmental conditions. Anatoxin-a (8.1 ± 11.6 µg/m2) and saxitoxin (0.18 ± 0.39 µg/m2), while not always detected, showed a systematic tradeoff in their relative importance with season, an observation not previously reported in the literature. Our model indicates that microcystin concentrations were greatest where microcystin-producing genes were present, whereas geosmin concentrations were high in the absence of geosmin-producing genes. Together, these results suggest that benthic mats produce microcystin in situ but that geosmin production may occur ex situ with its presence in mats attributable to adsorption by organic matter. Our study broadens the awareness of benthic cyanobacteria as a source of harmful and nuisance metabolites and highlights the importance of benthic monitoring for sustaining water quality standards in rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zane Rider
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, 2150 Learned Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
| | - Abigal Percich
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, 2150 Learned Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
| | - Yasawantha Hiripitiyage
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, 2150 Learned Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
| | - Ted D Harris
- Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
| | - Belinda S M Sturm
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, 2150 Learned Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
| | - Alan E Wilson
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States
| | - Erik D Pollock
- Stable Isotope Laboratory, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States
| | - John R Beaver
- BSA Environmental Services, Beachwood, OH 44122, United States
| | - Admin Husic
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas, 2150 Learned Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States.
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3
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Piccini C, Martínez de la Escalera G, Segura AM, Croci C, Kruk C. The Microcystis-microbiome interactions: origins of the colonial lifestyle. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae035. [PMID: 38499447 PMCID: PMC10996927 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae035] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Species of the Microcystis genus are the most common bloom-forming toxic cyanobacteria worldwide. They belong to a clade of unicellular cyanobacteria whose ability to reach high biomasses during blooms is linked to the formation of colonies. Colonial lifestyle provides several advantages under stressing conditions of light intensity, ultraviolet light, toxic substances and grazing. The progression from a single-celled organism to multicellularity in Microcystis has usually been interpreted as individual phenotypic responses of the cyanobacterial cells to the environment. Here, we synthesize current knowledge about Microcystis colonial lifestyle and its role in the organism ecology. We then briefly review the available information on Microcystis microbiome and propose that changes leading from single cells to colonies are the consequence of specific and tightly regulated signals between the cyanobacterium and its microbiome through a biofilm-like mechanism. The resulting colony is a multi-specific community of interdependent microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Piccini
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable. Av. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Gabriela Martínez de la Escalera
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable. Av. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Angel M Segura
- Modelización Estadística de Datos e Inteligencia Artificial, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República. Ruta nacional Nº9 intersección con ruta Nº15, Uruguay
| | - Carolina Croci
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable. Av. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Carla Kruk
- Modelización Estadística de Datos e Inteligencia Artificial, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República. Ruta nacional Nº9 intersección con ruta Nº15, Uruguay
- Sección Limnología, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
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4
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Baylous HR, Gladfelter MF, Gardner MI, Foley M, Wilson AE, Steffen MM. Indole-3-acetic acid promotes growth in bloom-forming Microcystis via an antioxidant response. HARMFUL ALGAE 2024; 133:102575. [PMID: 38485434 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2024.102575] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Interactions between bacteria and phytoplankton in the phycosphere facilitate and constrain biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is a bacterially produced chemical signal that promotes growth of phytoplankton and plants. Here, we explored the impact of IAA on bloom-forming cyanobacteria and their associated bacteria. Exposure to IAA and its precursor, tryptophan, resulted in a strong growth response in a bloom of the freshwater cyanobacterium, Microcystis. Metatranscriptome analysis revealed the induction of an antioxidant response in Microcystis upon exposure to IAA, potentially allowing populations to increase photosynthetic rate and overcome internally generated reactive oxygen. Our data reveal that co-occurring bacteria within the phycosphere microbiome exhibit a division of labor for supportive functions, such as nutrient mineralization and transport, vitamin synthesis, and reactive oxygen neutralization. These complex dynamics within the Microcystis phycosphere microbiome are an example of interactions within a microenvironment that can have ecosystem-scale consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter R Baylous
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA
| | - Matthew F Gladfelter
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Malia I Gardner
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA
| | - Madalynn Foley
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA
| | - Alan E Wilson
- School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Morgan M Steffen
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA.
