scholarly journals Phylogenetic Identification and Substrate Uptake Patterns of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Inhabiting an Oxic-Anoxic Sewer Biofilm Determined by Combining Microautoradiography and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 356-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Ito ◽  
Jeppe L. Nielsen ◽  
Satoshi Okabe ◽  
Yoshimasa Watanabe ◽  
Per H. Nielsen

ABSTRACT We simultaneously determined the phylogenetic identification and substrate uptake patterns of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) inhabiting a sewer biofilm with oxygen, nitrate, or sulfate as an electron acceptor by combining microautoradiography and fluorescent in situ hybridization (MAR-FISH) with family- and genus-specific 16S rRNA probes. The MAR-FISH analysis revealed that Desulfobulbus hybridized with probe 660 was a dominant SRB subgroup in this sewer biofilm, accounting for 23% of the total SRB. Approximately 9 and 27% of Desulfobulbus cells detected with probe 660 could take up [14C]propionate with oxygen and nitrate, respectively, as an electron acceptor, which might explain the high abundance of this species in various oxic environments. Furthermore, more than 40% of Desulfobulbus cells incorporated acetate under anoxic conditions. SRB were also numerically important members of H2-utilizing and 14CO2-fixing microbial populations in this sewer biofilm, accounting for roughly 42% of total H2-utilizing bacteria hybridized with probe EUB338. A comparative 16S ribosomal DNA analysis revealed that two SRB populations, related to the Desulfomicrobium hypogeium and the Desulfovibrio desulfuricans MB lineages, were found to be important H2 utilizers in this biofilm. The substrate uptake characteristics of different phylogenetic SRB subgroups were compared with the characteristics described to date. These results provide further insight into the correlation between the 16S rRNA phylogenetic diversity and the physiological diversity of SRB populations inhabiting sewer biofilms.

2007 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Lücker ◽  
Doris Steger ◽  
Kasper Urup Kjeldsen ◽  
Barbara J. MacGregor ◽  
Michael Wagner ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Okabe ◽  
Hisashi Satoh ◽  
Tsukasa Itoh ◽  
Yoshimasa Watanabe

The vertical distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in microaerophilic wastewater biofilms grown on fully submerged rotating disk reactors (RDR) was determined by the conventional culture-dependent MPN method and in situ hybridization of fluorescently-labelled 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for SRB in parallel. Chemical concentration profiles within the biofilm were also measured using microelectrodes for O2, S2-, NO3- and pH. In situ hybridization revealed that the SRB probe-stained cells were distributed throughout the biofilm even in the oxic surface zone in all states from single scattered cells to clustered cells. The higher fluorescence intensity and abundance of SRB probe-stained cells were found in the middle part of the biofilm. This result corresponded well with O2 and H2S concentration profiles measured by microelectrodes, showing sulfate reduction was restricted to a narrow anaerobic zone located about 500 μm below the biofilm surface. Results of the MPN and potential sulfate reducing activity (culture-dependent approaches) indicated a similar distribution of cultivable SRB in the biofilm. The majority of the general SRB probe-stained cells were hybridized with SRB 660 probe, suggesting that one important member of the SRB in the wastewater biofilm could be the genus Desulfobulbus. An addition of nitrate forced the sulfate reduction zone deeper in the biofilm and reduced the specific sulfate reduction rate as well. The sulfate reduction zone was consequently separated from O2 and NO3- respiration zones. Anaerobic H2S oxidation with NO3- was also induced by addition of nitrate to the medium.


1999 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 1746-1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cleber C. Ouverney ◽  
Jed A. Fuhrman

