Genome analysis of Rossellomorea sp. y25, a deep sea bacterium isolated from the sediments of South China Sea.

Rossellomorea sp. y25, a putative new species of yellow pigment-producing, aerobic and chemoheterotrophic bacterium belonging to the family Bacillaceae, was isolated from the sediments at the depth of 1829 m in the South China Sea. In this study, we present the complete genome sequences of strain y25, which consisted of only one circular chromosome with 4,633,006 bp and the content of G + C was 41.76%. A total of 4466 CDSs, 106 tRNA, 33 rRNA, and 101 sRNA genes were obtained. Genomic analysis of strain y25 showed that it has the ability to produce antioxidant carotenoids and a large number of heavy metal resistance genes, such as arsenic, cadmium and zinc. In addition, strain y25 contains a prophage that may contribute to host protection against lysis by related Bacillus-like phages. This is the first report of genome-wide information on a bacterium of the genus Rossellomorea isolated from the deep sea, providing insights into how microorganisms of this genus adapt to deep-sea environments.

Variations and Interseasonal Changes in the Gut Microbial Communities of Seven Wild Fish Species in a Natural Lake with Limited Water Exchange during the Closed Fishing Season.

The gut microbiota of fish is crucial for their growth, development, nutrient uptake, physiological balance, and disease resistance. Yet our knowledge of these microbial communities in wild fish populations in their natural ecosystems is insufficient. This study systematically examined the gut microbial communities of seven wild fish species in Chaohu Lake, a fishing-restricted area with minimal water turnover, across four seasons. We found significant variations in gut microbial community structures among species. Additionally, we observed significant seasonal and regional variations in the gut microbial communities. The Chaohu Lake fish gut microbial communities were predominantly composed of the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria(Gamma), Proteobacteria(Alpha), Actinobacteriota, and Cyanobacteria. At the genus level, Aeromonas, Cetobacterium, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Romboutsia, and Pseudomonas emerged as the most prevalent. A co-occurrence network analysis revealed that C. auratus, C. carpio, and C. brachygnathus possessed more complex and robust gut microbial networks than H. molitrix, C. alburnus, C. ectenes taihuensis, and A. nobilis. Certain microbial groups, such as Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Romboutsia, and Pseudomonas, were both dominant and keystone in the fish gut microbial network. Our study offers a new approach for studying the wild fish gut microbiota in natural, controlled environments. It offers an in-depth understanding of gut microbial communities in wild fish living in stable, limited water exchange natural environments.

Intrinsic Flame Retardancy and Flexible Solid-Solid Phase Change Materials with Self-Healing and Recyclability.

Conventional polymeric phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used due to their high heat storage density, small temperature variation, and nontoxicity. However, the high flammability and unrecyclable problems restrict their applications in energy storage devices (ESDs). Although it is facile to introduce a flame retardant into phase change materials to improve fire resistance, the physical blending will deteriorate the mechanical performance and thermal stability of PCMs. Herein, flame-retardant solid-solid PCMs (FRPCMs) with intrinsic flame retardancy, phase change property, self-healing, and recyclability were synthesized by simultaneously integrating tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) into polyurethane network skeletons. PEG ingredients acted as phase change materials, and TBBPA not only worked as an efficient flame retardant but also provided dynamic covalent bonds for thermally induced self-healing and recyclability. FRPCMs possess the highest latent heat of 124.7 J/g, high self-healing ability, and high thermal reliability and recyclability. Besides, with the introduction of TBBPA, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value and char residue significantly increased, the heat release rate (HRR) and total heat release (THR) values decreased, and most of the FRPCMs reached UL94 V-2 rating as well. Hence, the synthesized FRPCMs could expand the application scope of PCMs for thermal energy storage.

Identification of two novel papillomaviruses in belugas.