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5
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Romanis CS, Timms VJ, Nebauer DJ, Crosbie ND, Neilan BA. Microbiome analysis reveals Microcystis blooms endogenously seeded from benthos within wastewater maturation ponds. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0158523. [PMID: 38117057 PMCID: PMC10807444 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01585-23] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxigenic Microcystis blooms periodically disrupt the stabilization ponds of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Dense proliferations of Microcystis cells within the surface waters (SWs) impede the water treatment process by reducing the treatment efficacy of the latent WWTP microbiome. Further, water quality is reduced when conventional treatment leads to Microcystis cell lysis and the release of intracellular microcystins into the water column. Recurrent seasonal Microcystis blooms cause significant financial burdens for the water industry and predicting their source is vital for bloom management strategies. We investigated the source of recurrent toxigenic Microcystis blooms at Australia's largest lagoon-based municipal WWTP in both sediment core (SC) and SW samples between 2018 and 2020. Bacterial community composition of the SC and SW samples according to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that Microcystis sp. was dominant within SW samples throughout the period and reached peak relative abundances (32%) during the summer. The same Microcystis Amplicon sequence variants were present within the SC and SW samples indicating a potential migratory population that transitions between the sediment water and SWs during bloom formation events. To investigate the potential of the sediment to act as a repository of viable Microcystis cells for recurrent bloom formation, a novel in-vitro bloom model was established featuring sediments and sterilized SW collected from the WWTP. Microcystin-producing Microcystis blooms were established through passive resuspension after 12 weeks of incubation. These results demonstrate the capacity of Microcystis to transition between the sediments and SWs in WWTPs, acting as a perennial inoculum for recurrent blooms.IMPORTANCECyanobacterial blooms are prevalent to wastewater treatment facilities owing to the stable, eutrophic conditions. Cyanobacterial proliferations can disrupt operational procedures through the blocking of filtration apparatus or altering the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) microbiome, reducing treatment efficiency. Conventional wastewater treatment often results in the lysis of cyanobacterial cells and the release of intracellular toxins which pose a health risk to end users. This research identifies a potential seeding source of recurrent toxigenic cyanobacterial blooms within wastewater treatment facilities. Our results demonstrate the capacity of Microcystis to transition between the sediments and surface waters (SWs) of wastewater treatment ponds enabling water utilities to develop adequate monitoring and management strategies. Further, we developed a novel model to demonstrate benthic recruitment of toxigenic Microcystis under laboratory conditions facilitating future research into the genetic mechanisms behind bloom development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. S. Romanis
- University of Newcastle, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Callaghan, Australia
| | - V. J. Timms
- University of Newcastle, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Callaghan, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Synthetic Biology, Callaghan, Australia
| | - D. J. Nebauer
- University of Newcastle, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Callaghan, Australia
| | | | - B. A. Neilan
- University of Newcastle, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Callaghan, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Synthetic Biology, Callaghan, Australia
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6
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Stark GF, Martin RM, Smith LE, Wei B, Hellweger FL, Bullerjahn GS, McKay RML, Boyer GL, Wilhelm SW. Microcystin aids in cold temperature acclimation: Differences between a toxic Microcystis wildtype and non-toxic mutant. HARMFUL ALGAE 2023; 129:102531. [PMID: 37951605 PMCID: PMC10640677 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2023.102531] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
For Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806, temperature decreases from 26 °C to 19 °C double the microcystin quota per cell during growth in continuous culture. Here we tested whether this increase in microcystin provided M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 with a fitness advantage during colder-temperature growth by comparing cell concentration, cellular physiology, reactive oxygen species damage, and the transcriptomics-inferred metabolism to a non-toxigenic mutant strain M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 ΔmcyB. Photo-physiological data combined with transcriptomic data revealed metabolic changes in the mutant strain during growth at 19 °C, which included increased electron sinks and non-photochemical quenching. Increased gene expression was observed for a glutathione-dependent peroxiredoxin during cold treatment, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to defend against reactive oxygen species are employed in the absence of microcystin in the mutant. Our observations highlight the potential selective advantages of a longer-term defensive strategy in management of oxidative stress (i.e., making microcystin) vs the shorter-term proactive strategy of producing cellular components to actively dissipate or degrade oxidative stress agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendolyn F Stark
