scholarly journals The effects of a synthetic and biological surfactant on the community composition and metabolic activity of a freshwater biofilm

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Gill ◽  
William Hunter ◽  
Laura Coulson ◽  
Jakob Schelker

Surfactants are used to control microbial biofilms in industrial and medical settings. Their known toxicity on aquatic biota and their longevity in the environment has encouraged research on biodegradable alternatives such as rhamnolipids. While previous research has investigated the effects of biological surfactants on single species biofilms, there remains a lack of information regarding the effects of synthetic and biological surfactants in freshwater ecosystems. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to test how the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and the biological surfactant rhamnolipid altered community composition and metabolic activity of freshwater biofilms. Biofilms were cultured in the flumes using lake water from Lake Lunz in Austria, under high (300 ppm) and low (150 ppm) concentrations of either surfactant over a four week period. Our results show that both surfactants significantly affected microbial diversity. Up to 36% of microbial OTUs were lost after surfactant exposure. Rhamnolipid exposure also increased the production of the extracellular enzymes leucine aminopeptidase and glucosidase, while SDS exposure reduced leucine aminopeptidase and glucosidase. This study demonstrates that exposure of freshwater biofilms to chemical and biological surfactants caused a reduction of microbial diversity and changes in biofilm metabolism, exemplified by shifts in extracellular enzyme activities.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danijela Šantić ◽  
Kasia Piwosz ◽  
Frano Matić ◽  
Ana Vrdoljak Tomaš ◽  
Jasna Arapov ◽  
...  

AbstractBacteria are an active and diverse component of pelagic communities. The identification of main factors governing microbial diversity and spatial distribution requires advanced mathematical analyses. Here, the bacterial community composition was analysed, along with a depth profile, in the open Adriatic Sea using amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA and the Neural gas algorithm. The performed analysis classified the sample into four best matching units representing heterogenic patterns of the bacterial community composition. The observed parameters were more differentiated by depth than by area, with temperature and identified salinity as important environmental variables. The highest diversity was observed at the deep chlorophyll maximum, while bacterial abundance and production peaked in the upper layers. The most of the identified genera belonged to Proteobacteria, with uncultured AEGEAN-169 and SAR116 lineages being dominant Alphaproteobacteria, and OM60 (NOR5) and SAR86 being dominant Gammaproteobacteria. Marine Synechococcus and Cyanobium-related species were predominant in the shallow layer, while Prochlorococcus MIT 9313 formed a higher portion below 50 m depth. Bacteroidota were represented mostly by uncultured lineages (NS4, NS5 and NS9 marine lineages). In contrast, Actinobacteriota were dominated by a candidatus genus Ca. Actinomarina. A large contribution of Nitrospinae was evident at the deepest investigated layer. Our results document that neural network analysis of environmental data may provide a novel insight into factors affecting picoplankton in the open sea environment.


2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Tropeano ◽  
Susana Vázquez ◽  
Silvia Coria ◽  
Adrián Turjanski ◽  
Daniel Cicero ◽  
...  

AbstractCold−adapted marine bacteria producing extracellular hydrolytic enzymes are important for their industrial application and play a key role in degradation of particulate organic matter in their natural environment. In this work, members of a previously−obtained protease−producing bacterial collection isolated from different marine sources from Potter Cove (King George Island, South Shetlands) were taxonomically identified and screened for their ability to produce other economically relevant enzymes. Eighty−eight proteolytic bacterial isolates were grouped into 25 phylotypes based on their Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis profiles. The sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes from representative isolates of the phylotypes showed that the predominant culturable protease−producing bacteria belonged to the class Gammaproteobacteria and were affiliated to the genera Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Colwellia, and Pseudoalteromonas, the latter being the predominant group (64% of isolates). In addition, members of the classes Actinobacteria, Bacilli and Flavobacteria were found. Among the 88 isolates screened we detected producers of amylases (21), pectinases (67), cellulases (53), CM−cellulases (68), xylanases (55) and agarases (57). More than 85% of the isolates showed at least one of the extracellular enzymatic activities tested, with some of them producing up to six extracellular enzymes. Our results confirmed that using selective conditions to isolate producers of one extracellular enzyme activity increases the probability of recovering bacteria that will also produce additional extracellular enzymes. This finding establishes a starting point for future programs oriented to the prospecting for biomolecules in Antarctica.


