WorldWideScience

Sample records for hot spring cyanobacterial

  1. Metagenomic Study of Iron Homeostasis in Iron Depositing Hot Spring Cyanobacterial Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, I.; Franklin H.; Tringe, S. G.; Klatt, C. G.; Bryant, D. A.; Sarkisova, S. A.; Guevara, M.

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: It is not clear how an iron-rich thermal hydrosphere could be hospitable to cyanobacteria, since reduced iron appears to stimulate oxidative stress in all domains of life and particularly in oxygenic phototrophs. Therefore, metagenomic study of cyanobacterial community in iron-depositing hot springs may help elucidate how oxygenic prokaryotes can withstand the extremely high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by interaction between environmental Fe2+ and O2. Method: Anchor proteins from various species of cyanobacteria and some anoxygenic phototrophs were selected on the basis of their hypothetical role in Fe homeostasis and the suppression of oxidative stress and were BLASTed against the metagenomes of iron-depositing Chocolate Pots and freshwater Mushroom hot springs. Results: BLASTing proteins hypothesized to be involved in Fe homeostasis against the microbiomes from the two springs revealed that iron-depositing hot spring has a greater abundance of defensive proteins such as bacterioferritin comigratory protein (Bcp) and DNA-binding Ferritin like protein (Dps) than a fresh-water hot spring. One may speculate that the abundance of Bcp and Dps in an iron-depositing hot spring is connected to the need to suppress oxidative stress in bacteria inhabiting environments with high Fe2+ concnetration. In both springs, Bcp and Dps are concentrated within the cyanobacterial fractions of the microbial community (regardless of abundance). Fe3+ siderophore transport (from the transport system permease protein query) may be less essential to the microbial community of CP because of the high [Fe]. Conclusion: Further research is needed to confirm that these proteins are unique to photoautotrophs such as those living in iron-depositing hot spring.

  2. [Identification of two cyanobacterial strains isolated from the Kotel'nikovskii hot spring of the Baikal rift].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorokovnikova, E G; Tikhonova, I V; Belykh, O I; Klimenkov, I V; Likhoshvaĭ, E V

    2008-01-01

    Two cyanobacterial strains, Pseudanabaena sp. 0411 and Synechococcus sp. 0431, were isolated from a sample collected in the Kotel'nikovskii hot spring of the Baikal rift. According to the results of light and transmission electron microscopy, as well as of the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, these cyanobacteria were classified as Pseudanabaena sp. nov. and Synechococcus bigranulatus Skuja. The constructed phylogenetic tree shows that the studied strains are positioned in the clades of cyanobacteria isolated from hydrothermal vents of Asia and New Zealand, separately from marine and freshwater members of these genera, including those isolated from Lake Baikal.

  3. Toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in public hot springs in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Zakaria A

    2008-01-01

    Toxic cyanobacteria are well reported in rivers, lakes and even marine environments, but the toxin production of cyanobacteria in hot springs is largely unexplored. Therefore, the present study investigated the presence of toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in public hot springs in Saudi Arabia. The results of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that Saudi spring cyanobacterial mats contained microcystins (MCYSTs) at concentrations ranging from 468 to 512.5 microg g(-1). The Limulus amebocyte lystae (LAL) assay detected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxins in these mats at concentrations ranging from 433.3 to 506.8 EU g(-1). MCYSTs and endotoxins were also detected in spring waters at levels of 5.7 microg l(-1) and 640 EU ml(-1), respectively, exceeding WHO's provisional guideline value for MCYST-LR in drinking-water. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that only Oscillatoria limosa and Synechococcus lividus can produce MCYSTs with a profile consisting of MCYST-RR and -LR. Based on the LAL assay, 12 out of 17 cyanobacterial species contained LPS at concentrations ranging from 0.93 to 21.06 EU g(-1). However, not all LPS of these species were toxic to mice. This study suggests that the hot springs in the world including Saudi Arabia should be screened for toxic cyanobacteria to avoid the exposure of people recreating and bathing in spring waters to cyanobacterial toxins.

  4. Cyanobacterial composition of microbial mats from an Australian thermal spring: a polyphasic evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGregor, Glenn B; Rasmussen, J Paul

    2008-01-01

    Cyanobacterial composition of microbial mats from an alkaline thermal spring issuing at 43-71 degrees C from tropical north-eastern Australia are described using a polyphasic approach. Eight genera and 10 species from three cyanobacterial orders were identified based on morphological characters. These represented taxa previously known as thermophilic from other continents. Ultrastructural analysis of the tower mats revealed two filamentous morphotypes contributed the majority of the biomass. Both types had ultrastructural characteristics of the family Pseudanabaenaceae. DNA extracts were made from sections of the tentaculiform towers and the microbial community analysed by 16S cyanobacteria-specific PCR and denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis. Five significant bands were identified and sequenced. Two bands clustered closely with Oscillatoria amphigranulata isolated from New Zealand hot springs; one unique phylotype had only moderate similarity to a range of Leptolyngbya species; and one phylotype was closely related to a number of Geitlerinema species. Generally the approaches yielded complementary information, however the results suggest that species designation based on morphological and ultrastructural criteria alone often fails to recognize their true phylogenetic position. Conversely some molecular techniques may fail to detect rare taxa suggesting that the widest possible suite of techniques be applied when conducting analyses of cyanobacterial diversity of natural populations. This is the first polyphasic evaluation of thermophilic cyanobacterial communities from the Australian continent.

  5. Morphological and phylogenetic diversity of thermophilic cyanobacteria in Algerian hot springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarouche-Yala, Samia; Benouadah, Ali; El Ouahab Bentabet, Abd; López-García, Purificación

    2014-11-01

    Geothermal springs in Algeria have been known since the Roman Empire. They mainly locate in Eastern Algeria and are inhabited by thermophilic organisms, which include cyanobacteria forming mats and concretions. In this work, we have investigated the cyanobacterial diversity of these springs. Cyanobacteria were collected from water, concretions and mats in nine hot springs with water temperatures ranging from 39 to 93 °C. Samples were collected for isolation in culture, microscopic morphological examination, and molecular diversity analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Nineteen different cyanobacterial morphotypes were identified, the most abundant of which were three species of Leptolyngbya, accompanied by members of the genera Gloeocapsa, Gloeocapsopsis, Stigonema, Fischerella, Synechocystis, Microcoleus, Cyanobacterium, Chroococcus and Geitlerinema. Molecular diversity analyses were in good general agreement with classical identification and allowed the detection of additional species in three springs with temperatures higher than 50 °C. They corresponded to a Synechococcus clade and to relatives of the intracellularly calcifying Candidatus Gloeomargarita lithophora. The hottest springs were dominated by members of Leptolyngbya, Synechococcus-like cyanobacteria and Gloeomargarita, whereas Oscillatoriales other than Leptolyngbya, Chroococcales and Stigonematales dominated lower temperature springs. The isolation of some of these strains sets the ground for future studies on the biology of thermophilic cyanobacteria.

  6. Hot springs in Hokuriku District

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sato, K. (Hot Springs Research Center, Japan)

    1971-01-01

    In the Hokuriku district including Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui Prefectures, hot springs of more than 25/sup 0/C were investigated. In the Toyama Prefecture, there are 14 hot springs which are located in an area from the Kurobe River to the Tateyama volcano and in the mountainous area in the southwest. In Ishikawa Prefecture there are 16 hot springs scattered in Hakusan and its vicinity, the Kaga mountains, and in the Noto peninsula. In northern Fukui Prefecture there are seven hot springs. The hot springs in Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture are characterized as acid springs producing exhalations and H/sub 2/S. These are attributed to the Quaternary volcanoes. The hot springs of Wakura, Katayamazu, and Awara in Ishikawa Prefecture are characterized by a high Cl content which is related to Tertiary andesite. The hot springs of Daishoji, Yamanaka, Yamashiro, Kuritsu, Tatsunokuchi, Yuwaku, and Yunotani are characterized by a low HCO/sub 3/ content. The Ca and SO/sub 4/ content decreases from east to west, and the Na and Cl content increases from west to east. These fluctuations are related to the Tertiary tuff and rhyolite. The hot springs of Kuronagi, Kinshu, and Babadani, located along the Kurobe River are characterized by low levels of dissolved components and high CO/sub 2/ and HCO/sub 3/ content. These trends are related to late Paleozoic granite. Hot springs resources are considered to be connected to geothermal resources. Ten tables, graphs, and maps are provided.

  7. Mercury content in Hot Springs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakagawa, R

    1974-01-01

    A method of determination of mercury in hot spring waters by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry is described. Further, the mercury content and the chemical behavior of the elementary mercury in hot springs are described. Sulfide and iodide ions interfered with the determination of mercury by the reduction-vapor phase technique. These interferences could, however, be minimized by the addition of potassium permanganate. Waters collected from 55 hot springs were found to contain up to 26.0 ppb mercury. High concentrations of mercury have been found in waters from Shimoburo Springs, Aomori (10.0 ppb), Osorezan Springs, Aomori (1.3 approximately 18.8 ppb), Gosyogake Springs, Akita (26.0 ppb), Manza Springs, Gunma (0.30 approximately 19.5 ppb) and Kusatu Springs, Gunma (1.70 approximately 4.50 ppb). These hot springs were acid waters containing a relatively high quantity of chloride or sulfate.

  8. Recent trend of administration on hot springs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Okubo, Shigeru [Environment Agency, Tokyo (Japan)

    1989-01-01

    The Environmental Agency exercises jurisdiction over Hot Spring Act, and plans to protect the source of the hot spring and to utilize it appropriately. From the aspect of utilization, hot springs are widely used as a means to remedy chronic diseases and tourist spots besides places for recuperation and repose. Statistics on Japanese hot springs showed that the number of hot spring spots and utilized-fountainhead increased in 1987, compared with the number in 1986. Considering the utilized-headspring, the number of naturally well-out springs has stabilized for 10 years while power-operated springs have increased. This is because the demand of hot springs has grown as the number of users has increased. Another reason is to keep the amount of hot water by setting up the power facility as the welled-out amount has decreased. Major point of recent administration on the hot spring is to permit excavation and utilization of hot springs. Designation of National hot spring health resorts started in 1954 in order to ensure the effective and original use of hot springs and to promote the public use of them, for the purpose of arranging the sound circumstances of hot springs. By 1988, 76 places were designated. 4 figs., 3 tabs.

  9. [History of hot spring bath treatment in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Wanpeng; Wang, Xiaojun; Xiang, Yinghong; Gu Li, A Man; Li, Ming; Zhang, Xin

    2011-07-01

    As early as the 7th century B.C. (Western Zhou Dynasty), there is a recording as 'spring which contains sulfur could treat disease' on the Wentang Stele written by WANG Bao. Wenquan Fu written by ZHANG Heng in the Easten Han Dynasty also mentioned hot spring bath treatment. The distribution of hot springs in China has been summarized by LI Daoyuan in the Northern Wei Dynasty in his Shuijingzhu which recorded hot springs in 41 places and interpreted the definition of hot spring. Bencao Shiyi (by CHEN Cangqi, Tang Dynasty) discussed the formation of and indications for hot springs. HU Zai in the Song Dynasty pointed out distinguishing hot springs according to water quality in his book Yuyin Conghua. TANG Shenwei in the Song Dynasty noted in Jingshi Zhenglei Beiji Bencao that hot spring bath treatment should be combined with diet. Shiwu Bencao (Ming Dynasty) classified hot springs into sulfur springs, arsenicum springs, cinnabar springs, aluminite springs, etc. and pointed out their individual indications. Geologists did not start the work on distribution and water quality analysis of hot springs until the first half of the 20th century. There are 972 hot springs in Wenquan Jiyao (written by geologist ZHANG Hongzhao and published in 1956). In July 1982, the First National Geothermal Conference was held and it reported that there were more than 2600 hot springs in China. Since the second half of the 20th century, hot spring sanatoriums and rehabilitation centers have been established, which promoted the development of hot spring bath treatment.

  10. The cyanobacterium Mastigocladus fulfills the nitrogen demand of a terrestrial hot spring microbial mat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estrella Alcamán, María; Fernandez, Camila; Delgado, Antonio; Bergman, Birgitta; Díez, Beatriz

    2015-10-01

    Cyanobacteria from Subsection V (Stigonematales) are important components of microbial mats in non-acidic terrestrial hot springs. Despite their diazotrophic nature (N2 fixers), their impact on the nitrogen cycle in such extreme ecosystems remains unknown. Here, we surveyed the identity and activity of diazotrophic cyanobacteria in the neutral hot spring of Porcelana (Northern Patagonia, Chile) during 2009 and 2011-2013. We used 16S rRNA and the nifH gene to analyze the distribution and diversity of diazotrophic cyanobacteria. Our results demonstrate the dominance of the heterocystous genus Mastigocladus (Stigonematales) along the entire temperature gradient of the hot spring (69-38 °C). In situ nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction), nitrogen fixation rates (cellular uptake of (15)N2) and nifH transcription levels in the microbial mats showed that nitrogen fixation and nifH mRNA expression were light-dependent. Nitrogen fixation activities were detected at temperatures ranging from 58 °C to 46 °C, with maximum daily rates of 600 nmol C2H4 cm(-2) per day and 94.1 nmol N cm(-2) per day. These activity patterns strongly suggest a heterocystous cyanobacterial origin and reveal a correlation between nitrogenase activity and nifH gene expression during diurnal cycles in thermal microbial mats. N and C fixation in the mats contributed ~3 g N m(-2) per year and 27 g C m(-2) per year, suggesting that these vital demands are fully met by the diazotrophic and photoautotrophic capacities of the cyanobacteria in the Porcelana hot spring.

