氨氧化古菌及其对氮循环贡献的研究进展

硝化作用先将氨氮氧化为亚硝酸盐氮并进一步氧化为硝酸盐氮,这一过程是氮进行全球生物化学循环的重要环节。随着氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)基因组序列中氨单加氧酶编码基因(amoA)的发现以及AOA在实验室条件下的成功培养(包括分离纯化和富集培养),基于分子生物学的研究表明AOA在各种环境广泛存在,且多数生境中它的数量远远超过氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)。AOA相对于AOB在氮循环中的贡献也引起了多方面的论证和争论。本文就氨氧化古菌的生态分布、系统进化、生境存在丰度及参与硝化作用等进行综述,指出不同生境AOA的活性及其对氮循环的重要性仍需做进一步的研究。     

酸性土壤氨氧化微生物及其影响因素研究进展

自然条件变化和人类活动不仅加剧了土壤酸化,扩大了酸性土壤面积,而且严重影响了土壤氮循环。氨氧化过程作为硝化作用的限速步骤,是全球氮循环的核心环节,受到国内外研究者的广泛关注。探究酸性土壤氨氧化作用及其功能微生物对完善氮循环机制和促进土壤养分循环具有重要意义。本文主要综述了土壤中氨氧化代谢途径,对比了氨氧化细菌(ammoniaoxidizing bacteria, AOB)、氨氧化古菌(ammonia-oxidizing archaea, AOA)和全程硝化菌(complete ammoniaoxidizers,Comammox)对酸性土壤氨氧化作用的相对贡献,分析了微生物内源功能差异及pH、底物浓度等外部环境因素对氨氧化微生物丰度、活性和群落结构的影响,最后对氨氧化微生物研究进行了展望,以期为酸性土壤氨氧化作用研究和微生物修复技术应用与实践提供科学参考。     

从典型硝化细菌到全程氨氧化微生物：发现及研究进展

生物硝化过程在全球氮循环中起关键性作用,被认为由氨氮氧化成亚硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐氧化成硝酸盐两个步骤组成,分别由氨氧化微生物(Ammonia oxidizing microorganisms,AOM)和硝化细菌(Nitrite oxidizing bacteria,NOB)催化完成。AOM包括氨氧化细菌(Ammonia oxidizing bacteria,AOB)和氨氧化古菌(Ammonia oxidizing archaea,AOA),AOB与AOA分布广泛,两者的相对丰度和氨氮浓度密切相关。2015年底,3个硝化螺菌属(Nitrospira)谱系Ⅱ的NOB被证实含有AOM的特征功能酶,包括氨单加氧酶(AMO)和羟胺脱氢酶(HAO),并证明NOB同时具有氨氧化和亚硝酸盐氧化的能力,命名为全程氨氧化微生物(Complete ammonia oxidizer,Comammox)。根据AMO的α亚基基因amoA的相似性将Comammox分为两大分支clade A和clade B。它们广泛分布于自然环境和人工系统,包括土壤(稻田、森林)、淡水(湿地、河流、湖泊沉积物、蓄水层)、污水处理厂和自来水厂等。本文综述了Comammox的发现及其最新的研究进展,并展望了Comammox作为氮循环关键功能菌群的研究方向和应用前景。     

典型岩溶槽谷区氨氧化微生物丰度对隧道建设的响应——以中梁山为例

氨氧化微生物介导土壤中铵态氮的氧化,是土壤硝化作用的第一步。【目的】在大型隧道工程影响的岩溶区,了解氨氧化微生物对土壤含水率和营养环境变化的响应对于研究隧道建设引起的生态环境改变和氮循环过程变化都有十分重要的意义。【方法】本研究以重庆市北碚区中梁山龙凤槽谷为例,对比受隧道影响的龙凤槽谷和不受隧道影响的龙车槽谷中4种土地利用方式(荒草地、竹林地、混交林以及菜园地)下的土壤中,3种氨氧化微生物(氨氧化细菌AOB、氨氧化古菌AOA、亚硝酸盐氧化细菌CMX)的丰度变化,结合土壤含水量、pH以及土壤营养元素等的变化,分析隧道建设引起的可培养氨氧化微生物数量变化及其过程机理。【结果】结果发现:(1)由于隧道开挖揭露了地下含水层,导致地下水位下降、土壤含水率降低、pH值升高、硝态氮含量增加、隧道影响区AOA、AOB和CMX丰度显著低于非隧道影响区,后者数量分别是前者的4.8、4.4和3.9倍;(2)受岩溶区碱性土壤环境和地下水以及可溶物极易漏失的影响,铵态氮等底物浓度并不是氨氧化细菌的主要影响因素,AOA丰度与土壤含水率和土壤酸碱缓冲性能呈正相关(P<0.01),CMX和AOB丰度都与土壤硝态...     

