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Bacterial Community Composition (bacterial + community_composition)
Selected AbstractsThe effects of chronic nitrogen fertilization on alpine tundra soil microbial communities: implications for carbon and nitrogen cyclingENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Diana R. Nemergut Summary Many studies have shown that changes in nitrogen (N) availability affect primary productivity in a variety of terrestrial systems, but less is known about the effects of the changing N cycle on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. We used a variety of techniques to examine the effects of chronic N amendments on SOM chemistry and microbial community structure and function in an alpine tundra soil. We collected surface soil (0,5 cm) samples from five control and five long-term N-amended plots established and maintained at the Niwot Ridge Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) site. Samples were bulked by treatment and all analyses were conducted on composite samples. The fungal community shifted in response to N amendments, with a decrease in the relative abundance of basidiomycetes. Bacterial community composition also shifted in the fertilized soil, with increases in the relative abundance of sequences related to the Bacteroidetes and Gemmatimonadetes, and decreases in the relative abundance of the Verrucomicrobia. We did not uncover any bacterial sequences that were closely related to known nitrifiers in either soil, but sequences related to archaeal nitrifiers were found in control soils. The ratio of fungi to bacteria did not change in the N-amended soils, but the ratio of archaea to bacteria dropped from 20% to less than 1% in the N-amended plots. Comparisons of aliphatic and aromatic carbon compounds, two broad categories of soil carbon compounds, revealed no between treatment differences. However, G-lignins were found in higher relative abundance in the fertilized soils, while proteins were detected in lower relative abundance. Finally, the activities of two soil enzymes involved in N cycling changed in response to chronic N amendments. These results suggest that chronic N fertilization induces significant shifts in soil carbon dynamics that correspond to shifts in microbial community structure and function. [source] Patterns of bacterial diversity across a range of Antarctic terrestrial habitatsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Etienne Yergeau Summary Although soil-borne bacteria represent the world's greatest source of biological diversity, it is not well understood whether extreme environmental conditions, such as those found in Antarctic habitats, result in reduced soil-borne microbial diversity. To address this issue, patterns of bacterial diversity were studied in soils sampled along a > 3200 km southern polar transect spanning a gradient of increased climate severity over 27° of latitude. Vegetated and fell-field plots were sampled at the Falkland (51°S), South Georgia (54°S), Signy (60°S) and Anchorage Islands (67°S), while bare frost-sorted soil polygons were examined at Fossil Bluff (71°S), Mars Oasis (72°S), Coal Nunatak (72°S) and the Ellsworth Mountains (78°S). Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences were recovered subsequent to direct DNA extraction from soil, polymerase chain reaction amplification and cloning. Although bacterial diversity was observed to decline with increased latitude, habitat-specific patterns appeared to also be important. Namely, a negative relationship was found between bacterial diversity and latitude for fell-field soils, but no such pattern was observed for vegetated sites. The Mars Oasis site, previously identified as a biodiversity hotspot within this region, proved exceptional within the study transect, with unusually high bacterial diversity. In independent analyses, geographical distance and vegetation cover were found to significantly influence bacterial community composition. These results provide insight into the factors shaping the composition of bacterial communities in Antarctic terrestrial habitats and support the notion that bacterial diversity declines with increased climatic severity. [source] Key role of selective viral-induced mortality in determining marine bacterial community compositionENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007T. Bouvier Summary Viral infection is thought to play an important role in shaping bacterial community composition and diversity in aquatic ecosystems, but the strength of this interaction and the mechanisms underlying this regulation are still not well understood. The consensus is that viruses may impact the dominant bacterial strains, but there is little information as to how viruses may affect the less abundant taxa, which often comprise the bulk of the total bacterial diversity. The potential effect of viruses on the phylogenetic composition of marine bacterioplankton was assessed by incubating marine bacteria collected along a North Pacific coastal-open ocean transect in seawater that was greatly depleted of ambient viruses. The ambient communities were dominated by typical marine groups, including alphaproteobacteria and the Bacteroidetes. Incubation of these communities in virus-depleted ambient water yielded an unexpected and dramatic increase in the relative abundance of bacterial groups that are generally undetectable in the in situ assemblages, such as betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Our results