  11. Strontium isotopic composition of hot spring and mineral spring waters, Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Notsu, Kenji; Wakita, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Yuji

    1991-01-01

    In Japan, hot springs and mineral springs are distributed in Quaternary and Neogene volcanic regions as well as in granitic, sedimentary and metamorphic regions lacking in recent volcanic activity. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio was determined in hot spring and mineral spring waters obtained from 47 sites. The ratios of waters from Quaternary and Neogene volcanic regions were in the range 0.703-0.708, which is lower than that from granitic, sedimentary and metamorphic regions (0.706-0.712). The geographical distribution of the ratios coincides with the bedrock geology, and particularly the ratios of the waters in Quaternary volcanic regions correlate with those of surrounding volcanic rocks. These features suggest that subsurface materials control the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of soluble components in the hot spring and mineral spring waters. (author)

  12. Archaeal Nitrification in Hot Springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, A.; Daims, H.; Reigstad, L.; Wanek, W.; Wagner, M.; Schleper, C.

    2006-12-01

    Biological nitrification, i.e. the aerobic conversion of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, is a major component of the global nitrogen cycle. Until recently, it was thought that the ability to aerobically oxidize ammonia was confined to bacteria of the phylum Proteobacteria. However, it has recently been shown that Archaea of the phylum Crenarchaeota are also capable of ammonia oxidation. As many Crenarchaeota are thermophilic or hyperthermophilic, and at least some of them are capable of ammonia oxidation we speculated on the existence of (hyper)thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Using PCR primers specifically targeting the archaeal ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene, we were indeed able to confirm the presence of such organisms in several hot springs in Reykjadalur, Iceland. These hot springs exhibited temperatures well above 80 °C and pH values ranging from 2.0 to 4.5. To proof that nitrification actually took place under these extreme conditions, we measured gross nitrification rates by the isotope pool dilution method; we added 15N-labelled nitrate to the mud and followed the dilution of the label by nitrate production from ammonium either in situ (incubation in the hot spring) or under controlled conditions in the laboratory (at 80 °C). The nitrification rates in the hot springs ranged from 0.79 to 2.22 mg nitrate-N per L of mud and day. Controls, in which microorganisms were killed before the incubations, demonstrated that the nitrification was of biological origin. Addition of ammonium increased the gross nitrification rate approximately 3-fold, indicating that the nitrification was ammonium limited under the conditions used. Collectively, our study provides evidence that (1) AOA are present in hot springs and (2) that they are actively nitrifying. These findings have major implications for our understanding of nitrogen cycling of hot environments.

  13. Preliminary geothermal investigations at Manley Hot Springs, Alaska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    East, J.

    1982-04-01

    Manley Hot Springs is one of several hot springs which form a belt extending from the Seward Peninsula to east-central Alaska. All of the hot springs are low-temperature, water-dominated geothermal systems, having formed as the result of circulation of meteoric water along deepseated fractures near or within granitic intrusives. Shallow, thermally disturbed ground at Manley Hot Springs constitutes an area of 1.2 km by 0.6 km along the lower slopes of Bean Ridge on the north side of the Tanana Valley. This area includes 32 springs and seeps and one warm (29.1/sup 0/C) well. The hottest springs range in temperature from 61/sup 0/ to 47/sup 0/C and are presently utilized for space heating and irrigation. This study was designed to characterize the geothermal system present at Manley Hot Springs and delineate likely sites for geothermal drilling. Several surveys were conducted over a grid system which included shallow ground temperature, helium soil gas, mercury soil and resistivity surveys. In addition, a reconnaissance ground temperature survey and water chemistry sampling program was undertaken. The preliminary results, including some preliminary water chemistry, show that shallow hydrothermal activity can be delineated by many of the surveys. Three localities are targeted as likely geothermal well sites, and a model is proposed for the geothermal system at Manley Hot Springs.

  14. Geothermal energy and hot springs in Ethiopia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koga, T. (Hot Springs Therapeutics Research Institute, Kyushu, Univ., Japan)

    1971-01-01

    The hot springs in Ethiopia are concentrated in two areas: the North Afar depression and adjacent Red Sea shore, and a geothermal field 100 km from northeast to southwest in the central part of Ethiopia. The latter extends not only to the Great Rift Valley but also to the Aden Gulf. In the lake district in the central Great Rift Valley, there are a number of hot springs on the lake shore. These are along NE-SW fault lines, and the water is a sodium bicarbonate-type rich in HCO/sub 3/ and Na but low in C1 and Ca. In Dallol in the North Afar depression, CO/sub 2/-containing hot springs with high temperatures (110/sup 0/C) and a specific gravity of 1.4, were observed. In the South Afar depression, located in the northeastern part of the Rift Valley, there are many active volcanoes and hot springs between the lake district and the Danakil depression. The spring water is a sodium bicarbonate saline type. Nine graphs and maps are included.

  15. Bacterial and archaeal diversities in Yunnan and Tibetan hot springs, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhao-Qi; Wang, Feng-Ping; Zhi, Xiao-Yang; Chen, Jin-Quan; Zhou, En-Min; Liang, Feng; Xiao, Xiang; Tang, Shu-Kun; Jiang, Hong-Chen; Zhang, Chuanlun L; Dong, Hailiang; Li, Wen-Jun

    2013-04-01

    Thousands of hot springs are located in the north-eastern part of the Yunnan-Tibet geothermal zone, which is one of the most active geothermal areas in the world. However, a comprehensive and detailed understanding of microbial diversity in these hot springs is still lacking. In this study, bacterial and archaeal diversities were investigated in 16 hot springs (pH 3.2-8.6; temperature 47-96°C) in Yunnan Province and Tibet, China by using a barcoded 16S rRNA gene-pyrosequencing approach. Aquificae, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Deinococcus-Thermus and Bacteroidetes comprised the large portion of the bacterial communities in acidic hot springs. Non-acidic hot springs harboured more and variable bacterial phyla than acidic springs. Desulfurococcales and unclassified Crenarchaeota were the dominated groups in archaeal populations from most of the non-acidic hot springs; whereas, the archaeal community structure in acidic hot springs was simpler and characterized by Sulfolobales and Thermoplasmata. The phylogenetic analyses showed that Aquificae and Crenarchaeota were predominant in the investigated springs and possessed many phylogenetic lineages that have never been detected in other hot springs in the world. Thus findings from this study significantly improve our understanding of microbial diversity in terrestrial hot springs. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Siliceous Shrubs in Yellowstone's Hot Springs: Implications for Exobiological Investigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guidry, S. A.; Chafetz, H. S.

    2003-01-01

    Potential relict hot springs have been identified on Mars and, using the Earth as an analog, Martian hot springs are postulated to be an optimal locality for recognizing preserved evidence of extraterrestrial life. Distinctive organic and inorganic biomarkers are necessary to recognize preserved evidence of life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial hot spring accumulations. Hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A., contain a wealth of information about primitive microbial life and associated biosignatures that may be useful for future exobiological investigations. Numerous siliceous hot springs in Yellowstone contain abundant, centimeter-scale, spinose precipitates of opaline silica (opal-A). Although areally extensive in siliceous hot spring discharge channel facies, these spinose forms have largely escaped attention. These precipitates referred to as shrubs, consist of porous aggregates of spinose opaline silica that superficially resemble miniature woody plants, i.e., the term shrubs. Shrubs in carbonate precipitating systems have received considerable attention, and represent naturally occurring biotically induced precipitates. As such, shrubs have great potential as hot spring environmental indicators and, more importantly, proxies for pre-existing microbial life.

  17. Archaeal diversity in Icelandic hot springs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kvist, Thomas; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær; Westermann, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Whole-cell density gradient extractions from three solfataras (pH 2.5) ranging in temperature from 81 to 90 degrees C and one neutral hot spring (81 degrees C, pH 7) from the thermal active area of Hveragerethi (Iceland) were analysed for genetic diversity and local geographical variation...... of Archaea by analysis of amplified 16S rRNA genes. In addition to the three solfataras and the neutral hot spring, 10 soil samples in transects of the soil adjacent to the solfataras were analysed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (t-RFLP). The sequence data from the clone libraries...... enzymes AluI and BsuRI. The sequenced clones from this solfatara belonged to Sulfolobales, Thermoproteales or were most closest related to sequences from uncultured Archaea. Sequences related to group I.1b were not found in the neutral hot spring or the hyperthermophilic solfatara (90 degrees C)....

  18. Microbiological studies of hot springs in India: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poddar, Abhijit; Das, Subrata K

    2018-01-01

    The earliest microbiological studies on hot springs in India date from 2003, a much later date compared to global attention in this striking field of study. As of today, 28 out of 400 geothermal springs have been explored following both culturable and non-culturable approaches. The temperatures and pH of the springs are 37-99 °C and 6.8-10, respectively. Several studies have been performed on the description of novel genera and species, characterization of different bio-resources, metagenomics of hot spring microbiome and whole genome analysis of few isolates. 17 strains representing novel species and many thermostable enzymes, including lipase, protease, chitinase, amylase, etc. with potential biotechnological applications have been reported by several authors. Influence of physico-chemical conditions, especially that of temperature, on shaping the hot spring microbiome has been established by metagenomic investigations. Bacteria are the predominant life forms in all the springs with an abundance of phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Thermi, Bacteroidetes, Deinococcus-Thermus and Chloroflexi. In this review, we have discussed the findings on all microbiological studies that have been carried out to date, on the 28 hot springs. Further, the possibilities of extrapolating these studies for practical applications and environmental impact assessment towards protection of natural ecosystem of hot springs have also been discussed.

  19. Distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in Tibetan hot springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu He

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (iGDGTs from the Gulu hot springs (23–83.6 °C, pH > 7 and Yangbajing hot springs (80–128 °C, pH > 7 were analyzed in order to investigate the distribution of archaeal lipids among different hot springs in Tibet. A soil sample from Gulu was incubated at different temperatures and analyzed for changes in iGDGTs to help evaluate whether surrounding soil may contribute to the iGDGTs in hot springs. The sources of bacterial GDGTs (bGDGTs in these hot springs were also investigated. The results revealed different profiles of iGDGTs between Gulu and Yangbajing hot springs. Core iGDGTs and polar iGDGTs also presented different patterns in each hot spring. The PCA analysis showed that the structure of polar iGDGTs can be explained by three factors and suggested multiple sources of these compounds. Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant positive correlations between polar and core bGDGTs, suggesting the in situ production of bGDGTs in the hot springs. Furthermore, in the soil incubation experiment, temperature had the most significant influence on concentration of bGDGTs rather than iGDGTs, and polar bGDGTs had greater variability than core bGDGTs with changing temperature. Our results indicated that soil input had little influence on the composition of GDGTs in Tibetan hot springs. On the other hand, ring index and TEX86 values were both positively correlated with incubation temperature, suggesting that the structure of archaeal lipids changed in response to varying temperature during incubation.