长江三峡大坝两侧水体中氨氧化微生物种群结构分析

【目的】研究自然界中的氨氧化微生物对于理解全球氮元素循环至关重要,而人们对于人工坝体对氨氧化微生物种群生态的影响还知之甚少。本工作旨在分析三峡大坝两侧水体中浮游和附着在颗粒表面的氨氧化微生物种群构成的多样性,并试图分析其潜在的控制因素。【方法】在靠近三峡坝体的上游水体及下游水体中各选取1个取样点,在取样点现场测量水体理化参数并收集生物量,采用氨氧化功能基因的mRNA逆转录产物构建克隆文库等技术分析样品中氨氧化微生物种群的多样性。【结果】坝下水体中浊度、溶氧量和氧化还原电位略高于坝上水体。坝体两侧的氨氧化菌以氨氧化古菌(AOA)为主,没有检测到氨氧化细菌(AOB)。坝体两侧水体不同存在方式的AOA组群存在差异:坝上水体中附着在颗粒表面的AOA多样性较高,而坝下水体中浮游的AOA多样性更高;坝上水体中附着在颗粒表面与浮游的AOA种群间的差异明显大于坝下水体。【结论】三峡大坝对坝体两侧水体中AOA种群主体构成的影响不是很明显,但三峡大坝产生的水动力条件改变影响了坝体两侧水体中浮游和附着在颗粒表面的AOA组群分布。     

缢蛏养殖池塘氨氧化微生物的季节变化特征

为探究缢蛏(Sinonovacula constricta)养殖池塘中氨氧化细菌(AOB)和氨氧化古菌(AOA)的季节变化及其环境因子相关性, 试验以amoA基因为分子标记, 利用荧光定量PCR技术对养殖池塘水体及沉积物中的AOA和AOB进行了研究。结果显示, 季节变化对于水体及沉积物中的AOA和AOB的amoA基因丰度有一定的影响, 不同季节的水体及沉积物中AOA含量均比AOB含量高一个数量级。其中水体中AOB在秋季显著高于其余三季(P<0.05); AOA在冬季最低, 且显著低于春秋两季(P<0.05)。沉积物中AOB和AOA均在冬季显著高于其余三季(P<0.05)。环境因子相关性分析结果表明: 水体中AOB丰度与氨氮成显著正相关(P<0.05), 与亚硝氮成显著负相关(P<0.05); AOA丰度与水温成正显著相关(P<0.05), 与硝氮成负显著相关(P<0.05)。沉积物中AOB丰度与溶解氧、硝氮、总氮及亚硝氮成显著正相关(P<0.05), 与水温成显著负相关(P<0.05); AOA丰度与溶解氧、总氮、硝氮成显著性正相关(P<0.05), 与水温成负显著相关(P<0.05)。多元线性回归方程结果显示, 缢蛏养殖池塘的AOA及AOB丰度与硝氮密切相关。研究表明, AOA在缢蛏养殖池塘氨氧化进程中占据主导地位, AOA和AOB丰度受盐度、温度、氮素浓度及溶解氧等环境因子的共同影响。     

云南地区热泉中氨氧化菌丰度对环境条件的响应

【目的】研究热泉中的氨氧化菌对于理解全球氮循环作用至关重要,而人们对于热泉中环境条件对氨氧化菌丰度分布的影响还知之甚少。本研究旨在研究云南热泉中氨氧化菌的丰度以及热泉环境因子(例如:温度、氨浓度及pH等)对氨氧化菌丰度的影响。【方法】在所选取的热泉中,采集沉积物、菌席或泉华样品。使用RNA逆转录、定量聚合酶链式反应及荧光原位杂交等技术对样品中各微生物种群进行定量分析。【结果】所选取的热泉沉积物、菌席或泉华中微生物总量大约为108-109细胞/g。其中,氨氧化古菌(AOA)占样品中微生物总量的0.02-1.32%,而氨氧化细菌数量低于检测下限。地球化学参数和AOA相对丰度的相关性统计分析显示,氨氧化古菌相对丰度值与NH3、NO2-、NO3-浓度和温度等具有统计学意义上的相关性,而其与Fe2+和及盐度无统计学意义上的相关性。【结论】在所调查的热泉中,氨氧化微生物种群主要由AOA组成,AOA在热泉中的氨氧化生物地球化学过程中起着重要作用。热泉中多个环境因子一起控制着AOA丰度在不同热泉中的分布特征,而某些环境因子,如盐度-和Fe2+浓度,可能不是控制AOA分布特征的关键因素。     

