Biogeographical distribution and diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities within highly polluted anoxic marine sediments from the marmara sea

Physicochemical and microbiological characterization of anoxic sediments taken from seven highly polluted sites of the Marmara Sea was carried out. The 16S rRNA based microbial community structure analyses were performed using domain-specific PCR followed by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing of characteristic bands. The results showed that the microbial communities in these sediments were diverse and evenly distributed. Relating the prokaryotic and geochemical variables through statistical tools revealed that the microbial diversity in the sediments significantly related to depth, and S, Mn and Fe content of the sediments. Fermentative bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were dominant whereas sulfate reducing bacteria were absent in the DGGE patterns. This unusual microbial community structure implied that the newly discovered anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification process may occur in these subseafloor environments.     

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis shows that bacterial communities change with mid-ocean ballast water exchange

Ships carry ballast water for better stability and to control trim. However, the discharge of ballast water near ports is known to transport invasive species from one coastal area to another. The exchange of ballast water on the high seas is supposed to reduce such invasions of exotic species. In this study, we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to analyze the composition of the bacterial community in ballast water before and after such a mid-ocean exchange, and we also measured total bacterial counts. Our findings confirmed that the ballast water was replaced by the mid-ocean exchange, as indicated by the marked change in the composition of the bacterial community. There was also a significant decrease in bacterial abundance after the mid-ocean exchange. Finally, our findings support the incubation hypothesis, because the composition of the bacterial communities changed over time within the same ballast water.     

人工回灌过程中地下水微生物群落变化

人工回灌过程中,回灌水的注入使目的含水层地下水环境发生变化,微生物条件也会随之改变,从而影响地下水环境质量及水文地球化学作用。以上海市某人工回灌试验场为例,在分析人工回灌过程中水化学演化特点的基础上,应用DGGE技术对场地回灌过程中地下水中的微生物群落结构变化进行研究,为评价人工回灌对地下水水质安全的影响提供科学的理论依据。结果表明:人工回灌作用使目的含水层地下水中的Eh值及DO质量浓度升高,分别由64.0 mV、1.12 mg/L升至534.4 mV、1.44 mg/L;同一位置处微生物群落结构与原始地下水状态的相似性随时间降低;同一时刻距离回灌井越远的监测井的微生物群落结构越接近于原始地下水状态。随着回灌的进行,目的含水层地下水中优势菌属(种)共有7种,其中Rubrivivax gelatinosus和Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis clade IIA str.的反硝化能力以及Rhodoferax ferrireducens对Fe³⁺的还原能力,对地下水水化学组分产生影响。     

PAHs contamination and bacterial communities in mangrove surface sediments of the Jiulong River Estuary, China

Sixteen sediment samples collected from eight transects in a mangrove swamp of the Jiulong River Estuary, Fujian, China were investigated for their content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the biodegradation potential of the indigenous microorganisms. The bacterial community structures in the mangrove sediments and in enrichment cultures were also investigated. The results showed that the total PAHs concentration of mangrove sediments ranged from 280 to 1074 ng g(-1) dry weight, that the PAHs composition pattern in the mangrove sediments was dominated by high molecular weight PAH components (4-6 rings), and that Benzo[ghi]perylene and Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were the most dominant at different stations. Abundant PAH-degrading bacteria were found in all the stations, the values of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria ranged from 5.85 x 10(4) to 7.80 x 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry weight, fluoranthene-degrading bacteria ranged from 5.25 x 10(4) to 5.79 x 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry weight, pyrene-degrading bacteria ranged from 3.10 x 10(4) to 6.97 x 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry weight and the benzo(a)pyrene-degrading bacteria ranged from 5.25 x 10(4) to 7.26 x 10(5) CFU g(-1) dry weight. DGGE analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA gene fragments confirmed that there was a remarkable shift in the composition of the bacterial community due to the addition of the different model PAH compound phenanthrene (three ring PAH), fluoranthene(four ring PAH), pyrene(four ring PAH) and benzo(a)pyrene(five ring PAH) during enrichment batch culture. Eleven strains were obtained with different morphology and different degradation ability. The presence of common bands for microbial species in the cultures and in the native mangrove sediment DNA indicated that these strains could be potential in situ PAH-degraders.     

Metabolic and Phylogenetic Profile of Bacterial Community in Guishan Coastal Water（Pearl River Estuary）, South China Sea

Characteristics of a microbial community are important as they indicate the status of aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the metabolic and phylogenetic profile of the bacterioplankton community in Guishan coastal water（Pearl River Estuary）, South China Sea, at 12 sites（S1–S12） were explored by community-level physiological profiling（CLPP） with BIOLOG Eco-plate and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE）. Our results showed that the core mariculture area（S6, S7 and S8） and the sites associating with human activity and sewage discharge（S11 and S12） had higher microbial metabolic capability and bacterial community diversity than others（S1–5, S9–10）. Especially, the diversity index of S11 and S12 calculated from both CLPP and DGGE data（H 3.2） was higher than that of others as sewage discharge may increase water nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient. The bacterial community structure of S6, S8, S11 and S12 was greatly influenced by total phosphorous, salinity and total nitrogen. Based on DGGE fingerprinting, proteobacteria, especially γ- and α-proteobacteria, were found dominant at all sites. In conclusion, the aquaculture area and wharf had high microbial metabolic capability. The structure and composition of bacterial community were closely related to the level of phosphorus, salinity and nitrogen.     

Microbial community structure and diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal vent sediments along the Eastern Lau Spreading Centre

The aim of this study is to investigate microbial structures and diversities in five active hydrothermal fields’ sediments along the Eastern Lau Spreading Centre (ELSC) in the Lau Basin (southwest Pacific). Microbial communities were surveyed by denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone library analysis of 16S rRNA genes. The differences in microbial community structures among sediment samples from the five deep-sea hydrothermal sites were revealed by DGGE profiles. Cluster analysis of DGGE profiles separated the five hydrothermal samples into two groups. Four different 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, representing two selected hydrothermal samples (19-4TVG8 and 19-4TVG11), were constructed. Twenty-three and 32 phylotypes were identified from 166 and 160 bacterial clones respectively, including Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae and Planctomycetes. The phylum Proteobacteria is dominant in both bacterial libraries with a predominance of Gamma-Proteobacteria. A total of 31 and 25 phylotypes were obtained from 160 and 130 archaeal clones respectively, including Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group, Marine Group Ⅰ and Ⅲ, Marine Benthic Group E, Terrestrial Hot Spring Crenarchaeota and Deep-sea Hydrothermal Vent Euryarchaeota. These results show a variety of clones related to those involved in sulfur cycling, suggesting that the cycling and utilization of sulfur compounds may extensively occur in the Lau Basin deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem.