DOCSLIB.ORG

Influence of Environmental Factors on Occurrence of Cyanobacteria And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Influence of Environmental Factors on Occurrence of Cyanobacteria And water Article Influence of Environmental Factors on Occurrence of Cyanobacteria and Abundance of Saxitoxin-Producing Cyanobacteria in a Subtropical Drinking Water Reservoir in Brazil Munique A. B. Moraes 1 , Raphaella A. M. Rodrigues 1 , Louise Schlüter 2, Raju Podduturi 3, Niels O. G. Jørgensen 3,* and Maria C. Calijuri 1 1 Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, 400 Trabalhador São Carlense Avenue, São Carlos 13566-590, Brazil; [email protected] (M.A.B.M.); [email protected] (R.A.M.R.); [email protected] (M.C.C.) 2 Environment and Toxicology, DHI, Agern Alle 5, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark; [email protected] 3 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Blooms of cyanobacteria are frequent in Brazilian water reservoirs used for drinking water. The warning for the presence of potential toxin-producing cyanobacteria is typically based on time- consuming microscopy, rather than specific molecular detection of toxic genes in cyanobacteria. In Citation: Moraes, M.A.B.; Rodrigues, this study, we developed a quantitative PCR assay for the detection of cyanobacteria producing the R.A.M.; Schlüter, L.; Podduturi, R.; neurotoxin saxitoxin (STX). The assay targets the sxtA gene in the sxt gene cluster. Potential and Jørgensen, N.O.G.; Calijuri, M.C. dominant STX-producers in the Itupararanga reservoir were the genera Raphidiopsis, Aphanizomenon Influence of Environmental Factors and Geitlerinema. Numbers of the sxtA gene varied from 6.76 × 103 to 7.33 × 105 cells mL−1 and on Occurrence of Cyanobacteria and correlated positively with SXT concentrations in the water. Concentrations of STX and the sxtA gene Abundance of Saxitoxin-Producing also correlated positively with TN:TP ratio and pH, but correlated negatively with inorganic nutrients Cyanobacteria in a Subtropical and turbidity, confirming that regulation of the SXT production was impacted by environmental Drinking Water Reservoir in Brazil. variables. In contrast, the occurrence of another cyanotoxin, microcystin, did not correlate with any Water 2021, 13, 1716. https:// doi.org/10.3390/w13121716 environmental variables. The developed qPCR assay was found to be a rapid and robust approach for the specific quantification of potential STX-producing cyanobacteria and should be considered in Academic Editor: future investigations on toxic cyanobacteria to provide an early warning of potential toxin episodes. Katarzyna Kowalczewska-Madura Keywords: Itupararanga reservoir; toxic cyanobacteria; cyanotoxins; qPCR; sxtA Received: 14 May 2021 Accepted: 17 June 2021 Published: 21 June 2021 1. Introduction Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral Cyanobacteria may cause a multitude of water quality concerns. Among these con- with regard to jurisdictional claims in cerns is the potential risk of toxin production, since cyanotoxins in drinking water reservoirs published maps and institutional affil- and in recreational water pose a serious risk to human health but also to ecosystem func- iations. tioning [1]. The most studied cyanotoxin is the hepatotoxic microcystin (MC), which consists of more than 240 structural variants and is produced by several cyanobacterial gen- era [2,3], including Dolichospermum (basionym Anabaena)[4], Microcystis and Planktothrix. Another important cyanotoxin is saxitoxin (STX), a neurotoxin that occurs in more than Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. 50 variants, and 15 of these variants have so far not been detected in cyanobacteria [5]. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The STX-producing freshwater genera include, among others, Raphidiopsis (basionym This article is an open access article Cylindrospermopsis)[6], Dolichospermum, and Aphanizomenon. distributed under the terms and The physiological and ecological function of cyanotoxins in cyanobacteria is not clear, conditions of the Creative Commons but some researchers believe that the toxins have a protective function against zooplankton Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// grazing, or are related to interspecies competition for resources, or may improve the cell creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ physiology [7,8]. However, specific factors that stimulate and/or control the production of 4.0/). Water 2021, 13, 1716. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13121716 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/water Water 2021, 13, 1716 2 of 19 cyanotoxin by cyanobacteria remain to be determined [9]. Similarly, the fact that the same cyanobacterial strain is capable of synthesizing more than one toxic metabolite makes it even more difficult to understand a cause-effect relationship [10]. The identification and quantification of cyanobacteria by traditional microscopy is not adequate for the identification of toxic populations, since toxic and nontoxic strains are morphologically identical [11]. For the detection of toxin-producing strains, PCR-targeting genes that encode specific toxins may be a fast and useful approach [12]. If the number of potentially toxin-producing cyanobacteria is needed, e.g., in environmental studies, quantitative PCR (qPCR) can be applied and serve as a powerful and sensitive tool [13–17]. In Brazil, relatively few studies have focused on molecular approaches for the detec- tion of toxic genes for early warning of cyanotoxin episodes, despite the frequent occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms [12,18–21]. In most cases, traditional PCR was used to detect the presence of potentially cyanotoxin-producing strains, but the application of qPCR-targeting genes in the MC synthesis was performed by Lorenzi [19], Pimentel and Giani [11] and Guedes et al. [22] to quantify the mcyA gene in Salto Grande reservoir, the mcyD gene in Furnas reservoir and the mcyB in Funil reservoir, respectively. For production of SXT by cyanobacteria, no qPCR approaches targeting genes in the sxt cluster have so far been applied in Brazilian freshwaters to our knowledge. The Itupararanga reservoir is located in a subtropical urbanized region of São Paulo State, Brazil, and is one of the most important reservoirs of ecological and economic interests in the state. Water from the reservoir serves many purposes, such as a source of drinking water for approximately one million people, for hydroelectric power and for irrigation of crops [23]. The reservoir has suffered from water quality degradation due to growing urbanization, agricultural practices and discharge of untreated wastewater, especially in the tributaries [24–26]. Studies have classified this reservoir as meso-eutrophic [27,28]. Increased nutrient levels have not only contributed to the eutrophication process, they have also introduced a risk of water quality deterioration due to the proliferation of cyanobacteria [29–31]. In an attempt to better understand the dynamics of toxin-producing cyanobacteria in the Itupararanga reservoir, we related concentrations of STX and MC to the abundance of known toxin producers, as well as to important environmental parameters (nutrients, turbidity and pH). In parallel, to obtain actual numbers of STX-producing cells in the reservoir, we developed a qPCR approach that targets the sxtA gene in the sxt gene cluster. Finally, we hypothesize that numbers of the sxtA gene correlate with concentrations of STX in the water and can be used for early warning of health risk by saxitoxins. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Study Area and Sampling Environmental samples were collected at the riverine and dam zones in the Itu- pararanga reservoir located in São Paulo State, Brazil (Figure1). The main characteristics of the reservoir and sampling sites are shown in Table S1. Sampling was carried out in May, August, October 2017 and January 2018. Water samples were collected at two depths (100%—surface and 1%—lower limit of euphotic zone) determined by the photo- synthetically active radiation (PAR, µE m−2 s−1) using a light sensor (LI-1400 DataLogger, sensitivity of 400–700 nm, LI-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE, USA). Water 2021 13 Water 2021,, 13,, 1716x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 3of of 20 19 Figure 1. Sampling sites in the Itupararanga reservoir, SSãoão PauloPaulo State,State, Brazil.Brazil. ItupararangaItupararanga riverineriverine zonezone (23(23°37◦370′24.824.8”″ S, S, 47°1347◦13′053.453.4”″ W); W); Itupararanga Itupararanga dam dam zone zone (23°36 (23◦36′50.7050.7”″ S, S, 47°23 47◦23′27.3027.3”″ W). W). 