河口生态系统氨氧化菌生态学研究进展

由amoA基因编码的氨单加氧酶(AMO)所调控的氨氧化作用,是硝化作用的限速步骤和中心环节,而含有amoA基因的氨氧化细菌(AOB)和氨氧化古菌(AOA)多样性与环境因子关系密切,对缓解河口生态系统因人类活动造成的富营养化等环境问题具有特别重要的意义。水、陆和海交汇形成高度变异的具环境因子梯度的河口生态系统,是研究AOA和AOB生态学的天然实验室。河口AOA与AOB的群落组成、丰富度特征和生物有效性,与河口主要环境因子盐度、富营养化程度、植被、温度、碳、氮、硫、铁等,尤其是对盐度和富营养化有着较为强烈的响应。AOA和AOB多样性变化规律及其与河口特有的环境因子之间的相关性,应当是今后我国河口氨氧化菌研究的方向和重点。包括:(1)建立有效的氨氧化菌活性评价方法;(2)研究AOA的同化作用方式;(3)依据氨氧化菌分类和组成对河口环境变化的适应进化机制,建议可作为指示河口环境质量变化的生物标记;(4)将传统的分离培养方法与现代分子生物学研究方法相结合,筛选我国河口高效的氨氧化菌,并将其应用于生产。     

长期不同施肥制度对水稻土氨氧化微生物数量和群落结构的影响

由氨氧化微生物驱动的氨氧化过程是硝化作用的限速步骤,在土壤氮素循环过程中扮演着重要角色.以湖南省宁乡县长达30 a定位试验水稻土壤为研究对象,采用荧光定量PCR和Illumina MiSeq高通量测序分析方法,以amoA基因为靶标,研究了4种施肥制度[不施肥(CK)、化肥(CF)、70%化肥+30%有机肥(CFM₁)和40%化肥+60%有机肥(CFM₂)]水稻土壤氨氧化微生物的数量和群落结构变化.结果表明: 不同施肥处理氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB) amoA基因拷贝数分别为3.09×10⁷～8.37×10⁷和1.04×10⁷～7.03×10⁷ copies·g^-1干土.施肥显著提高了AOA和AOB数量,但处理CFM₂中AOB数量与CK差异不显著.有机肥配施比例对AOB群落α多样性指数的影响强于AOA,处理CFM₁中AOA群落的多样性指数(Shannon)和AOB群落的丰富度指数(ACE和Chao1)均显著高于CK.奇古菌门和泉古菌门是AOA群落的优势门类群,占AOA amoA基因总序列的83.4%;亚硝化螺菌属、environmental_samples_norank、Bacteria_unclassified和Nitrosomonadales_unclassified是AOB群落的优势属类群,占AOB amoA基因总序列的97.8%.维恩分析结果显示,有机肥配施比例对AOB群落操作分类单元(OTU)数量的影响强于AOA,但对各处理共有AOA和AOB amoA基因序列条数的影响均较小.冗余分析结果显示,不同施肥处理AOB群落结构差异强于AOA,且所有土壤理化性质均与AOA和AOB群落结构存在显著相关关系.综上可知:有机肥配施比例显著改变了AOA和AOB数量、多样性和群落结构,配施30%有机肥时,AOA群落的Shannon指数最高,AOB群落数量、ACE和Chao1指数均最高.研究结果可为进一步探讨农业系统中氨氧化微生物对不同施肥制度的响应机制及其在氮素转化中的作用提供科学依据.     