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Laura E Smith
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Bofan Wei
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Ferdi L Hellweger
- Water Quality Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - George S Bullerjahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA
| | - R Michael L McKay
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, The University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Gregory L Boyer
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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7
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Guo Y, Meng H, Zhao S, Wang Z, Zhu L, Deng D, Liu J, He H, Xie W, Wang G, Zhang L. How does Microcystis aeruginosa respond to elevated temperature? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 889:164277. [PMID: 37211116 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria and their toxins widely exist in freshwater ecosystems. Microcystis aeruginosa is among dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Water temperature is a key factor influencing the life cycle of M. aeruginosa. We simulated elevated temperature (4-35 °C) experiment and cultured M. aeruginosa during the overwintering, recruitment and rapid growth phases. The results showed that M. aeruginosa recovered growth after overwintering at 4-8 °C and recruited at 16 °C. The total extracellular polymeric substance (TEPS) concentration increased rapidly at 15 °C. The actual quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv'/Fm') peaked at 20 °C during the rapid growth phase, and the optimum temperature of M. aeruginosa growth was 20-25 °C. Additionally, TEPS and microcystins (MCs) secretion peaked at 20-25 °C. The cell density accumulated rapidly from 26 °C to 35 °C. Furthermore, enzymes of RuBisCO and FBA related to photosynthetic activity were confirmed to contribute to the metabolism, as well as mcyB gene was affected by elevated temperature. Our results provide insights of the physiological effects and metabolic activity during annual cycle of M. aeruginosa. And it is predicted that global warming may promote the earlier recruitment of M. aeruginosa, extend the optimum growth period, enhance the toxicity, and finally intensify M. aeruginosa blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqi Guo
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Han Meng
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Sichuan Zhao
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zixuan Wang
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Dailan Deng
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jine Liu
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Huan He
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wenming Xie
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Guoxiang Wang
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Lab of Water and Soil Eco-remediation, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Limin Zhang
- School of Environment, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Green Economy Development Institute, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China.
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8
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Roy S, Guljamow A, Dittmann E. Impact of temperature on the temporal dynamics of microcystin in Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1200816. [PMID: 37720143 PMCID: PMC10500830 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1200816] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms pose a serious threat to water quality and human health due to the production of the potent hepatotoxin microcystin. In microcystin-producing strains of the widespread genus Microcystis, the toxin is largely constitutively produced, but there are fluctuations between the cellular and extracellular pool and between free microcystin and protein-bound microcystin. Here we addressed the question of how different temperatures affect the growth and temporal dynamics of secondary metabolite production in the strain Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 and its microcystin-deficient ΔmcyB mutant. While the wild-type strain showed pronounced growth advantages at 20°C, 30°C, and 35°C, respectively, the ΔmcyB mutant was superior at 25°C. We further show that short-term incubations at 25°C-35°C result in lower amounts of freely soluble microcystin than incubations at 20°C and that microcystin congener ratios differ at the different temperatures. Subsequent assessment of the protein-bound microcystin pool by dot blot analysis and subcellular localization of microcystin using immunofluorescence microscopy showed re-localization of microcystin into the protein-bound pool combined with an enhanced condensation at the cytoplasmic membrane at temperatures above 25°C. This temperature threshold also applies to the condensate formation of the carbon-fixing enzyme RubisCO thereby likely contributing to reciprocal growth advantages of wild type and ΔmcyB mutant at 20°C and 25°C. We discuss these findings in the context of the environmental success of Microcystis at higher temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elke Dittmann
