MiDAS 2.0: an ecosystem-specific taxonomy and online database for the organisms of wastewater treatment systems expanded for anaerobic digester groups

Abstract

Wastewater is increasingly viewed as a resource, with anaerobic digester technology being routinely implemented for biogas production. Characterising the microbial communities involved in wastewater treatment facilities and their anaerobic digesters is considered key to their optimal design and operation. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene allows high-throughput monitoring of these systems. The MiDAS field guide is a public resource providing amplicon sequencing protocols and an ecosystem-specific taxonomic database optimized for use with wastewater treatment facility samples. The curated taxonomy endeavours to provide a genus-level-classification for abundant phylotypes and the online field guide links this identity to published information regarding their ecology, function and distribution. This article describes the expansion of the database resources to cover the organisms of the anaerobic digester systems fed primary sludge and surplus activated sludge. The updated database includes descriptions of the abundant genus-level-taxa in influent wastewater, activated sludge and anaerobic digesters. Abundance information is also included to allow assessment of the role of emigration in the ecology of each phylotype. MiDAS is intended as a collaborative resource for the progression of research into the ecology of wastewater treatment, by providing a public repository for knowledge that is accessible to all interested in these biotechnologically important systems. Database URL: http://www.midasfieldguide.org

Biogas‐producing microbial composition of an anaerobic digester and associated bovine residues

“…PCR products were cleaned with a PCR Clean‐Up System (Promega, USA) and sequenced with the same primer pair without the GC clamp at Eton Bioscience, Inc. (San Diego, USA). To determine the closest known relative species, sequences were blasted against the NCBI GenBank and MiDAS 2.1 database (Mcllroy et al, ). Sequences were deposited in NCBI under accession numbers MH393448‐MH393458.…”

“…(San Diego, USA). To determine the closest known relative species, sequences were blasted against the NCBI GenBank and MiDAS 2.1 database (Mcllroy et al, 2017). Sequences were deposited in NCBI under accession numbers MH393448-MH393458.…”

Microbial biotechnology and circular economy in wastewater treatment

“…Wastewater, activated sludge and digesters all seem to have a core community of 100-200 abundant genera (each >approx. 0.1% relative abundance) that make up the majority of the biomass and are commonly present across many plants and in many countries (Saunders et al, 2016;McIlroy et al, 2017). Interestingly, although we know the identity and function of many of these microbes, most are still very poorly characterized and their function basically unknown, although they must play important, so far unknown roles that need to be revealed for a sound understanding of these systems.…”

Novel prosthecate bacteria from the candidate phylum Acetothermia revealed by culture-independent genomics and advanced microscopy

“…Life, as we know it, would not be possible without microbes. They catalyse key reactions in all of the major biogeochemical nutrient cycles 1 and are being harnessed for their ability to convert waste products into renewable resources 2 . They are also essential for our health, both as beneficial members of our microbiome 3 and as pathogens causing infections 4 .…”