2.2.2.2. Environmental Environmental Variables Variables TheThe variables pH, dissolved oxygen (DO,(DO, mgmg LL−−1),), electrical electrical conductivity conductivity (EC, (EC, μµS cmcm−−1),1), turbidity turbidity (NTU) (NTU) and and water water temperature temperature (°C) (◦C) were were determined determined on-site on-site using a HANNAHANNA probeprobe (HANNA (HANNA HI9829, HI9829, Limena, Limena Italy)., WaterItaly). transparencyWater transparency (m) was determined (m) was determinedusing a Secchi using disk anda Secchi the lower disk limitand ofthe euphotic lower zonelimit (Zofeu euphotic, m) was determinedzone (Zeu, asm) 1% was of − determinedPAR. Samples as 1% for dissolvedof PAR. Samples nutrients for (solubledissolved reactive nutrients phosphorus—SRP, (soluble reactive nitrate—NO phosphorus—3 - − − − + + SRP,N, nitrite—NO nitrate—NO2 3-N-N, and nitrite—NO ammonium—NH2 -N and 4ammonium—NH-N) were filtered4 -N) through were 0.7 filteredµm-pore-size through 0.7glass μm-pore-size fiber filters (GEglass Healthcare fiber filters Life (GE Sciences, Healthcare Whatman, Life Sciences,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Early Photosynthetic Eukaryotes Inhabited Low-Salinity Habitats
    Early photosynthetic eukaryotes inhabited PNAS PLUS low-salinity habitats Patricia Sánchez-Baracaldoa,1, John A. Ravenb,c, Davide Pisanid,e, and Andrew H. Knollf aSchool of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS, United Kingdom; bDivision of Plant Science, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, United Kingdom; cPlant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; dSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; eSchool of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom; and fDepartment of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 Edited by Peter R. Crane, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Upperville, Virginia, and approved July 7, 2017 (received for review December 7, 2016) The early evolutionary history of the chloroplast lineage remains estimates for the origin of plastids ranging over 800 My (7). At the an open question. It is widely accepted that the endosymbiosis that same time, the ecological setting in which this endosymbiotic event established the chloroplast lineage in eukaryotes can be traced occurred has not been fully explored (8), partly because of phy- back to a single event, in which a cyanobacterium was incorpo- logenetic uncertainties and preservational biases of the fossil re- rated into a protistan host. It is still unclear, however, which cord. Phylogenomics and trait evolution analysis have pointed to a Cyanobacteria are most closely related to the chloroplast, when the freshwater origin for Cyanobacteria (9–11), providing an approach plastid lineage first evolved, and in what habitats this endosym- to address the early diversification of terrestrial biota for which the biotic event occurred.
    [Show full text]
  • Potential Cyanobacterial Inoculants for Rice Described from a Polyphasic Approach
    Agrociencia Uruguay 2020 | Volume 24 | Number 2 | Article 52 DOI: 10.31285/AGRO.24.52 ISSN 2301-1548 Potential cyanobacterial inoculants for rice described from a polyphasic approach Editor Eduardo Abreo Instituto Nacional de Investigación Potenciales inoculantes Agropecuaria (INIA), Colonia, Uruguay. cianobacterianos para arroz Correspondence descritos desde un enfoque Pilar Irisarri [email protected] polifásico Received 20 May 2019 Accepted 29 Set 2020 Published 09 Nov 2020 Potential cyanobacterial inoculants Citation for rice described from a polyphasic Pérez G, Cerecetto V, Irisarri P. Potential cyanobacterial inocu- lants for rice described from a approach polyphasic approach. Agrocien- cia Uruguay [Internet]. 2020 [cited dd mmm yyyy];24(2):52. Available from: http://agrocien- ciauruguay. uy/ojs/in- dex.php/agrociencia/arti- cle/view/52 Pérez, G. 1; Cerecetto, V. 1; Irisarri, P. 1 1Universidad de la República, Facultad de Agronomía, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Montevideo, Uruguay. Potential cyanobacterial inoculants described by a polyphasic approach Abstract Ten heterocyst cyanobacteria isolated from a temperate ricefield in Uruguay were characterized using a poly- phasic approach. Based on major phenotypic features, the isolates were divided into two different morphotypes within the Order Nostocales, filamentous without true branching. The isolates were also phylogenetically evalu- ated by their 16S rRNA and hetR gene sequences. Although the morphological classification of cyanobacteria has not always been supported by the analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, in this case the morphological identifica- tion agreed with the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis and the ten isolates were ascribed at the genus level to Nostoc or Calothrix. Four isolates were identified at species level.
