Diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in polluted mangrove sediment

Ammonia oxidation by microorganisms is a critical process in the nitrogen cycle. Recent research results show that ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are both abundant and diverse in a range of ecosystems. In this study, we examined the abundance and diversity of AOA and ammonia-oxidizing beta-proteobacteria (AOB) in estuarine sediments in Hong Kong for two seasons using the ammonia monooxygenase A subunit gene (amoA) as molecular biomarker. Relationships between diversity and abundance of AOA and AOB and physicochemical parameters were also explored. AOB were more diverse but less abundant than AOA. A few phylogenetically distinct amoA gene clusters were evident for both AOA and AOB from the mangrove sediment. Pearson moment correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to explore physicochemical parameters potentially important to AOA and AOB. Metal concentrations were proposed to contribute potentially to the distributions of AOA while total phosphorus (TP) was correlated to the distributions of AOB. Quantitative PCR estimates indicated that AOA were more abundant than AOB in all samples, but the ratio of AOA/AOB (from 1.8 to 6.3) was smaller than most other studies by one to two orders. The abundance of AOA or AOB was correlated with pH and temperature while the AOA/AOB ratio was with the concentrations of ammonium. Several physicochemical factors, rather than any single one, affect the distribution patterns suggesting that a combination of factors is involved in shaping the dynamics of AOA and AOB in the mangrove ecosystem.     

Characterization and quantification of class 1 integrons and associated gene cassettes in sewage treatment plants

Three hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactors (MBfR) biologically reduced nitrate and perchlorate in a synthetic ion-exchange (IX) brine. Inocula from different natural saline environments were employed to initiate the three MBfRs. Under high-salinity (3%) conditions, bioreduction of nitrate and perchlorate occurred simultaneously, and the three MBfRs from the different inocula exhibited similar removal fluxes for nitrate and perchlorate. Clone libraries were generated from samples of the biofilms in the three MBfRs and compared to those of their inocula. When H₂ was the sole exogenous electron donor under high-salinity conditions, MBfR-driven community shifts were observed with a similar pattern regardless of inoculum. The following 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis showed the presence of novel perchlorate-reducing bacteria in the salt-tolerant mBfR communities. These findings suggest that autohydrogenotrophic and high-salinity conditions provided strong selective pressure for novel perchlorate-reducing populations in the mBfRs. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Diversity and abundance of anammox bacterial community in the deep-ocean surface sediment from equatorial Pacific

The community structure and diversity of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria in the surface sediments of equatorial Pacific were investigated by phylogenic analysis of 16S rRNA and hydrazine oxidoreductase (hzo) genes and PCoA (principal coordinates analysis) statistical analysis. Results indicated that 16S rRNA and hzo sequences in the P2 (off the center of western Pacific warm pool) and P3 (in the eastern equatorial Pacific) sites all belong to the Candidatus “Scalindua”, the dominate anammox bacteria in the low-temperature marine environment proved by previous studies. However, in the P1 site (in center of warm pool of western Pacific), large part of 16S rRNA gene sequences formed a separated cluster. Meanwhile, hzo gene sequences from P1 sediment also grouped into a single cluster. PCoA analysis demonstrated that the anammox community structure in the P1 has significant geographical distributional difference from that of P2, P3, and other marine environments based on 16S rRNA and hzo genes. The abundances of anammox bacteria in surface sediments of equatorial Pacific were quantified by q-PCR analysis of hzo genes, which ranged from 3.98 × 10³ to 1.17 × 10⁴ copies g⁻¹ dry sediments. These results suggested that a special anammox bacteria phylotypes exist in the surface sediment of the western Pacific warm pool, which adapted to the specific habitat and maybe involved in the nitrogen loss process from the fixed inventory in the habitat.     

Enhancement of bioremediation by Ralstonia sp. HM-1 in sediment polluted by Cd and Zn

In this study, the potential for the application of the bioaugmentation to Cd and Zn contaminated sediment was investigated. A batch experiment was performed in the lake sediments augmented with Ralstonia sp. HM-1. The degradation capacity of 18.7 mg-DOC/l/day in the treatment group was bigger than that of the blank group (4.4 mg-DOC/l/day). It can be regarded as the result of the reduction of the metal concentration in the liquid phase due to adsorption into the sediments, with the increased alkalinity resulting from the reduction of sulfate by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The removal efficiency of cadmium and zinc in the treatment group was both 99.7% after 35 days. Restrain of elution to water phase from sediment in the Ralstonia sp. HM-1 added treatment group was also shown. In particular, the observed reduction of the exchangeable fraction and an increase in the bound to organics or sulfide fraction in the treatment group indicate its role in the prevention of metal elution from the sediment. Therefore, for bioremediation and restrain of elution from the sediment polluted by metal, Ralstonia sp. augmentation with indigenous microorganism including SRB, sediment stabilization and restrain of elution to surface water is recommended.     

