scholarly journals The Prevalence of STIV c92-Like Proteins in Acidic Thermal Environments

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie C. Snyder ◽  
Benjamin Bolduc ◽  
Mary M. Bateson ◽  
Mark J. Young

A new type of viral-induced lysis system has recently been discovered for two unrelated archaeal viruses, STIV and SIRV2. Prior to the lysis of the infected host cell, unique pyramid-like lysis structures are formed on the cell surface by the protrusion of the underlying cell membrane through the overlying external S-layer. It is through these pyramid structures that assembled virions are released during lysis. The STIV viral protein c92 is responsible for the formation of these lysis structures. We searched for c92-like proteins in viral sequences present in multiple viral and cellular metagenomic libraries from Yellowstone National Park acidic hot spring environments. Phylogenetic analysis of these proteins demonstrates that, although c92-like proteins are detected in these environments, some are quite divergent and may represent new viral families. We hypothesize that this new viral lysis system is common within diverse archaeal viral populations found within acidic hot springs.

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 3834-3847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Urschel ◽  
Michael D. Kubo ◽  
Tori M. Hoehler ◽  
John W. Peters ◽  
Eric S. Boyd

ABSTRACTRates of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), formate, and acetate mineralization and/or assimilation were determined in 13 high-temperature (>73°C) hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), Wyoming, in order to evaluate the relative importance of these substrates in supporting microbial metabolism. While 9 of the hot spring communities exhibited rates of DIC assimilation that were greater than those of formate and acetate assimilation, 2 exhibited rates of formate and/or acetate assimilation that exceeded those of DIC assimilation. Overall rates of DIC, formate, and acetate mineralization and assimilation were positively correlated with spring pH but showed little correlation with temperature. Communities sampled from hot springs with similar geochemistries generally exhibited similar rates of substrate transformation, as well as similar community compositions, as revealed by 16S rRNA gene-tagged sequencing. Amendment of microcosms with small (micromolar) amounts of formate suppressed DIC assimilation in short-term (<45-min) incubations, despite the presence of native DIC concentrations that exceeded those of added formate by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. The concentration of added formate required to suppress DIC assimilation was similar to the affinity constant (Km) for formate transformation, as determined by community kinetic assays. These results suggest that dominant chemoautotrophs in high-temperature communities are facultatively autotrophic or mixotrophic, are adapted to fluctuating nutrient availabilities, and are capable of taking advantage of energy-rich organic substrates when they become available.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (22) ◽  
pp. 7860-7868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob H. Munson-McGee ◽  
Erin K. Field ◽  
Mary Bateson ◽  
Colleen Rooney ◽  
Ramunas Stepanauskas ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNanoarchaeotaare obligate symbionts with reduced genomes first described from marine thermal vent environments. Here, both community metagenomics and single-cell analysis revealed the presence ofNanoarchaeotain high-temperature (∼90°C), acidic (pH ≈ 2.5 to 3.0) hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) (United States). Single-cell genome analysis of two cells resulted in two nearly identical genomes, with an estimated full length of 650 kbp. Genome comparison showed that these two cells are more closely related to the recently proposedNanobsidianus stetterifrom a more neutral YNP hot spring than to the marineNanoarchaeum equitans. Single-cell and catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescencein situhybridization (CARD-FISH) analysis of environmental hot spring samples identified the host of the YNPNanoarchaeotaas aSulfolobalesspecies known to inhabit the hot springs. Furthermore, we demonstrate thatNanoarchaeotaare widespread in acidic to near neutral hot springs in YNP. An integrated viral sequence was also found within oneNanoarchaeotasingle-cell genome and further analysis of the purified viral fraction from environmental samples indicates that this is likely a virus replicating within the YNPNanoarchaeota.


