Soil biota contribute to diverse soil ecosystem services such as greenhouse gas mitigation, carbon sequestration, pollutant degradation, plant disease suppression and nutrient acquisition for plant growth. Here, we provide detailed insight into different perturbation approaches to disentangle soil microbiome functions and to reveal the underlying mechanisms. By applying perturbation, one can generate compositional and functional shifts of complex microbial communities in a controlled way. Perturbations can reduce microbial diversity, diminish the abundance of specific microbial taxa and thereby disturb the interactions within the microbial consortia and with their eukaryotic hosts. Four different microbiome perturbation approaches, namely selective heat, specific biocides, dilution-to-extinction and genome editing are the focus of this mini-review. We also discuss the potential of perturbation approaches to reveal the tipping point at which specific soil functions are lost and to link this change to key microbial taxa involved in specific microbiome-associated phenotypes.
Euglenophyceae are unicellular algae with the majority of their diversity known from small freshwater reservoirs. Only two dozen species have been described to occur in marine habitats, but their abundance and diversity remain unexplored. Phylogenetic studies revealed marine prasinophyte green alga, Pyramimonas parkeae, as the closest extant relative of the euglenophytes' plastid, but similarly to euglenophytes, our knowledge about the diversity of Pyramimonadales is limited. Here we explored Euglenophyceae and Pyramimonadales phylogenetic diversity in marine environmental samples. We yielded 18S rDNA and plastid 16S rDNA sequences deposited in public repositories and reconstructed Euglenophyceae reference trees. We searched high-throughput environmental sequences from the TARA Oceans expedition and Ocean Sampling Day initiative for 18S rDNA and 16S rDNA, placed them in the phylogenetic context and estimated their relative abundances. To avoid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) bias, we also exploited metagenomic data from the TARA Oceans expedition for the presence of rRNA sequences from these groups. Finally, we targeted these protists in coastal samples by specific PCR amplification of two parts of the plastid genome uniquely shared between euglenids and Pyramimonadales. All approaches revealed previously undetected, but relatively low-abundant lineages of marine Euglenophyceae. Surprisingly, some of those lineages are branching within the freshwater or brackish genera.
- MeSH
- Chlorophyta klasifikace genetika MeSH
- DNA rostlinná genetika MeSH
- Euglenida klasifikace genetika MeSH
- fotosyntéza MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- genom chloroplastový * MeSH
- genom rostlinný MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- ribozomální DNA genetika MeSH
- RNA ribozomální 18S genetika MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Microbial heliorhodopsins are a new type of rhodopsins, currently believed to engage in light sensing, with an opposite membrane topology compared to type-1 and type-2 rhodopsins. We determined heliorhodopsins presence/absence is monoderms and diderms representatives from the Tara Oceans and freshwater metagenomes as well as metagenome assembled genome collections. Heliorhodopsins are absent in diderms, confirming our previous observations in cultured Proteobacteria. We do not rule out the possibility that heliorhodopsins serve as light sensors. However, this does not easily explain their absence from diderms. Based on these observations, we speculate on the putative role of heliorhodopsins in light-driven transport of amphiphilic molecules.
- MeSH
- biologické modely MeSH
- gramnegativní bakterie klasifikace genetika MeSH
- metagenom MeSH
- mořská voda mikrobiologie virologie MeSH
- oceány a moře MeSH
- otevřené čtecí rámce MeSH
- senzorické rhodopsiny genetika metabolismus MeSH
- sladká voda mikrobiologie virologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- oceány a moře MeSH
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are important virulence tools of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), but other biological functions of these nanostructures are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that modulation of OMV production enables EHEC to resist the intrahost environment during infection by investigating if simulated human gastrointestinal conditions affect OMV production in EHEC O157:H7 and O104:H4. All the conditions tested including a low pH, simulated ileal and colonic media, presence of mucin, intestinal epithelial cell lysate or antimicrobial peptides, as well as iron limitation, significantly increased OMV production by these pathogens. Accordingly, a maximum vesiculation in EHEC O104:H4 was observed immediately after its isolation from a patient's intestine, and rapidly decreased during passages in vitro. Most of the simulated intrahost conditions also upregulated the OMV-associated Shiga toxin 2a (Stx2a), the major EHEC virulence factor, and, as a result, OMV cytotoxicity. The data indicates that upregulation of OMV production by the human gastrointestinal milieu contributes to EHEC survival and adaptation within the host during infection. Moreover, the intrahost increase of vesiculation and OMV-associated Stx2a may augment EHEC virulence.
