Development of a sensitive radiorespiration method for detecting microbial activity at subzero temperatures

Steven, Blaire; Niederberger, Thomas D.; Bottos, Eric; Dyen, Michael R.; Whyte, Lyle G.

doi:10.1016/j.mimet.2007.09.009

Cited by 32 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…However, the high percent recovery of 14 C-acetate mineralization and high viable cell counts suggest that a significant portion of the microbial biomass could be active in situ, including many of the heterotrophic phylotypes detected in the clone libraries and viable isolates. The cumulative percent recovery reported at 5°C are similar to the ones reported for other Arctic samples, such as Eureka permafrost active layer (Steven et al 2008), the Markham ice shelf, and the Ward Hunt Ice shelf (Steven et al 2007b). In contrast, microbial activities at -5, -10, -15 and -20°C were lower than permafrost soils but remained similar to measurements in ice shelf material (Steven et al 2007b).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…The cumulative percent recovery reported at 5°C are similar to the ones reported for other Arctic samples, such as Eureka permafrost active layer (Steven et al 2008), the Markham ice shelf, and the Ward Hunt Ice shelf (Steven et al 2007b). In contrast, microbial activities at -5, -10, -15 and -20°C were lower than permafrost soils but remained similar to measurements in ice shelf material (Steven et al 2007b). The very low percent recovery of 14 C-acetate mineralization at -10°C and below in the channel sediments indicate that microbial activity and growth may be restricted at temperatures B-10°C in this hypersaline environment possibly due to the inactivation of protein folding, cell membrane fluidity and DNA/protein synthesis (Bakermans 2008;Price and Sowers 2004).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Moreover, no isolates in this study were found to grow at -10°C and could partly explain the low respiration activity at temperatures B-10°C resulting from low level metabolism of cells not undergoing active division (Bakermans and Skidmore 2011). However, the percent recovery of 14 C-acetate utilization by the LH channel sediments was higher at all temperatures than in 14 C-glucose mineralization measurements from the LH source after 6 months (Steven et al 2007b) and could be related to the 10-100 times greater biomass present in the channel compared to the LH source. Furthermore, the detection of CO 2 and CH 4 flux from the channel sediments does suggest that microbial respiration occurs both in winter and summer within the channel sediments under ambient conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…15% v/v ethylene glycol (for -10, -15 and -20°C) to prevent freezing during incubation. The CO 2 traps were sampled at timed intervals (1 month) and radioactive counts determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry on a Beckman Coulter (CA, USA) LS 6500 Multi-purpose Scintillation Counter (Steven et al 2007b). …”

Section: Microbial Activity At Cold Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial diversity and activity in hypersaline high Arctic spring channels

et al. 2012

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Lost Hammer (LH) spring is a unique hypersaline, subzero, perennial high Arctic spring arising through thick permafrost. In the present study, the microbial and geochemical characteristics of the LH outflow channels, which remain unfrozen at C-18°C and are more aerobic/ less reducing than the spring source were examined and compared to the previously characterized spring source environment. LH channel sediments contained greater microbial biomass (*100-fold) and greater microbial diversity reflected by the 16S rRNA clone libraries. Phylotypes related to methanogenesis, methanotrophy, sulfur reduction and oxidation were detected in the bacterial clone libraries while the archaeal community was dominated by phylotypes most closely related to THE ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota. The cumulative percent recovery of 14 Cacetate mineralization in channel sediment microcosms exceeded *30% and *10% at 5 and -5°C, respectively, but sharply decreased at -10°C( B1%). Most bacterial isolates (Marinobacter, Planococcus, and Nesterenkonia spp.) were psychrotrophic, halotolerant, and capable of growth at -5°C. Overall, the hypersaline, subzero LH spring channel has higher microbial diversity and activity than the source, and supports a variety of niches reflecting the more dynamic and heterogeneous channel environment.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Microbial Activity At Cold Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial diversity and activity in hypersaline high Arctic spring channels

et al. 2012

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“…Although this study has not proven that the 16S rRNA genes recovered from LH are part of an in situ active microbial community per se, both LIVE/ DEAD and CARD-FISH microbial staining showed relatively high numbers of 'live' cells with the sediment of LH, that is, cells with intact cell membranes, and LH isolates were capable of growth at subzero temperatures and high salinities. We previously detected low heterotrophic microbial activities at subzero temperatures (À5 and À10 1C) within LH sediment (Steven et al, 2007b). However, it is difficult to discern if the archaeal phylotypes detected in LH are active or dormant under in situ conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Microbial characterization of a subzero, hypersaline methane seep in the Canadian High Arctic

et al. 2010

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We report the first microbiological characterization of a terrestrial methane seep in a cryoenvironment in the form of an Arctic hypersaline (B24% salinity), subzero (À5 1C), perennial spring, arising through thick permafrost in an area with an average annual air temperature of À15 1C. Bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries indicated a relatively low diversity of phylotypes within the spring sediment (Shannon index values of 1.65 and 1.39, respectively). Bacterial phylotypes were related to microorganisms such as Loktanella, Gillisia, Halomonas and Marinobacter spp. previously recovered from cold, saline habitats. A proportion of the bacterial phylotypes were cultured, including Marinobacter and Halomonas, with all isolates capable of growth at the in situ temperature (À5 1C). Archaeal phylotypes were related to signatures from hypersaline deep-sea methane-seep sediments and were dominated by the anaerobic methane group 1a (ANME-1a) clade of anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea. CARD-FISH analyses indicated that cells within the spring sediment consisted of B84.0% bacterial and 3.8% archaeal cells with ANME-1 cells accounting for most of the archaeal cells. The major gas discharging from the spring was methane (B50%) with the low CH 4 /C 2 þ ratio and hydrogen and carbon isotope signatures consistent with a thermogenic origin of the methane. Overall, this hypersaline, subzero environment supports a viable microbial community capable of activity at in situ temperature and where methane may behave as an energy and carbon source for sustaining anaerobic oxidation of methane-based microbial metabolism. This site also provides a model of how a methane seep can form in a cryoenvironment as well as a mechanism for the hypothesized Martian methane plumes.

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Earth's perennially frozen environments as a model of cryogenic planet ecosystems

Rivkina

Abramov

Спирина

et al. 2018

Permafrost & Periglacial

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Permafrost and ice are important components of cryogenic planets and other bodies, which are abundant in the universe. Earth is one of many planets of the cold type. Earth's permafrost and ice provide an opportunity to test hypotheses that could be applied in the search for possible ecosystems and potential life on extraterrestrial cryogenic planets. Permafrost sediments in polar and alpine regions are natural ecosystems with a unique feature of low‐temperature preservation of the biological material and its genetic information. Therefore, permafrost studies allow reconstruction of the events that occurred in the Cenozoic and the prediction of possible life that might have been preserved before the effect of anthropogenic factors on these ecosystems, and could be found within ice or permafrost on other cryogenic planets.

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Development of a sensitive radiorespiration method for detecting microbial activity at subzero temperatures

Cited by 32 publications

References 29 publications

Microbial diversity and activity in hypersaline high Arctic spring channels

Microbial diversity and activity in hypersaline high Arctic spring channels

Microbial characterization of a subzero, hypersaline methane seep in the Canadian High Arctic

Earth's perennially frozen environments as a model of cryogenic planet ecosystems

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