Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs
To date, a majority of studies of microbial life in hyperalkaline settings focus on environments that are also highly saline (haloalkaline). Haloalkaline conditions offer microbes abundant workarounds to maintain pH homeostasis, as salt ions can be exchanged for protons by dedicated antiporter prote...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-06-01
|
| Series: | Diversity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/7/103 |
| _version_ | 1811187893983510528 |
|---|---|
| author | J. Ingemar Ohlsson Jay T. Osvatic Eric D. Becraft Wesley D. Swingley |
| author_facet | J. Ingemar Ohlsson Jay T. Osvatic Eric D. Becraft Wesley D. Swingley |
| author_sort | J. Ingemar Ohlsson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To date, a majority of studies of microbial life in hyperalkaline settings focus on environments that are also highly saline (haloalkaline). Haloalkaline conditions offer microbes abundant workarounds to maintain pH homeostasis, as salt ions can be exchanged for protons by dedicated antiporter proteins. Yet hyperalkaline freshwater systems also occur both naturally and anthropogenically, such as the slag fill aquifers around former Lake Calumet (Chicago, IL, USA). In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequences and metagenomic sequence libraries were collected to assess the taxonomic composition and functional potential of microbes present in these slag-polluted waterways. Relative 16S rRNA gene abundances in Calumet sediment and water samples describe community compositions not significantly divergent from those in nearby circumneutral conditions. Major differences in composition are mainly driven by Proteobacteria, primarily one sequence cluster closely related to <i>Hydrogenophaga</i>, which comprises up to 85% of 16S rRNA gene abundance in hyperalkaline surface sediments. Sequence identity indicates this novel species belongs to the recently established genus <i>Serpentinomonas</i>, a bacterial lineage associated with natural freshwater hyperalkaline serpentinizing springs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:10:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6134e4c35cb148b4a80591a2ab3b148c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:10:14Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-6134e4c35cb148b4a80591a2ab3b148c2022-12-22T04:19:43ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182019-06-0111710310.3390/d11070103d11070103Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing SpringsJ. Ingemar Ohlsson0Jay T. Osvatic1Eric D. Becraft2Wesley D. Swingley3Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USACentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, AustriaUniversity of North Alabama, Florence, AL 35632, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USATo date, a majority of studies of microbial life in hyperalkaline settings focus on environments that are also highly saline (haloalkaline). Haloalkaline conditions offer microbes abundant workarounds to maintain pH homeostasis, as salt ions can be exchanged for protons by dedicated antiporter proteins. Yet hyperalkaline freshwater systems also occur both naturally and anthropogenically, such as the slag fill aquifers around former Lake Calumet (Chicago, IL, USA). In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequences and metagenomic sequence libraries were collected to assess the taxonomic composition and functional potential of microbes present in these slag-polluted waterways. Relative 16S rRNA gene abundances in Calumet sediment and water samples describe community compositions not significantly divergent from those in nearby circumneutral conditions. Major differences in composition are mainly driven by Proteobacteria, primarily one sequence cluster closely related to <i>Hydrogenophaga</i>, which comprises up to 85% of 16S rRNA gene abundance in hyperalkaline surface sediments. Sequence identity indicates this novel species belongs to the recently established genus <i>Serpentinomonas</i>, a bacterial lineage associated with natural freshwater hyperalkaline serpentinizing springs.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/7/103hyperalkalineculture-independentserpentinizationmicrobial diversityProteobacteria |
| spellingShingle | J. Ingemar Ohlsson Jay T. Osvatic Eric D. Becraft Wesley D. Swingley Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs Diversity hyperalkaline culture-independent serpentinization microbial diversity Proteobacteria |
| title | Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs |
| title_full | Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs |
| title_fullStr | Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs |
| title_short | Microbial Community in Hyperalkaline Steel Slag-Fill Emulates Serpentinizing Springs |
| title_sort | microbial community in hyperalkaline steel slag fill emulates serpentinizing springs |
| topic | hyperalkaline culture-independent serpentinization microbial diversity Proteobacteria |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/7/103 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jingemarohlsson microbialcommunityinhyperalkalinesteelslagfillemulatesserpentinizingsprings AT jaytosvatic microbialcommunityinhyperalkalinesteelslagfillemulatesserpentinizingsprings AT ericdbecraft microbialcommunityinhyperalkalinesteelslagfillemulatesserpentinizingsprings AT wesleydswingley microbialcommunityinhyperalkalinesteelslagfillemulatesserpentinizingsprings |