  20. New bathing therapy in Japanese hot springs using radiation from radon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugimori, Kenji; Okajima, Maiko; Oowada, Mizuno; Koyama, Yoshihisa; Shozugawa, Katsumi; Matsuo, Motoyuki

    2015-01-01

    Japanese-style bathing is an important part of the traditional culture of Japan, and most Japanese people love hot springs. Many kinds of hot springs exist all over Japan and are often a major factor when considering where to go for travel, relaxation and rest. However, other countries, especially in Europe, also use hot springs for medical treatments such as balneo therapy, hydrokinetic therapy, fango therapy and inhalation therapy. Some hot springs in Japan are located on radioactive springs. Five typical radioactive spring areas can be found in Tamagawa (Akita Pref.), Murasugi (Niigata Pref.), Masutomi (Yamanashi Pref.), Misasa (Tottori Pref.), and Sekigane (Tottori Pref.). While hot springs in Japan are mainly used for bathing, these radioactive springs are also used for bedrock bathing and/or inhalation therapy. In Italy, Fango therapy is a medical treatment conducted under a medical doctor's super vision with peloids maturated with hot spring water called 'Fango'. Japanese style Fango, named Biofango R , has already been made by using natural hot springs that have been modified with Italian Fango. Medical evaluation of test subjects has shown good results after treatment with Fango therapy. An important point in Fango therapy is how to make satisfactory maturated peloids. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted at Masutomi hot spring to confirm the possibility of using radioactive spring water to make maturated peloids. The basement material for the peloids used for this experiment was made from bentonite mixed with original rock from the Masutomi hot spring area consisting of crushed basalt and granite that have a fine amount of radioactivity. These peloids were circulated through hot spring water for two weeks to a month and then used for treatment. The medical data showed that therapy using this method resulted in greater improvement in 'test subjects' body functions compared with the data from previous observations. This

  1. Microbiology of Kamchatka Peninsula Hot Springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonch-Osmolovsk, E.

    2005-12-01

    Hot springs of Uzon Caldera, Geyser Valley, Moutnovsky Volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula) served as the sources of isolation of numerous thermophilic prokaryotes, many of them representing new taxa. Among new isolates there were hyperthermophilic archaea - neutrophilic or acidophilic anaerobic organotrophs, able to use a wide range of polymeric organic substrates. Bacterial isolates were in majority represented by moderate thermophiles - organotrophs and lithoautotrophs. Latter group consisted of anaerobes oxidizing molecular hydrogen in the course of sulfate, sulfur or iron reduction, and of anaerobic CO-oxidizing, hydrogen-producing bacteria. Some of new isolates represented deep phylogenetic lineages in Bacteria domain. Microbial activity in Kamchatka hot springs was studied by means of radioisotopic tracing. The rates of methanogenesis, acetogenesis, inorganic carbon assimilation, acetate oxidation were determined in three different hot springs with pH ranging from 3.0 to 8.5 and water temeperature being in the range from 55 to 85oC. The results indicated the presence and activity of novel metabolic groups of thermophilic prokaryotes that so far have not been known in laboratory cultures.

  2. Indoor radon levels in selected hot spring hotels in Guangdong, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Gang; Zhang, Boyou; Wang, Xinming; Gong, Jingping; Chan, Daniel; Bernett, John; Lee, S C

    2005-03-01

    Guangdong is one of the provinces that have most hot springs in China, and many hotels have been set up near hot springs, with spring water introduced into the bath inside each hotel room for hot spring bathing to attract tourists. In the present study, we measured radon in indoor and outdoor air, as well as in hot spring waters, in four hot spring hotels in Guangdong by using NR-667A (III) continuous radon detector. Radon concentrations ranged 53.4-292.5 Bq L(-1) in the hot spring water and 17.2-190.9 Bq m(-3) in outdoor air. Soil gas intrusion, indoor hot spring water use and inefficient ventilation all contributed to the elevated indoor radon levels in the hotel rooms. From the variation of radon levels in closed unoccupied hotel rooms, soil gas intrusion was found to be a very important source of indoor radon in hotel rooms with floors in contact with soils. When there was spring water bathing in the bathes, average radon levels were 10.9-813% higher in the hotel rooms and 13.8-489% higher in bathes compared to their corresponding average levels when there was no spring water use. Spring water use in the hotel rooms had radon transfer coefficients from 1.6x10(-4) to 5.0x10(-3). Radon in some hotel rooms maintained in concentrations much higher than guideline levels might thus have potential health risks to the hotel workers, and technical and management measures should be taken to lower their exposure of radon through inhalation.

  3. Indoor radon levels in selected hot spring hotels in Guangdong, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Gang; Zhang Boyou; Wang Xinming; Gong Jingping; Chan, Daniel; Bernett, John; Lee, S.C.

    2005-01-01

    Guangdong is one of the provinces that have most hot springs in China, and many hotels have been set up near hot springs, with spring water introduced into the bath inside each hotel room for hot spring bathing to attract tourists. In the present study, we measured radon in indoor and outdoor air, as well as in hot spring waters, in four hot spring hotels in Guangdong by using NR-667A (III) continuous radon detector. Radon concentrations ranged 53.4-292.5 Bq L -1 in the hot spring water and 17.2-190.9 Bq m -3 in outdoor air. Soil gas intrusion, indoor hot spring water use and inefficient ventilation all contributed to the elevated indoor radon levels in the hotel rooms. From the variation of radon levels in closed unoccupied hotel rooms, soil gas intrusion was found to be a very important source of indoor radon in hotel rooms with floors in contact with soils. When there was spring water bathing in the bathes, average radon levels were 10.9-813% higher in the hotel rooms and 13.8-489% higher in bathes compared to their corresponding average levels when there was no spring water use. Spring water use in the hotel rooms had radon transfer coefficients from 1.6x10 -4 to 5.0x10 -3 . Radon in some hotel rooms maintained in concentrations much higher than guideline levels might thus have potential health risks to the hotel workers, and technical and management measures should be taken to lower their exposure of radon through inhalation

  4. Indoor radon levels in selected hot spring hotels in Guangdong, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song Gang [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Zhang Boyou [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Wang Xinming [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China)]. E-mail: wangxm@gig.ac.cn; Gong Jingping [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Chan, Daniel [Department of Building Services Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China); Bernett, John [Department of Building Services Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China); Lee, S.C. [Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China)

    2005-03-01

    Guangdong is one of the provinces that have most hot springs in China, and many hotels have been set up near hot springs, with spring water introduced into the bath inside each hotel room for hot spring bathing to attract tourists. In the present study, we measured radon in indoor and outdoor air, as well as in hot spring waters, in four hot spring hotels in Guangdong by using NR-667A (III) continuous radon detector. Radon concentrations ranged 53.4-292.5 Bq L{sup -1} in the hot spring water and 17.2-190.9 Bq m{sup -3} in outdoor air. Soil gas intrusion, indoor hot spring water use and inefficient ventilation all contributed to the elevated indoor radon levels in the hotel rooms. From the variation of radon levels in closed unoccupied hotel rooms, soil gas intrusion was found to be a very important source of indoor radon in hotel rooms with floors in contact with soils. When there was spring water bathing in the bathes, average radon levels were 10.9-813% higher in the hotel rooms and 13.8-489% higher in bathes compared to their corresponding average levels when there was no spring water use. Spring water use in the hotel rooms had radon transfer coefficients from 1.6x10{sup -4} to 5.0x10{sup -3}. Radon in some hotel rooms maintained in concentrations much higher than guideline levels might thus have potential health risks to the hotel workers, and technical and management measures should be taken to lower their exposure of radon through inhalation.

  5. Applying spatial analysis techniques to assess the suitability of multipurpose uses of spring water in the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region, Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Cheng-Shin

    2016-04-01

    The Jiaosi Hot Spring Region is located in northeastern Taiwan and is rich in geothermal springs. The geothermal development of the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region dates back to the 18th century and currently, the spring water is processed for various uses, including irrigation, aquaculture, swimming, bathing, foot spas, and recreational tourism. Because of the proximity of the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region to the metropolitan area of Taipei City, the hot spring resources in this region attract millions of tourists annually. Recently, the Taiwan government is paying more attention to surveying the spring water temperatures in the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region because of the severe spring water overexploitation, causing a significant decline in spring water temperatures. Furthermore, the temperature of spring water is a reliable indicator for exploring the occurrence and evolution of springs and strongly affects hydrochemical reactions, components, and magnitudes. The multipurpose uses of spring water can be dictated by the temperature of the water. Therefore, accurately estimating the temperature distribution of the spring water is critical in the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region to facilitate the sustainable development and management of the multipurpose uses of the hot spring resources. To evaluate the suitability of spring water for these various uses, this study spatially characterized the spring water temperatures of the Jiaosi Hot Spring Region by using ordinary kriging (OK), sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS), and geographical information system (GIS). First, variogram analyses were used to determine the spatial variability of spring water temperatures. Next, OK and SGS were adopted to model the spatial distributions and uncertainty of the spring water temperatures. Finally, the land use (i.e., agriculture, dwelling, public land, and recreation) was determined and combined with the estimated distributions of the spring water temperatures using GIS. A suitable development strategy

  6. Carbonate ion-enriched hot spring water promotes skin wound healing in nude rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingyan Liang

    Full Text Available Hot spring or hot spa bathing (Onsen is a traditional therapy for the treatment of certain ailments. There is a common belief that hot spring bathing has therapeutic effects for wound healing, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. To examine this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of Nagano hot spring water (rich in carbonate ion, 42°C on the healing process of the skin using a nude rat skin wound model. We found that hot spring bathing led to an enhanced healing speed compared to both the unbathed and hot-water (42°C control groups. Histologically, the hot spring water group showed increased vessel density and reduced inflammatory cells in the granulation tissue of the wound area. Real-time RT-PCR analysis along with zymography revealed that the wound area of the hot spring water group exhibited a higher expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 compared to the two other control groups. Furthermore, we found that the enhanced wound healing process induced by the carbonate ion-enriched hot spring water was mediated by thermal insulation and moisture maintenance. Our results provide the evidence that carbonate ion-enriched hot spring water is beneficial for the treatment of skin wounds.

  7. Microstructure of Sinter Deposit Formed at Hot Springs in West Sumatera

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putra, A.; Inanda, D. Y.; Buspa, F.; Salim, A. F.

    2018-03-01

    Sinter deposit emerged and spread at several hot springs in West Sumatera is divided into three types, they are full silica, half silica-carbonate and full carbonate. This work intends to investigate the characteristic of each type by its crystalline structure and morphology and its correlation to surface temperature. The research is focused on Sapan Maluluang hot spring (full silica), Garara hot spring (half silica-carbonate) and Bawah Kubang hot spring (full carbonate). Crystalline structure is analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) methods, it showed that deposit from Sapan Maluluang has opal-A structure, Garara has opal-CT structure and Bawah Kubang has crystalline structure. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) methods is applied to describe its morphology surface, in which spherical, almost rounded and irregular textured was formed at each deposit, respectively. Surface temperature of hot spring also has given impact on deposit texture.

  8. Report on the FY 1998 survey for preservation of Jozankei Hot Spring. Hot spring variation survey; 1998 nendo Jozankei onsen hozen chosa. Onsen hendo chosa hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-09-01

    Of the FY 1998 survey for preservation of Jozankei Hot Spring, a survey was conducted with the aim of grasping the state of variation in ingredients of hot spring, etc. in the area and of elucidating the causes of hot spring variation. During the period from October 27, 1998 to August 28, 1999, the following were carried out: sampling of specimens of spring water at 6 spring sources, river water at 2 points and precipitation at 2 points; measurement of temperature, spring temperature, pH, electric conductivity, etc.; analyses of Na, Ca, CL, HCO{sub 3}, SiO{sub 2}, etc. The results of the analysis are as follows. As to spring sources, A-2, A-7 and B-1, the precipitation or river water flow rate seem to largely affect the variation in hot spring measuring values. As to spring resources, A-6 and B-4, the relation with the precipitation or river water flow rate is not clear, but a big change is recognized in the snow-melting season. The tendency to the two variations seems to be caused by the difference between the spring with which the river water is greatly concerned by the crack system of the spring having reached the river and the spring which was closed on the earth surface. The temperature variation of springs was considered to be affected by the river water which flowed into the springs. (NEDO)

  9. Geologic setting and chemical characteristics of hot springs in central and western Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Thomas P.; Barnes, Ivan; Pattan, William Wallace

    1973-01-01

    Numerous hot springs occur in a variety of geologic provinces in central and western Alaska. Granitic plutons are common to all the provinces and the hot springs are spatially associated with the contacts of these plutons. Of 23 hot springs whose bedrock geology is known, all occur within 3 miles of a granitic pluton. The occurrence of hot springs, however, appears to be independent of the age, composition, or magmatic history of the pluton.