ABSTRACT We propose a novel method for studying the function of specific microbial groups in situ. Since natural microbial communities are dynamic both in composition and in activities, we argue that the microbial “black box” should not be regarded as homogeneous. Our technique breaks down this black box with group-specific fluorescent 16S rRNA probes and simultaneously determines 3H-substrate uptake by each of the subgroups present via microautoradiography (MAR). Total direct counting, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and MAR are combined on a single slide to determine (i) the percentages of different subgroups in a community, (ii) the percentage of total cells in a community that take up a radioactively labeled substance, and (iii) the distribution of uptake within each subgroup. The method was verified with pure cultures. In addition, in situ uptake by members of the α subdivision of the class Proteobacteria(α-Proteobacteria) and of the Cytophaga-Flavobacteriumgroup obtained off the California coast and labeled with fluorescent oligonucleotide probes for these subgroups showed that not only do these organisms account for a large portion of the picoplankton community in the sample examined (∼60% of the universal probe-labeled cells and ∼50% of the total direct counts), but they also are significant in the uptake of dissolved amino acids in situ. Nearly 90% of the total cells and 80% of the cells belonging to the α-Proteobacteria and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium groups were detectable as active organisms in amino acid uptake tests. We suggest a name for our triple-labeling technique, substrate-tracking autoradiographic fluorescent in situ hybridization (STARFISH), which should aid in the “dissection” of microbial communities by type and function.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 3592-3602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Ravenschlag ◽  
Kerstin Sahm ◽  
Christian Knoblauch ◽  
Bo B. Jørgensen ◽  
Rudolf Amann

ABSTRACT The community structure of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) of a marine Arctic sediment (Smeerenburgfjorden, Svalbard) was characterized by both fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and rRNA slot blot hybridization by using group- and genus-specific 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. The SRB community was dominated by members of the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus group. This group accounted for up to 73% of the SRB detected and up to 70% of the SRB rRNA detected. The predominance was shown to be a common feature for different stations along the coast of Svalbard. In a top-to-bottom approach we aimed to further resolve the composition of this large group of SRB by using probes for cultivated genera. While this approach failed, directed cloning of probe-targeted genes encoding 16S rRNA was successful and resulted in sequences which were all affiliated with the Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus group. A group of clone sequences (group SVAL1) most closely related toDesulfosarcina variabilis (91.2% sequence similarity) was dominant and was shown to be most abundant in situ, accounting for up to 54.8% of the total SRB detected. A comparison of the two methods used for quantification showed that FISH and rRNA slot blot hybridization gave comparable results. Furthermore, a combination of the two methods allowed us to calculate specific cellular rRNA contents with respect to localization in the sediment profile. The rRNA contents of Desulfosarcina-Desulfococcus cells were highest in the first 5 mm of the sediment (0.9 and 1.4 fg, respectively) and decreased steeply with depth, indicating that maximal metabolic activity occurred close to the surface. Based on SRB cell numbers, cellular sulfate reduction rates were calculated. The rates were highest in the surface layer (0.14 fmol cell−1day−1), decreased by a factor of 3 within the first 2 cm, and were relatively constant in deeper layers.


1999 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 5107-5116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Okabe ◽  
Tsukasa Itoh ◽  
Hisashi Satoh ◽  
Yoshimasa Watanabe

ABSTRACT The vertical distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in aerobic wastewater biofilms grown on rotating disk reactors was investigated by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. To correlate the vertical distribution of SRB populations with their activity, the microprofiles of O2, H2S, NO2 −, NO3 −, NH4 +, and pH were measured with microelectrodes. In addition, a cross-evaluation of the FISH and microelectrode analyses was performed by comparing them with culture-based approaches and biogeochemical measurements. In situ hybridization revealed that a relatively high abundance of the probe SRB385-stained cells (approximately 109 to 1010cells per cm3 of biofilm) were evenly distributed throughout the biofilm, even in the oxic surface. The probe SRB660-stained Desulfobulbus spp. were found to be numerically important members of SRB populations (approximately 108 to 109 cells per cm3). The result of microelectrode measurements showed that a high sulfate-reducing activity was found in a narrow anaerobic zone located about 150 to 300 μm below the biofilm surface and above which an intensive sulfide oxidation zone was found. The biogeochemical measurements showed that elemental sulfur (S0) was an important intermediate of the sulfide reoxidation in such thin wastewater biofilms (approximately 1,500 μm), which accounted for about 75% of the total S pool in the biofilm. The contribution of an internal Fe-sulfur cycle to the overall sulfur cycle in aerobic wastewater biofilms was insignificant (less than 1%) due to the relatively high sulfate reduction rate.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 84-95
Author(s):  
O. M. Moroz ◽  
S. O. Hnatush ◽  
Ch. I. Bohoslavets ◽  
T. M. Hrytsun’ ◽  
B. M. Borsukevych