Author(s):  
Yelizaveta Rassadkina ◽  
Spencer Roth ◽  
Tamar Barkay

Yellowstone National Park is home to many different hot springs, lakes, geysers, pools, and basins that range in pH, chemical composition, and temperature. These different environmental variations provide a broad range of conditions that select and grow diverse communities of microorganisms. In this study, we collected samples from geochemically diverse lakes and springs to characterize the microbial communities present through 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis. This information was then used to observe how various microorganisms survive in high mercury environments. The results show the presence of microorganisms that have been studied in previous literature. The results also depict gradients of microorganisms including thermophilic bacteria and archaea that exist in these extreme environments. In addition, beta diversity analyses of the sequence data showed site clustering based primarily on temperature instead of pH or sample site, suggesting that while pH, temperature, and sample site were all shown to be significant, temperature is the strongest factor driving microorganism community development. While it is important to characterize the microorganism community present, it is also important to understand how this community functions as a result of its selection. Along with looking at community composition, genomic material was tested to see if it contained mercury methylating (hgcA) or mercury reducing (merA) genes. Out of 22 samples, three of them were observed to have merA genes, while no samples had hgcA genes. These results indicate that microorganisms in Mustard and Nymph Springs may use mercury reduction. Understanding how microorganisms survive in environments with high concentrations of toxic pollutants is crucial because it can be used as a model to better understand mechanisms of resistance and the biogeochemical cycle, as well as for bioremediation and other solutions to anthropogenic problems.


2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1633-1640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mya Breitbart ◽  
Linda Wegley ◽  
Steven Leeds ◽  
Tom Schoenfeld ◽  
Forest Rohwer

ABSTRACT In extreme thermal environments such as hot springs, phages are the only known microbial predators. Here we present the first study of prokaryotic and phage community dynamics in these environments. Phages were abundant in hot springs, reaching concentrations of a million viruses per milliliter. Hot spring phage particles were resistant to shifts to lower temperatures, possibly facilitating DNA transfer out of these extreme environments. The phages were actively produced, with a population turnover time of 1 to 2 days. Phage-mediated microbial mortality was significant, making phage lysis an important component of hot spring microbial food webs. Together, these results show that phages exert an important influence on microbial community structure and energy flow in extreme thermal environments.


Author(s):  
Timothy Moloney ◽  
Kenneth Sims ◽  
John Kaszuba

Hydrothermal fluids in Yellowstone National Park have widely varying chemical composition. Heat and volatile flux from the hydrothermal system can be estimated by monitoring the composition and volume of emitted hydrothermal fluid, but the source of solutes in hydrothermal fluid is often nebulous and the geochemical processes that affect the nuclides are poorly understood. Measurements of 220Rn and 222Rn activity in hydrothermal fluids and of CO2 flux from fumaroles and hot springs were carried out in Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2010. We observed a weak relationship between (220Rn/222Rn) and CO2 flux, which indicates that CO2 acts as a carrier gas to bring radon to the surface, but the radon is sourced from aquifer rocks rather than magma. If radon reaching the surface were sourced from magma below Yellowstone, there would be a stronger correlation between (220Rn/222Rn) and CO2 flux. Measurements of 223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra, 228Ra, and major solute chemistry in hot spring waters support the hypothesis that the time scale of solute transport from the deep hydrothermal reservoir is long compared to the half lives of 220Rn and 222Rn, which are useful for processes operating on the time scale of 5 minutes to 20 days. Radium isotope activities in hot springs indicate that the solute transport time varies significantly from region to region, indicating that circulation in some areas operates on the time scale of 224Ra/223Ra (20-55 days) and circulation in other areas operates on the time scale of 228Ra/226Ra (25-1600 years). The radium isotope composition of hot spring water is also influenced by differences in regional aquifer rocks and geochemical processes such as sorption and mineral precipitation. In summary, geochemical and hydrothermal processes in Yellowstone operate on many different time scales and in diverse geologic conditions, but radionuclide activities possess excellent potential to study these complex phenomena.


Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Yongxia Wang ◽  
Canhai Xu ◽  
Long Han ◽  
Chengpeng Li ◽  
Wei Xiao ◽  
...  

The Yunnan geothermal area has many neutral and alkalescent thermal springs. Members of the genus Thermus have been found in thermal environments. In this study, we attempted to cultivate numerically abundant Thermus species using a variety of different strategies. A total of 223 strains of Thermus-like bacteria were isolated from seventeen hot spring samples of four geothermal regions (Baoshan, Dali, Lincang and Dehong). These strains were classified into two genera, Thermus and Meiothermus, based on 16S rDNA. The optimal isolation temperature of the Thermus genus was 63–70 °C. The highest Thermus diversity was found at 63 °C. Thermus brockianus was a universal culturable bacterium in the four geothermal regions. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that T. oshimai preferred to inhabit the hot springs of the Baoshan (Bs) geothermal region, and T. amyloliquefaciens dominated the Dali (Dl) geothermal region, whereas T. tengchongensis accumulated in the Lincang (Lc) and Dehong (Dh) geothermal regions. The results suggested that Thermus species had habitat-preferable characteristics among the four geothermal regions. The findings may help identify the niche from which Thermus strains can likely be isolated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 912 (1) ◽  
pp. 012065
Author(s):  
A Purwoko ◽  
A S Thoha ◽  
Syamsinar