Identification and characterization of class 1 integron resistance gene cassettes among Salmonella strains isolated from healthy humans in China

Twenty-three strains of Salmonella spp. isolated from healthy humans in Guangdong, China, were examined for their susceptibility to ten common antibiotics and the presence of antibiotic resistance integrons. All the strains were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 4 strains were positive for the intI1 gene. Polymerase chain reaction using in-F and in-B primers showed the existence of amplicons of 1,009 bp in two, 1,664 bp in one, and 1,009 bp and 1,664 bp in one of the intI1 -positive isolates, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed that the 1,009-bp amplicon harbored gene cassette aadA2, conferring resistance to spectinomycin, and the 1,664-bp amplicon harbored genes aadA5 and dfr17, conferring resistance to spectinomycin, streptomycin and trimethoprim. Meanwhile the experiments of plasmid conjugation and Southern hybridization with intI1 as the DNA probe indicated that all the integrons found in these strains were chromosomal. Because the strains carrying class 1 integrons were isolated from healthy humans, it suggests the need for all-round surveillance of the antibiotic resistance of pathogens.     

Emergence of dhfrXVb and blaCARB-4 gene cassettes in class 1 integrons from clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Amazon region

Integrons play a role in horizontal acquisition and expression of genes, as well as gene reservoir, contributing for the resistance phenotype, particularly relevant to bacteria of clinical importance. We aimed to determine the composition and the organization of the class 1 integron variable region present in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from Brazil. Strains carrying class 1 integrons were resistant to the majority of antibiotics tested, except to imipenem and ceftazidime. Sequence analysis of the integron variable region revealed the presence of the blaCARB-4 gene into two distinct cassette arrays: aacA4-dhfrXVb-blaCARB-4 and aadB-aacA4-blaCARB-4. dhfrXVb gene cassette, which is rare in Brazil and in P. aeruginosa species, was found in one isolate. PFGE analysis showed the spread of blaCARB-4 among P. aeruginosa clones. The occurrence of blaCARB-4 and dhfrXVb in Brazil may contribute for developing resistance to clinically important antibiotics, and shows a diversified scenarium of these elements occurring in Amazon clinical settings, where no study about integron dynamics was performed to date.     

Evidence for dynamic exchange of qac gene cassettes between class 1 integrons and other integrons in freshwater biofilms

Class 1 integrons carried by pathogens have acquired over 100 different gene cassettes encoding resistance to antimicrobial compounds, helping to generate a crisis in the management of infectious disease. It is presumed that these cassettes originated from environmental bacteria, but exchange of gene cassettes has surprisingly never been demonstrated outside laboratory or clinical contexts. We aimed to identify a natural environment where such exchanges might occur, and determine the phylogenetic range of participating integrons. Here we examine freshwater biofilms and show that families of cassettes conferring resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds ( qac ) are found on class 1 integrons identical to those from clinical contexts, on sequence variants of class 1 integrons only known from natural environments, and on other diverse classes of integrons only known from the chromosomes of soil and freshwater Proteobacteria . We conclude that gene cassettes might be readily shared between different integron classes found in environmental, commensal and pathogenic bacteria. This suggests that class 1 integrons in pathogens have access to a vast pool of gene cassettes, any of which could confer a phenotype of clinical relevance. Exploration of this resource might allow identification of resistance or virulence genes before they become part of multi-drug-resistant human pathogens.     

细菌染色体第1类整合子捕获耐药性基因盒反应模型的构建

【背景】整合子在细菌耐药性的获得及传播中占据重要地位,对于整合反应检测方法的改良及反应机制的研究,可以加深我们对细菌耐药性产生和播散的理解,为遏制耐药菌株的产生和播散提供新的途径。【目的】在细菌染色体上构建第1类整合子反应模型,用于评价整合酶介导的基因盒位点特异性重组。【方法】 PCR分别扩增含氯霉素耐药基因cat的CM片段、含基因盒aadA5的LacA5片段、含整合子重组位点attI1及强可变区启动子的PcS片段和插入位点两侧的同源臂,重叠延伸聚合酶链反应连接上述5个片段制备整合子模型插入片段,通过同源重组将构建好的整合子模型片段插入大肠埃希菌JM109染色体中。转入高表达第1类整合酶的质粒pHSint,在链霉素平板上筛选发生整合的菌株,并经聚合酶链反应和测序验证。【结果】构建的整合子模型片段经测序与预期一致,整合子模型片段成功插入大肠埃希菌JM109染色体中。转入高表达整合酶的质粒pHSint后,在链霉素平板上成功筛选出基因盒aadA5发生整合的菌株,经聚合酶链反应扩增并测序与预期一致。【结论】在大肠埃希菌染色体上成功构建第1类整合酶介导基因盒位点特异性重组反应模型,为进一步揭示整合子捕获耐药性基因盒的反应机制奠定基础。     

Diversity of gene cassette promoters in class 1 integrons from wastewater environments

The diversity of gene cassette promoters in class 1 integrons was investigated in 47 strains isolated from wastewaters. The weak PcW and PcH1 variants predominated, suggesting that, similar to clinical environments, high rates of gene cassette recombination, rather than high expression of gene cassettes, have been preferentially selected in wastewaters.     