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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9
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Stark GF, Martin RM, Smith LE, Wei B, Hellweger FL, Bullerjahn GS, McKay RML, Boyer GL, Wilhelm SW. Cool temperature acclimation in toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 and its non-toxigenic mutant. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.28.555099. [PMID: 37693631 PMCID: PMC10491114 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.28.555099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
For Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806, temperature decreases from 26° C to 19° C double the microcystin quota per cell during growth in continuous culture. Here we tested whether this increase in microcystin provided M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 with a fitness advantage during colder-temperature growth by comparing cell concentration, cellular physiology, and the transcriptomics-inferred metabolism to a non-toxigenic mutant strain M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 ΔmcyB. Photo-physiological data combined with transcriptomic data revealed metabolic changes in the mutant strain during growth at 19° C, which included increased electron sinks and non-photochemical quenching. Increased gene expression was observed for a glutathione-dependent peroxiredoxin during cold treatment, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to defend against reactive oxygen species are employed in the absence of microcystin in the mutant. Our observations highlight the potential selective advantages of a longer-term defensive strategy in management of oxidative stress (i.e., making microcystin) vs the shorter-term proactive strategy of producing cellular components to actively dissipate or degrade oxidative stress agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwendolyn F Stark
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Laura E Smith
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Bofan Wei
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Ferdi L Hellweger
- Water Quality Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - George S Bullerjahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA
| | - R Michael L McKay
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, The University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Gregory L Boyer
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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10
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MacKeigan PW, Zastepa A, Taranu ZE, Westrick JA, Liang A, Pick FR, Beisner BE, Gregory-Eaves I. Microcystin concentrations and congener composition in relation to environmental variables across 440 north-temperate and boreal lakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163811. [PMID: 37121330 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the environmental conditions and taxa that promote the occurrence of cyanobacterial toxins is imperative for effective management of lake ecosystems. Herein, we modeled total microcystin presence and concentrations with a broad suite of environmental predictors and cyanobacteria community data collected across 440 Canadian lakes using standardized methods. We also conducted a focused analysis targeting 14 microcystin congeners across 190 lakes, to examine how abiotic and biotic factors influence their relative proportions. Microcystins were detected in 30 % of lakes, with the highest total concentrations occurring in the most eutrophic lakes located in ecozones of central Canada. The two most commonly detected congeners were MC-LR (61 % of lakes) and MC-LA (37 % of lakes), while 11 others were detected more sporadically across waterbodies. Congener diversity peaked in central Canada where cyanobacteria biomass was highest. Using a zero-altered hurdle model, the probability of detecting microcystin was best explained by increasing Microcystis biomass, Daphnia and cyclopoid biomass, soluble reactive phosphorus, pH and wind. Microcystin concentrations increased with the biomass of Microcystis and other less dominant cyanobacteria taxa, as well as total phosphorus, cyclopoid copepod biomass, dissolved inorganic carbon and water temperature. Collectively, these models accounted for 34 % and 70 % of the variability, respectively. Based on a multiple factor analysis of microcystin congeners, cyanobacteria community data, environmental and zooplankton data, we found that the relative abundance of most congeners varied according to trophic state and were related to a combination of cyanobacteria genera biomasses and environmental variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W MacKeigan
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Interuniversity Research Group in Limnology (GRIL), Quebec, Canada.
