Changing Microspatial Patterns of Sulfate-Reducing Microorganisms (SRM) during Cycling of  Marine Stromatolite Mats

Petrişor, Alexandru-Ionuţ; Szyjka, Sandra; Kawaguchi, Tomohiro; Visscher, Pieter T.; Norman, R. Sean; Decho, Alan W.

doi:10.3390/ijms15010850

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…These findings corroborate further the suggestion that there are anoxic/suboxic microniches at the surface of smooth mats 28 65 . It has been proposed that tightly regulated metabolisms – potentially mediated by quorum sensing – of microbial consortia such as cyanobacteria, sulfate reducers/sulfur oxidisers, and methanogens/methanotrophs, may create these oxic and anoxic zones at mat surfaces 66 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dynamics of archaea at fine spatial scales in Shark Bay mat microbiomes

Wong

Visscher

White

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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The role of archaea in microbial mats is poorly understood. Delineating the spatial distribution of archaea with mat depth will enable resolution of putative niches in these systems. In the present study, high throughput amplicon sequencing was undertaken in conjunction with analysis of key biogeochemical properties of two mats (smooth and pustular) from Shark Bay, Australia. One-way analysis of similarity tests indicated the archaeal community structures of smooth and pustular mats were significantly different (global R = 1, p = 0.1%). Smooth mats possessed higher archaeal diversity, dominated by Parvarchaeota. The methanogenic community in smooth mats was dominated by hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales, as well as methylotrophic Methanosarcinales, Methanococcales, Methanobacteriales and Methanomassiliicoccaceae. Pustular mats were enriched with Halobacteria and Parvarchaeota. Key metabolisms (bacterial and archaeal) were measured, and the rates of oxygen production/consumption and sulfate reduction were up to four times higher in smooth than in pustular mats. Methane production peaked in the oxic layers and was up to seven-fold higher in smooth than pustular mats. The finding of an abundance of anaerobic methanogens enriched at the surface where oxygen levels were highest, coupled with peak methane production in the oxic zone, suggests putative surface anoxic niches in these microbial mats.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dynamics of archaea at fine spatial scales in Shark Bay mat microbiomes

Wong

Visscher

White

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…Thus it is suggested that an anoxic niche exists in the surface mat matrix to protect SRB from oxidative stress. The distribution of SRB in microbial mats forming marine stromatolites in the Bahamas was mapped using Geographical Information Systems and concluded clusters of SRB were common in lithifying mats 50 . Furthermore, our data indicating a large portion of other anaerobic members at the surface oxygenated layer (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Niche differentiation of bacterial communities at a millimeter scale in Shark Bay microbial mats

Wong

Smith

Visscher

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

111

156

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Modern microbial mats can provide key insights into early Earth ecosystems, and Shark Bay, Australia, holds one of the best examples of these systems. Identifying the spatial distribution of microorganisms with mat depth facilitates a greater understanding of specific niches and potentially novel microbial interactions. High throughput sequencing coupled with elemental analyses and biogeochemical measurements of two distinct mat types (smooth and pustular) at a millimeter scale were undertaken in the present study. A total of 8,263,982 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained, which were affiliated to 58 bacterial and candidate phyla. The surface of both mats were dominated by Cyanobacteria, accompanied with known or putative members of Alphaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The deeper anoxic layers of smooth mats were dominated by Chloroflexi, while Alphaproteobacteria dominated the lower layers of pustular mats. In situ microelectrode measurements revealed smooth mats have a steeper profile of O2 and H2S concentrations, as well as higher oxygen production, consumption, and sulfate reduction rates. Specific elements (Mo, Mg, Mn, Fe, V, P) could be correlated with specific mat types and putative phylogenetic groups. Models are proposed for these systems suggesting putative surface anoxic niches, differential nitrogen fixing niches, and those coupled with methane metabolism.

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