  10. Lanthanoid abundance of some neutral hot spring waters in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikawada, Yoshikazu; Oi, Takao; Honda, Teruyuki

    1999-01-01

    Contents of lanthanoids (Ln's) in some neutral hot spring waters as well as in acidic hot spring waters were determined by neutron activation analysis. It was found that a higher pH resulted in lower concentrations of Ln's; the value of correlation coefficient (r) between the logarithm of the concentration of Sm ([Sm]), chosen as the representative of Ln's, and the logarithm of pH was -0.90. The sum of [Al] and [Fe] was strongly correlated with [Ln]'s in the pH range of 1.3 and 8.8; the correlation was expressed as log[Sm] = 0.893 log([Al] + [Fe]) - 5.45 with the r value of 0.98. The sum of [Al] and [Fe] was thus a good measure of the Ln contents in acidic and neutral hot spring waters. The Ln abundance patterns of neutral hot spring waters with normal CO 2 concentrations had concave shapes with relative depletion in the middle-heavy Ln's and seemed to reflect the solubility of Ln carbonates. The neutral hot spring water with a high CO 2 content of 1,800 ppm showed a Ln pattern with a relative enrichment in the heavy Ln's and seemed to reflect the solubility of Ln's observed for CO 2 -rich solutions. (author)

  11. Field observations and management strategy for hot spring wastewater in Wulai area, Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, J Y; Chen, C F; Lei, F R; Hsieh, C D

    2010-01-01

    Hot springs are important centers for recreation and tourism. However, the pollution that may potentially be caused by hot spring wastewater has rarely been discussed. More than half of Taiwan's hot springs are located in areas where the water quality of water bodies is to be protected, and untreated wastewater could pollute the receiving water bodies. In this study, we investigate hot spring wastewater in the Wulai area, one of Taiwan's famous hot spring resorts. Used water from five hot spring hotels was sampled and ten sampling events were carried out to evaluate the changes in the quality of used water in different seasons, at different periods of the week, and from different types of hotels. The concentrations of different pollutants in hot spring wastewater were found to exhibit wide variations, as follows: COD, 10-250 mg/L; SS, N.D.-93 mg/L; NH(3)-N, 0.01-1.93 mg/L; TP, 0.01-0.45 mg/L; and E. coli, 10-27,500 CFU/100 mL. The quality of hot spring wastewater depends on the operation of public pools, because this affects the frequency of supplementary fresh water and the outflow volume. Two management strategies, namely, onsite treatment systems and individually packaged treatment equipment, are considered, and a multi-objective optimization model is used to determine the optimal strategy.

  12. Sol Duc Hot Springs feasibility study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-12-01

    Sol Duc Springs is located in the Olympic National Park in western Washington state. Since the turn of the century, the area has served as a resort, offering hot mineral baths, lodge and overnight cabin accommodations. The Park Service, in conjunction with the concessionaire, is in the process of renovating the existing facilities, most of which are approximately 50 years old. The present renovation work consists of removing all of the existing cabins and replacing them with 36 new units. In addition, a new hot pool is planned to replace the existing one. This report explores the possibility of a more efficient use of the geothermal resource to accompany other planned improvements. It is important to note that the system outlined is based upon the resource development as it exists currently. That is, the geothermal source is considered to be: the two existing wells and the hot springs currently in use. In addition, every effort has been made to accommodate the priorities for utilization as set forth by the Park Service.

  13. Report on fiscal 1998 investigation of Jozankei hot spring conservation and hot spring structure; 1998 nendo Jozankei onsen hozen chosa. Onsen kozo chosa hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-10-01

    With the purpose of evaluating recoverable hot water quantity and elucidating the change over a long term, investigations were carried out, with the results summarized, on the geology, alteration zone, gravitational analysis, fluid geochemistry and hydraulics in the area. The investigations covered the area of 7 km x 6 km in about 30 km southwest of Sapporo City and were performed for the period from September 10, 1998 to October 31, 1999. The results were as follows. In the Jozankei area, with the Usubetu layer in the Old Tertiary system as the basement, layers are superposed from the Palaeogene Oligocene to the Quaternary Pleistocene. Distributing in various places between Yunosawa vicinity and Jozankei Hot Spring area are acid to neutral geothermal alteration zones. The hot spring gushing-out zone in the Jozankei hot spring area is supposed to be regulated by side-by-side cracks in the NE-SW direction. It was inferred from tritium concentration and a minor component ratio that, as the mechanism of forming a hot spring, water of precipitation origin circulating and residing for a long time on the Usubetsu layer which is marine sediment is heated by a volcanic heat source latent in the depth. (NEDO)

  14. Biomediated Precipitation of Calcium Carbonate in a Slightly Acidic Hot Spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, L.

    2015-12-01

    A slightly acidic hot spring named "Female Tower" (T=73.5 °C, pH=6.64) is located in the Jifei Geothermal Field, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The precipitates in the hot spring are composed of large amounts of calcite, aragonite, and sulfur. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed that the microbial mats were formed of various coccoid, rod-shaped, and filamentous microbes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the intracellular sulfur granules were commonly associated with these microbes. A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the majority of the bacteria in the spring were sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. In the spring water, H2S concentration was up to 60 ppm, while SO42- concentration was only about 10 ppm. We speculated that H2S might be utilized by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in this hot spring water, leading to the intracellular formation of sulfur granules. In the meantime, this reaction increased the pH in the micron-scale microdomains, which fostered the precipitation of calcium carbonate in the microbial mats. The results of this study indicated that the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria could play an important role in calcium carbonate precipitation in slightly acidic hot spring environments.

  15. Beneficial effect of hot spring bathing on stress levels in Japanese macaques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeshita, Rafaela S C; Bercovitch, Fred B; Kinoshita, Kodzue; Huffman, Michael A

    2018-05-01

    The ability of animals to survive dramatic climates depends on their physiology, morphology and behaviour, but is often influenced by the configuration of their habitat. Along with autonomic responses, thermoregulatory behaviours, including postural adjustments, social aggregation, and use of trees for shelter, help individuals maintain homeostasis across climate variations. Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) are the world's most northerly species of nonhuman primates and have adapted to extremely cold environments. Given that thermoregulatory stress can increase glucocorticoid concentrations in primates, we hypothesized that by using an available hot spring, Japanese macaques could gain protection against weather-induced cold stress during winter. We studied 12 adult female Japanese macaques living in Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan, during the spring birth season (April to June) and winter mating season (October to December). We collected faecal samples for determination of faecal glucocorticoid (fGC) metabolite concentrations by enzyme immunoassay, as well as behavioural data to determine time spent in the hot springs, dominance rank, aggression rates, and affiliative behaviours. We used nonparametric statistics to examine seasonal changes in hot spring bathing, and the relationship between rank and air temperature on hot spring bathing. We used general linear mixed-effect models to examine factors impacting hormone concentrations. We found that Japanese macaques use hot spring bathing for thermoregulation during the winter. In the studied troop, the single hot spring is a restricted resource favoured by dominant females. High social rank had both costs and benefits: dominant females sustained high fGC levels, which were associated with high aggression rates in winter, but benefited by priority of access to the hot spring, which was associated with low fGC concentrations and therefore might help reduce energy expenditure and subsequent body heat loss. This unique

  16. Effects of Physiochemical Factors on Prokaryotic Biodiversity in Malaysian Circumneutral Hot Springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia S. Chan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Malaysia has a great number of hot springs, especially along the flank of the Banjaran Titiwangsa mountain range. Biological studies of the Malaysian hot springs are rare because of the lack of comprehensive information on their microbial communities. In this study, we report a cultivation-independent census to describe microbial communities in six hot springs. The Ulu Slim (US, Sungai Klah (SK, Dusun Tua (DT, Sungai Serai (SS, Semenyih (SE, and Ayer Hangat (AH hot springs exhibit circumneutral pH with temperatures ranging from 43°C to 90°C. Genomic DNA was extracted from environmental samples and the V3–V4 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA genes were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that microbial richness was high in all samples as indicated by the detection of 6,334–26,244 operational taxonomy units. In total, 59, 61, 72, 73, 65, and 52 bacterial phyla were identified in the US, SK, DT, SS, SE, and AH hot springs, respectively. Generally, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated the bacterial communities in all hot springs. Archaeal communities mainly consisted of Crenarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, and Parvarchaeota. In beta diversity analysis, the hot spring microbial memberships were clustered primarily on the basis of temperature and salinity. Canonical correlation analysis to assess the relationship between the microbial communities and physicochemical variables revealed that diversity patterns were best explained by a combination of physicochemical variables, rather than by individual abiotic variables such as temperature and salinity.

  17. Comparative Metagenomics of Eight Geographically Remote Terrestrial Hot Springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menzel, Peter; Gudbergsdóttir, Sóley Ruth; Rike, Anne Gunn; Lin, Lianbing; Zhang, Qi; Contursi, Patrizia; Moracci, Marco; Kristjansson, Jakob K; Bolduc, Benjamin; Gavrilov, Sergey; Ravin, Nikolai; Mardanov, Andrey; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta; Young, Mark; Krogh, Anders; Peng, Xu

    2015-08-01

    Hot springs are natural habitats for thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria. In this paper, we present the metagenomic analysis of eight globally distributed terrestrial hot springs from China, Iceland, Italy, Russia, and the USA with a temperature range between 61 and 92 (∘)C and pH between 1.8 and 7. A comparison of the biodiversity and community composition generally showed a decrease in biodiversity with increasing temperature and decreasing pH. Another important factor shaping microbial diversity of the studied sites was the abundance of organic substrates. Several species of the Crenarchaeal order Thermoprotei were detected, whereas no single bacterial species was found in all samples, suggesting a better adaptation of certain archaeal species to different thermophilic environments. Two hot springs show high abundance of Acidithiobacillus, supporting the idea of a true thermophilic Acidithiobacillus species that can thrive in hyperthermophilic environments. Depending on the sample, up to 58 % of sequencing reads could not be assigned to a known phylum, reinforcing the fact that a large number of microorganisms in nature, including those thriving in hot environments remain to be isolated and characterized.

  18. Biodiversity of the microbial mat of the Garga hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozanov, Alexey Sergeevich; Bryanskaya, Alla Victorovna; Ivanisenko, Timofey Vladimirovich; Malup, Tatyana Konstantinovna; Peltek, Sergey Evgenievich

    2017-12-28

    Microbial mats are a good model system for ecological and evolutionary analysis of microbial communities. There are more than 20 alkaline hot springs on the banks of the Barguzin river inflows. Water temperature reaches 75 °C and pH is usually 8.0-9.0. The formation of microbial mats is observed in all hot springs. Microbial communities of hot springs of the Baikal rift zone are poorly studied. Garga is the biggest hot spring in this area. In this study, we investigated bacterial and archaeal diversity of the Garga hot spring (Baikal rift zone, Russia) using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing. We studied two types of microbial communities: (i) small white biofilms on rocks in the points with the highest temperature (75 °C) and (ii) continuous thick phototrophic microbial mats observed at temperatures below 70 °C. Archaea (mainly Crenarchaeota; 19.8% of the total sequences) were detected only in the small biofilms. The high abundance of Archaea in the sample from hot springs of the Baikal rift zone supplemented our knowledge of the distribution of Archaea. Most archaeal sequences had low similarity to known Archaea. In the microbial mats, primary products were formed by cyanobacteria of the genus Leptolyngbya. Heterotrophic microorganisms were mostly represented by Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in all studied samples of the microbial mats. Planctomycetes, Chloroflexi, and Chlorobi were abundant in the middle layer of the microbial mats, while heterotrophic microorganisms represented mostly by Firmicutes (Clostridia, strict anaerobes) dominated in the bottom part. Besides prokaryotes, we detect some species of Algae with help of detection their chloroplasts 16 s rRNA. High abundance of Archaea in samples from hot springs of the Baikal rift zone supplemented our knowledge of the distribution of Archaea. Most archaeal sequences had low similarity to known Archaea. Metagenomic analysis of microbial communities of the microbial mat of Garga hot spring showed that

  19. An environmental survey of Serpentine Hot Springs: Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Hasselbach, Linda; Ingebritsen, Steven E.; Skorupa, Dana; McCleskey, R. Blaine; McDermott, Timothy R.

    2015-01-01

    Serpentine Hot Springs is the most visited site in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. The hot springs have traditionally been used by the Native people of the Seward Peninsula for religious, medicinal and spiritual purposes and continue to be used in many of the same ways by Native people today. The hot springs are also popular with non-Native users from Nome and other communities, recreational users and pilots from out of the area, and hunters and hikers.

  20. Microbial diversity and autotrophic activity in Kamchatka hot springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merkel, Alexander Yu; Pimenov, Nikolay V; Rusanov, Igor I; Slobodkin, Alexander I; Slobodkina, Galina B; Tarnovetckii, Ivan Yu; Frolov, Evgeny N; Dubin, Arseny V; Perevalova, Anna A; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2017-03-01

    Microbial communities of Kamchatka Peninsula terrestrial hot springs were studied using molecular, radioisotopic and cultural approaches. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments performed by means of high-throughput sequencing revealed that aerobic autotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria of the genus Sulfurihydrogenibium (phylum Aquificae) dominated in a majority of streamers. Another widely distributed and abundant group was that of anaerobic bacteria of the genus Caldimicrobium (phylum Thermodesulfobacteria). Archaea of the genus Vulcanisaeta were abundant in a high-temperature, slightly acidic hot spring, where they were accompanied by numerous Nanoarchaeota, while the domination of uncultured Thermoplasmataceae A10 was characteristic for moderately thermophilic acidic habitats. The highest rates of inorganic carbon assimilation determined by the in situ incubation of samples in the presence of 14 C-labeled bicarbonate were found in oxygen-dependent streamers; in two sediment samples taken from the hottest springs this process, though much weaker, was found to be not dependent on oxygen. The isolation of anaerobic lithoautotrophic prokaryotes from Kamchatka hot springs revealed a wide distribution of the ability for sulfur disproportionation, a new lithoautotrophic process capable to fuel autonomous anaerobic ecosystems.