Sulfate reducing bacteria, capable to reductive transformation of different nature pollutants, used in biotechnologies of purification of sewage, contaminated by carbon, sulfur, nitrogen and metal compounds. H2S formed by them sediment metals to form of insoluble sulfides. Number of metals can be used by these microorganisms as electron acceptors during anaerobic respiration. Because under the influence of metal compounds observed slowing of bacteria metabolism, selection isolated from technologically modified ecotops resistant to pollutions strains is important task to create a new biotechnologies of purification. That’s why the purpose of this work was to study the influence of potassium dichromate, present in medium, on reduction of sulfate and nitrate ions by sulfate reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans IMV K-6, Desulfovibrio sp. Yav-6 and Desulfovibrio sp. Yav-8, isolated from Yavorivske Lake, to estimate the efficiency of possible usage of these bacteria in technologies of complex purification of environment from dangerous pollutants. Bacteria were cultivated in modified Kravtsov-Sorokin medium without SO42- and FeCl2×4H2O for 10 days. To study the influence of K2Cr2O7 on usage by bacteria SO42- or NO3- cells were seeded to media with Na2SO4×10H2O or NaNO3 and K2Cr2O7 at concentrations of 1.74 mM for total content of electron acceptors in medium 3.47 mM (concentration of SO42- in medium of standard composition). Cells were also seeded to media with 3.47 mM Na2SO4×10H2O, NaNO3 or K2Cr2O7 to investigate their growth in media with SO42-, NO3- or Cr2O72- as sole electron acceptor (control). Biomass was determined by turbidymetric method, content of sulfate, nitrate, dichromate, chromium (III) ions, hydrogen sulfide or ammonia ions in cultural liquid – by spectrophotometric method. It was found that K2Cr2O7 inhibits growth (2.2 and 1.3 times) and level of reduction by bacteria sulfate or nitrate ions (4.2 and 3.0 times, respectively) at simultaneous addition into cultivation medium of 1.74 mM SO42- or NO3- and 1.74 mM Cr2O72-, compared with growth and level of reduction of sulfate or nitrate ions in medium only with SO42- or NO3- as sole electron acceptor. Revealed that during cultivation of bacteria in presence of equimolar amount of SO42- or NO3- and Cr2O72-, last used by bacteria faster, content of Cr3+ during whole period of bacteria cultivation exceeded content H2S or NH4+. K2Cr2O7 in medium has most negative influence on dissimilatory reduction by bacteria SO42- than NO3-, since level of nitrate ions reduction by cells in medium with NO3- and Cr2O72- was a half times higher than level of sulfate ions reduction by it in medium with SO42- and Cr2O72-. The ability of bacteria Desulfovibrio sp. to priority reduction of Cr2O72- and after their exhaustion − NO3- and SO42- in the processes of anaerobic respiration can be used in technologies of complex purification of environment from toxic compounds.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1033-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Barlett ◽  
K. Zhuang ◽  
R. Mahadevan ◽  
D. Lovley

Abstract. Enhancing microbial U(VI) reduction with the addition of organic electron donors is a promising strategy for immobilizing uranium in contaminated groundwaters, but has yet to be optimized because of a poor understanding of the factors controlling the growth of various microbial communities during bioremediation. In previous field trials in which acetate was added to the subsurface, there were two distinct phases: an initial phase in which acetate-oxidizing, U(VI)-reducing Geobacter predominated and U(VI) was effectively reduced and a second phase in which acetate-oxidizing sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) predominated and U(VI) reduction was poor. The interaction of Geobacter and SRB was investigated both in sediment incubations that mimicked in situ bioremediation and with in silico metabolic modeling. In sediment incubations, Geobacter grew quickly but then declined in numbers as the microbially reducible Fe(III) was depleted whereas the SRB grow more slowly and reached dominance after 30–40 days. Modeling predicted a similar outcome. Additional modeling in which the relative initial percentages of the Geobacter and SRB were varied indicated that there was little to no competitive interaction between Geobacter and SRB when acetate was abundant. Further simulations suggested that the addition of Fe(III) would revive the Geobacter, but have little to no effect on the SRB. This result was confirmed experimentally. The results demonstrate that it is possible to predict the impact of amendments on important components of the subsurface microbial community during groundwater bioremediation. The finding that Fe(III) availability, rather than competition with SRB, is the key factor limiting the activity of Geobacter during in situ uranium bioremediation will aid in the design of improved uranium bioremediation strategies.


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