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Temporal changes and altitudinal distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in mountain lakes.

ABSTRACT: Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAPs) are bacteriochlorophyll a-containing microorganisms that use organic substrates for growth but can supplement their energy requirements with light. They have been reported from various marine and limnic environments; however, their ecology remains largely unknown. Here infrared epifluorescence microscopy was used to monitor temporal changes in AAPs in the alpine lake Gossenköllesee, located in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. AAP abundance was low (10(3) cells ml(-1)) until mid-July and reached a maximum of ?1.3 × 10(5) cells ml(-1) (29% of all prokaryotes) in mid-September. We compared the studied lake with other mountain lakes located across an altitudinal gradient (913 to 2,799 m above sea level). The concentration of dissolved organic carbon and water transparency seem to be the main factors influencing AAP abundance during the seasonal cycle as well as across the altitudinal gradient. While the AAP populations inhabiting the alpine lakes were composed of intensely pigmented large rods (5 to 12 ?m), the lakes below the tree line were inhabited by a variety of smaller morphotypes. Analysis of pufM diversity revealed that AAPs in Gossenköllesee were almost exclusively Sphingomonadales species, which indicates that AAP communities inhabiting alpine lakes are relatively homogeneous compared to those in low-altitude lakes.

SUBMITTER: Cuperova Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3811222 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Temporal changes and altitudinal distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in mountain lakes.

Čuperová Zuzana Z Holzer Evelyn E Salka Ivette I Sommaruga Ruben R Koblízek Michal M

Applied and environmental microbiology 20130816 20

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAPs) are bacteriochlorophyll a-containing microorganisms that use organic substrates for growth but can supplement their energy requirements with light. They have been reported from various marine and limnic environments; however, their ecology remains largely unknown. Here infrared epifluorescence microscopy was used to monitor temporal changes in AAPs in the alpine lake Gossenköllesee, located in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. AAP abundance was low (10(3) cells ml ...[more]

PMID: 23956384

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Project description:Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APBs) occur in a wide range of aquatic habitats, from hot springs to freshwater lakes and intertidal microbial mats. Here, we report the discovery of a novel niche for APBs: endoliths within marine littoral carbonates. In a study of 40 locations around Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico, and Menorca, Spain, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of endolithic community DNA revealed the presence of abundant phylotypes potentially belonging to well-known APB clades. An ad hoc phylogenetic classification of these sequences enabled us to refine the assignments more stringently. Even then, all locations contained such putative APBs, often reaching a significant proportion of all phototrophic sequences. In fact, in some 20% of samples, their contribution exceeded that of oxygenic phototrophs, previously regarded as the major type of endolithic microbe in carbonates. The communities contained representatives of APBs in the Chloroflexales, various proteobacterial groups, and Chlorobi The most abundant phylotypes varied with geography: on Isla de Mona, Roseiflexus and Chlorothrix-related phylotypes dominated, whereas those related to Erythrobacter were the most common in Menorca. The presence of active populations of APBs was corroborated through an analysis of photopigments: bacteriochlorophylls were detected in all samples, bacteriochlorophyll c and a being most abundant. We discuss the potential metabolism and geomicrobial roles of endolithic APBs. Phylogenetic inference suggests that APBs may be playing a role as photoheterotrophs, adding biogeochemical complexity to our understanding of such communities. Given the global extent of coastal carbonate platforms, they likely represent a very large and unexplored habitat for APBs.IMPORTANCE Endolithic microbial communities from carbonates, which have been explored for over 2 centuries in predominantly naturalistic studies, were thought to be primarily composed of eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria. Our report represents a paradigm shift in this regard, at least for the marine environment, demonstrating the presence of ubiquitous and abundant populations of APBs in this habitat. It raises questions about the role of these organisms in the geological dynamics of coastal carbonates, including coral reefs.

Dataset Information

Temporal changes and altitudinal distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in mountain lakes.

Publications

Temporal changes and altitudinal distribution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in mountain lakes.

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