    [Show full text]
  • Nostocaceae (Subsection IV
    African Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 7(27), pp. 3887-3897, 17 July, 2012 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR DOI: 10.5897/AJAR11.837 ISSN 1991-637X ©2012 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper Phylogenetic and morphological evaluation of two species of Nostoc (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria) in certain physiological conditions Bahareh Nowruzi1*, Ramezan-Ali Khavari-Nejad1,2, Karina Sivonen3, Bahram Kazemi4,5, Farzaneh Najafi1 and Taher Nejadsattari2 1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Tarbiat Moallem University, Tehran, Iran. 2Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 3Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, Viikki Biocenter, Viikinkaari 9, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland. 4Department of Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Accepted 25 January, 2012 Studies of cyanobacterial species are important to the global scientific community, mainly, the order, Nostocales fixes atmospheric nitrogen, thus, contributing to the fertility of agricultural soils worldwide, while others behave as nuisance microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems due to their involvement in toxic bloom events. However, in spite of their ecological importance and environmental concerns, their identification and taxonomy are still problematic and doubtful, often being based on current morphological and
    [Show full text]
  • Natural Product Gene Clusters in the Filamentous Nostocales Cyanobacterium HT-58-2
    life Article Natural Product Gene Clusters in the Filamentous Nostocales Cyanobacterium HT-58-2 Xiaohe Jin 1,*, Eric S. Miller 2 and Jonathan S. Lindsey 1 1 Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; [email protected] 2 Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7615, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Cyanobacteria are known as rich repositories of natural products. One cyanobacterial- microbial consortium (isolate HT-58-2) is known to produce two fundamentally new classes of natural products: the tetrapyrrole pigments tolyporphins A–R, and the diterpenoid compounds tolypodiol, 6-deoxytolypodiol, and 11-hydroxytolypodiol. The genome (7.85 Mbp) of the Nostocales cyanobacterium HT-58-2 was annotated previously for tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes, which led to the identification of a putative biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for tolyporphins. Here, bioinformatics tools have been employed to annotate the genome more broadly in an effort to identify pathways for the biosynthesis of tolypodiols as well as other natural products. A putative BGC (15 genes) for tolypodiols has been identified. Four BGCs have been identified for the biosynthesis of other natural products. Two BGCs related to nitrogen fixation may be relevant, given the association of nitrogen stress with production of tolyporphins. The results point to the rich biosynthetic capacity of the HT-58-2 cyanobacterium beyond the production of tolyporphins and tolypodiols. Citation: Jin, X.; Miller, E.S.; Lindsey, J.S. Natural Product Gene Clusters in Keywords: anatoxin-a/homoanatoxin-a; hapalosin; heterocyst glycolipids; natural products; sec- the Filamentous Nostocales ondary metabolites; shinorine; tolypodiols; tolyporphins Cyanobacterium HT-58-2.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiotic Cyanobacterium, Nostoc Punctiforme Can Regulate Plant Programmed Cell Death
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.13.249318; this version posted August 14, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. The nitrogen-fixing symbiotic cyanobacterium, Nostoc punctiforme can regulate plant programmed cell death Samuel P. Belton1,4, Paul F. McCabe1,2,3, Carl K. Y. Ng1,2,3* 1UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, 2UCD Centre for Plant Science, 3UCD Earth Institute, O’Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, DN04 E25, Republic of Ireland 4Present address: DBN Plant Molecular Laboratory, National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Dublin, D09 E7F2, Republic of Ireland *email: [email protected] Acknowledgements This work was financially supported by a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship from the Irish Research Council (GOIPG/2015/2695) to SPB. Author contributions S.P.B., P.F.M, and C.K.Y.N conceived of the study and designed the experiments. S.B. performed all the experiments and analysed the data. S.B. prepared the draft of the manuscript with the help of P.F.M and C.K.Y.N. All authors read, edited, and approved the manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.13.249318; this version posted August 14, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Abstract Cyanobacteria such as Nostoc spp.