Introduction: Papillomaviruses (PVs) can cause hyperplasia in the skin and mucous membranes of humans, mammals, and non-mammalian animals, and are a significant risk factor for cervical and genital cancers. Methods: Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), we identified two novel strains of papillomavirus, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2, in swabs taken from belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) at Polar Ocean Parks in Qingdao and Dalian. Results: We amplified the complete genomes of both strains and screened ten belugas and one false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) for the late gene (L1) to determine the infection rate. In Qingdao, 50% of the two sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-1, while the false killer whale was negative. In Dalian, 71% of the eight sampled belugas were infected with PV-HMU-2. In their L1 genes, PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 showed 64.99 and 68.12% amino acid identity, respectively, with other members of Papillomaviridae. Phylogenetic analysis of combinatorial amino acid sequences revealed that PV-HMU-1 and PV-HMU-2 clustered with other known dolphin PVs but formed distinct branches. PVs carried by belugas were proposed as novel species under Firstpapillomavirinae. Conclusion: The discovery of these two novel PVs enhances our understanding of the genetic diversity of papillomaviruses and their impact on the beluga population.

Phase-Field Insights into Hydrogen Trapping by Secondary Phases in Alloys.

Solid-state hydrogen storage is the best choice for balancing economy and safety among various hydrogen storage technologies, and hydrogen storage in the secondary phase might be a promising solid-state hydrogen storage scheme. In the current study, to unmask its physical mechanisms and details, a thermodynamically consistent phase-field framework is built for the first time to model hydrogen trapping, enrichment, and storage in the secondary phases of alloys. The hydrogen trapping processes, together with hydrogen charging, are numerically simulated using the implicit iterative algorithm of the self-defined finite elements. Some important results are attained: 1. Hydrogen can overcome the energy barrier under the assistance of the local elastic driving force and then spontaneously enter the trap site from the lattice site. The high binding energy makes it difficult for the trapped hydrogens to escape. 2. The secondary phase geometry stress concentration significantly induces the hydrogen to overcome the energy barrier. 3. The manipulation of the geometry, volume fraction, dimension, and type of the secondary phases is capable of dictating the tradeoff between the hydrogen storage capacity and the hydrogen charging rate. The new hydrogen storage scheme, together with the material design ideology, promises a viable path toward the optimization of critical hydrogen storage and transport for the hydrogen economy.

Crassaminicella indica sp. nov., a novel thermophilic anaerobic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

A novel moderately thermophilic heterotrophic bacterium, designated strain 143-21T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal chimney sample collected from the Central Indian Ridge at a depth of 2 440 m. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain 143-21T belongs to the genus Crassaminicella. It was most closely related to Crassaminicella thermophila SY095T (96.79 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Crassaminicella profunda Ra1766HT (96.52 %). Genomic analysis showed that strain 143-21T shares 79.79-84.45 % average nucleotide identity and 23.50-29.20 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization with the species of the genus Crassaminicella, respectively. Cells were rod-shaped, non-motile, Gram-positive-staining. Terminal endospores were observed in stationary-phase cells when strain 143-21T was grown on Thermococcales rich medium. Strain 143-21T was able to grow at 30-60 °C (optimum, 50 °C), pH 6.5-8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in 1.0-7.0 % NaCl (w/v; optimum 2.0 %, w/v). Strain 143-21T utilized fructose, glucose, maltose, mannose, ribose, N-acetyl-d-(+)-glucosamine and casamino acids, as well as amino acids including glutamate, lysine, histidine and cysteine. The main fermentation products from glucose were acetate (2.07 mM), H2 and CO2. It did not reduce elemental sulphur, sulphate, thiosulphate, sulphite, fumarate, nitrate, nitrite and Fe (III). The predominant cellular fatty acids were C14 : 0 (48.8 %), C16 : 0 (12.9 %), and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c; 10.2 %). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, as well as two unidentified phospholipids and four unidentified aminolipids. No respiratory quinones were detected. Based on its phylogenetic analysis and physiological characteristics, strain 143-21T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Crassaminicella, for which the name Crassaminicella indica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain 143-21T (=DSM 114408T= MCCC 1K06400T).

Changes of In Situ Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Communities in the Upper Sanya River to the Sea over a Nine-Hour Period.