  1. Diversity and Ecological Functions of Crenarchaeota in Terrestrial Hot Springs of Tengchong, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, W.; Song, Z.; Chen, J.; Jiang, H.; Zhou, E.; Wang, F.; Xiao, X.; Zhang, C.

    2010-12-01

    The diversity and potential ecological functions of Crenarchaeota were investigated in eight terrestrial hot springs (pH: 2.8-7.7; temperature: 43.6-96 C) located in Tengchong, China, using 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis. A total of 826 crenarchaeotal clones were analyzed and a total of 47 Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified. Most (93%) of the identified OTUs were closely related (89-99%) to those retrieved from hot springs and other thermal environments. Our data showed that temperature may predominate over pH in affecting crenarchaeotal diversity in Tengchong hot springs. Crenarchaeotal diversity in moderate-temperature (59 to 77 C) hot springs was the highest, indicating that the moderate-temperature hot springs are more inclusive for Crenarchaeota. To understand what ecological functions these Crenarchaeota may play in Tengchong hot springs, we isolated the environmental RNA and constructed four cDNA clone libraries of the archaeal accA gene that encodes Acetyl CoA carboxylase. The accA gene represents one of the key enzymes responsible for the CO2 fixation in the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed all the transcribed accA gene sequences can be classified into three large clusters, with the first one being affiliated with marine crenarchaeota, the second one with cultured crenarchaeota, and the third one with Chlorobi (Green sulfur bacteria), which have been proved to employ the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway. The long-branch distances of the phylogenetic tree suggest that these sequences represent novel accA-like gene. Our results also showed that sequences of the accA-like gene from the same hot spring belonged to one cluster, which suggests that a single crenarchaeotal group may fix CO2 via 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway in the investigated hot springs.

  2. Neutron activation analysis of the rare earth elements in Nasu hot springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, Nagao; Takahashi, Naruto.

    1978-01-01

    Eleven rare earth elements (lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, holmium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium) in hot spring waters and sinter deposits in the Nasu area were determined by the neutron activation method. The rare earth elements in hot spring water were preconcentrated in ferric hydroxide precipitate and neutron-irradiated. The rare earth elements were chemically separated into lighter and heavier groups and the activity of each group was measured with a Ge(Li) detector. Distribution of the rare earth elements between the hot spring water and the sinter deposit was also discussed. (auth.)

  3. Comparative metagenomics of eight geographically remote terrestrial hot springs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Menzel, Peter; Islin, Sóley Ruth; Rike, Anne Gunn

    2015-01-01

    Hot springs are natural habitats for thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria. In this paper, we present the metagenomic analysis of eight globally distributed terrestrial hot springs from China, Iceland, Italy, Russia, and the USA with a temperature range between 61 and 92 (∘)C and pH between 1.8 and 7....... A comparison of the biodiversity and community composition generally showed a decrease in biodiversity with increasing temperature and decreasing pH. Another important factor shaping microbial diversity of the studied sites was the abundance of organic substrates. Several species of the Crenarchaeal order...

  4. A preliminary survey of radon concentrations in South Island hot springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitehead, N.E.

    1976-02-01

    Radon 222 was determined in hot spring waters from the South Island of New Zealand by a method involving the radiochemical isolation of 214 Bi. The results ranged from 137 to 1830 pCi/l with a mean of 738 pCi/l. These results are lower than those reported in the literature for North Island hot springs. (auth.)

  5. Biomineralization of radioactive sulfide minerals in strong acidic Tamagawa hot springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tazaki, Kazue; Watanabe, Hiroaki

    2004-01-01

    Bioaccumulation of radioactive sulfide minerals by bacteria in strong acidic hot spring water was found at Tamagawa Hot Springs, Akita prefecture in Japan. The hot spring water produces Hokutolite of radioactive minerals high radium and radon. The β-ray measurements of sediments and biofilms indicate 1850-2420 and 5700 cpm, respectively, which are 50-100 times higher than that of the water and the air (50-90 cpm). The characteristics of hot spring water show pH (1.2), Eh (140 mV), EC (29 mS/cm), DO (0.8 mg/l), and water temperature (99.5degC), indicating extremely strong acidic and reducing conditions. The hot spring water contains mainly HCl associated with high concentrations of Ca 2+ , Al 3+ , Fe 2+ , HSO 4 - and SO 4 2- . SEM-EDX and TEM demonstrate some insight into how microorganisms affect the chemistry and microbiological characteristics of the strong acidic surroundings with high S, As, Ba, and Ca contents in biofilms. Especially SEM-EDX, ED-XRF, and STEM-EDX elemental content maps illustrate the distribution of sulfur-bearing compounds of barite (BaSO 4 ), gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O), elemental sulfur (S) and orpiment(As 2 S 3 ) in the reddish orange biofilms. The presence of a hydrogen sulfide-rich (H 2 S) thermal spring and gypsum deposits suggest the volatilization of H 2 S from the spring water, oxidation of the H 2 S gas to sulfuric acid, and reaction of the sulfuric acid. TEM micrographs of bacteria in the biofilms reveal in detail the intimate connections between biological and mineralogical processes that the cells are entirely accumulated with spherical grains, 100∼200 nm in diameter. The relationship among sulfide minerals, such as barite, gypsum, sulfur, orpiment, and Hakutolite, associated with bacteria implies that heavy metals have been transported from strong acidic hot spring water to sediments through bacteria metabolism. It is possible that the capability of radioactive sulfide biofilms for heavy metal immobilization can be used to

  6. Diagenetic Changes in Common Hot Spring Microfacies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinman, N. W.; Kendall, T. A.; MacKenzie, L. A.; Cady, S. D.

    2016-05-01

    The friable nature of silica hot spring deposits makes them susceptible to mechanical weathering. Rapid diagenesis must take place for these rocks to persist in the geologic record. The properties of two microfacies at two deposits were compared.

  7. Determination of Hot Springs Physico-Chemical Water Quality Potentially Use for Balneotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaini Hamzah; Nurul Latiffah Abd Rani; Ahmad Saat; Ab Khalik Wood

    2013-01-01

    Hot springs areas are attractive places for locals and foreigners either for excursion or for medical purposes such as for healing of various types of diseases. This is because the hot spring water is believed rich in salt, sulfur, and sulfate in the water body. For many thousands of years, people have used hot springs water both for cozy bathing and therapy. Balneotherapy is the term used where the patients were immersed in hot mineral water baths emerged as an important treatment in Europe around 1800s. In view of this fact, a study of hot springs water was performed with the objective to determine the concentration of Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , S, SO 4 2- and Cl - in hot springs water around the State of Selangor, Malaysia. Energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescent Spectrometry (EDXRF) was used to measure the concentrations of Na + , K + , Ca 2+ and S meanwhile for SO 4 2- and Cl - anion, Ion Chromatography (IC) was used. The concentration of Na + obtained for filtered and unfiltered samples ranged from 33.68 to 80.95 and 37.03 to 81.91 ppm respectively. Meanwhile, the corresponding concentrations of K + ranged from 1.47 to 45.72 and 1.70 to 56.81 ppm. Concentrations of Ca 2+ ranged from 2.44 to 18.45 and 3.75 to 19.77 ppm. The concentration of S obtained for filtered and unfiltered samples ranged from 1.87 to 12.41 and 6.25 to 12.86 ppm. The concentrations for SO 4 2- and Cl - obtained ranged from 0.15 to 1.51 ppm and 7.06 to 20.66 ppm for filtered samples. The data signified higher concentration of salt and other important nutrients in hot spring water. (author)

  8. Phototrophs in high-iron-concentration microbial mats: physiological ecology of phototrophs in an iron-depositing hot spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierson, B. K.; Parenteau, M. N.; Griffin, B. M.

    1999-01-01

    At Chocolate Pots Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park the source waters have a pH near neutral, contain high concentrations of reduced iron, and lack sulfide. An iron formation that is associated with cyanobacterial mats is actively deposited. The uptake of [(14)C]bicarbonate was used to assess the impact of ferrous iron on photosynthesis in this environment. Photoautotrophy in some of the mats was stimulated by ferrous iron (1.0 mM). Microelectrodes were used to determine the impact of photosynthetic activity on the oxygen content and the pH in the mat and sediment microenvironments. Photosynthesis increased the oxygen concentration to 200% of air saturation levels in the top millimeter of the mats. The oxygen concentration decreased with depth and in the dark. Light-dependent increases in pH were observed. The penetration of light in the mats and in the sediments was determined. Visible radiation was rapidly attenuated in the top 2 mm of the iron-rich mats. Near-infrared radiation penetrated deeper. Iron was totally oxidized in the top few millimeters, but reduced iron was detected at greater depths. By increasing the pH and the oxygen concentration in the surface sediments, the cyanobacteria could potentially increase the rate of iron oxidation in situ. This high-iron-content hot spring provides a suitable model for studying the interactions of microbial photosynthesis and iron deposition and the role of photosynthesis in microbial iron cycling. This model may help clarify the potential role of photosynthesis in the deposition of Precambrian banded iron formations.

  9. MICROBIAL POPULATION OF HOT SPRING WATERS IN ESKİŞEHİR/TURKEY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nalan YILMAZ SARIÖZLÜ

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available In order to investigate and find out the bacterial community of hot spring waters in Eskişehir, Turkey, 7 hot spring water samples were collected from 7 different hot springs. All samples were inoculated using four different media (nutrient agar, water yeast extract agar, trypticase soy agar, starch casein agar. After incubation at 50 ºC for 14 days, all bacterial colonies were counted and purified. Gram reaction, catalase and oxidase properties of all isolates were determined and investigated by BIOLOG, VITEK and automated ribotyping system (RiboPrinter. The resistance of these bacteriawas examined against ampiciline, gentamisine, trimethoprime-sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline. As a result, heat resistant pathogenic microorganisms in addition to human normal flora were determined in hot spring waters (43-50 ºC in investigated area. Ten different species belong to 6 genera were identified as Alysiella filiformis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, B. pertussis, Molexalla caprae, M. caviae, M. cuniculi, M. phenylpyruvica, Roseomonas fauriae, Delftia acidovorans and Pseudomonas taetrolens.

  10. Geologic reconnaissance of the Hot Springs Mountains, Churchill County, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voegtly, Nickolas E.

    1981-01-01

    A geologic reconnaissance of the Hot Springs Mountains and adjacent areas, which include parts of the Brady-Hazen and the Stillwater-Soda Lake Known Geothermal Resource Areas, during June-December 1975, resulted in a reinterpretation of the nature and location of some Basin and Range faults. In addition, the late Cenozoic stratigraphy has been modified, chiefly on the basis of radiometric dates of volcanic rocks by U.S. Geological Survey personnel and others. The Hot Springs Mountains are in the western part of the Basin and Range province, which is characterized by east-west crustal extension and associated normal faulting. In the surrounding Trinity, West Humboldt, Stillwater, and Desert Mountains, Cenozoic rocks overlie ' basement ' rocks of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic age. A similar relation is inferred in the Hot Springs Mountains. Folding and faulting have taken place from the late Tertiary to the present. (USGS)

  11. Microbial ecology of two hot springs of Sikkim: Predominate population and geochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najar, Ishfaq Nabi; Sherpa, Mingma Thundu; Das, Sayak; Das, Saurav; Thakur, Nagendra

    2018-10-01

    Northeastern regions of India are known for their floral and faunal biodiversity. Especially the state of Sikkim lies in the eastern Himalayan ecological hotspot region. The state harbors many sulfur rich hot springs which have therapeutic and spiritual values. However, these hot springs are yet to be explored for their microbial ecology. The development of neo generation techniques such as metagenomics has provided an opportunity for inclusive study of microbial community of different environment. The present study describes the microbial diversity in two hot springs of Sikkim that is Polok and Borong with the assist of culture dependent and culture independent approaches. The culture independent techniques used in this study were next generation sequencing (NGS) and Phospholipid Fatty Acid Analysis (PLFA). Having relatively distinct geochemistry both the hot springs are thermophilic environments with the temperature range of 50-77 °C and pH range of 5-8. Metagenomic data revealed the dominance of bacteria over archaea. The most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes although other phyla were also present such as Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Parcubacteria and Spirochaetes. The PLFA studies have shown the abundance of Gram Positive bacteria followed by Gram negative bacteria. The culture dependent technique was correlative with PLFA studies. Most abundant bacteria as isolated and identified were Gram-positive genus Geobacillus and Anoxybacillus. The genus Geobacillus has been reported for the first time in North-Eastern states of India. The Geobacillus species obtained from the concerned hot springs were Geobacillus toebii, Geobacillus lituanicus, Geobacillus Kaustophillus and the Anoxybacillus species includes Anoxybacillus gonensis and Anoxybacillus Caldiproteolyticus. The distribution of major genera and their statistical correlation analyses with the geochemistry of the springs predicted that the temperature, p

  12. Diversity and Distribution of Thermophilic Bacteria in Hot Springs of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, Arshia; Ahmed, Iftikhar; Salam, Nimaichand; Kim, Byung-Yong; Singh, Dharmesh; Zhi, Xiao-Yang; Xiao, Min; Li, Wen-Jun

    2017-07-01

    Chilas and Hunza areas, located in the Main Mantle Thrust and Main Karakoram Thrust of the Himalayas, host a range of geochemically diverse hot springs. This Himalayan geothermal region encompassed hot springs ranging in temperature from 60 to 95 °C, in pH from 6.2 to 9.4, and in mineralogy from bicarbonates (Tato Field), sulfates (Tatta Pani) to mixed type (Murtazaabad). Microbial community structures in these geothermal springs remained largely unexplored to date. In this study, we report a comprehensive, culture-independent survey of microbial communities in nine samples from these geothermal fields by employing a bar-coded pyrosequencing technique. The bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi were dominant in all samples from Tato Field, Tatta Pani, and Murtazaabad. The community structures however depended on temperature, pH, and physicochemical parameters of the geothermal sites. The Murtazaabad hot springs with relatively higher temperature (90-95 °C) favored the growth of phylum Thermotogae, whereas the Tatta Pani thermal spring site TP-H3-b (60 °C) favored the phylum Proteobacteria. At sites with low silica and high temperature, OTUs belonging to phylum Chloroflexi were dominant. Deep water areas of the Murtazaabad hot springs favored the sulfur-reducing bacteria. About 40% of the total OTUs obtained from these samples were unclassified or uncharacterized, suggesting the presence of many undiscovered and unexplored microbiota. This study has provided novel insights into the nature of ecological interactions among important taxa in these communities, which in turn will help in determining future study courses in these sites.