    [Show full text]
  • Major Commercial Products from Micro- and Macroalgae Melinda Griffiths1
    Major commercial products from micro‐ and macroalgae Melinda Griffiths1, Susan T.L Harrison1, Monique Smit1,2 and Dheepak Maharajh2 1 Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa, 7701 2 CSIR Biosciences, Bld 18, PO Box 395, Pretoria, South Africa, 0001 [email protected] ‐ 021 650 5523 [email protected] ‐ 021 650 4021 [email protected] – 012 841 2664 Abstract Macro‐and microalgae are used in a variety of commercial products with many more in development. This chapter outlines the major products, species used, methods of production, extraction and processing as well as market sizes and trends. Foods, nutraceuticals and feeds are the major commercial products from algae. Well‐known culinary products include Nori, Wakame, Kombu and Dulse, from whole macroalgal biomass. The microalgae Spirulina and Chlorella have been widely marketed as nutritional supplements for both humans and animals. Several microalgae with a high nutritional value and energy content are grown commercially as aquaculture feed. The major processed products from macroalgae are the hydrocolloids, including carrageenan, agars and alginates, used as gelling agents in a variety of foods and health‐care products. Pigments extracted from algae include β‐carotene, astaxanthin and phycobiliproteins. These are generally used as food colourants, as additives in animal feed or as nutraceuticals for their antioxidant properties (Radmer, 1996; Pulz, 2004). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are another high‐value product derived from microalgae. Other potential products include fertilizers, fuels, cosmetics and chemicals. Algae also have application in bioremediation and CO2 sequestration, as well as producing many interesting bioactive compounds.
    [Show full text]
  • Isolation and Characterization of 1-Palmitoyl-2-Linoleoyl-Sn
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Isolation and characterization of 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycerol as a hormogonium-inducing factor Received: 19 April 2018 Accepted: 29 January 2019 (HIF) from the coralloid roots of Published: xx xx xxxx Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae) Yasuyuki Hashidoko 1, Hiroaki Nishizuka1, Manato Tanaka1, Kanako Murata1, Yuta Murai2 & Makoto Hashimoto1 Coralloid roots are specialized tissues of cycads (Cycas revoluta) that are involved in symbioses with nitrogen-fxing Nostoc cyanobacteria. We found that a crude methanolic extract of coralloid roots induced diferentiation of the flamentous cell aggregates of Nostoc species into motile hormogonia. Hence, the hormogonium-inducing factor (HIF) was chased using bioassay-based isolation, and the active principle was characterized as a mixture of diacylglycerols (DAGs), mainly composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycerol (1), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol (2), 1-stearoyl-2-linolenoyl- sn-glycerol (3), and 1-stearoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycerol (4). Enantioselectively synthesised compound 1 showed a clear HIF activity at 1 nmol (0.6 µg) disc−1 for the flamentous cells, whereas synthesised 2-linoleoyl-3-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol (1′) and 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-rac-glycerol (1/1′) were less active than 1. Conversely, synthesised 1-linoleoyl-2-palmitoyl-rac-glycerol (8/8′) which is an acyl positional isomer of compound 1 was inactive. In addition, neither 1-monoacylglycerols nor phospholipids structurally related to 1 showed HIF-like activities. As DAGs are protein kinase C (PKC) activators, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (12), urushiol C15:3-Δ10,13,16 (13), and a skin irritant anacardic acid C15:1-Δ8 (14) were also examined for HIF-like activities toward the Nostoc cells.