The transition areas of riverine, estuarine, and marine environments are particularly valuable for the research of microbial ecology, biogeochemical processes, and other physical-chemical studies. Although a large number of microbial-related studies have been conducted within such systems, the vast majority of sampling have been conducted over a large span of time and distance, which may lead to separate batches of samples receiving interference from different factors, thus increasing or decreasing the variability between samples to some extent. In this study, a new in situ filtration system was used to collect membrane samples from six different sampling sites along the Sanya River, from upstream freshwater to the sea, over a nine-hour period. We used high-throughput sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes to analyze the diversity and composition of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities. The results showed that the structures of these communities varied according to the different sampling sites. The α-diversity of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities both decreased gradually along the downstream course. The structural composition of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities changed continuously with the direction of river flow; for example, the relative abundances of Rhodobacteraceae and Flavobacteriaceae increased with distance downstream, while Sporichthyaceae and Comamonadaceae decreased. Some prokaryotic taxa, such as Phycisphaeraceae and Chromobacteriaceae, were present nearly exclusively in pure freshwater environments, while some additional prokaryotic taxa, including the SAR86 clade, Clade I, AEGEAN-169 marine group, and Actinomarinaceae, were barely present in pure freshwater environments. The eukaryotic communities were mainly composed of the Chlorellales X, Chlamydomonadales X, Sphaeropleales X, Trebouxiophyceae XX, Annelida XX, and Heteroconchia. The prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities were split into abundant, common, and rare communities for NCM analysis, respectively, and the results showed that assembly of the rare community assembly was more impacted by stochastic processes and less restricted by species dispersal than that of abundant and common microbial communities for both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Overall, this study provides a valuable reference and new perspectives on microbial ecology during the transition from freshwater rivers to estuaries and the sea.

Microbial Diversity in Groundwater and Its Response to Seawater Intrusion in Beihai City, Southern China.

Seawater intrusion is a major concern commonly found in coastal aquifers worldwide. Because of the intense aquifer exploitation and land-based marine aquaculture in the coastal area of Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, numerous underground aquifers in this area have been affected by seawater intrusion. However, the microbial communities in freshwater aquifers and their response to seawater intrusion are still unclear. In this study, groundwater from three aquifers was collected from three monitoring sites at different distances from the coastline in the coastal area of Beihai City, and the hydrochemical characteristics of these groundwater samples and the structure of the associated microbial communities were analyzed. The Cl- concentration of the samples indicated that seawater intrusion had occurred in the research area up to 1.5 km away from the coastline, but the monitoring site 2 km away from the coastline had yet to be affected. Statistical analysis showed that the bacterial communities in different groundwater aquifers were significantly correlated with the Cl- concentration, thereby suggesting that the extent of seawater intrusion might be one of the primary factors shaping bacterial composition in groundwater of this area, but the composition and distribution of archaea did not show a significant response to seawater intrusion and presented no apparent correlation with the Cl- concentration. α-, γ-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota were the dominant bacterial lineages, accounting for about 58-95% of the bacterial communities. Meanwhile, the predominant archaeal taxa were mainly composed of Crenarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Thermoplasmatota, as accounting for 83-100%. Moreover, there was significant spatial heterogeneity of microbial communities in the aquifers affected by varying degrees of seawater intrusion. The microbial communities inhabiting the unconfined aquifer were influenced by the geochemical fluctuation caused by seawater infiltration from land-based marine aquaculture ponds and the diffusion of eutrophic surface water. In contrast, changes in microbial community structure in the confined aquifers were closely related to the environmental gradient caused by different degrees of seawater intrusion. In addition, we also found that the tidal cycle did not significantly affect the structure of microbial communities inhabiting confined aquifers that had been long affected by seawater intrusion.

Identification of a Novel Astrovirus in Pinnipeds.