- MeSH
- buněčné linie MeSH
- Escherichia coli O157 fyziologie MeSH
- faktory virulence metabolismus MeSH
- gastrointestinální trakt metabolismus mikrobiologie MeSH
- infekce vyvolané Escherichia coli virologie MeSH
- interakce hostitele a patogenu * MeSH
- kultivované buňky MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- shiga toxin 2 metabolismus MeSH
- transportní vezikuly metabolismus MeSH
- virulence MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
This study is revealing the possible dissemination of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from humans into the wildlife. We studied silver gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) in Australia as potential carriers and reservoirs of VRE with acquired vancomycin resistance. In New South Wales (Australia), we have found two multi-resistant isolates belonging to Enterococcus faecium (sequence type 341, vanB genotype) and Enterococcus dispar (vanA genotype). Based on our knowledge, this is the first report of VRE in Australian wildlife.
- MeSH
- bakteriální proteiny genetika MeSH
- Charadriiformes mikrobiologie MeSH
- Enterococcus faecium účinky léků genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- enterokoky rezistentní vůči vankomycinu genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- infekce přenášené vektorem MeSH
- ligasy tvořící vazby C-O genetika MeSH
- rezistence na vankomycin genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Austrálie MeSH
Estimation of growth rates is crucial to understand the ecological role of prokaryotes and their contribution to marine biogeochemical cycling. However, there are only a few estimates for individual taxa. Two top-down (grazing) and bottom-up (phosphorus (P) availability) manipulation experiments were conducted under different light regimes in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Growth rate of different phylogenetic groups, including the Bacteroidetes, Rhodobacteraceae, SAR11, Gammaproteobacteria and its subgroups Alteromonadaceae and the NOR5/OM60 clade, were estimated from changes in cell numbers. Maximal growth rates were achieved in the P-amended treatments but when comparing values between treatments (response ratios), the response to predation removal was in general larger than to P-amendment. The Alteromonadaceae displayed the highest rates in both experiments followed by the Rhodobacteraceae, but all groups largely responded to filtration and P-amendment, even the SAR11 which presented low growth rates. Comparing light and dark treatments, growth rates were on average equal or higher in the dark than in the light for all groups, except for the Rhodobacteraceae and particularly the NOR5 clade, groups that contain photoheterotrophic species. These results are useful to evaluate the potential contributions of different bacterial types to biogeochemical processes under changing environmental conditions.
- MeSH
- Alteromonadaceae růst a vývoj metabolismus MeSH
- Bacteroidetes růst a vývoj metabolismus MeSH
- fosfor metabolismus MeSH
- mikrobiota fyziologie MeSH
- mořská voda mikrobiologie MeSH
- plankton mikrobiologie MeSH
- Rhodobacteraceae růst a vývoj metabolismus MeSH
- světlo * MeSH
- vodní organismy růst a vývoj MeSH
- životní prostředí MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Středozemní moře MeSH
Tropospheric nitrate levels are predicted to increase throughout the 21(st) century, with potential effects on terrestrial ecosystems, including the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS). This study considers the impacts of elevated nitrate concentrations on the abundance and composition of dominant bulk and active prokaryotic communities sampled from in situ nitrate fertilization plots on the GrIS surface. Nitrate concentrations were successfully elevated within sediment-filled meltwater pools, known as cryoconite holes; however, nitrate additions applied to surface ice did not persist. Estimated bulk and active cryoconite community cell abundance was unaltered by nitrate additions when compared to control holes using a quantitative PCR approach, and nitrate was found to have a minimal affect on the dominant 16S rRNA gene-based community composition. Together, these results indicate that sampled cryoconite communities were not nitrate limited at the time of sampling. Instead, temporal changes in biomass and community composition were more pronounced. As these in situ incubations were short (6 weeks), and the community composition across GrIS surface ice is highly variable, we suggest that further efforts should be considered to investigate the potential long-term impacts of increased nitrate across the GrIS.
