Cyanobacterial Communities of Carbonate Sediments and Biomineralization in Peterhof Fountains’ Water Supply System, Russia

Abstract

The role of cyanobacterial communities in the formation of carbonate sediments (ancient and modern) is not completely clear. We studied the cyanobacterial communities connected with carbonate sediments of the freshwater bodies feeding the historical Peterhof fountains (Saint-Petersburg, Russia). Cyanobacterial communities were studied by metagenome analysis and optical microscopy. Carbonates associated with cyanobacterial communities (both in situ and in vitro) were studied by powder X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The interconnection between the mineral composition of carbonate sediments and inhabiting microorganism species was established. The leading role of cyanobacteria in carbonate biomineralization in fresh water of Peterhof fountains water supply system was shown. Cyanobacteria of 24 genera were revealed in sediments composed of calcite and aragonite. The crystallization of carbonates on the surface of 13 species of cyanobacteria was found. Using model experiments, a significant contribution of cyanobacterial species of the Oscillatoriaceae family (Phormidium spp., Lyngbya sp., Oscillatoria formosa) to carbonate biomineralization is demonstrated.

Insights on the biomineralisation processes and related diversity of cyanobacterial microflora in thermogenic travertine deposits in Greek hot springs (North‐West Euboea Island)

“…It is known that the EPS produced by bacteria, act as a template favouring mineral precipitation for crystal nucleation (Reitner, 1993; Görgen et al, 2021; Della Porta et al, 2021). Cyanobacteria from the genera Gloeocapsa , Phormidium and Schizothrix , which were identified in the studied samples, are known to contribute to biomineralisation processes by making EPS (Golubic et al, 2008; Kamennaya et al, 2012; Kolokoltsev et al, 2014; Rodina et al, 2021). Extracellular polymeric substances are a combination of high‐molecular‐weight polymers, mainly polysaccharides, along with some nucleic acids, lipids, proteins and other polymers such as humic acids (Flemming & Wingender, 2010).…”