Actinobacteria—An Ancient Phylum Active in Volcanic Rock Weathering

A molecular biological analysis of Icelandic volcanic rocks of different compositions and glassiness revealed the presence of Actinobacteria as an abundant phylum. In outcrops of basaltic glass they were the dominant bacterial phylum. A diversity of Actinobacteria were cultured from the rocks on rock-agar plates showing that they are capable of growing on rock-derived nutrient sources and that many of the taxa identified by molecular methods are viable, potentially active members of the community. Laboratory batch-culture experiments using a Streptomyces isolate showed that it was capable of enhancing the release of major elements from volcanic rocks, including weathered basaltic glass, crystalline basalt and komatiite, when provided with a carbon source. Actinobacteria of a variety of other sub-orders were also capable of enhancing volcanic rock weathering, measured as Si release. However, most strains did not significantly increase the weathering of the silica-rich rock, obsidian. These data show that Actinobacteria can contribute to volcanic rock weathering and, therefore, the carbonate-silicate cycle. Given their ancient lineage, it is likely they have played a role in rock weathering for over two billion years.     

Alteration textures in terrestrial volcanic glass and the associated bacterial community

Alteration textures were examined in subglacial (hyaloclastite) deposits at Valafell, Southern Iceland. Pitted and 'elongate' alteration features are observed in the glass similar to granular and tubular features reported previously in deep-ocean basaltic glasses, but elongate features generally did not have a length to width ratio greater than five. Elongate features were found in only 7% of surfaces. Crystalline basalt clasts, which are incorporated into the hyaloclastite, did not display elongate structures. Pitted alteration features were poorly defined in crystalline basalt, comprising only 4% of the surface compared to 47% in the case of basaltic glass. Examination of silica-rich glass (obsidian) and rhyolite similarly showed poorly defined pitted textures that comprised less than 15% of the surface and no elongate features were observed. These data highlight the differences in alteration textures between terrestrial basaltic glass and previously studied deep-ocean and subsurface basaltic glass, and the important role of mineralogy in controlling the type and abundance of alteration features. The hyaloclastite contains a diverse and abundant bacterial population, as determined by 16S rDNA analysis, which could be involved in weathering the glass. Despite the presence of phototrophs, we show that they were not involved in the production of most alteration textures in the basaltic glass materials we examined.     

Alteration of a Submarine Basaltic Glass under Environmental Conditions Conducive for Microorganisms: Growth Patterns of the Microbial Community and Mechanism of Palagonite Formation

In basaltic glass from the southern Mid-Atlantic-Ridge conducive environmental conditions for biogenic weathering resulted in excellent preserved microbial morphologies on glass surfaces. The distinct glass interface and open spaces between palagonite sheet and glass indicate a dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism of glass alteration potentially supported by microorganisms. On internal fracture surfaces, branching channels with widths at 20–30 μm containing longish structures with targeted dissolution of the glass by growing tips were observed. Alteration resulted in enrichment of Fe, Ti, P, and K in palagonite in amorphous mineral forms.     

The effect of rock composition on cyanobacterial weathering of crystalline basalt and rhyolite

The weathering of volcanic rocks contributes significantly to the global silicate weathering budget, effecting carbon dioxide drawdown and long‐term climate control. The rate of chemical weathering is influenced by the composition of the rock. Rock‐dwelling micro‐organisms are known to play a role in changing the rate of weathering reactions; however, the influence of rock composition on bio‐weathering is unknown. Cyanobacteria are known to be a ubiquitous surface taxon in volcanic rocks. In this study, we used a selection of fast and slow growing cyanobacterial species to compare microbial‐mediated weathering of bulk crystalline rocks of basaltic and rhyolitic composition, under batch conditions. Cyanobacterial growth caused an increase in the pH of the medium and an acceleration of rock dissolution compared to the abiotic controls. For example, Anabaena cylindrica increased the linear release rate () of Ca, Mg, Si and K from the basalt by more than fivefold (5.21–12.48) and increased the pH of the medium by 1.9 units. Although A. cylindrica enhanced rhyolite weathering, the increase in was less than threefold (2.04–2.97) and the pH increase was only 0.83 units. The values obtained with A. cylindrica were at least ninefold greater with the basalt than the rhyolite, whereas in the abiotic controls, the difference was less than fivefold. Factors accounting for the slower rate of rhyolite weathering and lower biomass achieved are likely to include the higher content of quartz, which has a low rate of weathering and lower concentrations of bio‐essential elements, such as, Ca, Fe and Mg, which are known to be important in controlling cyanobacterial growth. We show that at conditions where weathering is favoured, biota can enhance the difference between low and high Si‐rock weathering. Our data show that cyanobacteria can play a significant role in enhancing rock weathering and likely have done since they evolved on the early Earth.     