2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 716-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura N. Bugiel ◽  
Stuart W. Livingstone ◽  
Marney E. Isaac ◽  
Roberta R. Fulthorpe ◽  
Adam R. Martin

Soil microbial diversity is expected to be altered by the establishment of invasive plant species, such as dog-strangling vine (DSV) [Vincetoxicum rossicum (Apocynaceae)]. However, in urban ecosystems where DSV invasion is high, there is little research evaluating the impacts of DSV and other anthropogenic disturbances on microbial diversity. Our study was based in Rouge National Urban Park, Canada, where we used terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism data to evaluate (i) if DSV has a detectable impact on soil bacterial community composition and (ii) if these impacts occur independently of other anthropogenic change or soil characteristics. Variation in soil bacterial communities was greatly reduced in DSV-invaded sites vs. less-invaded sites. The degree of DSV invasion independently explained 23.8% of variation in bacterial community composition: a value similar to the explanatory power of proximity to roadways (which explained 22.6% of the variation in community composition), and considerably greater than soil parameters (pH, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen concentrations) which explained only between 6.0% and 10.0% of variation in bacterial community composition. Our findings indicate that DSV influences soil bacterial community composition independent of other anthropogenic disturbances and soil parameters, with potential impacts on multiple facets of plant–soil interactions and plant invasion dynamics.


1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 607
Author(s):  
AR Jones

Temporal patterns in number of species, number of individual animals and community composition of the soft-sediment zoobenthos of the Hawkesbury estuary are described and related to physicochemical factors. Replicate grabs were taken at 3-month intervals over 3 years (1977-1979) from sites located in three zones: the lower, middle and upper reaches. The number of species and number of individuals showed significant seasonal and annual differences in all zones. However, the pattern of these differences varied among sites and seasonal differences were not repeatable over years. Similarly, differences in community composition as revealed by classification were not seasonal. In the middle and lower reaches, these differences were apparently caused by the over- riding influence of non-seasonal climatic events, i.e. a major flood in 1978 and a drought throughout 1979. In the first two sampling following the flood, sample values for the numbers of both species and individuals were usually lowest and community composition was distinct from pre-flood and drought times. During the drought, the number of species was usually high and community composition relatively distinct. Whereas the number of species and community composition groupings were both significantly related to river discharge, the number of individuals was significantly correlated with temperature. All community variables were sometimes significantly related to salinity. The identity of numerically dominant species, as determined by Fager rankings, varied among times in both the lower and middle reaches. However, the polychaete Nephtys australiensis and the bivalve mollusc Notospisula trigonella were highest ranked overall in both zones. Community patterns in the low-salinity upper reaches differed from those further downstream by showing little change in numbers of species and community composition following the flood. Only the number of species was significantly correlated with any of the measured physicochemical variables, this being partly due to an influx of species during the drought. Furthermore, the upstream community was always dominated by the polychaete Ceratonereis limnetica and was thus the only community that could be characterised by a single species.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 252-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuichi Saito ◽  
Kazuya Kondo ◽  
Ichiro Kojima ◽  
Atsushi Yokota ◽  
Fusao Tomita

ABSTRACT Streptomyces exfoliatus F3-2 produced an extracellular enzyme that converted levan, a β-2,6-linked fructan, into levanbiose. The enzyme was purified 50-fold from culture supernatant to give a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weights of this enzyme were 54,000 by SDS-PAGE and 60,000 by gel filtration, suggesting the monomeric structure of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be 4.7. The optimal pH and temperature of the enzyme for levan degradation were pH 5.5 and 60°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 3.5 to 8.0 and also up to 50°C. The enzyme gave levanbiose as a major degradation product from levan in an exo-acting manner. It was also found that this enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of such fructooligosaccharides as 1-kestose, nystose, and 1-fructosylnystose by liberating fructose. Thus, this enzyme appeared to hydrolyze not only β-2,6-linkage of levan, but also β-2,1-linkage of fructooligosaccharides. From these data, the enzyme from S. exfoliatus F3-2 was identified as a novel 2,6-β-d-fructan 6-levanbiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.64 ).


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 567-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Endres ◽  
J. Unger ◽  
N. Wannicke ◽  
M. Nausch ◽  
M. Voss ◽  
...  