- MeSH
- dusičnany metabolismus MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- ledový příkrov mikrobiologie MeSH
- prokaryotické buňky klasifikace metabolismus MeSH
- ribozomální DNA chemie genetika MeSH
- RNA ribozomální 16S genetika MeSH
- sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
- shluková analýza MeSH
- společenstvo účinky léků MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Grónsko MeSH
The cyanobacterial species Planktothrix rubescens is known to preferably inhabit deep, stratified, oligo- to mesotrophic lakes. It is also known for the production of diverse bioactive peptides, including the hepatotoxic microcystins. A number of studies showed that P. rubescens populations generally consist of multiple distinct genotypes or chemotypes, respectively. In the present study, variability of chemotype diversity was analysed. Filaments of P. rubescens were isolated from water samples originating from 10 European lakes and analysed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In most of the analysed filaments multiple peptides belonging to multiple peptide classes could be detected. A resulting data matrix of 964 filaments and 37 individual peptides was subjected to correspondence analysis and K-means clustering. From the latter analysis the distribution of chemotypes among the lakes was established and diversity estimated by computing Shannon-Indices. Diversity varied strongly among lakes with the lowest diversity found in non-alpine lakes. Further, chemotype diversity was strongly correlated to the maximum depth of the sampled lakes in alpine and non-alpine lakes. The possible influence of both factors, geographic isolation and water column depth, on the observed patterns of chemotype diversity of P. rubescens populations is discussed.
Most bacteria are found either in marine or fresh waters and transitions between the two habitats are rare, even though freshwater and marine bacteria co-occur in brackish habitats. Estuaries in brackish, tideless seas could be habitats where the transition of freshwater phylotypes to marine conditions occurs. We tested this hypothesis in the Gulf of Gdańsk (Baltic Sea) by comparing bacterial communities from different zones of the estuary, via pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. We predicted the existence of a core microbiome (CM, a set of abundant OTUs present in all samples) comprising OTUs consisting of populations specific for particular zones of the estuary. The CMs for the entire studied period consisted of only eight OTUs, and this number was even lower for specific seasons: five in spring, two in summer, and one in autumn and winter. Six of the CM OTUs, and another 21 of the 50 most abundant OTUs consisted of zone-specific populations, plausibly representing micro-evolutionary forces. The presence of up to 15% of freshwater phylotypes from the Vistula River in the brackish Gulf of Gdańsk supported our hypothesis, but high dissimilarity between the bacterial communities suggested that freshwater-marine transitions are rare even in tideless estuaries in brackish seas.
- MeSH
- Bacteria klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- bakteriální RNA genetika MeSH
- estuár * MeSH
- mořská voda mikrobiologie MeSH
- ribozomální DNA chemie genetika MeSH
- RNA ribozomální 16S genetika MeSH
- sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
- sladká voda mikrobiologie MeSH
- společenstvo * MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous mutualists of terrestrial plants and play key roles in regulating various ecosystem processes, but little is known about AMF biogeography at regional scale. This study aims at exploring the key predictors of AMF communities across a 5000-km transect in northern China. We determined the soil AMF species richness and community composition at 47 sites representative of four vegetation types (meadow steppe, typical steppe, desert steppe and desert) and related them to plant community characteristics, abiotic factors and geographic distance. The results showed that soil pH was the strongest predictor of AMF richness and phylogenetic diversity. However, abiotic factors only have a low predictive effect on AMF community composition or phylogenetic patterns. By contrast, we found a significant relationship between community composition of AMF and plants, which was a surprising result given the extent of heterogeneity in the plant community across this transect. Moreover, the geographic distance predominantly explained the AMF phylogenetic structure, implying that history evolutionary may play a role in shaping AMF biogeographic patterns. This study highlighted the different roles of main factors in predicting AMF biogeography, and bridge landscape-scale studies to more recent global-scale efforts.
- MeSH
- fylogeografie * MeSH
- hostitelská specificita MeSH
- koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
- mykorhiza klasifikace genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- půda chemie MeSH
- rostliny mikrobiologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Čína MeSH