  13. Hot spring therapy of the patients exposed to atomic bomb radiation, 15

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ouchi, Tamon [Genbaku Hibakusha Beppu Onsen Ryoyo Kenkyusho, Oita (Japan); Tsuji, Hideo

    1983-03-01

    The patients exposed to the atomic bomb radiation in Hiroshima area came to Beppu Spa to have hot spring therapy. During the fiscal year of 1982 (April, 1982, to March, 1983), 3972 persons came to the hot spring sanatorium, and 586 patients (14.8 %) received physical examination. Among them, 473 patients (80.7 %) were exposed to the atomic bomb radiation on August 6, 1945, or entered in the city of Hiroshima by August 20, 1945, according to the official notebook issued by the government. Physical examination was performed twice a week during their stay, and more than 53.5 % of the patients were older than 70, and the oldest was 93 years old. Blood pressure was measured when the patients came in and went out, and hypertensive patients were asked to observe the rule of treatment strictly. The complaints of the patients which brought them to the hot spring were mostly pain in bodies and lower extremities, and hypertension, common cold syndrome, diabetes and constipation. Patients took hot spring bath 2

  14. Geochemical studies of Ishiwa hot springs in Yamanashi Prefecture-yearly change of hot springs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akiyama, T. (Yamanashi Prefecture Womens Junior College, Japan)

    1971-12-01

    The effect of drilling on the Ishiwa hot springs was studied. About 50 wells have been drilled since 1961 when the first well was drilled to a depth of 146 m where 47/sup 0/C water flowed at 1376 l/min. Changes have occurred in flow rate, temperature, and chemical composition of the spring water. In area A near the foot of northern Okura-Keijisan along the Byodo and Fuefuki rivers, the pH value was 8.0 to 8.2 when drilling began, but it is now 7.4 to 8.0. In area B in the central spring area along the Chikatsu water reservoir, the pH was about 8.5 when drilling began, but is presently 10. The shift of area A pH to acidic is thought to be due to the effect of river water. The shift in area B pH to alkaline was thought to be connected to the fountainhead with pH 10 which appeared in the Kami-Ogihara Resseki district in Shioyama City. The fountainhead was located along the Fuefuki River at the foot of Obosatsu, 20 km from the Ishiwa area.

  15. Global occurrence of archaeal amoA genes in terrestrial hot springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chuanlun L; Ye, Qi; Huang, Zhiyong; Li, Wenjun; Chen, Jinquan; Song, Zhaoqi; Zhao, Weidong; Bagwell, Christopher; Inskeep, William P; Ross, Christian; Gao, Lei; Wiegel, Juergen; Romanek, Christopher S; Shock, Everett L; Hedlund, Brian P

    2008-10-01

    Despite the ubiquity of ammonium in geothermal environments and the thermodynamic favorability of aerobic ammonia oxidation, thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms belonging to the crenarchaeota kingdom have only recently been described. In this study, we analyzed microbial mats and surface sediments from 21 hot spring samples (pH 3.4 to 9.0; temperature, 41 to 86 degrees C) from the United States, China, and Russia and obtained 846 putative archaeal ammonia monooxygenase large-subunit (amoA) gene and transcript sequences, representing a total of 41 amoA operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 2% identity. The amoA gene sequences were highly diverse, yet they clustered within two major clades of archaeal amoA sequences known from water columns, sediments, and soils: clusters A and B. Eighty-four percent (711/846) of the sequences belonged to cluster A, which is typically found in water columns and sediments, whereas 16% (135/846) belonged to cluster B, which is typically found in soils and sediments. Although a few amoA OTUs were present in several geothermal regions, most were specific to a single region. In addition, cluster A amoA genes formed geographic groups, while cluster B sequences did not group geographically. With the exception of only one hot spring, principal-component analysis and UPGMA (unweighted-pair group method using average linkages) based on the UniFrac metric derived from cluster A grouped the springs by location, regardless of temperature or bulk water pH, suggesting that geography may play a role in structuring communities of putative ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The amoA genes were distinct from those of low-temperature environments; in particular, pair-wise comparisons between hot spring amoA genes and those from sympatric soils showed less than 85% sequence identity, underscoring the distinctness of hot spring archaeal communities from those of the surrounding soil system. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that amoA genes were

  16. Fiscal 1999 survey on conservation of Jozankei hot spring. Survey report of hot spring alteration; 1999 nendo jozankei onsen hozen chosa. Onsen hendo chosa hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-06-01

    As a part of fiscal 1999 survey on conservation of Jozankei hot spring, a survey was made on the change of water composition in hot springs and rivers for the purpose of elucidating the cause of hot spring alteration. In the survey, sampling and water quality analysis were conducted once a month at four sources and one river point on the upstream side of Tsukimibashi bridge on the Toyohira river and at two sources and one river point between Tsukimibashi bridge and Takayamabashi bridge. Also carried out were sampling and constituent analysis at five points for river water of a wide area. The survey results were as follows. The pattern of change in spring water temperature was recognized such that it tended to rise in summer when river temperature was high and to fall in winter. Spring water temperature rose greatly at the time of higher water level like the thaw in some sources but conversely fell in other sources. The fluctuation trend in PH values was such that they mostly went up in April of snow melting time and in early August of much rain and went down in winter of little rain and less snowmelt. As for electric conductivity and dissolved constituents, it was recognized that the conductivity lowered and that the constituents decreased in concentration, all concurrently at the time of snowmelt and much rain. (NEDO)

  17. A search for correlation between seismicity and radon anomaly in hot springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, B.S.; Rama

    1982-01-01

    Measurements of radon contents of the exholved gas emanating from several hot water springs along the Western Coast of India are reported here. Concentration of radon in gas phase of individual sprinqs varied in general, directly with the surface temperature of the water emerging from the respective springs, and showed little variation with time. Radon measurements were carried out continuously for about two years at two hot springs located at Ganeshpuri and Sathivali in the coastal area of Northern Maharashtra. The distant tremors did not cause any variation in the radon content. There was no marked local seismic activity during the period of observations, and the levels of radon stayed essentially constant. The measurements were also carried out at a hot spring in Assam, for about 8 months. These also did not show any significant variation; this period too lacked any marked local seismicity. (author)

  18. Fiscal 1999 survey report on Jozankei Hot Spring conservation (3rd phase); 1999 nendo Jozankei onsen hozen chosa hokokusho (dai sanji)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-11-01

    The impact of geothermal exploitation in the Yunosawa district on the Jozankei hot spring and others in the neighborhood was evaluated, and a survey was conducted of the formation and eruption mechanisms of the Jozankei hot spring for the purpose of hot spring conservation. Activities were conducted in the three fields of (1) geological structure analysis, (2) geochemical analysis of fluids, and (3) comprehensive analysis. Conducted in field (2) were analysis of hot spring utilization data and the contents, analysis of hot spring water and geothermal water, analysis of fluctuations in hot springs, and fluid movement models. Studied in field (3) were the outline of large area geothermal systems, geothermal structure models, relations between geothermal reservoirs and hot spring aquifers, and impact of geothermal exploitation on hot springs. Disclosed as the result were hot spring geological structure models, formation mechanism, eruption mechanism, origins of hot spring water, fluid movement models, interference between hot spring units, and changes in the hot springs as a whole. It was then concluded that the geothermal exploitation in the Yunosawa district would not exert any impact on the hot springs. (NEDO)

  19. Geothermal Exploration in Hot Springs, Montana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toby McIntosh, Jackola Engineering

    2012-09-26

    The project involves drilling deeper in the Camp Aqua well dri lled in June 1982 as part of an effort to develop an ethanol plant. The purpose of the current drill ing effort is to determine if water at or above 165°F exists for the use in low temperature resource power generation. Previous geothermal resource study efforts in and around Hot Springs , MT and the Camp Aqua area (NE of Hot Springs) have been conducted through the years. A confined gravel aquifer exists in deep alluvium overlain by approximately 250 of si lt and c lay deposits from Glacial Lake Missoula. This gravel aquifer overlies a deeper bedrock aquifer. In the Camp Aqua area several wel l s exist in the gravel aquifer which receives hot water f rom bedrock fractures beneath the area. Prior to this exploration, one known well in the Camp Aqua area penetrated into the bedrock without success in intersecting fractures transporting hot geothermal water. The exploration associated with this project adds to the physical knowledge database of the Camp Aqua area. The dri l l ing effort provides additional subsurface information that can be used to gain a better understanding of the bedrock formation that i s leaking hot geothermal water into an otherwise cold water aquifer. The exi s t ing well used for the explorat ion is located within the center of the hottest water within the gravel aquifer. This lent i t sel f as a logical and economical location to continue the exploration within the existing well. Faced with budget constraints due to unanticipated costs, changing dril l ing techniques stretched the limited project resources to maximize the overa l l well depth which f e l l short of original project goals. The project goal of finding 165°F or hotter water was not achieved; however the project provides additional information and understanding of the Camp Aqua area that could prove valuable in future exploration efforts

  20. A study to evaluate therapeutic properties of minerals of manghopir hot spring, karachi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Javed, A.; Iqbal, J.; Khan, F.A.; Siddiqui, I.

    2009-01-01

    European balneologists have extensively studied the therapeutic value of mineral water. Mineral springs with different mineral contents are recommended for various therapeutic uses. People have been using geothermal water for bathing and good health for many thousands of years A mineral hot spring has greater than 1000 mg/L (ppm) of naturally dissolved solids. Hot mineral spring water contains elements like calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium as sulphates, bi- carbonates and chlorides, which are used externally to cure many diseases. Manghopir spring contain 38-84 mg/L calcium, 29-56 mg/L magnesium, 388-555 mg/L sodium, 411-599 mg/L chloride, 186-442 mg/L sulphate, 10-25 mg/L potassium, and 1509-2188 mg/L total dissolved solids while the pH was in the range of 7.2-7.8. The temperature of Manghopir Euthermal hot spring remains constant ranging between 40 to 47 degree C. (author)

  1. Nitrogen cycling in Hot Spring Sediments and Biofilms (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer-Dombard, D. R.; Burton, M. S.; Havig, J. R.; Shock, E.