Monitoring bacterial communities in raw milk and cheese by culture-dependent and -independent 16S rRNA gene-based analyses

The diversity and dynamics of bacterial populations in Saint-Nectaire, a raw-milk, semihard cheese, were investigated using a dual culture-dependent and direct molecular approach combining single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) fingerprinting and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The dominant clones, among 125 16S rRNA genes isolated from milk, belonged to members of the Firmicutes (58% of the total clones) affiliated mainly with the orders Clostridiales and the Lactobacillales, followed by the phyla Proteobacteria (21.6%), Actinobacteria (16.8%), and Bacteroidetes (4%). Sequencing the 16S rRNA genes of 126 milk isolates collected from four culture media revealed the presence of 36 different species showing a wider diversity in the Gammaproteobacteria phylum and Staphylococcus genus than that found among clones. In cheese, a total of 21 species were obtained from 170 isolates, with dominant species belonging to the Lactobacillales and subdominant species affiliated with the Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes (Chryseobacterium sp.), or Gammaproteobacteria (Stenotrophomonas sp.). Fingerprinting DNA isolated from milk by SSCP analysis yielded complex patterns, whereas analyzing DNA isolated from cheese resulted in patterns composed of a single peak which corresponded to that of lactic acid bacteria. SSCP fingerprinting of mixtures of all colonies harvested from plate count agar supplemented with crystal violet and vancomycin showed good potential for monitoring the subdominant Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes (Flavobacteria) organisms in milk and cheese. Likewise, analyzing culturable subcommunities from cheese-ripening bacterial medium permitted assessment of the diversity of halotolerant Actinobacteria and Staphylococcus organisms. Direct and culture-dependent approaches produced complementary information, thus generating a more accurate view of milk and cheese microbial ecology.     

Bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic diversity of smooth and pustular microbial mat communities in the hypersaline lagoon of Shark Bay

The bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic populations of nonlithifying mats with pustular and smooth morphology from Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay were characterised using small subunit rRNA gene analysis and microbial isolation. A highly diverse bacterial population was detected for each mat, with 16S rDNA clones related to Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Gemmatimonas, Planctomycetes, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and candidate division TM6 present in each mat. Spirochaetes were detected in the smooth mat only, whereas candidate division OP11 was only detected in the pustular mat. Targeting populations with specific primers revealed additional cyanobacterial diversity. The archaeal population of the pustular mat was comprised purely of Halobacteriales, whereas the smooth mat contained 16S rDNA clones from the Halobacteriales, two groups of Euryarchaea with no close characterised matches, and the Thaumarchaea. Nematodes and fungi were present in each mat type, with diatom 18S rDNA clones only obtained from the smooth mat, and tardigrade and microalgae clones only retrieved from the pustular mat. Cultured isolates belonged to the Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Halobacteriales. The mat populations were significantly more diverse than those previously reported for Hamelin Pool stromatolites, suggesting specific microbial populations may be associated with the nonlithifying and lithifying microbial communities of Hamelin Pool.     

Microbial diversity in hot synthetic compost as revealed by PCR-amplified rRNA sequences from cultivated isolates and extracted DNA