Astroviruses infect human and animals and cause diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. In severe cases, these infections may be fatal in infants and juvenile animals. Previous evidence showed that humans in contact with infected animals can develop serological responses to astroviruses. Mamastrovirus 11 is a species of Mamastrovirus and was first reported in 2018. It was detected in the fecal samples of a California sea lion. The genome sequence of its capsid protein (CP) was submitted to GenBank. However, the genome sequence of its non-structural protein region was not elucidated. In the present study, we characterized the genome sequences of the novel astroviruses AstroV-HMU-1 and AstroV-like-HMU-2. These were obtained from California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) presenting with loose stools. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CP of AstroV-HMU-1 closely clustered with Mamastrovirus 11 while its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and serine protease (SP) were closely related to the mink astrovirus in the genus Mamastrovirus. The genome of AstroV-HMU-1 provided basic information regarding the NS protein regions of Mamastrovirus 11. Recombination analyses showed that the genomes of Z. californianus AstroV-HMU-1, VA2/human and the mink astrovirus may have recombined long ago. The NS of AstroV-like-HMU-2 segregated from the Astroviridae in the deep root of the phylogenetic tree and exhibited 36% amino acid identity with other mamastroviruses. Thus, AstroV-like-HMU-2 was proposed as a member of a new genus in the unclassified Astroviridae. The present study suggested that that the loose stools of pinnipeds may be the result of occasional infection by this novel astrovirus. This discovery provides a scientific basis for future investigations into other animal-borne infectious diseases.

Gut Microbial Characterization of Melon-Headed Whales (Peponocephala electra) Stranded in China.

Although gut microbes are regarded as a significant component of many mammals and play a very important role, there is a paucity of knowledge around marine mammal gut microbes, which may be due to sampling difficulties. Moreover, to date, there are very few, if any, reports on the gut microbes of melon-headed whales. In this study, we opportunistically collected fecal samples from eight stranded melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) in China. Using high-throughput sequencing technology of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences, we demonstrate that the main taxa of melon-headed whale gut microbes are Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria (Gamma) at the phylum taxonomic level, and Cetobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridium sensu stricto, and Enterococcus at the genus taxonomic level. Meanwhile, molecular ecological network analysis (MENA) shows that two modules (a set of nodes that have strong interactions) constitute the gut microbial community network of melon-headed whales. Module 1 is mainly composed of Bacteroides, while Module 2 comprises Cetobacterium and Enterococcus, and the network keystone genera are Corynebacterium, Alcaligenes, Acinetobacter, and Flavobacterium. Furthermore, by predicting the functions of the gut microbial community through PICRUSt2, we found that although there are differences in the composition of the gut microbial community in different individuals, the predicted functional profiles are similar. Our study gives a preliminary inside look into the composition of the gut microbiota of stranded melon-headed whales.

Comparative Study of the Gut Microbiota Among Four Different Marine Mammals in an Aquarium.

Despite an increasing appreciation in the importance of host-microbe interactions in ecological and evolutionary processes, information on the gut microbial communities of some marine mammals is still lacking. Moreover, whether diet, environment, or host phylogeny has the greatest impact on microbial community structure is still unknown. To fill part of this knowledge gap, we exploited a natural experiment provided by an aquarium with belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) affiliated with family Monodontidae, Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) affiliated with family Delphinidae, and Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) affiliated with family Otariidae. Results show significant differences in microbial community composition of whales, dolphins, and fur seals and indicate that host phylogeny (family level) plays the most important role in shaping the microbial communities, rather than food and environment. In general, the gut microbial communities of dolphins had significantly lower diversity compared to that of whales and fur seals. Overall, the gut microbial communities were mainly composed of Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria, together with some from Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Epsilonbacteraeota. However, specific bacterial lineages were differentially distributed among the marine mammal groups. For instance, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceae were the dominant bacterial lineages in the gut of belugas, while for Cape fur seals, Moraxellaceae and Bacteroidaceae were the main bacterial lineages. Moreover, gut microbial communities in both Pacific white-sided dolphins and common bottlenose dolphins were dominated by a number of pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio fluvialis, and Morganella morganii, reflecting the poor health condition of these animals. Although there is a growing recognition of the role microorganisms play in the gut of marine mammals, current knowledge about these microbial communities is still severely lacking. Large-scale research studies should be undertaken to reveal the roles played by the gut microbiota of different marine mammal species.

