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Ciaramelli C, Palmioli A, Brioschi M, Viglio S, D’Amato M, Iadarola P, Tosi S, Zucconi L, Airoldi C. Antarctic Soil Metabolomics: A Pilot Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12340. [PMID: 37569716 PMCID: PMC10418359 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512340] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In Antarctica, ice-free areas can be found along the coast, on mountain peaks, and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, where microorganisms well-adapted to harsh conditions can survive and reproduce. Metabolic analyses can shed light on the survival mechanisms of Antarctic soil communities from both coastal sites, under different plant coverage stages, and inner sites where slow-growing or dormant microorganisms, low water availability, salt accumulation, and a limited number of primary producers make metabolomic profiling difficult. Here, we report, for the first time, an efficient protocol for the extraction and the metabolic profiling of Antarctic soils based on the combination of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). This approach was set up on samples harvested along different localities of Victoria Land, in continental Antarctica, devoid of or covered by differently developed biological crusts. NMR allowed for the identification of thirty metabolites (mainly sugars, amino acids, and organic acids) and the quantification of just over twenty of them. UPLC-MS analysis identified more than twenty other metabolites, in particular flavonoids, medium- and long-chain fatty acids, benzoic acid derivatives, anthracenes, and quinones. Our results highlighted the complementarity of the two analytical techniques. Moreover, we demonstrated that their combined use represents the "gold standard" for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of little-explored samples, such as those collected from Antarctic soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Ciaramelli
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano—Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.)
| | - Alessandro Palmioli
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano—Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.)
| | - Maura Brioschi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano—Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.)
| | - Simona Viglio
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (S.V.); (M.D.)
| | - Maura D’Amato
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Via Forlanini 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (S.V.); (M.D.)
| | - Paolo Iadarola
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Solveig Tosi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy;
| | - Cristina Airoldi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano—Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.)
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Gevi F, Leo P, Cassaro A, Pacelli C, de Vera JPP, Rabbow E, Timperio AM, Onofri S. Metabolomic Profile of the Fungus Cryomyces antarcticus Under Simulated Martian and Space Conditions as Support for Life-Detection Missions on Mars. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:749396. [PMID: 35633719 PMCID: PMC9133366 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.749396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of traces of life beyond Earth (e.g., Mars, icy moons) is a challenging task because terrestrial chemical-based molecules may be destroyed by the harsh conditions experienced on extraterrestrial planetary surfaces. For this reason, studying the effects on biomolecules of extremophilic microorganisms through astrobiological ground-based space simulation experiments is significant to support the interpretation of the data that will be gained and collected during the ongoing and future space exploration missions. Here, the stability of the biomolecules of the cryptoendolithic black fungus Cryomyces antarcticus, grown on two Martian regolith analogues and on Antarctic sandstone, were analysed through a metabolomic approach, after its exposure to Science Verification Tests (SVTs) performed in the frame of the European Space Agency (ESA) Biology and Mars Experiment (BIOMEX) project. These tests are building a set of ground-based experiments performed before the space exposure aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The analysis aimed to investigate the effects of different mineral mixtures on fungal colonies and the stability of the biomolecules synthetised by the fungus under simulated Martian and space conditions. The identification of a specific group of molecules showing good stability after the treatments allow the creation of a molecular database that should support the analysis of future data sets that will be collected in the ongoing and next space exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Gevi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Patrick Leo
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Alessia Cassaro
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | | | | | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Centre, Institute of Aerospace Medicine (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna Maria Timperio
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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Coleine C, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Albanese D, Singh BK, Stajich JE, Selbmann L, Egidi E. Rocks support a distinctive and consistent mycobiome across contrasting dry regions of Earth. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6550019. [PMID: 35298630 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rock-dwelling fungi play critical ecological roles in drylands, including soil formation and nutrient cycling; however, we know very little about the identity, function and environmental preferences of these important organisms, and the mere existence of a consistent rock mycobiome across diverse arid regions of the planet remains undetermined. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of rock fungi and spatially associated soil communities, surveyed across 28 unique sites spanning four major biogeographic regions (North America, Arctic, Maritime and Continental Antarctica) including contrasting climates, from cold and hot deserts to semi-arid drylands. We show that rocks support a consistent and unique mycobiome that was different to that found in surrounding soils. Lichenized fungi from class Lecanoromycetes were consistently indicative of rocks across contrasting regions, together with ascomycetous representatives of black fungi in Arthoniomycetes, Dothideomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes. In addition, comparing to soil, rocks had a lower proportion of saprobes and plant symbiotic fungi. The main drivers structuring rock fungi distribution were spatial distance and, to a larger extent, climatic factors regulating moisture and temperature (i.e. mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation), suggesting that these paramount and unique communities might be particularly sensitive to increases in temperature and desertification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, E-41012, Sevilla, Spain.,Unidad Asociada CSIC-UPO (BioFun). Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Davide Albanese
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), Via E. Mach, 1, 38098 S. Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.,Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, Genoa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Egidi
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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