Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs
The northwest of Spain has an abundance of non-volcanic hot springs that, until recently, had only been used for thermalism activities. One of such hot springs, Muiño da Veiga, has now been explored using metagenomics to study the microbial community that inhabits these high-temperature circumneutra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/20/12241 |
| _version_ | 1797472851819757568 |
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| author | Juan-José Escuder-Rodríguez María-Eugenia DeCastro Almudena Saavedra-Bouza Manuel Becerra María-Isabel González-Siso |
| author_facet | Juan-José Escuder-Rodríguez María-Eugenia DeCastro Almudena Saavedra-Bouza Manuel Becerra María-Isabel González-Siso |
| author_sort | Juan-José Escuder-Rodríguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The northwest of Spain has an abundance of non-volcanic hot springs that, until recently, had only been used for thermalism activities. One of such hot springs, Muiño da Veiga, has now been explored using metagenomics to study the microbial community that inhabits these high-temperature circumneutral continental waters. Sequencing of the metagenome allowed the characterization of its composition, diversity, metabolic connections and potential as a source for thermozymes, as well as its ability to assemble MAGs. A diverse microbial community dominated by Bacteria domain members was revealed, particularly from the early-branching Aquificales group. The most abundant genus was <i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i>, known for its implication in sulfur cycling and for forming mats that enable novel niches. The variety of primary producers with autotrophic pathways (and specifically the sulfur oxidizing pathway) expands the range of available nutrients, and the increase in biomass forms thicker mats, resulting in more available niches and broader microbial diversity. Nonetheless, certain metabolic pathways were attributed to less abundant members of the microbial community, reinforcing the idea that the rare biosphere plays important roles in the network of interactions present in an ecosystem and acts as genetic reservoirs. In addition, three of the assembled MAGs represent novel microbial diversity found in this hot spring. Moreover, the presence of enzymes and microorganisms with possible biotechnological applications was confirmed, including proteases, lipases and cell-wall degrading enzymes, pointing to the potential for the hot spring as a source for thermozymes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b18b0d3e82bc404cadcf8208a3ac15fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:07:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b18b0d3e82bc404cadcf8208a3ac15fb2023-11-24T00:29:50ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-10-0123201224110.3390/ijms232012241Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot SpringsJuan-José Escuder-Rodríguez0María-Eugenia DeCastro1Almudena Saavedra-Bouza2Manuel Becerra3María-Isabel González-Siso4Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, SpainGrupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, SpainGrupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, SpainGrupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, SpainGrupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, SpainThe northwest of Spain has an abundance of non-volcanic hot springs that, until recently, had only been used for thermalism activities. One of such hot springs, Muiño da Veiga, has now been explored using metagenomics to study the microbial community that inhabits these high-temperature circumneutral continental waters. Sequencing of the metagenome allowed the characterization of its composition, diversity, metabolic connections and potential as a source for thermozymes, as well as its ability to assemble MAGs. A diverse microbial community dominated by Bacteria domain members was revealed, particularly from the early-branching Aquificales group. The most abundant genus was <i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i>, known for its implication in sulfur cycling and for forming mats that enable novel niches. The variety of primary producers with autotrophic pathways (and specifically the sulfur oxidizing pathway) expands the range of available nutrients, and the increase in biomass forms thicker mats, resulting in more available niches and broader microbial diversity. Nonetheless, certain metabolic pathways were attributed to less abundant members of the microbial community, reinforcing the idea that the rare biosphere plays important roles in the network of interactions present in an ecosystem and acts as genetic reservoirs. In addition, three of the assembled MAGs represent novel microbial diversity found in this hot spring. Moreover, the presence of enzymes and microorganisms with possible biotechnological applications was confirmed, including proteases, lipases and cell-wall degrading enzymes, pointing to the potential for the hot spring as a source for thermozymes.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/20/12241shotgun sequencingaquificales<i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i>rare biospherethermophilesthermozymes |
| spellingShingle | Juan-José Escuder-Rodríguez María-Eugenia DeCastro Almudena Saavedra-Bouza Manuel Becerra María-Isabel González-Siso Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs International Journal of Molecular Sciences shotgun sequencing aquificales <i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i> rare biosphere thermophiles thermozymes |
| title | Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs |
| title_full | Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs |
| title_fullStr | Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs |
| title_short | Insights on Microbial Communities Inhabiting Non-Volcanic Hot Springs |
| title_sort | insights on microbial communities inhabiting non volcanic hot springs |
| topic | shotgun sequencing aquificales <i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i> rare biosphere thermophiles thermozymes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/20/12241 |
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