亚热带米槠天然林土壤氨氧化微生物对模拟氮沉降的响应

我国亚热带地区是全球氮沉降的热点区域。氮沉降会影响氨氧化微生物的丰度和群落结构,进而改变土壤微生物驱动的养分循环。目前对新近发现的完全氨氧化菌认识不足,极大地制约了对森林土壤氨氧化微生物响应氮沉降的整体认识。本研究以福建省三明市辛口镇格氏栲自然保护区长期模拟氮沉降处理土壤为研究对象,利用实时定量PCR方法,研究氨氧化微生物(包括氨氧化细菌AOB、氨氧化古菌AOA和完全氨氧化菌comammox Nitrospira),尤其是完全氨氧化菌的amoA基因丰度。模拟氮沉降处理包括:不添加N(CK)、低氮(添加40 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1,LN)和高氮(添加80 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1,HN)。结果表明: 8年的氮添加降低了土壤pH值和有机碳含量,提高了土壤硝态氮含量。供试土壤的AOB丰度低于检测限,无法获得目的片段。高氮处理显著提高了AOA丰度,但对完全氨氧化菌clade A和clade B丰度无显著影响。两种氮添加处理均降低了完全氨氧化菌/AOA值,表明氮添加降低了完全氨氧化菌在亚热带森林土壤氨氧化微生物类群中的相对竞争力。针对完全氨氧化菌clade A和clade B的扩增都存在非特异性产物,表明针对森林土壤的高特异性和覆盖度设计引物的必要性。Clade A和clade B丰度与总氮和铵态氮含量呈显著正相关,clade B丰度还与有机碳含量呈显著正相关。总之,模拟氮沉降提高了AOA在亚热带米槠天然林土壤硝化过程中的相对重要性,这些发现可为该地区应对全球变化和氮沉降的风险评估提供理论依据。     

氨氧化古菌及其在氮循环中的重要作用

氨氧化作用作为硝化过程的第一步,是氮素生物地球化学循环的关键步骤.长期以来,变形菌纲卢和',亚群中的氨氧化细菌一直被认为是氨氧化作用的主要承担者.然而,近年来研究发现氨氧化古菌广泛存在于各种生态系统中,并且在数量上占明显优势,在氮素生物地球化学循环中起着非常重要的作用.本文概述了氨氧化古菌的形态、生理生态特性及其系统发育特征,对比分析了氨氧化古菌和氨氧化细菌的氨单加氧酶及其编码基因的异同,综述了氨氧化古菌在水生和陆地等生态系统氮素循环中的作用,同时就氨氧化古菌在应用生态和环境保护领域今后的研究重点进行了展望.     

东湖表层沉积物中氨氧化古菌和氨氧化细菌丰度及多样性研究

研究通过高通量测序和荧光定量PCR等分子生物学分析方法, 以氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)为分子标记, 研究了东湖表层沉积物中AOA和AOB的群落多样性、丰度及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明, 东湖沉积物AOA主要为Nitrosopumilus, 其群落结构与沉积物中总氮含量显著相关, 而AOB主要为Nitrosomonas, 群落结构与沉积物中总有机碳和总磷显著相关。此外, 不同季节AOA丰度均高于AOB, 且沉积物AOA数量与温度呈显著负相关, 但AOB丰度变化不明显。东湖沉积物中AOA可能主导了氨氧化过程。     

Diversity, Physiology, and Niche Differentiation of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea

Nitrification, the aerobic oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, has been suggested to have been a central part of the global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle since the oxygenation of Earth. The cultivation of several ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as well as the discovery that archaeal ammonia monooxygenase (amo)-like gene sequences are nearly ubiquitously distributed in the environment and outnumber their bacterial counterparts in many habitats fundamentally revised our understanding of nitrification. Surprising insights into the physiological distinctiveness of AOA are mirrored by the recognition of the phylogenetic uniqueness of these microbes, which fall within a novel archaeal phylum now known as Thaumarchaeota. The relative importance of AOA in nitrification, compared to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), is still under debate. This minireview provides a synopsis of our current knowledge of the diversity and physiology of AOA, the factors controlling their ecology, and their role in carbon cycling as well as their potential involvement in the production of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. It emphasizes the importance of activity-based analyses in AOA studies and formulates priorities for future research.     

Quantitative analyses of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea and bacteria in the sediments of four nitrogen-rich wetlands in China

With the rapid development of ammonia-synthesizing industry, the ammonia-nitrogen pollution in wetlands acting as the sink of point and diffuse pollution has been increased dramatically. Most of ammonia-nitrogen is oxidized at least once by ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes to complete the nitrogen cycle. Current research findings have expanded the known ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes from the domain Bacteria to Archaea. However, in the complex wetlands environment, it remains unclear whether ammonia oxidation is exclusively or predominantly linked to Archaea or Bacteria as implied by specific high abundance. In this research, the abundance and composition of Archaea and Bacteria in sediments of four kinds of wetlands with different nitrogen concentration were investigated by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, cloning, and sequencing approaches based on amoA genes. The results indicated that AOA distributed widely in wetland sediments, and the phylogenetic tree revealed that archaeal amoA functional gene sequences from wetlands sediments cluster as two major evolutionary branches: soil/sediment and sediment/water. The bacteria functionally dominated microbial ammonia oxidation in different wetlands sediments on the basis of molecule analysis, potential nitrification rate, and soil chemistry. Moreover, the factors influencing AOA and AOB abundances with environmental indicator were also analyzed, and the results addressed the copy numbers of archaeal and bacterial amoA functional gene having the higher correlation with pH and ammonia concentration. The pH had relatively great negative impact on the abundance of AOA and AOB, while ammonia concentration showed positive impact on AOB abundance only. These findings could be fundamental to improve understanding of the importance of AOB and AOA in nitrogen and other nutrients cycle in wetland ecosystems.     