Diversity and abundance of sulfate-reducing microorganisms in the sulfate and methane zones of a marine sediment, Black Sea

The Black Sea, with its highly sulfidic water column, is the largest anoxic basin in the world. Within its sediments, the mineralization of organic matter occurs essentially through sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. In this study, the sulfate-reducing community was investigated in order to understand how these microorganisms are distributed relative to the chemical zonation: in the upper sulfate zone, at the sulfate-methane transition zone, and deeply within the methane zone. Total bacteria were quantified by real-time PCR of 16S rRNA genes whereas sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) were quantified by targeting their metabolic key gene, the dissimilatory (bi)sulfite reductase (dsrA). Sulfate-reducing microorganisms were predominant in the sulfate zone but occurred also in the methane zone, relative proportion was maximal around the sulfate-methane transition, c. 30%, and equally high in the sulfate and methane zones, 5-10%. The dsrAB clone library from the sulfate-methane transition zone, showed mostly sequences affiliated with the Desulfobacteraceae. While, the dsrAB clone libraries from the upper, sulfate-rich zone and the deep, sulfate-poor zone were dominated by similar, novel deeply branching sequences which might represent Gram-positive spore-forming sulfate- and/or sulfite-reducing microorganisms. We thus hypothesize that terminal carbon mineralization in surface sediments of the Black Sea is largely due to the sulfate reduction activity of previously hidden SRM. Although these novel SRM were also abundant in sulfate-poor, methanogenic areas of the Black Sea sediment, their activities and possibly very versatile metabolic capabilities remain subject of further study.     

Occurrence of the genes encoding carbapenemases,ESBLs and class 1 integron-integrase among fermenting and non-fermenting bacteria from retail goat meat

The present study was planned to detect the genes encoding carbapenemases, ESBLs and class 1 integron-integrase among bacteria obtained from retail goat meat. Fermenting and non-fermenting bacterial isolates (n = 57), recovered from 61 goat meat samples, were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was tested by the broth dilution method using ceftazidime, cefotaxime, meropenem and imipenem. Plasmids were isolated and tested for their physical characters. Plasmids were subjected to screening of carbapenemase, ESBL and intI1 gene. Conjugation assay was performed using bla_NDM-positive isolates as the donor, and Escherichia coli HB101 as the recipient. Isolates showed the high rates of resistance to ceftazidime (77·2%), cefotaxime (70·2%), meropenem (22·8%) and imipenem (17·5%). They showed variability in number and size (~1 to >20 kb) of plasmids. Among all, 1, 4, 13 and 31 isolates showed the bla_KPC, bla_NDM, bla_SHV and bla_TEM genes, respectively. The bla_KPC-2 gene was observed in one E. coli isolate. The bla_NDM-1 gene was detected in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 2), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 1) and Ochrobactrum anthropi (n = 1) isolates. These isolates co-harboured the bla_TEM and bla_SHV genes. The intI1 gene was detected in 22 (38·6%) isolates, and 16 of these isolates showed the carbapenemase and/or ESBL genes. The conjugative movement of bla_NDM gene could not be proved after three repetitive mating experiments. The presence of genes encoding carbapenemases and ESBLs in bacteria from goat meat poses public health risks.     

Bacterial resistance evolution by recruitment of super-integron gene cassettes

The capture and spread of antibiotic resistance determinants by integrons underlies the rapid evolution of multiple antibiotic resistance among diverse Gram-negative clinical isolates. The association of multiple resistance integrons (MRIs) with mobile DNA elements facilitates their transit across phylogenetic boundaries and augments the potential impact of integrons on bacterial evolution. Recently, ancestral chromosomal versions, the super-integrons (SIs), were found to be genuine components of the genomes of diverse bacterial species. SIs possess evolutionary characteristics and stockpiles of adaptive functions, including cassettes related to antibiotic resistance determinants previously characterized in clinical isolates, which suggest that MRIs and their resistance genes were originally recruited from SIs and their pool of amassed genes. However, the recombination activity of integrons has never been demonstrated in a bacterium other than Escherichia coli. We introduced a naturally occurring MRI (TpR, SulR) on a conjugative plasmid into Vibrio cholerae, a species known to harbour a SI. We show that MRIs can randomly recruit genes directly from the cache of SI cassettes. By applying a selective constraint for the development of antibiotic resistance, we demonstrate bacterial resistance evolution through the recruitment a novel, but phenotypically silent, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene from the V. cholerae SI and its precise insertion into the MRI. The resulting resistance profile (CmR, TpR, SulR) could then be disseminated by conjugation to other clinically relevant pathogens at high frequency. These results demonstrate that otherwise phenotypically sensitive strains may still be a genetic source for the evolution of resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics through integron-mediated recombination events.     