Crassaminicella thermophila sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney and emended description of the genus Crassaminicella.

A novel moderately thermophilic, anaerobic, heterotrophic bacterium (strain SY095T) was isolated from a hydrothermal vent chimney located on the Southwest Indian Ridge at a depth of 2730 m. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, motile, straight to slightly curved rods forming terminal endospores. SY095T was grown at 45-60 °C (optimum 50-55 °C), pH 6.0-7.5 (optimum 7.0), and in a salinity of 1-4.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.5 %). Substrates utilized by SY095T included fructose, glucose, maltose, N-acetyl glucosamine and tryptone. Casamino acid and amino acids (glutamate, glutamine, lysine, methionine, serine and histidine) were also utilized. The main end products from glucose fermentation were acetate, H2 and CO2. Elemental sulphur, sulphate, thiosulphate, sulphite, fumarate, nitrate, nitrite and Fe(III) were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C14 : 0 (60.5%) and C16 : 0 (7.6 %). The main polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, five unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified aminophospholipids. No respiratory quinones were detected. The chromosomal DNA G+C content was 30.8 mol%. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that SY095T was closely related to Crassaminicella profunda Ra1766HT (95.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity). SY095T exhibited 78.1 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) to C. profunda Ra1766HT. The in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) value indicated that SY095T shared 22.7 % DNA relatedness with C. profunda Ra1766HT. On the basis of its phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, SY095T is suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Crassaminicella, for which the name Crassaminicella thermophila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SY095T (=JCM 34213=MCCC 1K04191). An emended description of the genus Crassaminicella is also proposed.

Identification and genome analysis of a novel picornavirus from captive belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in China.

The discovery of new viruses is important for predicting their potential threats to the health of humans and other animals. A novel picornavirus was identified from oral, throat, and anal swab samples collected from belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), from Dalian Sun Asia Tourism Holding Co., China, between January and December 2018, using a metagenomics approach. The genome of this novel PicoV-HMU-1 strain was 8197 nucleotides (nt) in length, with a open reading frame (from 1091 to 8074 nt) that encoded a polyprotein precursor of 2328 amino acids. Moreover, the genomic length and GC content of PicoV-HMU-1 were within the ranges found in other picornaviruses, and the genome organization was also similar. Nevertheless, PicoV-HMU-1 had a lower amino acid identity and distinct host species compared with other members of the Picornaviridae family. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the P1 and 3D amino acid sequences of PicoV-HMU-1 along with representative members of the Picornaviridae family, which showed that PicoV-HMU-1 was related to unclassified bat picornaviruses groups. These findings suggest that the PicoV-HMU-1 strain represents a potentially novel genus of picornavirus. These data can enhance our understanding of the picornavirus genetic diversity and evolution.

Characterization and Performance of Lactate-Feeding Consortia for Reductive Dechlorination of Trichloroethene.

Understanding the underlying mechanism that drives the microbial community mediated by substrates is crucial to enhance the biostimulation in trichloroethene (TCE)-contaminated sites. Here, we investigated the performance of stable TCE-dechlorinating consortia by monitoring the variations in TCE-related metabolites and explored their underlying assembly mechanisms using 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analyses. The monitoring results indicated that three stable TCE-dechlorinating consortia were successfully enriched by lactate-containing anaerobic media. The statistical analysis results demonstrated that the microbial communities of the enrichment cultures changed along with time and were distinguished by their sample sources. The deterministic and stochastic processes were simultaneously responsible for shaping the TCE-dechlorinating community assembly. The indicator patterns shifted with the exhaustion of the carbon source and the pollutants, and the tceA-carrying Dehalococcoides, as an indicator for the final stage samples, responded positively to TCE removal during the incubation period. Pseudomonas, Desulforhabdus, Desulfovibrio and Methanofollis were identified as keystone populations in the TCE-dechlorinating process by co-occurrence network analysis. The results of this study indicate that lactate can be an effective substrate for stimulated bioremediation of TCE-contaminated sites, and the reduction of the stochastic forces or enhancement of the deterministic interventions may promote more effective biostimulation.