High-temperature (>/=60 degrees C) synthetic food waste compost was examined by cultivation-dependent and -independent methods to determine predominant microbial populations. Fluorescent direct counts totaled 6.4 (+/-2.5)x10(10) cells gdw(-1) in a freeze-dried 74 degrees C compost sample, while plate counts for thermophilic heterotrophic aerobes averaged 2.6 (+/-1.0)x10(8) CFU gdw(-1). A pre-lysis cell fractionation method was developed to obtain community DNA and a suite of 16S and 18S rDNA-targeted PCR primers was used to examine the presence of Bacteria, Archaea and fungi. Bacterial 16S rDNA, including a domain-specific 1500-bp fragment and a 300-bp fragment specific for Actinobacteria, was amplified by PCR from all compost samples tested. Archaeal rDNA was not amplified in any sample. Fungal 18S rDNA was only amplified from a separate dairy manure compost that reached a peak temperature of 50 degrees C. Amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) was used to screen isolated thermophilic bacteria and a clone library of full-length rDNA fragments. ARDRA screening revealed 14 unique patterns among 63 isolates, with one pattern accounting for 31 of the isolates. In the clone library, 52 unique patterns were detected among 70 clones, indicating high diversity of uncultivated bacteria in hot compost. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two most abundant isolates belonged in the genera Aneurinibacillus and Brevibacillus, which are not commonly associated with hot compost. With the exception of one Lactobacillus-type sequence, the clone library contained only sequences that clustered within the genus Bacillus. None of the isolates or cloned sequences could be assigned to the group of obligate thermophilic Bacillus spp. represented by B. stearothermophilus, commonly believed to dominate high-temperature compost. Amplified partial fragments from Actinobacteria, spanning the V3 variable region (Neefs et al. (1990) Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 2237-2242), included sequences related to the genera Saccharomonospora, Gordonia, Rhodococcus and Corynebacterium, although none of these organisms were detected among the isolates or full-length cloned rDNA sequences. All of the thermophilic isolates and sequenced rDNA fragments examined in this study were from Gram-positive organisms.     

Cultivation-independent and -dependent characterization of Bacteria resident beneath John Evans Glacier

Viable microorganisms are present in subglacial waters and sediment-laden ice beneath John Evans glacier in the Canadian high Arctic. The Bacterial communities resident in three subglacial samples were examined by amplifying 16S rRNA genes extracted from community DNA and from axenic isolates. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 341 clones produced 153 operational taxonomic units (OTUS), of which 25 dominant OTUS were sequenced. A subglacial water sample yielded Betaproteobacteria (25% of clones, particularly Comamonadaceae), Bacteroidetes (23%, particularly Flavobacterium) and Actinobacteria (14%). A second water sample had 51%Betaproteobacteria, 5%Bacteroidetes and no Actinobacteria, and a sediment sample was dominated by Betaproteobacteria (15%) and Bacteroidetes (38%). A collection of 158 morphologically distinct isolates was obtained on R2A agar using three incubation conditions: fully aerobic at 20 degrees C or 4 degrees C, or microaerobic at 20 degrees C. A total of 52 isolate OTUs were defined, comprising Bacteroidetes (predominantly Flavobacterium isolated at 4 degrees C), Betaproteobacteria (particularly Comamonadaceae), plus Actinobacteria and Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria not detected as clones. Otherwise, the clone library and isolate collection results were quite comparable and supported earlier molecular studies at this site. Although additional undescribed diversity likely exists in these samples, combining culture-based results with molecular analysis increased the observed bacterial diversity and confirmed previous observations at this glacier and others.     

Survey and phylogenetic analysis of culturable microbes in the oral secretions of three bark beetle species

In a recent study, we reported a previously undescribed behavior in which a bark beetle exuded oral secretions containing bacteria that have antifungal properties, and hence defend their galleries against pervasive antagonistic Hyphomycete fungi. Actinobacteria, a group known for their antibiotic properties, were the most effective against fungi that invade the spruce beetle galleries. In the present study, we describe the isolation and identification of microorganisms from oral secretions of three bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae): the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby, the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, and the pine engraver, Ips pini Say. Bacteria isolated from these three species span the major bacterial classes α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, except for D. ponderosae , which yielded no α-proteobacteria or Bacteroidetes isolates. Spruce beetles and pine engraver beetles had similar numbers of α-proteobacteria isolates, but pine engravers yielded twice as many Bacteroidetes isolates as spruce beetles. In contrast, mountain pine beetles yielded more isolates in the β- and γ-proteobacteria than spruce beetles and pine engravers. The highest percentage of Actinobacteria was obtained from spruce beetles, followed by pine engravers and mountain pine beetles. All of the fungal isolates obtained from the three beetle species were Ascomycetes. The greatest fungal diversity was obtained in spruce beetles, which had nine species, followed by pine engravers with five, and mountain pine beetles with one.     

Geomicrobiology of the ocean crust: a role for chemoautotrophic Fe-bacteria

The delicate balance of the major global biogeochemical cycles greatly depends on the transformation of Earth materials at or near its surface. The formation and degradation of rocks, minerals, and organic matter are pivotal for the balance, maintenance, and future of many of these cycles. Microorganisms also play a crucial role, determining the transformation rates, pathways, and end products of these processes. While most of Earth's crust is oceanic rather than terrestrial, few studies have been conducted on ocean crust transformations, particularly those mediated by endolithic (rock-hosted) microbial communities. The biology and geochemistry of deep-sea and sub-seafloor environments are generally more complicated to study than in terrestrial or near-coastal regimes. As a result, fewer, and more targeted, studies usually homing in on specific sites, are most common. We are studying the role of endolithic microorganisms in weathering seafloor crustal materials, including basaltic glass and sulfide minerals, both in the vicinity of seafloor hydrothermal vents and off-axis at unsedimented (young) ridge flanks. We are using molecular phylogenetic surveys and laboratory culture studies to define the size, diversity, physiology, and distribution of microorganisms in the shallow ocean crust. Our data show that an unexpected diversity of microorganisms directly participate in rock weathering at the seafloor, and imply that endolithic microbial communities contribute to rock, mineral, and carbon transformations.     

Bacterial diversity in surface sediments from the Pacific Arctic Ocean

In order to assess bacterial diversity within four surface sediment samples (0–5 cm) collected from the Pacific Arctic Ocean, 16S ribosomal DNA clone library analysis was performed. Near full length 16S rDNA sequences were obtained for 463 clones from four libraries and 13 distinct major lineages of Bacteria were identified (α, β, γ, δ and ε-Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes, Spirochetes, and Verrucomicrobia). α, γ, and δ-Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria were common phylogenetic groups from all the sediments. The γ-Proteobacteria were the dominant bacterial lineage, representing near or over 50% of the clones. Over 35% of γ-Proteobacteria clones of four clone library were closely related to cultured bacterial isolates with similarity values ranging from 94 to 100%. The community composition was different among sampling sites, which potentially was related to geochemical differences.     

沙颍河下游城市黑臭内河沉积物微生物群落季节变化特征

为了研究沙颍河下游城市黑臭内河不同季节沉积物微生物群落特征,对安徽省阜阳市黑臭内河中清河、七渔河表层沉积物进行16S rDNA高通量测序。结果发现:黑臭河流中沉积物的微生物多样性指数均不高,但是表现出一定的变化规律,即春季>冬季≥夏季>秋季;通过冗余性分析发现微生物多样性受季节与沉积物pH影响较显著。分析沉积物门水平上的微生物群落结构发现,季节、温度、TN及SOM对微生物影响较大。变形杆菌、厚壁菌门、绿弯菌门、疣微菌门、拟杆菌门和放线菌门等优势菌门的相对丰度在季节水平上存在差异,春季厚壁菌门、绿弯菌门、放线菌门和酸杆菌门相对丰度较高,其中绿弯菌门和酸杆菌门是已知指示污染的微生物,变形杆菌门相对较少。秋季疣微菌门与拟杆菌门相对丰度显著减小,变形杆菌门相对其他季节显著增加。样品中共发现16个硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)菌属,其中Desulfoprunum是丰度最高的菌属。春季沉积物中SRB的类群最多,相对丰度最大;硫酸盐还原菌群与SO42-、TN、SOM、Cl–等呈显著正相关。上述结果为营养盐控制时机的选择从而有效避免河流中黑臭物质的产生提供了一定参考。     

Isolation and characterization of novel psychrophilic,neutrophilic, Fe-oxidizing,chemolithoautotrophic alpha- and gamma-proteobacteria from the deep sea

We report the isolation and physiological characterization of novel, psychrophilic, iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) from low-temperature weathering habitats in the vicinity of the Juan de Fuca deep-sea hydrothermal area. The FeOB were cultured from the surfaces of weathered rock and metalliferous sediments. They are capable of growth on a variety of natural and synthetic solid rock and mineral substrates, such as pyrite (FeS(2)), basalt glass ( approximately 10 wt% FeO), and siderite (FeCO(3)), as their sole energy source, as well as numerous aqueous Fe substrates. Growth temperature characteristics correspond to the in situ environmental conditions of sample origin; the FeOB grow optimally at 3 to 10 degrees C and at generation times ranging from 57 to 74 h. They are obligate chemolithoautotrophs and grow optimally under microaerobic conditions in the presence of an oxygen gradient or anaerobically in the presence of nitrate. None of the strains are capable of using any organic or alternate inorganic substrates tested. The bacteria are phylogenetically diverse and have no close Fe-oxidizing or autotrophic relatives represented in pure culture. One group of isolates are gamma-Proteobacteria most closely related to the heterotrophic bacterium Marinobacter aquaeolei (87 to 94% sequence similarity). A second group of isolates are alpha-Proteobacteria most closely related to the deep-sea heterotrophic bacterium Hyphomonas jannaschiana (81 to 89% sequence similarity). This study provides further evidence for the evolutionarily widespread capacity for Fe oxidation among bacteria and suggests that FeOB may play an unrecognized geomicrobiological role in rock weathering in the deep sea.     

