Project description:To identify the mechanism of Microbial Influenced Corrosion (MIC) and the bacterial response toward corrosion, we conducted whole genome microarray expression profile. At log phase, the cell of Clostridium carboxidivorans using iron granule as an electron donor (corroding iron) was collected as a sample, and that of using syngas as an electron donor was collected as a control.
Project description:Synthetic microbial consortia represent a new frontier for synthetic biology given that they can solve more complex problems than monocultures. However, most attempts to co-cultivate these artificial communities fail because of the ‘‘winner-takes-all’’ in nutrients competition. In soil, multiple species can coexist with a spatial organization. Inspired by nature, here we show that an engineered spatial segregation method can assemble stable consortia with both flexibility and precision. We create microbial swarmbot consortia (MSBC) by encapsulating subpopulations with polymeric microcapsules. The crosslinked structure of microcapsules fences microbes, but allows the transport of small molecules and proteins. MSBC method enables the assembly of various synthetic communities and the precise control over the subpopulations. These capabilities can readily modulate the division of labor and communication. Our work integrates the synthetic biology and material science to offer new insights into consortia assembly and server as foundation to diverse applications from biomanufacturing to engineered photosynthesis.
2022-07-04 | PXD034417 | Pride
Project description:Enrichment of microbial consortia with efficient keratinolytic activity
Project description:Microbial consortia consist of a multitude of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Their interaction is critical for the functioning of ecosystems. Until now, there is limited knowledge about the communication signals determining the interaction between bacteria and fungi and how they influence microbial consortia. Here, we discovered that bacterial low molecular weight arginine-derived polyketides trigger the production of distinct natural products in fungi. These compounds are produced by actinomycetes found on all continents except Antarctica and are characterized by an arginine-derived positively charged group linked to a linear or cyclic polyene moiety. Producer bacteria can be readily isolated from soil as well as fungi that decode the signal and respond with the biosynthesis of natural products. Both arginine-derived polyketides and the compounds produced by fungi in response shape microbial interactions.
Project description:Tibet is one of the most threatened regions by climate warming, thus understanding how its microbial communities function may be of high importance for predicting microbial responses to climate changes. Here, we report a study to profile soil microbial structural genes, which infers functional roles of microbial communities, along four sites/elevations of a Tibetan mountainous grassland, aiming to explore potential microbial responses to climate changes via a strategy of space-for-time substitution. Using a microarray-based metagenomics tool named GeoChip 4.0, we showed that microbial communities were distinct for most but not all of the sites. Substantial variations were apparent in stress, N and C cycling genes, but they were in line with the functional roles of these genes. Cold shock genes were more abundant at higher elevations. Also, gdh converting ammonium into urea was more abundant at higher elevations while ureC converting urea into ammonium was less abundant, which was consistent with soil ammonium contents. Significant correlations were observed between N-cycling genes (ureC, gdh and amoA) and nitrous oxide flux, suggesting that they contributed to community metabolism. Lastly, we found by CCA, Mantel tests and the similarity tests that soil pH, temperature, NH4+–N and vegetation diversity accounted for the majority (81.4%) of microbial community variations, suggesting that these four attributes were major factors affecting soil microbial communities. Based on these observations, we predict that climate changes in the Tibetan grasslands are very likely to change soil microbial community functional structure, with particular impacts on microbial N cycling genes and consequently microbe-mediated soil N dynamics.