| | - Arthur Zastepa
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zofia E Taranu
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Judy A Westrick
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Anqi Liang
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frances R Pick
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Beatrix E Beisner
- Interuniversity Research Group in Limnology (GRIL), Quebec, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Irene Gregory-Eaves
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Interuniversity Research Group in Limnology (GRIL), Quebec, Canada
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11
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Bashir F, Bashir A, Bouaïcha N, Chen L, Codd GA, Neilan B, Xu WL, Ziko L, Rajput VD, Minkina T, Arruda RS, Ganai BA. Cyanotoxins, biosynthetic gene clusters, and factors modulating cyanotoxin biosynthesis. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:241. [PMID: 37394567 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03652-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) are a global environmental concern that encompasses public health issues, water availability, and water quality owing to the production of various secondary metabolites (SMs), including cyanotoxins in freshwater, brackish water, and marine ecosystems. The frequency, extent, magnitude, and duration of CHABs are increasing globally. Cyanobacterial species traits and changing environmental conditions, including anthropogenic pressure, eutrophication, and global climate change, together allow cyanobacteria to thrive. The cyanotoxins include a diverse range of low molecular weight compounds with varying biochemical properties and modes of action. With the application of modern molecular biology techniques, many important aspects of cyanobacteria are being elucidated, including aspects of their diversity, gene-environment interactions, and genes that express cyanotoxins. The toxicological, environmental, and economic impacts of CHABs strongly advocate the need for continuing, extensive efforts to monitor cyanobacterial growth and to understand the mechanisms regulating species composition and cyanotoxin biosynthesis. In this review, we critically examined the genomic organization of some cyanobacterial species that lead to the production of cyanotoxins and their characteristic properties discovered to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahim Bashir
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Arif Bashir
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Government College for Women, Nawa-Kadal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| | - Noureddine Bouaïcha
- Laboratory Ecology, Systematic, and Evolution, UMR 8079 Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, University Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Liang Chen
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science (SEES), Yunnan University (YNU), 650500, Kunming, China.
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430072, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, China.
| | - Geoffrey A Codd
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK
| | - Brett Neilan
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Wen-Li Xu
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Laila Ziko
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire Hosted By Global Academic Foundation, Cairo, Egypt
- Biology Department, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo, 11835, Egypt
| | - Vishnu D Rajput
- Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, Rostov-On-Don, Russia
| | - Tatiana Minkina
- Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, Rostov-On-Don, Russia
| | - Renan Silva Arruda
- Laboratory of Ecology and Physiology of Phytoplankton, Department of Plant Biology, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bashir Ahmad Ganai
- Center of Research for Development (CORD), University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190006, India.
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12
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Martínez de la Escalera G, Kruk C, Segura AM, Piccini C. Effect of hydrological modification on the potential toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa complex in Salto Grande reservoir, Uruguay. HARMFUL ALGAE 2023; 123:102403. [PMID: 36894214 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2023.102403] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
It is widely known that the environmental conditions caused by the construction of reservoirs favor the proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria and the formation of blooms due to the high residence time of the water, low turbidity, temperature regimes, among others. Microcystin-producing cyanobacteria such as those from the Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC) are the most frequently found organisms in reservoirs worldwide, being the role of the environment on microcystin production poorly understood. Here, we addressed the community dynamics and potential toxicity of MAC cyanobacteria in a subtropical reservoir (Salto Grande) located in the low Uruguay river. Samples were taken from five different sites (upstream, inside the reservoir and downstream) during contrasting seasons (summer and winter) to analyze: (i) the MAC community structure by amplicon sequencing of the phycocyanin gene spacer, (ii) the genotype diversity of microcystin-producing MAC by high resolution melting analysis of the mcyJ gene, and (iii) the abundance and mcy transcription activity of the microcystin-producing (toxic) fraction. We found that MAC diversity decreased from summer to winter but, despite the observed changes in MAC community structure, the abundance of toxic organisms and the transcription of mcy genes were always higher inside the reservoir, regardless of the season. Two different genotypes of toxic MAC were detected inside the reservoir, one associated with low water temperature (15 °C) and one thriving at high water temperature (31 °C). These findings indicate that the environmental conditions inside the reservoir reduce community diversity while promoting the proliferation of toxic genotypes that actively transcribe mcy genes, whose relative abundance will depend on the water temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Kruk
- Facultad de Ciencias, IECA, Universidad de la República, Uruguay; Departamento de Modelización Estadística de Datos e Inteligencia Artificial (MEDIA), CURE-Rocha, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
| | - Angel M Segura
- Departamento de Modelización Estadística de Datos e Inteligencia Artificial (MEDIA), CURE-Rocha, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
| | - Claudia Piccini
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Montvideo, Uruguay.