Habitat-Associated Phylogenetic Community Patterns of Microbial Ammonia Oxidizers

Microorganisms mediating ammonia oxidation play a fundamental role in the connection between biological nitrogen fixation and anaerobic nitrogen losses. Bacteria and Archaea ammonia oxidizers (AOB and AOA, respectively) have colonized similar habitats worldwide. Ammonia oxidation is the rate-limiting step in nitrification, and the ammonia monooxygenase (Amo) is the key enzyme involved. The molecular ecology of this process has been extensively explored by surveying the gene of the subunit A of the Amo (amoA gene). In the present study, we explored the phylogenetic community ecology of AOB and AOA, analyzing 5776 amoA gene sequences from >300 isolation sources, and clustering habitats by environmental ontologies. As a whole, phylogenetic richness was larger in AOA than in AOB, and sediments contained the highest phylogenetic richness whereas marine plankton the lowest. We also observed that freshwater ammonia oxidizers were phylogenetically richer than their marine counterparts. AOA communities were more dissimilar to each other than those of AOB, and consistent monophyletic lineages were observed for sediments, soils, and marine plankton in AOA but not in AOB. The diversification patterns showed a more constant cladogenesis through time for AOB whereas AOA apparently experienced two fast diversification events separated by a long steady-state episode. The diversification rate (γ statistic) for most of the habitats indicated γ_AOA > γ_AOB. Soil and sediment experienced earlier bursts of diversification whereas habitats usually eutrophic and rich in ammonium such as wastewater and sludge showed accelerated diversification rates towards the present. Overall, this work shows for the first time a global picture of the phylogenetic community structure of both AOB and AOA assemblages following the strictest analytical standards, and provides an ecological view on the differential evolutionary paths experienced by widespread ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. The emerged picture of AOB and AOA distribution in different habitats provides a new view to understand the ecophysiology of ammonia oxidizers on Earth.     

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.     

Bacteria dominate the ammonia-oxidizing community in a hydrothermal vent site at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge of the South Atlantic Ocean

Ammonia oxidation is the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification, which is carried out by two groups of microorganisms: ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and the recently discovered ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). In this study, diversity and abundance of AOB and AOA were investigated in five rock samples from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent site at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) of the South Atlantic Ocean. Both bacterial and archaeal ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) gene sequences obtained in this study were closely related to the sequences retrieved from deep-sea environments, indicating that AOB and AOA in this hydrothermal vent site showed typical deep ocean features. AOA were more diverse but less abundant than AOB. The ratios of AOA/AOB amoA gene abundance ranged from 1/3893 to 1/242 in all investigate samples, indicating that bacteria may be the major members responding to the aerobic ammonia oxidation in this hydrothermal vent site. Furthermore, diversity and abundance of AOA and AOB were significantly correlated with the contents of total nitrogen and total sulfur in investigated samples, suggesting that these two environmental factors exert strong influences on distribution of ammonia oxidizers in deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment.     

Ammonia‐oxidizing archaea: important players in paddy rhizosphere soil?

The diversity (richness and community composition) of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in paddy soil with different nitrogen (N) fertilizer amendments for 5 weeks were investigated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) jand clone library analysis based on the ammonia monooxygenase α-subunit ( amoA ) gene. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea predominated among ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in the paddy soil, and the AOA:AOB DNA-targeted amoA gene ratios ranged from 1.2 to 69.3. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea were more abundant in the rhizosphere than in bulk soil. Rice cultivation led to greater abundance of AOA than AOB amoA gene copies and to differences in AOA and AOB community composition. These results show that AOA is dominant in the rhizosphere paddy soil in this study, and we assume that AOA were influenced more by exudation from rice root (e.g. oxygen, carbon dioxide) than AOB.