Abstract. The filamentous and diazotrophic cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena plays a major role in the productivity of the Baltic Sea as it forms extensive blooms regularly. Under phosphorus limiting conditions Nodularia spumigena have a high enzyme affinity for dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) by production and release of alkaline phosphatase. Additionally, they are able to degrade proteinaceous compounds by expressing the extracellular enzyme leucine aminopeptidase. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations are increasing, we expect marine phytoplankton to experience changes in several environmental parameters, including pH, temperature, and nutrient availability. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of CO2-induced changes in seawater carbonate chemistry and of phosphate deficiency on the exudation of organic matter, and its subsequent recycling by extracellular enzymes in a Nodularia spumigena culture. Batch cultures of Nodularia spumigena were grown for 15 days under aeration with low (180 μatm), medium (380 μatm), and high (780 μatm) CO2 concentrations. Obtained pCO2 levels in the treatments were on median 315, 353, and 548 μatm CO2, respectively. Extracellular enzyme activities as well as changes in organic and inorganic compound concentrations were monitored. CO2 treatment–related effects were identified for cyanobacterial growth, which in turn influenced the concentration of mucinous substances and the recycling of organic matter by extracellular enzymes. Biomass production was increased by 56.5% and 90.7% in the medium and high pCO2 treatment, respectively, compared to the low pCO2 treatment. In total, significantly more mucinous substances accumulated in the high pCO2 treatment, reaching 363 μg Xeq L−1 compared to 269 μg Xeq L−1 in the low pCO2 treatment. However, cell-specific rates did not change. After phosphate depletion, the acquisition of P from DOP by alkaline phosphatase was significantly enhanced. Alkaline phosphatase activities were increased by factor 1.64 and 2.25, respectively, in the medium and high compared to the low pCO2 treatment. We hypothesise from our results that Nodularia spumigena can grow faster under elevated pCO2 by enhancing the recycling of organic matter to acquire nutrients.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob Herschend ◽  
Klaus Koren ◽  
Henriette L. Røder ◽  
Asker Brejnrod ◽  
Michael Kühl ◽  
...  

AbstractComposition and development of naturally occurring microbial communities is defined by a complex interplay between the community and the surrounding environment and by interactions between community members. Intriguingly, these interactions can in some cases cause community synergies where the community is able to outperform it single species constituents. However, the underlying mechanisms driving community interactions are often unknown and difficult to identify due to high community complexity. Here we show how pH stabilisation of the environment through the metabolic activity of specific community members acts as a positive inter-species interaction drivingin vitrocommunity synergy in a model consortium of four co-isolated soil bacteria:Microbacterium oxydans,Xanthomonas retroflexus,Stenotrophomonas rhizophilaandPaenibacillus amylolyticus. Using micro-sensor pH measurements to show how individual species change the local pH micro-environment, and how co-cultivation leads to a stabilised pH regime over time. Specifically,in vitroacid production fromPaenibacillus amylolyticusand alkali production primarily fromXanthomonas retroflexuslead to an overall pH stabilisation of the local environment over time, which in turn resulted in enhanced community growth. This specific type of interspecies interaction was found to be highly dependent on media type and media concentration, however similar pH drift from the individual species could be observed across media variants.ImportanceWe show thatin vitrometabolic activity of individual members of a synthetic, co- isolated model community presenting community synergistic growth arises through the inter-species interaction of pH stabilization of the community micro-environment. The observed inter-species interaction is highly media specific and most pronounced under high nutrient availability. This adds to the growing diversity of identified community interactions leading to enhanced community growth.


2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (16) ◽  
pp. 4854-4864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myrna E. Jacobson Meyers ◽  
Jason B. Sylvan ◽  
Katrina J. Edwards