suggest that host susceptibility is not necessarily only proportional to its density but to other characteristics of the host, that rare marine bacterial groups may be more susceptible to viral-induced mortality, and that these rare groups may actually be the winners of competition for resources. These observations are not inconsistent with the ,phage kills the winner' hypothesis but represent an extreme and yet undocumented case of this paradigm, where the potential winners apparently never actually develop beyond a very low abundance threshold in situ. We further suggest that this mode of regulation may influence not just the distribution of single strains but of entire phylogenetic groups. [source] Biogeography of bacteria associated with the marine sponge Cymbastela concentricaENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Michael W. Taylor Summary Recent debate regarding microbial biogeography has focused largely on free-living microbes, yet those microbes associated with host organisms are also of interest from a biogeographical perspective. Marine eukaryotes and associated bacteria should provide ideal systems in which to consider microbial biogeography, as (i) bacteria in seawater should be able to disperse among individuals of the same host species, yet (ii) potential for adaptation to particular hosts (and thus speciation) also exists. We used 16S rDNA-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) to examine geographic variability in bacterial community composition in the marine sponge Cymbastela concentrica. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis banding patterns (and phylogenetic analysis of excised DGGE bands) indicated different communities in Cymbastela concentrica from tropical versus temperate Australia. In contrast, communities were very similar over a 500-km portion of the sponge's temperate range. Variation in bacterial community composition was also considered with respect to ocean current patterns. We speculate that the divergent communities in different parts of the sponge's range provide evidence of endemism attributed to host association, although variation in environmental factors such as light and temperature could also explain the observed results. Interestingly, bacterial communities in seawater varied much less between tropical and temperate locations than did those in C. concentrica, supporting the concept of widespread dispersal among these free-living microbes. [source] Short-term dynamics of bacterial communities in a tidally affected coastal ecosystemFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Beate Rink Abstract Tidal effects on the composition of free-living (FL) and particle-associated (PA) bacterial communities were studied in a tidal flat ecosystem in the southern North Sea. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S rRNA of Bacteria, Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria and the Roseobacter clade was applied. Despite strong tidal variations in the quantity and, depending on the season, also the quality of suspended matter as well as variations in bacterial activity, the bacterial community composition remained rather stable. FISH showed some variations of the community composition, but these were not related to typical tidal situations. Variations were higher during tidal cycles in May and July compared with November. Bacteroidetes, Alpha - and Gammaproteobacteria constituted the majority of the bacterial communities but relative proportions of the different groups varied considerably. On particles, Betaproteobacteria were also detected to substantial proportions. The Roseobacter clade constituted up to 90% of FL but only 30% of PA Alphaproteobacteria. Banding patterns of the Bacteroidetes -specific amplicons, and in particular those targeting the 16S rRNA, revealed tidally induced effects, as several bands appeared or disappeared at distinct events such as slack water or resuspension. Sequencing of prominent bands revealed predominantly phylotypes reported previously from this ecosystem. [source] Molecular bacterial community analysis of clean rooms where spacecraft are assembledFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Christine Moissl Abstract Molecular bacterial community composition was characterized from three geographically distinct spacecraft-associated clean rooms to determine whether such populations are influenced by the surrounding environment or the maintenance of the clean rooms. Samples were collected from facilities at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC), and Johnson Space Center (JSC). Nine clone libraries representing different surfaces within the spacecraft facilities and three libraries from the surrounding air were created. Despite the highly desiccated, nutrient-bare conditions within these clean rooms, a broad diversity of bacteria was detected, covering all the main bacterial phyla. Furthermore, the bacterial communities were significantly different from each other, revealing only a small subset of microorganisms common to all locations (e.g. Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus). Samples from JSC assembly room surfaces showed the greatest diversity of bacteria, particularly within the Alpha - and Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The bacterial community structure of KSC assembly surfaces revealed a high presence of proteobacterial groups, whereas the surface samples collected from the JPL assembly facility showed a predominance of Firmicutes. Our study presents the first extended molecular survey and comparison of NASA spacecraft assembly facilities, and provides new insights into the bacterial diversity of clean room environments . [source] Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal mycelial exudates on soil bacterial growth and community structureFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Jonas F. Toljander Abstract Plant root systems colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have previously been shown to influence soil bacterial populations; however, the direct influence of the AM extraradical mycelium itself on bacterial growth and community composition is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of exudates produced by AM extraradical mycelia on the growth and development of an extracted soil bacterial community in vitro. The chemical composition of the mycelial exudates was analysed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Following the addition of exudates to a bacterial community extracted from soil, bacterial growth and vitality were determined using a bacterial vitality stain and fluorescence microscopy. Changes in community composition were also analysed at various times over the course of 3 days by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, in combination with cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Mycelial exudates increased bacterial growth and vitality and changed bacterial community composition. Several Gammaproteobacteria, including a taxon within the Enterobacteriaceae, increased in frequency of occurrence in response to AM mycelial exudates. This study is the first attempt to identify carbohydrates from the extraradical mycelium of an AM fungus, and demonstrates the direct effects of mycelial exudates on a soil bacterial community. [source] Characterization of bacterial communities in four freshwater lakes differing in nutrient load and food web structureFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Katleen van der Gucht Abstract The phylogenetic composition of bacterioplankton communities in the water column of four shallow eutrophic lakes was analyzed by partially sequencing cloned 16S rRNA genes and by PCR-DGGE analysis. The four lakes differed in nutrient load and food web structure: two were in a clearwater state and had dense stands of submerged macrophytes, while two others were in a turbid state characterized by the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms. One turbid and one clearwater lake had very high nutrient levels (total phosphorus > 100 ,g/l), while the other lakes were less nutrient rich (total phosphorus < 100,g/l). Cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling and ANOSIM (analysis of similarity) were used to investigate differences among the bacterial community composition in the four lakes. Our results show that each lake has its own distinct bacterioplankton community. The samples of lake Blankaart differed substantially from those of the other lakes; this pattern was consistent throughout the year of study. The bacterioplankton community composition in lake Blankaart seems to be less diverse and less stable than in the other three lakes. Clone library results reveal that Actinobacteria strongly dominated the bacterial community in lake Blankaart. The relative abundance of Betaproteobacteria was low, whereas this group was dominant in the other three lakes. Turbid lakes had a higher representation of Cyanobacteria, while clearwater lakes were characterized by more representatives of the Bacteroidetes. Correlating our DGGE data with environmental parameters, using the BIOENV procedure, suggests that differences are partly related to the equilibrium state of the lake. [source] Salinity as a structuring factor for the composition and performance of bacterioplankton degrading riverine DOCFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Silke Langenheder Abstract The impact of salinity on the composition and functional performance (biomass production, growth efficiency and growth rates) of bacterial communities was investigated using batch cultures growing on dissolved organic carbon from a river draining into the Northern Baltic Sea. The cultures were adjusted to riverine or estuarine salinity levels and inoculated with bacteria from these two environments. Bacterial growth efficiencies differed in response to salinity and the origin of the inoculum. When salinity was adjusted to correspond to the salinity at the site where the inoculum was retrieved, growth efficiency was relatively high (11.5±2.6%). However, when bacteria were confronted with a shift in salinity, growth efficiency was lower (7.5±2.0%) and more of the utilized carbon was respired. In contrast, growth rates were higher when bacteria were exposed to a change in salinity. The composition of the bacterial communities developing in the batch cultures differed, as shown by 16S rDNA DGGE, depending on the origin of the inoculum and salinity. Reverse and direct DNA,DNA hybridization revealed salinity optima in the growth of specific bacterial strains as well as broader phylogenetic groups. Strains belonging to the ,- and ,- Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and ,- Proteobacteria other than the genus Pseudomonas showed higher relative abundance under freshwater conditions, whereas strains of the genus Pseudomonas and the Cytophaga,Flavobacterium,Bacteroides group were favored by estuarine conditions. Generally, our results demonstrate functional changes associated