    [Show full text]
  • Reconstructed Ancestral Enzymes Suggest Long-Term Cooling of Earth's
    Reconstructed ancestral enzymes suggest long-term cooling of Earth’s photic zone since the Archean Amanda K. Garciaa,b,1, J. William Schopfa,b,c,d,1, Shin-ichi Yokoborie, Satoshi Akanumaf, and Akihiko Yamagishie aCenter for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095; bDepartment of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095; cMolecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095; dUniversity of Wisconsin Astrobiology Research Consortium, Madison, WI 53706; eDepartment of Applied Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan; and fFaculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan Contributed by J. William Schopf, March 16, 2017 (sent for review February 16, 2017; reviewed by David J. Bottjer, L. Paul Knauth, and Donald R. Lowe) Paleotemperatures inferred from the isotopic compositions (δ18Oand metamorphic resetting of the reported isotopic signatures by δ30Si) of marine cherts suggest that Earth’soceanscooledfrom70± exchange with groundwater and/or recrystallization, respectively 15 °C in the Archean to the present ∼15 °C. This interpretation, how- (e.g., refs. 11–14), and ambiguities regarding the depositional envi- ever, has been subject to question due to uncertainties regarding ronment of some of the cherts analyzed that, if hydrothermal, would oceanic isotopic compositions, diagenetic or metamorphic resetting not be indicative of global surface conditions (e.g., ref. 13). To re- of the isotopic record, and depositional environments. Analyses of solve such questions, an independent line of evidence is necessary.
    [Show full text]
  • Polyphasic Approach and Adaptative Strategies of Nostoc Cf. Commune (Nostocales, Nostocaceae) Growing on Mayan Monuments
    Fottea 11(1): 73–86, 2011 73 Polyphasic approach and adaptative strategies of Nostoc cf. commune (Nostocales, Nostocaceae) growing on Mayan monuments M. RAMÍ R EZ a,b, M. HE R NÁNDEZ –MA R INÉ a, P. MATEO c, E. BE rr ENDE R O c & M. ROLDÁN d aFacultat de Farmàcia, Unitat de Botànica, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain bPosgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México cDepartamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain dServei de Microscòpia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici C, Facultat de Ciències, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain Abstract: An aerophytic Nostoc, from a Mayan monument, has been characterized by phenotypic and molecular approaches, and identified as a morphospecies ofNostoc commune. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that it belongs to a Nostoc sensu stricto clade, which contains strains identified asN. commune. Nostoc cf. commune is found in two close areas: Site I (protected from direct sunlight by a wall), where it forms biofilms on mortar with Trentepohlia aurea; and Site II, where it grows on exposed stucco with the accompanying organism Scytonema guyanense. Over the year, in a habitat dictated by alternating wet and dry seasons, the organisms vary in appearance. Its life cycle comprises two seasonally–determined developmental stages (growth during the wet season and dormancy during the dry season) and two transitional stages (preparation for the dry season, and rehydration and recovery). At the beginning of the wet season the resistant stages from the previous dry season are rehydrated and form propagula, that adopt a colonial shape surrounded by a gelatinous sheath.
