scholarly journals Capturing and taming Earth’s wild microbes

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
James T Staley
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Science And Society ◽  
Biotechnological Potential ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Untapped Resource ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

Among the organisms of the biosphere, the diversity of the Bacteria and Archaea is the most poorly understood. Our lack of knowledge about microbial diversity is important because the majority of these organisms still remain undescribed and unclassified and the roles they perform in their environments, their geochemical activities and their biotechnological potential still need to be ascertained. For these reasons, this rich, unknown diversity comprises an enormous untapped resource for science and society. Only recently have microbiologists begun to more fully realise how great our ignorance of microbial diversity truly is. This paper discusses how technology, persistence and serendipity play important roles in unveiling the vast diversity of uncultivated microorganisms through their capture (isolation) and taming (cultivation, naming and description). Perhaps citizens can be recruited to become ?microbe hunters? to assist in efforts to characterise new microbial species. Their potential reward could be a trophy for the ?smallest game?: the capture and naming of a novel bacterial species.

Microbial Diversity and Biotechnological Potential of Microorganisms Thriving in the Deep-Sea Brine Pools

Extremophiles ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 19-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Barozzi ◽  
Francesca Mapelli ◽  
Grégoire Michoud ◽  
Elena Crotti ◽  
Giuseppe Merlino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Biotechnological Potential ◽  
Brine Pools

scholarly journals Microbial Diversity Profiling of Gut Microbiota of Macropus giganteus Using Three Hypervariable Regions of the Bacterial 16S rRNA

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1721
Author(s):  
Christian O’Dea ◽  
Roger Huerlimann ◽  
Nicole Masters ◽  
Anna Kuballa ◽  
Cameron Veal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Faecal Contamination ◽  
Hypervariable Regions ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
V3 Region

Animal faecal contamination of surface waters poses a human health risk, as they may contain pathogenic bacteria or viruses. Of the numerous animal species residing along surface waterways in Australia, macropod species are a top contributor to wild animals’ faecal pollution load. We characterised the gut microbiota of 30 native Australian Eastern Grey Kangaroos from six geographical regions (five kangaroos from each region) within South East Queensland in order to establish their bacterial diversity and identify potential novel species-specific bacteria for the rapid detection of faecal contamination of surface waters by these animals. Using three hypervariable regions (HVRs) of the 16S rRNA gene (i.e., V1–V3, V3–V4, and V5–V6), for their effectiveness in delineating the gut microbial diversity, faecal samples from each region were pooled and microbial genomic DNA was extracted, sequenced, and analysed. Results indicated that V1-V3 yielded a higher taxa richness due to its larger target region (~480 bp); however, higher levels of unassigned taxa were observed using the V1-V3 region. In contrast, the V3–V4 HVR (~569 bp) attained a higher likelihood of a taxonomic hit identity to the bacterial species level, with a 5-fold decrease in unassigned taxa. There were distinct dissimilarities in beta diversity between the regions, with the V1-V3 region displaying the highest number of unique taxa (n = 42), followed by V3–V4 (n = 11) and V5–V6 (n = 8). Variations in the gut microbial diversity profiles of kangaroos from different regions were also observed, which indicates that environmental factors may impact the microbial development and, thus, the composition of the gut microbiome of these animals.

scholarly journals Soil microbial diversity in organic and non-organic pasture systems

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11184
Author(s):  
Mohan Acharya ◽  
Amanda J. Ashworth ◽  
Yichao Yang ◽  
Joan M. Burke ◽  
Jung Ae Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Soil Microbiome ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Soil Microbial Diversity ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Organic Systems ◽  
Microbiome Diversity