with changes in community composition. We suggest that even moderate changes in salinity affect bacterial community composition, which subsequently leads to altered growth characteristics. [source] Temporal Dynamics of River Biofilm in Constant Flows: A Case Study in a Riverside Laboratory FlumeINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Stéphanie Boulêtreau Abstract A 15-week experiment was performed in a riverside laboratory flume (with diverted river water) to check variations of river biofilm structure (biomass, algal and bacterial compositions) and function (community gross primary production GPP and respiration) under constant flow while water quality went through natural temporal variations. One major suspended matter pulse coinciding with one river flood was recorded after 10 weeks of experiment. Epilithic biofilm first exhibited a 10-week typical pattern of biomass accrual reaching 33 g ash-free dry matter (AFDM) m,2 and 487 mg chlorophyll- a m,2 and then, experienced a shift to dominance of loss processes (loss of 60% AFDM and 80% chlorophyll- a) coinciding with the main suspended matter pulse. Algal diversity remained low and constant during the experiment: Fragilaria capucina and Encyonema minutum always contribute over 80% of cell counts. DGGE banding patterns discriminated between two groups that corresponded to samples before and after biomass loss, indicating major changes in the bacterial community composition. GPP/R remained high during the experiment, suggesting that photoautotrophic metabolism prevailed and detachment was not autogenic (i.e., due to algal senescence or driven by heterotrophic processes within the biofilm). Observational results suggested that silt deposition into the biofilm matrix could have triggered biomass loss. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Phylogenetic analysis of intestinal bacteria in the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2007K. Li Abstract Aims:, To identify the dominant intestinal bacteria in the Chinese mitten crab, and to investigate the differences in the intestinal bacteria between pond-raised and wild crabs. Methods and Results:, The diversity of intestinal bacteria in the Chinese mitten crabs was investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting, 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis and real-time quantitative PCR. The principal component analysis of DGGE profiles indicated that substantial intersubject variations existed in intestinal bacteria in pond-raised crab. The sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed that 90,95% of the phylotypes in the clone libraries were affiliated with Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Some genera were identified as unique in wild crabs and in pond-raised crabs, whereas Bacteroidetes was found to be common in all sampled crab groups. Real-time quantitative PCR indicated that the abundance of Bacteroides and the total bacterial load were approximately four-to-10 times higher in pond-raised crabs than in wild crabs. A significant portion of the phylotypes shared low similarity with previously sequenced organisms, indicating that the bacteria in the gut of Chinese mitten crabs are yet to be described. Conclusions:, The intestinal bacteria of pond-raised crabs showed higher intersubject variation, total diversity and abundance than that observed in wild crabs. The high proportion of the clones of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes in the clone library is an indication that these bacteria may be the dominant population in the gut of the Chinese mitten crab. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This study demonstrated obvious differences in the intestinal bacterial composition of pond-raised crabs and wild crabs. This knowledge will increase our understanding of the effects of aquaculture operations on bacterial community composition in the crab gut and provide necessary data for the development of probiotic products for crab cultivation. [source] Combined bromodeoxyuridine immunocapture and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis highlights differences in the active soil bacterial metagenome due to Glomus mosseae inoculation or plant speciesENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2005Veronica Artursson Summary High numbers of bacteria are associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, but their functions and in situ activities are largely unknown and most have never been characterized. The aim of the present study was to study the impact of Glomus mosseae inoculation and plant type on the active bacterial communities in soil by using a molecular approach, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunocapture in combination with terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). This approach combined with sequence information from clone libraries, enabled the identification of actively growing populations, within the total bacterial community. Distinct differences in active bacterial community compositions were found according to G. mosseae inoculation, treatment with an antifungal compound (Benomyl) and plant type. The putative identities of the dominant bacterial species that were activated as a result of G. mosseae inoculation were found to be mostly uncultured bacteria and Paenibacillus species. These populations may represent novel bacterial groups that are able to influence the AM relationship and its subsequent effect on plant growth. [source] | ||||||||||