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13
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Zepernick BN, Wilhelm SW, Bullerjahn GS, Paerl HW. Climate change and the aquatic continuum: A cyanobacterial comeback story. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 15:3-12. [PMID: 36096485 PMCID: PMC10103762 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Billions of years ago, the Earth's waters were dominated by cyanobacteria. These microbes amassed to such formidable numbers, they ushered in a new era-starting with the Great Oxidation Event-fuelled by oxygenic photosynthesis. Throughout the following eon, cyanobacteria ceded portions of their global aerobic power to new photoautotrophs with the rise of eukaryotes (i.e. algae and higher plants), which co-existed with cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems. Yet while cyanobacteria's ecological success story is one of the most notorious within our planet's biogeochemical history, scientists to this day still seek to unlock the secrets of their triumph. Now, the Anthropocene has ushered in a new era fuelled by excessive nutrient inputs and greenhouse gas emissions, which are again reshaping the Earth's biomes. In response, we are experiencing an increase in global cyanobacterial bloom distribution, duration, and frequency, leading to unbalanced, and in many instances degraded, ecosystems. A critical component of the cyanobacterial resurgence is the freshwater-marine continuum: which serves to transport blooms, and the toxins they produce, on the premise that "water flows downhill". Here, we identify drivers contributing to the cyanobacterial comeback and discuss future implications in the context of environmental and human health along the aquatic continuum. This Minireview addresses the overlooked problem of the freshwater to marine continuum and the effects of nutrients and toxic cyanobacterial blooms moving along these waters. Marine and freshwater research have historically been conducted in isolation and independently of one another. Yet, this approach fails to account for the interchangeable transit of nutrients and biology through and between these freshwater and marine systems, a phenomenon that is becoming a major problem around the globe. This Minireview highlights what we know and the challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany N. Zepernick
- Department of MicrobiologyThe University of Tennessee KnoxvilleKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Steven W. Wilhelm
- Department of MicrobiologyThe University of Tennessee KnoxvilleKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - George S. Bullerjahn
- NIEHS/NSF Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human HealthBowling Green State UniversityBowling GreenOhioUSA
| | - Hans W. Paerl
- Institute of Marine SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillMorehead CityNorth CarolinaUSA
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14
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Mechanisms of Stress Tolerance in Cyanobacteria under Extreme Conditions. STRESSES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/stresses2040036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are oxygen-evolving photoautotrophs with worldwide distribution in every possible habitat, and they account for half of the global primary productivity. Because of their ability to thrive in a hostile environment, cyanobacteria are categorized as “extremophiles”. They have evolved a fascinating repository of distinct secondary metabolites and biomolecules to promote their development and survival in various habitats, including severe conditions. However, developing new proteins/enzymes and metabolites is mostly directed by an appropriate gene regulation system that results in stress adaptations. However, only few proteins have been characterized to date that have the potential to improve resistance against abiotic stresses. As a result, studying environmental stress responses to post-genomic analysis, such as proteome changes using latest structural proteomics and synthetic biology techniques, is critical. In this regard, scientists working on these topics will benefit greatly from the stress of proteomics research. Progress in these disciplines will aid in understanding cyanobacteria’s physiology, biochemical, and metabolic systems. This review summarizes the most recent key findings of cyanobacterial proteome study under various abiotic stresses and the application of secondary metabolites formed during different abiotic conditions.