    2010-12-01

    Over the past several decades, gene-targeted analyses have revealed that microbial communities in hydrothermal environments can be surprisingly diverse. However, we know shockingly little about basic ecological functions such as carbon and nitrogen cycling or community shifts over time, or environmental parameters such as growth criteria. Previous work has shown that carbon cycling in one hot spring in Yellowstone National Park [“Bison Pool”] and its associated runoff channel functions as a complex system. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in biofilms across a temperature and chemical gradient at this location revealed that multiple autotrophic carbon fixation pathways are functioning in this system, and nitrogen fixation varies across the chemosynthetic/photosynthetic ecotone [1]. Further, sequencing of metagenomes from multiple locations at “Bison Pool” has indicated the presence of genes involved in carbon fixation [both phototrophic and autotrophic], and heterotrophy, as well as nitrogen fixation [2]. Studies from other Yellowstone locations have also found genetic evidence for carbon and nitrogen fixation [3-5]. The role of individual microbes in nitrogen cycling as environmental conditions vary over space and time is the focus of this study. Here, we explore the diversity of nifH [nitrogen fixation], nirK [nitrite reduction] and amoA [ammonia oxidation] genes across a variety of Yellowstone environments. Environmental nucleic acids were extracted, and the presence/absence of Bacteria and Archaea determined by PCR. In addition, PCR-directed screens reveal the presence or absence of the aforementioned functional genes, indicating genetic capacity for nitrogen cycling. We have examined the transition of genetic diversity and genetic capacity within sediments and biofilms at the chemosynthetic/photosynthetic ecotone in several hot springs spanning ranges of pH and geochemical conditions. By sampling across this ecotone, changes in the genetic

  2. Mining Hot Springs for Biodiversity and Novel Enzymes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Islin, Sóley Ruth

    organisms have proven to be a great source of novel enzymes that are valuable in a variety of industrial processes. We set out to search for novel thermophilic hydrolytic enzymes by taking samples from thermal environments around the world. We employed several different methods in achieving this, both......The existence of microbial life at extreme environments, such as hot springs, has been known for a few decades. The remarkable ability of microorganisms to withstand the extreme conditions of their habitats, has astounded scientist and pushed the limits of what was considered possible. Thermophilic...... culture-dependent as well as culture-independent methods. Each hot spring sample was enriched on various polymeric substrates at high temperatures in the search of thermophilic microorganism with the ability to degrade the substrate. Enzymatic activity of the cultures was confirmed, the most promising...

  3. Radiological Studies in the Hot Spring Region of Oyoun Mossa and Hammam Faraun Thermal Spring Areas in Western Sinai

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramadan, Kh.A.; Badran, H.M.; Ramadan, Kh.A.; Seddeek, M.K.; Sharshar, T.; Sharshar, T.

    2009-01-01

    Radioactivity in and around the two hot springs, Oyoun Mossa and Hammam Faraun, Western Sinai has been determined. The ground water, sediment and sand samples were measured by gamma-ray spectrometer for 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K isotopes. The enrichment of 226 Ra in Hammam Faraun hot spring was the most prominent feature. The concentration of 226 Ra in Oyoun Mossa and Hammam Faraun hot springs are 68 and 2377 Bq/kg for sediments, 3.5 and 54.7 Bq/kg for wild plants, and 205 and 1945 mBq/l for the ground water, respectively. In addition, the concentration of sand samples are 14 times larger in the area of Hammam Faraun compared with that of Oyoun Mossa. On the other hand, the concentration of 232 Th in different samples are comparable in the two areas while 137 Cs concentrations are relatively higher in Oyoun Mossa. For the purpose of comparison, sand samples were collected from two locations 5-12 km away from each spring. The activity concentrations of the four locations are comparable and in agreement with those from the area of the two springs except in one case. The major difference was the activity concentration of 226 Ra in the area of Hammam Faraun, which is much higher. The concentrations of all detected isotopes in water samples from these two springs are much higher than that detected in 27 natural wells in north Sinai. The results of the present study indicate that water only in Hammam Faraun hot spring is contaminated with 238 U-isotopes and the surrounding area is affected by this contamination. The calculated annual effective dose equivalents in the surroundings of Hammam Faraun (81.8 μSv) is superior to the maximum contaminant levels recommended.

  4. Thermal neutron activation analysis of the water Zamzam at Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the water of the fourty five hot springs at Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melibary, A.R.

    1980-10-01

    Samples from the Islamic holy water Zamzam in Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the famous mineral water of Hot Springs, in Hot Springs, Arkansas were analyzed for trace elements content by thermal neutron activation analysis. For Zamzam the concentration of 37 S, 49 Ca, 38 Cl, 31 Si, 42 K, 24 Na and 82 Br were found, respectively, to be 3, 107, 11, 12, 4, 14, and 9 ppm; and that for Hot Springs Sample, replacing 82 Br with 27 Mg, are 2, 44, 2, 10, 1, 4, and 5 ppm. The experimental limit of detection for pure standards of the nuclides 27 Mg, 128 I, 64 Cu, and 56 Mn were found to be 8, 8x10 - 3, 6x10 - 2, and 2x10 - 4 μg, respectively. These nuclides were not detected in Zamzam, therefore, it was concluded that in Zamzam the concentration levels of the nuclides 27 Mg, 128 I, 64 Cu, and 56 Mn were below that of the limit of detection of pure standards. (orig./HP) [de

  5. Archaeal and bacterial community analysis of several Yellowstone National Park hot springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colman, D. R.; Takacs-Vesbach, C. D.

    2012-12-01

    The hot springs of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) are home to a diverse assemblage of microorganisms. Culture-independent studies have significantly expanded our understanding of the diversity of both Bacteria and Archaea present in YNP springs as well as the geochemical and ecological controls on communities. While the ecological analysis of Bacteria among the physicochemically heterogenous springs of YNP has been previously conducted, less is known about the extent of diversity of Archaeal communities and the chemical and ecological controls on their populations. Here we report a culture-independent analysis of 31 hot spring archaeal and bacterial communities of YNP springs using next generation sequencing. We found the phylogenetic diversity of Archaea to be generally comparable to that of co-occurring bacterial communities although overall, in the springs we investigated, diversity was higher for Bacteria than Archaea. Chemical and physical controls were similar for both domains with pH correlating most strongly with community composition. Community differences reflected the partitioning of taxonomic groups in low or high pH springs for both domains. Results will be discussed in a geochemical and ecological context.

  6. Hydrosalinity studies of the Virgin River, Dixie Hot Springs, and Littlefield Springs, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerner, Steven J.; Thiros, Susan A.; Gerner, Steven J.; Thiros, Susan A.

    2014-01-01

    The Virgin River contributes a substantial amount of dissolved solids (salt) to the Colorado River at Lake Mead in the lower Colorado River Basin. Degradation of Colorado River water by the addition of dissolved solids from the Virgin River affects the suitability of the water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use within the basin. Dixie Hot Springs in Utah are a major localized source of dissolved solids discharging to the Virgin River. The average measured discharge from Dixie Hot Springs during 2009–10 was 11.0 cubic feet per second (ft3/s), and the average dissolved-solids concentration was 9,220 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The average dissolved-solids load—a measurement that describes the mass of salt that is transported per unit of time—from Dixie Hot Springs during this period was 96,200 tons per year (ton/yr). Annual dissolved-solids loads were estimated at 13 monitoring sites in the Virgin River Basin from streamflow data and discrete measurements of dissolved-solids concentrations and (or) specific conductance. Eight of the sites had the data needed to estimate annual dissolved-solids loads for water years (WYs) 1999 through 2010. During 1999–2010, the smallest dissolved-solids loads in the Virgin River were upstream of Dixie Hot Springs (59,900 ton/yr, on average) and the largest loads were downstream of Littlefield Springs (298,200 ton/yr, on average). Annual dissolved-solids loads were smallest during 2002–03, which was a period of below normal precipitation. Annual dissolved-solids loads were largest during 2005—a year that included a winter rain storm that resulted in flooding throughout much of the Virgin River Basin. An average seepage loss of 26.7 ft3/s was calculated from analysis of monthly average streamflow from July 1998 to September 2010 in the Virgin River for the reach that extends from just upstream of the Utah/Arizona State line to just above the Virgin River Gorge Narrows. Seepage losses from three river reaches

  7. Community ecology of hot spring cyanobacterial mats: predominant populations and their functional potential

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klatt, C. G.; Wood, J. M.; Rusch, D. B.

    2011-01-01

    Phototrophic microbial mat communities from 60¿°C and 65¿°C regions in the effluent channels of Mushroom and Octopus Springs (Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA) were investigated by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Analyses of assembled metagenomic sequences resolved six dominant chlorophototrophic...

  8. Portrait of a Geothermal Spring, Hunter's Hot Springs, Oregon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castenholz, Richard W

    2015-01-27

    Although alkaline Hunter's Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon has been studied extensively for over 40 years, most of these studies and the subsequent publications were before the advent of molecular methods. However, there are many field observations and laboratory experiments that reveal the major aspects of the phototrophic species composition within various physical and chemical gradients of these springs. Relatively constant temperature boundaries demark the upper boundary of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus at 73-74 °C (the world-wide upper limit for photosynthesis), and 68-70 °C the upper limit for Chloroflexus. The upper limit for the cover of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Geitlerinema (Oscillatoria) is at 54-55 °C, and the in situ lower limit at 47-48 °C for all three of these phototrophs due to the upper temperature limit for the grazing ostracod, Thermopsis. The in situ upper limit for the cyanobacteria Pleurocapsa and Calothrix is at ~47-48 °C, which are more grazer-resistant and grazer dependent. All of these demarcations are easily visible in the field. In addition, there is a biosulfide production in some sections of the springs that have a large impact on the microbiology. Most of the temperature and chemical limits have been explained by field and laboratory experiments.

  9. Cyanobacterial ecotypes in different optical microenvironments of a 68 C hot spring mat community revealed by 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region variation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferris, Mike J.; Kühl, Michael; Wieland, Andrea

    2003-01-01

    We examined the population of unicellular cyanobacteria (Synechococcus) in the upper 3-mm vertical interval of a 68°C region of a microbial mat in a hot spring effluent channel (Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming). Fluorescence microscopy and microsensor measurements of O2 and oxygenic photosynth...

  10. Regulation of nif gene expression and the energetics of N2 fixation over the diel cycle in a hot spring microbial mat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steunou, Anne-Soisig; Jensen, Sheila I; Brecht, Eric; Becraft, Eric D; Bateson, Mary M; Kilian, Oliver; Bhaya, Devaki; Ward, David M; Peters, John W; Grossman, Arthur R; Kühl, Michael

    2008-04-01

    Nitrogen fixation, a prokaryotic, O2-inhibited process that reduces N2 gas to biomass, is of paramount importance in biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. We analyzed the levels of nif transcripts of Synechococcus ecotypes, NifH subunit and nitrogenase activity over the diel cycle in the microbial mat of an alkaline hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. The results showed a rise in nif transcripts in the evening, with a subsequent decline over the course of the night. In contrast, immunological data demonstrated that the level of the NifH polypeptide remained stable during the night, and only declined when the mat became oxic in the morning. Nitrogenase activity was low throughout the night; however, it exhibited two peaks, a small one in the evening and a large one in the early morning, when light began to stimulate cyanobacterial photosynthetic activity, but O2 consumption by respiration still exceeded the rate of O2 evolution. Once the irradiance increased to the point at which the mat became oxic, the nitrogenase activity was strongly inhibited. Transcripts for proteins associated with energy-producing metabolisms in the cell also followed diel patterns, with fermentation-related transcripts accumulating at night, photosynthesis- and respiration-related transcripts accumulating during the day and late afternoon, respectively. These results are discussed with respect to the energetics and regulation of N2 fixation in hot spring mats and factors that can markedly influence the extent of N2 fixation over the diel cycle.

  11. Thermal water of the Yugawara Hot Spring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oki, Y; Ogino, K; Nagatsuka, Y; Hirota, S; Kokaji, F; Takahashi, S; Sugimoto, M

    1963-03-01

    The Yugawara Hot Spring is located in the bottom of the dissected creata of the Yugawara volcano. Natural hot spring water ran dry almost twenty five years ago, and thermal water is now pumped up by means of deep drill holes. The hydrorogy of the thermal water was studied from both geochemical and geophysical points of view. Two types of thermal water, sodium chloride and calcium sulfate, are recognized. Sodium chloride is predominant in the high temperature area and low in the surrounding low temperature area. Calcium sulfate predominates in the low temperature area. Sodium chloride is probably derived from deep magmatic emanations as indicated in the high Li content. Sulfate ion seems to originate from oxidation of pyrite whose impregnation took place in the ancient activity of the Yugawara volcano. The content of Ca is stoichiometrically comparable with SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/. It is suggested that sulfuric acid derived from the oxidation of pyrite attacks calcite formed during the hydrothermal alteration of rocks. Some consideration of well logging in the geothermal area is also discussed. Temperature measurement in recharging of cold water is applicable to the logging of drill holes as well as the electric logging.