Understanding the effects of organic pasture management on the soil microbiome is important for sustainable forage production since soil microbiome diversity contributes to improved nutrient cycling, soil structure, plant growth, and environmental resiliency; however, the soil microbiome response to pasture management is largely unknown. This study assessed the soil microbial diversity, richness, and community structure following 10 years of pasture management (organic or non-organic) of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm in July and August from 2017–2018 and soil nutrient properties (nutrients, carbon, nitrogen, and pH) quantified and correlated with soil microbial diversity. Overall, greater soil bacterial species richness (P ≤ 0.05) occurred in organic relative to non-organic (conventional) systems. Management affected bacterial species richness (Chao1), with greater richness occurring in organic pasture soils and less richness occurring in non-organic systems (P ≤ 0.05). Similarly, management affected bacterial evenness (Simpson’s index), with a more diverse community occurring in organically managed soils relative to non-organic pastures (P ≤ 0.05). Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed statistically significant and biologically consistent differences in bacterial taxa in organic compared with non-organic soils. Therefore, there was a shift in bacterial community structure in organic relative to non-organic soils (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, soil nutrients (Fe, Mg, Ni, S, Al, K, Cd, and Cu), pH, C, and N were correlated with one or more dominant bacterial phyla (Gemmatimonadetes, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria). Overall, pasture management affected soil microbial diversity, with greater diversity occurring in organic than non-organic systems, likely owing to applications of organic poultry litter in organic systems compared to non-organic management (use of inorganic-fertilizers and herbicides). Results indicate that when pastures are converted to organic production systems, soil microbial richness and diversity may increase, thereby resulting in enhanced soil microbiome diversity and overall ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Molecular profiling of bacterial species in the geese cecum

2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 192-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.Y. Liu ◽  
Z.Y. Wang ◽  
H.R. Wang ◽  
P. Hu ◽  
D. Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Clone Library ◽  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Similarity Criterion ◽  
Molecular Profiling ◽  
Operational Taxonomic Units ◽  
Rich Variety ◽  
16S Ribosomal Rna Gene

The purpose of this study was to analyse the microbial diversity in the caecum of geese using a 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA) clone library approach. A total of 160 clones and 124 clones were sequenced and phylogenetically analysed from the contents and mucosa of the caecum of Yang Zhou geese, respectively. The result indicated that there was a rich variety of bacteria in the caecum contents. Forty-six operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on a 98% similarity criterion were classified in the contents of goose caecum, as compared to 29 OTUs based on a 97% similarity criterion in the mucosa of goose caecum. The sequences were assigned to 7 and 5 groups in the contents and mucosa of goose caecum, respectively. Contents of goose caecum were dominantly occupied by Clostridia-related species (58.7%) with other abundant sequences being related to Bacteroidetes (26.9%) and Erysipelotrichi (11.2%). Gammaproteobacteria (59.6%) and Clostridia (20.1%) were predominant in the mucosa of goose caecum.

scholarly journals Biotechnological Potential of Bacteria Isolated from the Sea Cucumber Holothuria leucospilota and Stichopus vastus from Lampung, Indonesia

Marine Drugs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joko T. Wibowo ◽  
Matthias Y. Kellermann ◽  
Dennis Versluis ◽  
Masteria Y. Putra ◽  
Tutik Murniasih ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Sea Cucumber ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Gene Sequencing ◽  
16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Sea Cucumbers ◽  
Biotechnological Potential ◽  
Rrna Gene Sequencing

In order to minimize re-discovery of already known anti-infective compounds, we focused our screening approach on understudied, almost untapped marine environments including marine invertebrates and their associated bacteria. Therefore, two sea cucumber species, Holothuria leucospilota and Stichopus vastus, were collected from Lampung (Indonesia), and 127 bacterial strains were identified by partial 16S rRNA-gene sequencing analysis and compared with the NCBI database. In addition, the overall bacterial diversity from tissue samples of the sea cucumbers H. leucospilota and S. vastus was analyzed using the cultivation-independent Illumina MiSEQ analysis. Selected bacterial isolates were grown to high densities and the extracted biomass was tested against a selection of bacteria and fungi as well as the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Identification of putative bioactive bacterial-derived compounds were performed by analyzing the accurate mass of the precursor/parent ions (MS1) as well as product/daughter ions (MS2) using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis of all active fractions. With this attempt we were able to identify 23 putatively known and two previously unidentified precursor ions. Moreover, through 16S rRNA-gene sequencing we were able to identify putatively novel bacterial species from the phyla Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and also Firmicutes. Our findings suggest that sea cucumbers like H. leucospilota and S. vastus are promising sources for the isolation of novel bacterial species that produce compounds with potentially high biotechnological potential.