Abstract Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area is one of the leading tourism destinations in Sumatera Utara Province for local, national and international tourists. It certainly has several attractions in great demand by tourists. Studies related to attractions are required as a basis for its development. The objective this research is to analyze description and attraction of the Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, Sumatera Utara Province. Observations, structured interviews and surveys are the methods used to determine the attraction of objects. Attraction level data are analyzed using Likert Scale measurements. The results show that the natural attractions of Tangkahan include beauty of the natural panorama, elephant baths, hot springs, river tubing, patrolling with elephants, waterfalls, and river cruises, each of which has values of beauty, uniqueness, exclusiveness, and adventure. adventure. Overall attractions in the Tangkahan nature tourism area is classified into Attractive category with a total score of 2,781. The attraction in Very Attractive category (the most desired by visitors) is river cruises with a score of 432. The attractions in Interesting category are patrols with elephants (score 419), river tubing (scores 415), elephant baths (score 407), beauty natural panorama (scores 396), and waterfalls (score 379). The object in lowest attraction category (medium category) is hot spring with a score of 333.


2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 1697-1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel H Trewin ◽  
Stephen R Fayers ◽  
Ruth Kelman

The Early Devonian Rhynie and Windyfield cherts of northeast Scotland originated as siliceous sinters deposited by hot springs. Silicification affected both subaerial and subaqueous environments, preserving a diverse terrestrial and freshwater biota. Cherts originally deposited in small shallow pools can be recognised on the basis of both texture and fossil content. Textures comprise clotted and microcoprolitic textures, bacterial coatings on plant axes that can be stromatolitic, and a variety of bacterial and fungal meshworks. The crustacean Lepidocaris, the euthycarcinoid Heterocrania, the charophyte alga Palaeonitella, and chytrid fungi are typical elements of the aquatic biota. Observations of modern hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A., demonstrate that shallow ponds and streams on low-angle outwash areas and dormant vent orifices provide suitable environmental analogues. Textures comparable to those described from Rhynie are recorded from Yellowstone sinters, but examples of the rapid and complete silicification of delicate organic structures as seen in a few of the Rhynie chert beds have not been noted. Petrographic textures comparable to those seen in the cherts of freshwater origin from Rhynie occur in modern stream sinters at Yellowstone, where they form from waters at 20–28 °C and with a pH of 8.7. This similarity occurs despite differences in environment at Yellowstone, such as the oxidizing surface environment, water table fluctuations, complex modern vegetation, fixing of silica by diatoms, and climatic extremes. Thus there are close similarities between textures seen in the Rhynie cherts and Yellowstone sinters deposited in freshwater pools and streams by hot springs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob H. Munson-McGee ◽  
Colleen Rooney ◽  
Mark J. Young

ABSTRACT The Nanoarchaeota are small cells with reduced genomes that are found attached to and dependent on a second archaeal cell for their growth and replication. Initially found in marine hydrothermal environments and subsequently in terrestrial geothermal hot springs, the Nanoarchaeota species that have been described are obligate ectobionts, each with a different host species. However, no viruses had been described that infect the Nanoarchaeota. Here, we identify a virus infecting Nanoarchaeota by the use of a combination of viral metagenomic and bioinformatic approaches. This virus, tentatively named Nanoarchaeota Virus 1 (NAV1), consists of a 35.6-kb circular DNA genome coding for 52 proteins. We further demonstrate that this virus is broadly distributed among Yellowstone National Park hot springs. NAV1 is one of the first examples of a virus infecting a single-celled organism that is itself an ectobiont of another single-celled organism. IMPORTANCE Here, we present evidence of the first virus found to infect Nanoarchaeota, a symbiotic archaean found in acidic hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, USA. Using culture-independent techniques, we provide the genome sequence and identify the archaeal host species of a novel virus, NAV1. NAV1 is the first example of a virus infecting an archaeal species that is itself an obligate symbiont and dependent on a second host organism for growth and cellular replication. On the basis of annotation of the NAV1 genome, we propose that this virus is the founding member of a new viral family, further demonstrating the remarkable genetic diversity of archaeal viruses.


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