    [Show full text]
  • Microbial Diversity of Soda Lake Habitats
    Microbial Diversity of Soda Lake Habitats Von der Gemeinsamen Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Technischen Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) genehmigte D i s s e r t a t i o n von Susanne Baumgarte aus Fritzlar 1. Referent: Prof. Dr. K. N. Timmis 2. Referent: Prof. Dr. E. Stackebrandt eingereicht am: 26.08.2002 mündliche Prüfung (Disputation) am: 10.01.2003 2003 Vorveröffentlichungen der Dissertation Teilergebnisse aus dieser Arbeit wurden mit Genehmigung der Gemeinsamen Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät, vertreten durch den Mentor der Arbeit, in folgenden Beiträgen vorab veröffentlicht: Publikationen Baumgarte, S., Moore, E. R. & Tindall, B. J. (2001). Re-examining the 16S rDNA sequence of Halomonas salina. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 51: 51-53. Tagungsbeiträge Baumgarte, S., Mau, M., Bennasar, A., Moore, E. R., Tindall, B. J. & Timmis, K. N. (1999). Archaeal diversity in soda lake habitats. (Vortrag). Jahrestagung der VAAM, Göttingen. Baumgarte, S., Tindall, B. J., Mau, M., Bennasar, A., Timmis, K. N. & Moore, E. R. (1998). Bacterial and archaeal diversity in an African soda lake. (Poster). Körber Symposium on Molecular and Microsensor Studies of Microbial Communities, Bremen. II Contents 1. Introduction............................................................................................................... 1 1.1. The soda lake environment .................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Morphological Diversity of Benthic Nostocales (Cyanoprokaryota/Cyanobacteria) from the Tropical Rocky Shores of Huatulco Region, Oaxaca, México
    Phytotaxa 219 (3): 221–232 ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ PHYTOTAXA Copyright © 2015 Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.219.3.2 Morphological diversity of benthic Nostocales (Cyanoprokaryota/Cyanobacteria) from the tropical rocky shores of Huatulco region, Oaxaca, México LAURA GONZÁLEZ-RESENDIZ1,2*, HILDA P. LEÓN-TEJERA1 & MICHELE GOLD-MORGAN1 1 Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Coyoacán, Có- digo Postal 04510, P.O. Box 70–474, México, Distrito Federal (D.F.), México 2 Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). * Corresponding author (e–mail: [email protected]) Abstract The supratidal and intertidal zones are extreme biotopes. Recent surveys of the supratidal and intertidal fringe of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, have shown that the cyanoprokaryotes are frequently the dominant forms and the heterocytous species form abundant and conspicuous epilithic growths. Five of the eight special morphotypes (Brasilonema sp., Myochrotes sp., Ophiothrix sp., Petalonema sp. and Calothrix sp.) from six localities described and discussed in this paper, are new reports for the tropical Mexican coast and the other three (Kyrtuthrix cf. maculans, Scytonematopsis cf. crustacea and Hassallia littoralis) extend their known distribution. Key words: Marine environment, stressful environment, Scytonemataceae, Rivulariaceae Introduction The rocky shore is a highly stressful habitat, due to the lack of nutrients, elevated temperatures and high desiccation related to tidal fluctuation (Nagarkar 2002). Previous works on this habitat report epilithic heterocytous species that are often dominant especially in the supratidal and intertidal fringes (Whitton & Potts 1979, Potts 1980; Nagarkar & Williams 1999, Nagarkar 2002, Diez et al.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolutionary Diversification of Cyanobacteria: Molecular–Phylogenetic and Paleontological Perspectives
    The evolutionary diversification of cyanobacteria: Molecular–phylogenetic and paleontological perspectives Akiko Tomitani†‡, Andrew H. Knoll§¶, Colleen M. Cavanaugh§, and Terufumi Ohno† †The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; and §Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 Contributed by Andrew H. Knoll, February 6, 2006 Cyanobacteria have played a significant role in Earth history as (Stigonematales), vegetative cells can differentiate into morpho- primary producers and the ultimate source of atmospheric oxygen. logically and ultrastructurally distinct heterocysts, cells that To date, however, how and when the group diversified has specialize in nitrogen fixation under aerobic conditions (8), or remained unclear. Here, we combine molecular phylogenetic and akinetes, resting cells that survive environmental stresses such as paleontological studies to elucidate the pattern and timing of early cold and desiccation (9), depending on growth conditions. In cyanobacterial diversification. 16S rRNA, rbcL, and hetR genes were addition, filaments of subsection V have complicated branching sequenced from 20 cyanobacterial strains distributed among 16 patterns. Their developmental variety and complexity are thus genera, with particular care taken to represent the known diversity among the most highly developed in prokaryotes. of filamentous taxa. Unlike most other bacteria, some filamentous The geologic record offers some clues
    [Show full text]