Metal resistances of Chlorophyta from rivers polluted by heavy metals

SUMMARY. Two-hundred isolates, comprising 87 species of Chlorophyta, were obtained from sites along the Rivers Hayle and Gannel. which drain the ancient mining region of Cornwall. All isolates were tested for sensitivity to copper, lead, zinc and cadmium. In general, isolates were resistant to the metals normally present in their habitats. However, the distribution of metal sensitivities of the algae from a given site was broad; the effect of metal pollution was to shift the median response of a population toward higher metal resistance. Resistant algae of two general classes were identified: some normally sensitive species were metal-tolerant, presumably through genetic adaptation; other species were metal-resistant even when isolated from a non-polluted habitat. Many isolates of both types displayed multiple-resistances or co-tolerances. For example, copper tolerant isolates from high copper sites tended to be also lead resistant; however, algae from high lead sites were usually very copper sensitive. Zinc and cadmium resistances also were correlated among isolates from both zinc-polluted and non-polluted sites. General metal-insensitivity seemed to be common, particularly among gelatinous Chlamydomonas and Gloeococcus species. Thus, several evolutionary strategies appear to coexist among algae from metal polluted environments.     

微藻对污水中重金属的生物吸附(英文)

在我国,水源污染问题异常突出,特别是水体重金属污染情况非常严重,因此,如何有效治理水体重金属污染成为了摆在科技工作者面前十分紧迫的任务。利用微藻生物吸附来治理水体重金属污染是一种经济、简便、有效可行的方法,具有极其广阔的应用前景。论文介绍了我国近年水体污染的状况及水体重金属污染特点;综述了水体重金属污染对水体植物、水体动物以及人类潜在的危害;比较了几种常见治理重金属污染的方法;分析了微藻吸附水体重金属的优点,并阐述了微藻对重金属生物吸附的机理及影响生物吸附过程的外在因素;最后提出了今后的研究发展方向。     

Diversity and abundance of resistome in rhizosphere soil

Science China Life Sciences -     

溴代阻燃剂污染底泥与未污染底泥中细菌群落结构之比较分析

【目的】通过免培养的分子生物学方法,比较受溴代阻燃剂污染严重的河流底泥和与未污染水库底泥中细菌多样性差异,解析二者间细菌群落结构,为污染河流的治理与生物修复提供相关的理论依据。【方法】从中国贵屿溴代阻燃剂污染区练江底泥样品和未污染水库底泥样品中分别提取微生物总DNA,用细菌通用引物27F和1500R扩增16S rRNA基因,构建16S rRNA基因文库。用HhaⅠ和HinfⅠ2种限制性内切酶对克隆子进行扩增产物rDNA的限制性酶切分析(ARDRA),挑取不同的操作分类单元OUT中的克隆进行测序并构建系统发育树,比较代表克隆子的基本分类类群和生物多样性构成。【结果】未污染水库底泥中细菌群落组成主要包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)的α、β、γ和δ4个亚门、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)。优势菌是酸杆菌,占文库克隆的30.2%。污染河流底泥中细菌群落组成包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)的α、β、δ和ε4个亚门、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)、绿菌门或拟杆菌门(Chlorobi orBacteroidetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、待定菌群candidatedivision OP01、candidate division OP08和candidate division WS3的相似菌。优势菌是ε-变形细菌和绿弯菌,占文库克隆的44.9%。【结论】受溴代阻燃剂污染河流底泥中的细菌群落具有较高水平的多样性,与未污染底泥有显著区别,主要体现在ε-变形细菌和绿弯菌在细菌群落中具有优势地位。这种优势种群的改变可能与污染物的过度富集具有一定的相关性,对于我们进一步探索和了解溴代阻燃剂的微生物修复具有一定的指导意义。     

重金属污染黑土中固氮菌及反硝化菌作用强度的测定

本文采用气相色谱法同时测定了重金属Cd、As、Pb和Cu污染黑土中固氮菌及反硝化菌的作用强度。为准确、快速地提出土壤中Cd、As、Pb和Cu等重金属毒害土壤微生物临界指标开辟了新的途径。