Microarray analysis of a microbe–mineral interaction

The weathering of volcanic minerals makes a significant contribution to the global silicate weathering budget, influencing carbon dioxide drawdown and long‐term climate control. Basalt rocks may account for over 30% of the global carbon dioxide drawdown in silicate weathering. Micro‐organisms are known to play a role in rock weathering yet the genomics and genetics of biological rock weathering are unknown. We apply DNA microarray technology to determine putative genes involved in weathering using the heavy metal‐resistant organism, Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34; in particular we investigate the sequestering of iron. The results show that the bacterium does not depend on siderophores. Instead, the up‐regulation of porins and transporters which are employed concomitantly with genes associated with biofilm formation suggests that novel passive and active iron uptake systems are involved. We hypothesize that these mechanisms induce rock weathering by changes in chemical equilibrium at the microbe–mineral interface, reducing the saturation state of iron. We also demonstrate that low concentrations of metals in the basalt induce heavy metal‐resistant genes. Some of the earliest environments on the Earth were volcanic. Therefore, these results not only elucidate the mechanisms by which micro‐organisms might have sequestered nutrients on the early Earth but also provide an explanation for the evolution of multiple heavy metal resistance genes long before the creation of contaminated industrial biotopes by human activity.     

Weathering of Basalts by Aspergillus sp. FS-4 Strain: Glass Compositions are Prone to Weathering

Abstract

Mechanisms underlying microbe-induced dissolution of basalt and its effect on glass composition remain unclear. Two powdered basalts, with a glass composition of 27?vol% (Basalt-T) and 18?vol% (Basalt-F), respectively, were inoculated with Aspergillus sp. FS-4 in Czapek medium. Changes in pH, siderophores and main dissolved elements were examined. Basalt-F led to a greater decrease in pH and higher production of siderophores than Basalt-T mainly due to the fungi activity. Element dissolution was 2 to 3 fold higher in Basalt-T than in Basalt-F, and the dissolution was non-stoichiometric for both basalts. FS-4 appears important for basalt weathering. Composition of geologic material had a considerable impact on weathering. Materials with a higher glass percentage are prone to weathering. Further quantitative evaluation is required.     

新疆特殊生境岩石内生细菌末端限制性片段长度多态性技术分析

【目的】了解新疆特殊生境不同类型岩石内生细菌的组成及多样性。【方法】采用末端限制性片段长度多态性技术(Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism,T-RFLP),分析新疆乌苏花岗岩(1号样)、一号冰川和木垒变质岩(2,3号样)、裕民和托克逊岩石漆(4,5号样)内生细菌群落。【结果】样品间多样性指数变化不大;聚类分析表明岩石类型相同,其相似性较高,2号样和3号样聚为一支并与1号样再聚为一支,4号样与5号样聚为一支;各样品共有种群为厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes),1号样存在酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria),2号样存在浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes);除5号样优势类群为放线菌门(29.3%),其它4个样品均为变形菌门,只是所占比例略有不同。【结论】生境不同的同类型岩石的内生细菌群落组成存在差异,各类岩石中可能存在大量未知细菌新种。     

青藏铁路沿线唐古拉山口土壤微生物的ARDRA分析

通过构建16S rDNA文库及文库的限制性片段长度多态性分析（ARDRA）,对青藏铁路沿线唐古拉山口的土壤微生物多样性进行了研究。采用限制性内切酶HaeIII和RsaI对克隆文库中的90个克隆子进行了酶切分型,根据ARDRA酶切图谱的不同,可将其分为23个OTUs。16SrDNA序列分析结果表明,该克隆文库中主要包括变形菌门（Proteobacteria）的alpha、beta、detla亚类、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）及浮霉菌门（Planctomycetes）等8类细菌及未培养细菌。Alpha变形细菌为该文库中的主要菌群,占克隆总数的33.3%;其次为未培养细菌,占克隆总数的22.2%,Bradyrhizobium为优势菌属。研究结果揭示,青藏铁路唐古拉山口的土壤微生物种群不仅具有丰富的多样性,还存在丰富的潜在新菌种。     

