Polar ecosystems are areas very vulnerable to both natural or anthropogenic forcings. Knowledge of the microbial assemblage inhabiting these ecosystems can improve current understanding of their functioning and response to environmental changes. Within the SPONGEPOP project funded by the 7th European Framework INTERACT programme, two seasonal surveys (May and July 2014) were performed at 9 different stations along the Pasvik river (Fennoscandia). An antibody microarray approach using Life Detector Chips (LDC) was applied to evaluate the benthic microbial community, its metabolic profiles and seasonal variations. Three different microchips were used, specific for the whole community, psychrophylic or cyanobacterial populations. LDC allowed a quick characterization of the benthic microbial community, revealing its great physiological versatility. Seasonal differences were found particularly at inner as well as outer stations. Whole community chip showed a microflora particularly active during the warmer months, as shown by the highest number of positive reactions. In May, high activity was found at the innermost stations, while in July no clear spatial trend was observed. Proteins were the most frequently metabolized compounds, followed by nucleotides and small molecules. High Shannon diversity indices (H) were found for the whole community at the innermost stations in May, while in July higher values at the outermost ones were reached. Psychrophiles reacted with high intensity with a great number of compounds at the outer stations during May; in this period, high H values characterized these microorganisms. In July, when temperature increased, their responses were sensibly reduced. Cyanobacteria showed a few number of positive responses, mostly at the inner stations of the river in May. In summer, only spots of reactivity against Microcystis novacekii and M. aeruginosa were detected.
Microbial assemblage in the Pasvik river (Arctic Norway): physiological characterization by Life Detector Chip (LDC) antibody microarray during two seasonal surveys
Caruso G;Azzaro M;Lo Giudice A;
2017
Abstract
Polar ecosystems are areas very vulnerable to both natural or anthropogenic forcings. Knowledge of the microbial assemblage inhabiting these ecosystems can improve current understanding of their functioning and response to environmental changes. Within the SPONGEPOP project funded by the 7th European Framework INTERACT programme, two seasonal surveys (May and July 2014) were performed at 9 different stations along the Pasvik river (Fennoscandia). An antibody microarray approach using Life Detector Chips (LDC) was applied to evaluate the benthic microbial community, its metabolic profiles and seasonal variations. Three different microchips were used, specific for the whole community, psychrophylic or cyanobacterial populations. LDC allowed a quick characterization of the benthic microbial community, revealing its great physiological versatility. Seasonal differences were found particularly at inner as well as outer stations. Whole community chip showed a microflora particularly active during the warmer months, as shown by the highest number of positive reactions. In May, high activity was found at the innermost stations, while in July no clear spatial trend was observed. Proteins were the most frequently metabolized compounds, followed by nucleotides and small molecules. High Shannon diversity indices (H) were found for the whole community at the innermost stations in May, while in July higher values at the outermost ones were reached. Psychrophiles reacted with high intensity with a great number of compounds at the outer stations during May; in this period, high H values characterized these microorganisms. In July, when temperature increased, their responses were sensibly reduced. Cyanobacteria showed a few number of positive responses, mostly at the inner stations of the river in May. In summer, only spots of reactivity against Microcystis novacekii and M. aeruginosa were detected.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