ABSTRACTSeafloor basalts are widely distributed and host diverse prokaryotic communities, but no data exist concerning the metabolic rates of the resident microbial communities. We present here potential extracellular enzyme activities of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) measured on basalt samples from different locations on Loihi Seamount, HI, coupled with analysis of prokaryotic biomass and pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The community maximum potential enzyme activity (Vmax) of LAP ranged from 0.47 to 0.90 nmol (g rock)−1h−1; theVmaxfor AP was 28 to 60 nmol (g rock)−1h−1. TheKmof LAP ranged from 26 to 33 μM, while theKmfor AP was 2 to 7 μM. Bacterial communities on Loihi basalts were comprised primarily ofAlpha-,Delta-, andGammaproteobacteria,Bacteroidetes, andPlanctomycetes. The putative ability to produce LAP is evenly distributed across the most commonly detected bacterial orders, but the ability to produce AP is likely dominated by bacteria in the ordersXanthomonadales,Flavobacteriales, andPlanctomycetales. The enzyme activities on Loihi basalts were compared to those of other marine environments that have been studied and were found to be similar in magnitude to those from continental shelf sediments and orders of magnitude higher than any measured in the water column, demonstrating that the potential for exposed basalts to transform organic matter is substantial. We propose that microbial communities on basaltic rock play a significant, quantifiable role in benthic biogeochemical processes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adetunji Alex Adekanmbi ◽  
Laurence Dale ◽  
Liz Shaw ◽  
Tom Sizmur

<p>Predicting the pattern of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition as a feedback to climate change, via release of CO<sub>2</sub>, is extremely complex and has received much attention. However, investigations often do not differentiate between the extracellular and intracellular processes involved and work is needed to identify their relative temperature sensitivities. Samples were collected from a grassland soil at Sonning, UK with average daily maximum and minimum soil temperature of 15 °C and 5 °C. We measured potential activities of β-glucosidase (BG) and chitinase (NAG) (extracellular enzymes) and glucose-induced CO<sub>2 </sub>respiration (intracellular enzymes) at a range of assay temperatures (5 °C, 15 °C, 26 °C, 37<sup>  </sup>°C, and 45 °C). The temperature coefficient Q<sub>10</sub> (the increase in enzyme activity that occurs after a 10 °C increase in soil temperature) was calculated to assess the temperature sensitivity of intracellular and extracellular enzymes activities. Between 5 °C and 15 °C intracellular and extracellular enzyme activities had equal temperature sensitivity, but between 15 °C and 26°C intracellular enzyme activity was more temperature sensitive than extracellular enzyme activity and between 26 °C and 37 °C extracellular enzyme activity was more temperature sensitive than intracellular enzyme activity. This result implies that extracellular depolymerisation of higher molecular weight organic compounds is more sensitive to temperature changes at higher temperatures (e.g. changes to daily maximum summer temperature) but the intracellular respiration of the generated monomers is more sensitive to temperature changes at moderate temperatures (e.g. changes to daily mean summer temperature). We therefore conclude that the extracellular and intracellular steps of SOM mineralisation are not equally sensitive to changes in soil temperature. The finding is important because we have observed greater increases in average daily minimum temperatures than average daily mean or maximum temperatures due to increased cloud cover and sulphate aerosol emission. Accounting for this asymmetrical global warming may reduce the importance of extracellular depolymerisation and increase the importance of intracellular catalytic activities as the rate limiting step of SOM decomposition.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 122-128
Author(s):  
Christine M. Egli ◽  
Regiane S. Natumi ◽  
Martin R. Jones ◽  
Elisabeth M.-L. Janssen

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater ecosystems produce bioactive secondary metabolites including cyanopeptides that pose ecological and human health risks. Only adverse effects of one class of cyanopeptides, microcystins, have been studied extensively and have consequently been included in water quality assessments. Inhibition is a commonly observed effect for enzymes exposed to cyanopeptides and has mostly been investigated for human biologically relevant model enzymes. Here, we investigated the inhibition of ubiquitous aquatic enzymes by cyanobacterial metabolites. Hydrolytic enzymes are utilized in the metabolism of aquatic organisms and extracellularly by heterotrophic bacteria to obtain assimilable substrates. The ubiquitous occurrence of hydrolytic enzymes leads to the co-occurrence with cyanopeptides especially during cyanobacterial blooms. Bacterial leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase were exposed to cyanopeptide extracts of different cyanobacterial strains ( Microcystis aeruginosa wild type and microcystin-free mutant, Planktothrix rubescens) and purified cyanopeptides. We observed inhibition of aminopeptidase and phosphatase upon exposure, especially to the apolar fractions of the cyanobacterial extracts. Exposure to the dominant cyanopeptides in these extracts confirmed that purified microcystins, aerucyclamide A and cyanopeptolin A inhibit the aminopeptidase in the low mg L–1 range while the phosphatase was less affected. Inhibition of aquatic enzymes can reduce the turnover of nutrients and carbon substrates and may also impair metabolic functions of grazing organisms.


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