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15
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Briddon CL, Szekeres E, Hegedüs A, Nicoară M, Chiriac C, Stockenreiter M, Drugă B. The combined impact of low temperatures and shifting phosphorus availability on the competitive ability of cyanobacteria. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16409. [PMID: 36180771 PMCID: PMC9525609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20580-2] [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: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In freshwater systems, cyanobacteria are strong competitors under enhanced temperature and eutrophic conditions. Understanding their adaptive and evolutionary potential to multiple environmental states allows us to accurately predict their response to future conditions. To better understand if the combined impacts of temperature and nutrient limitation could suppress the cyanobacterial blooms, a single strain of Microcystis aeruginosa was inoculated into natural phytoplankton communities with different nutrient conditions: oligotrophic, eutrophic and eutrophic with the addition of bentophos. We found that the use of the bentophos treatment causes significant differences in prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities. This resulted in reduced biodiversity among the eukaryotes and a decline in cyanobacterial abundance suggesting phosphorus limitation had a strong impact on the community structure. The low temperature during the experiment lead to the disappearance of M. aeruginosa in all treatments and gave other phytoplankton groups a competitive advantage leading to the dominance of the eukaryotic families that have diverse morphologies and nutritional modes. These results show cyanobacteria have a reduced competitive advantage under certain temperature and nutrient limiting conditions and therefore, controlling phosphorus concentrations could be a possible mitigation strategy for managing harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a future warmer climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L Briddon
- Institute of Biological Research (NIRDBS), 48 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Edina Szekeres
- Institute of Biological Research (NIRDBS), 48 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adriana Hegedüs
- Institute of Biological Research (NIRDBS), 48 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Maria Nicoară
- Institute of Biological Research (NIRDBS), 48 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cecilia Chiriac
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Stockenreiter
- Department of Biology II, Experimental Aquatic Ecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitӓt Müchen, Groβhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Bogdan Drugă
- Institute of Biological Research (NIRDBS), 48 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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16
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Hellweger FL, Martin RM, Eigemann F, Smith DJ, Dick GJ, Wilhelm SW. Models predict planned phosphorus load reduction will make Lake Erie more toxic. Science 2022; 376:1001-1005. [PMID: 35617400 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm6791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacteria are a global environmental problem, yet we lack actionable understanding of toxigenic versus nontoxigenic strain ecology and toxin production. We performed a large-scale meta-analysis including 103 papers and used it to develop a mechanistic, agent-based model of Microcystis growth and microcystin production. Simulations for Lake Erie suggest that the observed toxigenic-to-nontoxigenic strain succession during the 2014 Toledo drinking water crisis was controlled by different cellular oxidative stress mitigation strategies (protection by microcystin versus degradation by enzymes) and the different susceptibility of those mechanisms to nitrogen limitation. This model, as well as a simpler empirical one, predicts that the planned phosphorus load reduction will lower biomass but make nitrogen and light more available, which will increase toxin production, favor toxigenic cells, and increase toxin concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdi L Hellweger
- Water Quality Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Falk Eigemann
- Water Quality Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Derek J Smith
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gregory J Dick
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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17
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Pound HL, Martin RM, Zepernick BN, Christopher CJ, Howard SM, Castro HF, Campagna SR, Boyer GL, Bullerjahn GS, Chaffin JD, Wilhelm SW. Changes in Microbiome Activity and Sporadic Viral Infection Help Explain Observed Variability in Microcosm Studies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:809989. [PMID: 35369463 PMCID: PMC8966487 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.809989] [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: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The environmental conditions experienced by microbial communities are rarely fully simulated in the laboratory. Researchers use experimental containers ("bottles"), where natural samples can be manipulated and evaluated. However, container-based methods are subject to "bottle effects": changes that occur when enclosing the plankton community that are often times unexplained by standard measures like pigment and nutrient concentrations. We noted variability in a short-term, nutrient amendment experiment during a 2019 Lake Erie, Microcystis spp. bloom. We observed changes in heterotrophic bacteria activity (transcription) on a time-frame consistent with a response to experimental changes in nutrient availability, demonstrating how the often overlooked microbiome of cyanobacterial blooms can be altered. Samples processed at the time of collection (T0) contained abundant transcripts from Bacteroidetes, which reduced in abundance during incubation in all bottles, including controls. Significant biological variability in the expression of Microcystis-infecting phage was observed between replicates, with phosphate-amended treatments showing a 10-fold variation. The expression patterns of Microcystis-infecting phage were significantly correlated with ∼35% of Microcystis-specific functional genes and ∼45% of the cellular-metabolites measured across the entire microbial community, suggesting phage activity not only influenced Microcystis dynamics, but the biochemistry of the microbiome. Our observations demonstrate how natural heterogeneity among replicates can be harnessed to provide further insight on virus and host ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena L Pound