scholarly journals Differences in Microbial Community and Metabolites in Litter Layer of Plantation and Original Korean Pine Forests in North Temperate Zone

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2023
Author(s):  
Yue Wang ◽  
Ting Li ◽  
Chongwei Li ◽  
Fuqiang Song
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Pine Forest ◽  
Korean Pine ◽  
Litter Layer ◽  
Pine Plantation ◽  
Korean Pine Forest ◽  
Korean Pine Plantation

In order to explore the relationship between microbial diversity and metabolites in the litter layer of northern temperate forests, the microbial community structure and metabolite species in the litter layer of an original Korean pine forest and Korean pine plantation of northern temperate climate were determined on the basis of high-throughput sequencing and metabonomic techniques. The results showed that there were 698 bacterial genera and 363 fungal genera in the litter samples in the original Korean pine forest. Linear discriminant effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that there were 35 indicator bacterial species and 19 indicator fungal species. In the litter samples of the Korean pine plantation, there were 622 bacterial genera and 343 fungal genera. Additionally, LEfSe analysis showed that there were 18 indicator bacterial species and 5 indicator fungal species. The litter of the two forest types contained 285 kinds of organic compounds, among which 16 different metabolites were screened, including 6 kinds of organic acids, 5 kinds of amino acids, 2 kinds of sugars, 2 kinds of sugar alcohols, and 1 kind of lipid. Latescibacteria, Rokubacteria, and Olpidiomycota are unique to the original Korean pine forest. They can catalyze the degradation rate of litter and decompose cellulose and chitin, respectively. Subgroup 6 was abundant in the lower litter layer. Subgroup 6 can grow with carbon compounds as substrate. It was clear that the microbial diversity of the litter layer in the original Korean pine forest was higher than that of the Korean pine plantation. Moreover, whether original forest or plantation forest, the lower-litter layer microbial diversity was higher than that in the middle-litter layer. CCA showed that the main metabolites were related to Chitinophagaceae_uncultured were saccharopine. The main metabolites associated with Mortierella and Polyscytalum were myo-inositol. At the same time, analysis of the difference between the litter layer of the original Korean pine forest and the Korean pine plantation also provides a theoretical basis for their participation in the element cycles of forest ecosystems.

Microbial Diversity in Milk of Women With Mastitis: Potential Role of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci, Viridans Group Streptococci, and Corynebacteria

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Mediano ◽  
Leonides Fernández ◽  
Esther Jiménez ◽  
Rebeca Arroyo ◽  
Irene Espinosa-Martos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Total Bacterial Count ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽  
Milk Samples ◽  
Lactational Mastitis ◽  
Viridans Group Streptococci

Background: Lactational mastitis constitutes a significant cause of premature weaning. However, its etiology, linked to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, has been scarcely reported. Research aim: The aim of this study was to describe the microbial diversity in milk samples from women suffering from lactational mastitis and to identify more accurately a collection of isolates belonging to coagulase-negative staphylococci, streptococci, and coryneform bacteria. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive one-group study. A total of 5,009 isolates from 1,849 mastitis milk samples was identified by culture, biochemical, and/or molecular methods at the species or genus level. A more precise identification of a collection of 211 isolates was carried out by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Mean total bacterial count in milk samples was 4.11 log10 colony-forming units/ml, 95% confidence interval [4.08, 4.15]. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common species being isolated from 91.56% of the samples, whereas Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 29.74%. Streptococci and corynebacteria constituted the second (70.20%) and third (16.60%) most prevalent bacterial groups, respectively, found in this study. In contrast, Candida spp. was present in only 0.54% of the samples. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed a high diversity of bacterial species among identified isolates. Conclusion: Many coagulase-negative staphylococci, viridans group streptococci, and corynebacteria, usually dismissed as contaminant bacteria, may play an important role as etiologic agents of mastitis. Proper diagnosis of mastitis should be established after performing microbiological testing of milk based on standardized procedures. A reliable analysis must identify the mastitis-causing pathogen(s) at the species level and its(their) concentration(s).