十字花科作物根肿病对根际土壤微生物群落的影响

为探究根肿病对十字花科作物根际土壤微生物多样性的影响,以罹病大白菜和健康株根际土壤为研究对象,采用高通量测序技术对2组样本的细菌16S rDNA和真菌ITS基因进行序列测定,分析了样本间的微生物群落结构和组成差异,同时测定根际土壤理化性质,探讨根肿病、土壤微生物群落、土壤环境因子三者的相关性。研究表明:1)患病植株根际土壤pH和总磷、总钾、碱解氮、速效钾含量显著低于正常植株根际土,而交换性钙含量明显增加。2)根肿病的发生降低了根际土壤中细菌种群的丰富度和多样性程度,但对根际土壤中的真菌α-多样性无明显影响。3)变形菌门、拟杆菌门、放线菌门等是所测土壤样本的主要优势细菌种群,其中患病植株根际土壤中拟杆菌门丰度显著高于健康植株根际土壤,放线菌门丰度则显著降低(P0.05)。优势细菌纲为γ-变形菌纲、拟杆菌纲、α-变形菌纲、放线菌纲、酸杆菌纲等,2组土壤样本间多种优势细菌纲相对丰度差异显著。4)根际土壤优势真菌类群为子囊菌门、被孢霉门、担子菌门和壶菌门,其相对丰度在患病和健康株根际土壤样本中均有明显差异。主要真菌纲为散囊菌纲、被孢霉纲、锤舌菌纲等,并且土壤样本间的多种优势真菌纲相对丰度存在显著性差异。5)主坐标分析结果表明病株根际土壤与健康株根际土壤细菌和真菌群落结构差异明显,冗余分析结果显示速效钾和交换性钙是根际土壤微生物群落变化的主要影响因素。研究结果为揭示根肿病发生的根际微生态机制以及研发根肿病综合防控技术提供理论支撑。     

Drop-size soda lakes: transient microbial habitats on a salt-secreting desert tree

We describe a hitherto unrecognized bacterial community, inhabiting the leaf surfaces of the salt-excreting desert tree Tamarix. High temperatures, strong radiation, and very low humidity dictate a daytime existence in complete desiccation, but damp nights allow the microbial population to proliferate in a sugar-rich, alkaline, and hypersaline solution, before drying up again after sunrise. The exclusively bacterial population contains many undescribed species and genera, but nevertheless appears to be characterized by relatively limited species diversity. Sequences of 16S rRNA genes from either isolates or total community DNA place the identified members of the community in five bacterial groups (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, alpha-, and gamma-Proteobacteria); in each of these, they concentrate in a very narrow branch that in most cases harbors organisms isolated from unrelated halophilic environments.     

Isolation and Characterization of Novel Psychrophilic, Neutrophilic, Fe-Oxidizing, Chemolithoautotrophic α- and γ-Proteobacteria from the Deep Sea

We report the isolation and physiological characterization of novel, psychrophilic, iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) from low-temperature weathering habitats in the vicinity of the Juan de Fuca deep-sea hydrothermal area. The FeOB were cultured from the surfaces of weathered rock and metalliferous sediments. They are capable of growth on a variety of natural and synthetic solid rock and mineral substrates, such as pyrite (FeS₂), basalt glass (~10 wt% FeO), and siderite (FeCO₃), as their sole energy source, as well as numerous aqueous Fe substrates. Growth temperature characteristics correspond to the in situ environmental conditions of sample origin; the FeOB grow optimally at 3 to 10°C and at generation times ranging from 57 to 74 h. They are obligate chemolithoautotrophs and grow optimally under microaerobic conditions in the presence of an oxygen gradient or anaerobically in the presence of nitrate. None of the strains are capable of using any organic or alternate inorganic substrates tested. The bacteria are phylogenetically diverse and have no close Fe-oxidizing or autotrophic relatives represented in pure culture. One group of isolates are γ-Proteobacteria most closely related to the heterotrophic bacterium Marinobacter aquaeolei (87 to 94% sequence similarity). A second group of isolates are α-Proteobacteria most closely related to the deep-sea heterotrophic bacterium Hyphomonas jannaschiana (81 to 89% sequence similarity). This study provides further evidence for the evolutionarily widespread capacity for Fe oxidation among bacteria and suggests that FeOB may play an unrecognized geomicrobiological role in rock weathering in the deep sea.