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Brittany N Zepernick
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Courtney J Christopher
- Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Sara M Howard
- Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Hector F Castro
- Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Shawn R Campagna
- Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Gregory L Boyer
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - George S Bullerjahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, United States
| | - Justin D Chaffin
- Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, Put-In-Bay, OH, United States
| | - Steven W Wilhelm
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
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18
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Chaffin JD, Bratton JF, Verhamme EM, Bair HB, Beecher AA, Binding CE, Birbeck JA, Bridgeman TB, Chang X, Crossman J, Currie WJS, Davis TW, Dick GJ, Drouillard KG, Errera RM, Frenken T, MacIsaac HJ, McClure A, McKay RM, Reitz LA, Domingo JWS, Stanislawczyk K, Stumpf RP, Swan ZD, Snyder BK, Westrick JA, Xue P, Yancey CE, Zastepa A, Zhou X. The Lake Erie HABs Grab: A binational collaboration to characterize the western basin cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms at an unprecedented high-resolution spatial scale. HARMFUL ALGAE 2021; 108:102080. [PMID: 34588116 PMCID: PMC8682807 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2021.102080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of cyanobacterial bloom biomass in large lakes at high resolution is made possible by remote sensing. However, monitoring cyanobacterial toxins is only feasible with grab samples, which, with only sporadic sampling, results in uncertainties in the spatial distribution of toxins. To address this issue, we conducted two intensive "HABs Grabs" of microcystin (MC)-producing Microcystis blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie. These were one-day sampling events during August of 2018 and 2019 in which 100 and 172 grab samples were collected, respectively, within a six-hour window covering up to 2,270 km2 and analyzed using consistent methods to estimate the total mass of MC. The samples were analyzed for 57 parameters, including toxins, nutrients, chlorophyll, and genomics. There were an estimated 11,513 kg and 30,691 kg of MCs in the western basin during the 2018 and 2019 HABs Grabs, respectively. The bloom boundary poses substantial issues for spatial assessments because MC concentration varied by nearly two orders of magnitude over very short distances. The MC to chlorophyll ratio (MC:chl) varied by a factor up to 5.3 throughout the basin, which creates challenges for using MC:chl to predict MC concentrations. Many of the biomass metrics strongly correlated (r > 0.70) with each other except chlorophyll fluorescence and phycocyanin concentration. While MC and chlorophyll correlated well with total phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations, MC:chl correlated with dissolved inorganic nitrogen. More frequent MC data collection can overcome these issues, and models need to account for the MC:chl spatial heterogeneity when forecasting MCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin D Chaffin
- F.T. Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, 878 Bayview Ave. P.O. Box 119, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456, USA.
| | | | | | - Halli B Bair
- F.T. Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, 878 Bayview Ave. P.O. Box 119, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456, USA
| | - Amber A Beecher
- Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, 6200 Bayshore Rd., Oregon, OH 43616, USA
| | - Caren E Binding
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7S1A1, Canada
| | - Johnna A Birbeck
- Lumigen Instrument Center, Wayne State University, 5101Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Thomas B Bridgeman
- Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, 6200 Bayshore Rd., Oregon, OH 43616, USA
| | - Xuexiu Chang
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada; School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Jill Crossman
- School of the Environment, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Warren J S Currie
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Timothy W Davis
- Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH 43402, United States
| | - Gregory J Dick
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 2534 North University Building, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1005, USA
| | - Kenneth G Drouillard
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Reagan M Errera
- Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA
| | - Thijs Frenken
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Hugh J MacIsaac
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Andrew McClure
- Division of Water Treatment, City of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43605, USA
| | - R Michael McKay
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave., Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Laura A Reitz
- Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Life Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH 43402, United States
| | | | - Keara Stanislawczyk
- F.T. Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, 878 Bayview Ave. P.O. Box 119, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456, USA
| | - Richard P Stumpf
- National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Zachary D Swan
- Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, 6200 Bayshore Rd., Oregon, OH 43616, USA
| | - Brenda K Snyder
- Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, 6200 Bayshore Rd., Oregon, OH 43616, USA
| | - Judy A Westrick
- Lumigen Instrument Center, Wayne State University, 5101Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Pengfei Xue
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Colleen E Yancey
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 2534 North University Building, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1005, USA
| | - Arthur Zastepa
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7S1A1, Canada
| | - Xing Zhou
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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