scholarly journals Investigation of the microbial diversity of an extremely acidic, metal-rich water body (Lake Robule, Bor, Serbia)

2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 729-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srdjan Stankovic ◽  
Ivana Moric ◽  
Aleksandar Pavic ◽  
Branka Vasiljevic ◽  
Barrie Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Solid Media ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Acidiphilium Cryptum ◽  
Culture Independent ◽  
Sulfur Oxidizing ◽  
Dominant Bacteria

An investigation of the microbial diversity of the extremely acidic, metal-rich Lake Robule was carried out using culture-dependant and culture-independent (T-RFLP) methods, and the ability of indigenous bacteria from the lake water to leach copper from a mineral concentrate was tested. T-RFLP analysis revealed that the dominant bacteria in lake water samples were the obligate heterotroph Acidiphilium cryptum (~50% of total bacteria) and the iron-oxidizing autotroph Leptospirillum ferrooxidans (~40%) The iron/sulfur-oxidizing autotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans had been reported to be the most abundant bacteria in the lake in an earlier study by other authors, but it was not detected in the present study using T-RFLP. Although it was isolated on solid media and detected in enrichment (bioleaching) cultures. The presence of the two bacterial species detected by T-RFLP (L. ferrooxidans and A. cryptum) was also confirmed by cultivation on solid media. The presence and relative abundance of bacteria inhabiting Lake Robule was explained by the physiological characteristics of the bacteria and the physico-chemical characteristics of the lake water.

scholarly journals Toxicity drives facilitation between four bacterial species

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Piccardi ◽  
Björn Vessman ◽  
Sara Mitri
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Stress Gradient ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Competitive Behavior ◽  
Metal Working ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractCompetition between microbes is extremely common, with many investing in a wide range of mechanisms to harm other strains and species. Yet positive interactions between species have also been documented. What makes species help or harm each other is currently unclear. Here, we studied the interactions between four bacterial species capable of degrading Metal-Working Fluids (MWF), an industrial coolant and lubricant, which contains growth substrates as well as toxic biocides. We were surprised to find only positive or neutral interactions between the four species. Using mathematical modeling and further experiments, we show that positive interactions in this community are likely due to the toxicity of MWF, whereby each species’ detoxification benefited the others by facilitating their survival, such that they could grow and degrade MWF better when together. The addition of nutrients, the reduction of toxicity or the addition of more species instead resulted in competitive behavior. Our work provides support to the stress gradient hypothesis by showing how harsh, toxic environments can strongly favor facilitation between microbial species and mask underlying competitive interactions.

scholarly journals Physiological traits and relative abundance of species as explanatory variables of co-occurrence pattern of cultivable bacteria associated with chia seeds

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (9) ◽  
pp. 668-680
Author(s):  
Asma Jaba ◽  
Fadi Dagher ◽  
Amir Mehdi Hamidi Oskouei ◽  
Claude Guertin ◽  
Philippe Constant
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Community Assemblage ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Cultivable Bacteria ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

Deciphering the rules defining microbial community assemblage is envisioned as a promising strategy to improve predictions of pathogens colonization and proliferation in food. Despite the increasing number of studies reporting microbial co-occurrence patterns, only a few attempts have been made to challenge them in experimental or theoretical frameworks. Here, we tested the hypothesis that observed variations in co-occurrence patterns can be explained by taxonomy, relative abundance, and physiological traits of microbial species. We used PCR amplicon sequencing of taxonomic markers to assess distribution and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial and fungal species found in 25 chia (Salvia hispanica L.) samples originating from eight different sources. The use of nutrient-rich and oligotrophic media enabled isolation of 71 strains encompassing 16 bacterial species, of which five corresponded to phylotypes represented in the molecular survey. Tolerance to different growth inhibitors and antibiotics was tested to assess the physiological traits of these isolates. Divergence of physiological traits and relative abundance of each pair of species explained 69% of the co-occurrence profile displayed by cultivable bacterial phylotypes in chia. Validation of this ecological network conceptualization approach to more food products is required to integrate microbial species co-occurrence patterns in predictive microbiology.

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