Microbial diversity and structure in the gastrointestinal tracts of two stranded short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps).

Information on the gut microbiome composition of different mammals could provide novel insights into the evolution of mammals and succession of microbial communities in different hosts. However, there is limited information on the gut microbiome composition of marine mammals, especially cetaceans because of sampling constraints. In this study, we investigated the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the stomach, midgut, and hindgut of 2 stranded short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and hindgut of a stranded pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) by using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing technology. On the basis of the 50 most abundant operational taxonomic units, principal coordinate analysis, and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis, we confirmed that the gut microbial communities of the 3 whales were different. Our results revealed that the gut microbiome of 1 stranded short-finned pilot whale GM16 was dominated by Firmicutes (mainly Clostridium) and Fusobacteria; whereas that of the other pilot whale GM19 was composed of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes (mainly Vibrio and Bacteroides, respectively), probably caused by intestinal disease and antibiotic treatment. The gut microbiome of the pygmy sperm whale was dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Moreover, different gastrointestinal tract regions harbored different microbial community structures. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the gut microbiome of short-finned pilot whales, and our findings will expand our current knowledge on microbial diversity and composition in the gastrointestinal tract of cetaceans.

Stimulation of soil respiration by elevated CO2 is enhanced under nitrogen limitation in a decade-long grassland study.

Whether and how CO2 and nitrogen (N) availability interact to influence carbon (C) cycling processes such as soil respiration remains a question of considerable uncertainty in projecting future C-climate feedbacks, which are strongly influenced by multiple global change drivers, including elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (eCO2) and increased N deposition. However, because decades of research on the responses of ecosystems to eCO2 and N enrichment have been done largely independently, their interactive effects on soil respiratory CO2 efflux remain unresolved. Here, we show that in a multifactor free-air CO2 enrichment experiment, BioCON (Biodiversity, CO2, and N deposition) in Minnesota, the positive response of soil respiration to eCO2 gradually strengthened at ambient (low) N supply but not enriched (high) N supply for the 12-y experimental period from 1998 to 2009. In contrast to earlier years, eCO2 stimulated soil respiration twice as much at low than at high N supply from 2006 to 2009. In parallel, microbial C degradation genes were significantly boosted by eCO2 at low but not high N supply. Incorporating those functional genes into a coupled C-N ecosystem model reduced model parameter uncertainty and improved the projections of the effects of different CO2 and N levels on soil respiration. If our observed results generalize to other ecosystems, they imply widely positive effects of eCO2 on soil respiration even in infertile systems.

Microbial communities on fish eggs from Acanthopagrus schlegelii and Halichoeres nigrescens at the XuWen coral reef in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Coral reefs are an important part of the ocean ecosystem and are a vital spawning ground for marine fish. Microorganisms are abundant in this environment and play a key role in the growth and development of host species. Many studies have investigated the microbial communities of fish with a focus on the intestinal microbiome of laboratory-reared adult fish. Little is known about the relationship between fish eggs and their microorganisms, especially as microbial communities relate to wild fish eggs in coral reefs. In this study, we analyzed the microbial communities of two species of coral fish eggs, Acanthopagrus schlegelii and Halichoeres nigrescens, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing technology. Pseudomonas, Archromobacter, and Serratia were the main bacterial genera associated with these fish eggs and are known to be bacteria with potentially pathogenic and spoilage effects. The microbial community structures of Acanthopagrus schlegelii and Halichoeres nigrescens eggs were separated based on the 30 most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) further confirmed that the microbial communities of coral fish eggs differ by species, which may be due to host selection. A functional prediction of the microbial communities indicated that most of the microbial communities were chemoheterotrophic and involved in nitrogen cycling. Our results showed that the microbial communities of coral fish eggs were distinct by species and that key microorganisms were potentially pathogenic, leading to the spoilage of fish eggs, high mortality, and low incubation rates. This study provided new insights for understanding the relationship between microorganisms and wild fish eggs.

Comparative genomics analyses on EPS biosynthesis genes required for floc formation of Zoogloea resiniphila and other activated sludge bacteria.

Activated sludge (AS) process has been widely utilized for municipal sewage and industrial wastewater treatment. Zoolgoea and its related floc-forming bacteria are required for formation of AS flocs which is the key to gravitational effluent-and-sludge separation and AS recycling. However, little is known about the genetics, biochemistry and physiology of Zoogloea and its related bacteria. This report deals with the comparative genomic analyses on two Zoogloea resiniphila draft genomes and the closely related proteobacterial species commonly found in AS. In particular, the metabolic processes involved in removal of organic matters, nitrogen and phosphorus were analyzed. Furthermore, it is revealed that a large gene cluster, encoding eight glycosyltransferases and other proteins involved in biosynthesis and export of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), was required for floc formation. One of the two asparagine synthase paralogues, associated with this EPS biosynthesis gene cluster, was required for floc formation in Zoogloea. Similar EPS biosynthesis gene cluster(s) were identified in the genome of other AS proteobacteria including polyphosphate-accumulating Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis (CAP) and nitrifying Nitrosopira and Nitrosomonas bacteria, but the gene composition varies interspecifically and intraspecifically. Our results indicate that floc formation of desired AS bacteria, including CAP strains, facilitate their recruitment into AS and gradual enrichment via repeated AS settling and recycling processes.

Long-term balanced fertilization increases the soil microbial functional diversity in a phosphorus-limited paddy soil.

The influence of long-term chemical fertilization on soil microbial communities has been one of the frontier topics of agricultural and environmental sciences and is critical for linking soil microbial flora with soil functions. In this study, 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and a functional gene array, geochip 4.0, were used to investigate the shifts in microbial composition and functional gene structure in paddy soils with different fertilization treatments over a 22-year period. These included a control without fertilizers; chemical nitrogen fertilizer (N); N and phosphate (NP); N and potassium (NK); and N, P and K (NPK). Based on 16S rRNA gene data, both species evenness and key genera were affected by P fertilization. Functional gene array-based analysis revealed that long-term fertilization significantly changed the overall microbial functional structures. Chemical fertilization significantly increased the diversity and abundance of most genes involved in C, N, P and S cycling, especially for the treatments NK and NPK. Significant correlations were found among functional gene structure and abundance, related soil enzymatic activities and rice yield, suggesting that a fertilizer-induced shift in the microbial community may accelerate the nutrient turnover in soil, which in turn influenced rice growth. The effect of N fertilization on soil microbial functional genes was mitigated by the addition of P fertilizer in this P-limited paddy soil, suggesting that balanced chemical fertilization is beneficial to the soil microbial community and its functions.

Effects of intermediate metabolite carboxylic acids of TCA cycle on Microcystis with overproduction of phycocyanin.

Toxic Microcystis species are the main bloom-forming cyanobacteria in freshwaters. It is imperative to develop efficient techniques to control these notorious harmful algal blooms (HABs). Here, we present a simple, efficient, and environmentally safe algicidal way to control Microcystis blooms, by using intermediate carboxylic acids from the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The citric acid, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid all exhibited strong algicidal effects, and particularly succinic acid could cause the rapid lysis of Microcystis in a few hours. It is revealed that the Microcystis-lysing activity of succinic acid and other carboxylic acids was due to their strong acidic activity. Interestingly, the acid-lysed Microcystis cells released large amounts of phycocyanin, about 27-fold higher than those of the control. On the other hand, the transcription of mcyA and mcyD of the microcystin biosynthesis operon was not upregulated by addition of alpha-ketoglutaric acid and other carboxylic acids. Consider the environmental safety of intermediate carboxylic acids. We propose that administration of TCA cycle organic acids may not only provide an algicidal method with high efficiency and environmental safety but also serve as an applicable way to produce and extract phycocyanin from cyanobacterial biomass.