  12. Isotopic and chemical features of hot springs in Akita Prefecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsubaya, Osamu

    1997-01-01

    All over the Akita Prefecture, many hot springs are located. Most of them are of meteoric water, fossil sea water and volcanic gas origins. In the Ohdate-Kazuno area, moderate temperature hot springs of meteoric water origin are found, which may exist as rather shallow formation water in the Green Tuff formations. On the contrary, high temperature geothermal waters of meteoric origin, which are used for power generation, are obtained in two volcanic area of Hachimantai and Oyasu. Those geothermal waters are expected to come up through vertical fissures from depth deeper than 2 km. The difference of these two manners of meteoric water circulation should be necessarily explained to understand the relationship of shallow and deep geothermal systems. About some hot springs of fossil sea water origin, the relationships of δ D and Cl - don't agree to the mixing relation of sea water and meteoric water. This may be explained by two different processes, one of which is mixing of sea water with saline meteoric water (Cl - ca. 12 g/kg). The other is modification of δD by hydrogen isotopic exchange with hydrous minerals underground, or by exchange with atmospheric vapor during a relic lake before burying. (author)

  13. Amorphous calcium carbonate associated with biofilms in hot spring deposits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Brian; Peng, Xiaotong

    2012-08-01

    Calcium carbonate nanoparticles are intimately associated with crystalline calcite and aragonite in the Eryuan, Gongxiaoshe, and Zhuyuan hot springs (water temperature > 75 °C), which are located in Yunnan Province, China. The nanoparticles, springs, the ACC is always found under, in, or on top of biofilms, commonly in close proximity to crystalline calcite and/or aragonite. Textural evidence indicates that the ACC probably developed in microdomains that develop in the complex biofilm hydrogels. Critically, there is no evidence to support the notion that the nanoparticles are calcified nannobacteria. In the Chinese springs, ACC appears to play a formative role in the development of wheat-sheaf arrays of aragonite crystals and some of the calcite crystals. Hollow cores in some of the aragonite bundles probably formed as ACC was dissolved and many of the aragonite crystals appear to have developed as ACC recrystallized. Similarly, layers of ACC that coat the surfaces of some calcite crystals could be diagenetically transformed into calcite. The development of ACC in hot spring systems may be widespread and may play a critical but transitory role in the development of crystalline CaCO3 in these high temperature environments.

  14. Depositional facies and aqueous-solid geochemistry of travertine-depositing hot springs (Angel Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, USA)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fouke, B.W.; Farmer, J.D.; Des Marais, D.J.; Pratt, L.; Sturchio, N.C.; Burns, P.C.; Discipulo, M.K.

    2000-05-01

    Petrographic and geochemical analyses of travertine-depositing hot springs at Angel Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, have been used to define five depositional facies along the spring drainage system. Spring waters are expelled in the vent facies at 71 to 73 C and precipitate mounded travertine composed of aragonite needle botryoids. The apron and channel facies (43--72 C) is floored by hollow tubes composed of aragonite needle botryoids that encrust sulfide-oxidizing Aquificales bacteria. The travertine of the pond facies (30--62 C) varies in composition from aragonite needle shrubs formed at higher temperatures to ridged networks of calcite and aragonite at lower temperatures. Calcite ice sheets, calcified bubbles, and aggregates of aragonite needles (fuzzy dumbbells) precipitate at the air-water interface and settle to pond floors. The proximal-slope facies (28--54 C), which forms the margins of terracette pools, is composed of arcuate aragonite needle shrubs that create small microterracettes on the steep slope face. Finally, the distal-slope facies (28--30 C) is composed of calcite spherules and calcite feather crystals. Despite the presence of abundant microbial mat communities and their observed role in providing substrates for mineralization, the compositions of spring-water and travertine predominantly reflect abiotic physical and chemical processes. Vigorous CO{sub 2} degassing causes a +2 unit increase in spring water pH, as well as Rayleigh-type covariations between the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon and corresponding {delta}{sup 13}C. Travertine {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O are nearly equivalent to aragonite and calcite equilibrium values calculated from spring water in the higher-temperature ({approximately}50--73 C) depositional facies. Conversely, travertine precipitating in the lower-temperature (<{approximately}50 C) depositional facies exhibits {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O values that are as

  15. Utilization of Indonesia's Hot Spring Sources for Electricity using Kalina Cycle and Organic Rankine Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabumukti, Grano; Purwanto; Widodo, Wahyu

    2018-02-01

    Indonesia posses 40% of the world's geothermal energy sources. The existence of hydrothermal sources is usually characterized by their surface manifestations such as hot springs, geysers and fumarole. Hot spring has a potential to be used as a heat source to generate electricity especially in a rural and isolated area. Hot springs can be converted into electricity by binary thermodynamic cycles such as Kalina cycle and ORC. The aim of this study is to obtain the best performances of cycle configuration and the potential power capacity. Simulation is conducted using UNISIM software with working fluid and its operating condition as the decision variables. The simulation result shows that R1234yf and propene with simple ORC as desired working fluid and cycle configuration. It reaches a maximum thermal efficiency up to 9.6% with a specific turbine inlet pressure. Higher temperature heat source will result a higher thermal efficiency‥ Cycle thermal efficiency varies from 4.7% to 9.6% depends on source of hot spring temperature. Power capacity that can be generated using Indonesia's hot spring is ranged from 2 kWe to 61.2 kWe. The highest capacity located in Kawah Sirung and the least located in Kaendi.

  16. Investigation of bacterial diversity of hot springs of Odisha, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Kumar Sahoo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available 16S rRNA deep sequencing analysis, targeting V3 region was performed using Illumina bar coded sequencing. Sediment samples from two hot springs (Atri and Taptapani were collected. Atri and Taptapani metagenomes were classified into 50 and 51 bacterial phyla. Proteobacteria (45.17% dominated the Taptapani sample metagenome followed by Bacteriodetes (23.43% and Cyanobacteria (10.48% while in the Atri sample, Chloroflexi (52.39%, Nitrospirae (10.93% and Proteobacteria (9.98% dominated. A large number of sequences remained taxonomically unresolved in both hot springs, indicating the presence of potentially novel microbes in these two unique habitats thus unraveling the importance of the current study. Metagenome sequence information is now available at NCBI, SRA database accession no. SRP057428.

  17. Hot spring therapy of the patients exposed to atomic bomb radiation, 15

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouchi, Tamon; Tsuji, Hideo.

    1983-01-01

    The patients exposed to the atomic bomb radiation in Hiroshima area came to Beppu Spa to have hot spring therapy. During the fiscal year of 1982 (April, 1982, to March, 1983), 3972 persons came to the hot spring sanatorium, and 586 patients (14.8 %) received physical examination. Among them, 473 patients (80.7 %) were exposed to the atomic bomb radiation on August 6, 1945, or entered in the city of Hiroshima by August 20, 1945, according to the official notebook issued by the government. Physical examination was performed twice a week during their stay, and more than 53.5 % of the patients were older than 70, and the oldest was 93 years old. Blood pressure was measured when the patients came in and went out, and hypertensive patients were asked to observe the rule of treatment strictly. The complaints of the patients which brought them to the hot spring were mostly pain in bodies and lower extremities, and hypertension, common cold syndrome, diabetes and constipation. Patients took hot spring bath 2 - 3 times daily, and many patients had microwave and low frequency wave treatment. Soaking in a bath (containing 1.4 mg of cupric sulfate and 11.4 mg of zinc sulfate per liter) was practiced by diabetic patients. The therapeutic effects were difficult to judge because the period of stay of the most patients was about 10 days, but in most of them, subjective symptoms were relieved when they left the sanatorium. (Yamashita, S.)

  18. Surveillance of Vittaforma corneae in hot springs by a small-volume procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jung-Sheng; Hsu, Tsui-Kang; Hsu, Bing-Mu; Huang, Tung-Yi; Huang, Yu-Li; Shaio, Men-Fang; Ji, Dar-Der

    2017-07-01

    Vittaforma corneae is an obligate intracellular fungus and can cause human ocular microsporidiosis. Although accumulating reports of V. corneae causing keratoconjunctivitis in both healthy and immunocompromised persons have been published, little is known about the organism's occurrence in aquatic environments. Limitations in detection sensitivity have meant a large sampling volume is required to detect the pathogen up to now, which is problematic. A recent study in Taiwan has shown that some individuals suffering from microsporidial keratitis (MK) were infected after exposure to the pathogen at a hot spring. As a consequence of this, a survey and analysis of environmental V. corneae present in hot springs became an urgent need. In this study, sixty water samples from six hot spring recreation areas around Taiwan were analyzed. One liter of water from each sample site was filtered to harvest the fungi. The positive samples were detected using a modified nested PCR approach followed by sequencing using specific SSU rRNA gene primer pairs for V. corneae. In total fifteen V. corneae-like isolates were identified (25.0% of sites). Among them, six isolates, which were collected from recreational areas B, C and D, were highly similar to known V. corneae keratitis strains from Taiwan and other countries. Furthermore, five isolates, which were collected from recreation areas A, C, E and F, were very similar to Vittaforma-like diarrhea strains isolated in Portugal. Cold spring water tubs and public foot bath pools had the highest detection rate (50%), suggesting that hot springs might be contaminated via untreated water sources. Comparing the detection rate across different regions of Taiwan, Taitung, which is in the east of the island, gave the highest positive rate (37.5%). Statistical analysis showed that outdoor/soil exposure and a high heterotrophic plate count (HPC) were risk factors for the occurrence of V. corneae. Our findings provide empirical evidence

  19. Chemical composition of hot spring waters in the Oita river basins, Oita prefecture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawano, Tamio

    1988-01-30

    The source of the water from Oita River comes from the Kuju and Yubu-Tsurumi Volcanos, pouring into Beppu Bay. Its drainage area is 646 km/sup 2/ with a total length of 55 km. Hot springs are exist throughout most of the basin of the main and branches of Oita River. The chemical components of the hot springs in the Ota River basin -Yufuin, Yunotaira, Nagayu, Shonai/Hazama, and Oita City - have been analyzed. The equivalent of magnesium exceeds that of calcium in the carbonate springs of the above. Ca+Mg has positive correlations with HCO/sub 3/ in these carbonate springs. The water from these springs flows into the rivers and pours into Beppu Bay. The flow rate and chemical component concentration were measured at Fudai bridge. The concentration of chemical components having an average flow rate (30 ton/sec) were calculated. (4 figs, 7 tabs, 10 refs)

  20. Vulcan Hot Springs known geothermal resource area: an environmental analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spencer, S.G.; Russell, B.F. (eds.)

    1979-09-01

    The Vulcan Hot Springs known geothermal resource area (KGRA) is one of the more remote KGRAs in Idaho. The chemistry of Vulcan Hot Springs indicates a subsurface resource temperature of 147/sup 0/C, which may be high enough for power generation. An analysis of the limited data available on climate, meteorology, and air quality indicates few geothermal development concerns in these areas. The KGRA is located on the edge of the Idaho Batholith on a north-trending lineament which may be a factor in the presence of the hot springs. An occasional earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater may be expected in the region. Subsidence or elevation as a result of geothermal development in the KGRA do not appear to be of concern. Fragile granitic soils on steep slopes in the KGRA are unstable and may restrict development. The South fork of the Salmon River, the primary stream in the region, is an important salmon spawning grounds. Stolle Meadows, on the edge of the KGRA, is used as a wintering and calving area for elk, and access to the area is limited during this period. Socioeconomic and demographic surveys indicate that facilities and services will probably not be significantly impacted by development. Known heritage resources in the KGRA include two sites and the potential for additional cultural sites is significant.

  1. Application of heat-flow techniques to geothermal energy exploration, Leach Hot Springs area, Grass Valley, Nevada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sass, J.H.; Ziagos, J.P.; Wollenberg, H.A.; Munroe, R.J.; di Somma, D.E.; Lachenbruch, A.H.

    1977-01-01

    A total of 82 holes ranging in depth from 18 to 400 meters were drilled for thermal and hydrologic studies in a 200 km/sup 2/ area of Grass Valley, Nevada, near Leach Hot Springs. Outside the immediate area of Leach Hot Springs, heat flow ranges from 1 to 6.5 hfu with a mean of 2.4 hfu (1 hfu = 10/sup -6/ cal cm/sup 2/ s/sup -1/ = 41.8 mWm/sup -2/). Within 2 km of the springs, conductive heat flow ranges between 1.6 and more than 70 hfu averaging 13.6 hfu. Besides the conspicuous thermal anomaly associated with the hot springs, two additional anomalies were identified. One is associated with faults bounding the western margin of the Tobin Range near Panther Canyon, and the other is near the middle of Grass Valley about 5 km SSW of Leach Hot Springs. The mid-valley anomaly appears to be caused by hydrothermal circulation in a bedrock horst beneath about 375 meters of impermeable valley sediments. If the convective and conductive heat discharge within 2 km of the Leach Hot Springs is averaged over the entire hydrologic system (including areas of recharge), the combined heat flux from this part of Grass Valley is about 3 hfu, consistent with the average regional conductive heat flow in the Battle Mountain High. The hydrothermal system can be interpreted as being in a stationary stable phase sustained by high regional heat flow, and no localized crustal heat sources (other than hydrothermal convection to depths of a few kilometers) need be invoked to explain the existence of Leach Hot Springs.

  2. Determining barriers to developing geothermal power generation in Japan: Societal acceptance by stakeholders involved in hot springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubota, Hiromi; Hondo, Hiroki; Hienuki, Shunichi; Kaieda, Hideshi

    2013-01-01

    After many years of stagnant growth in geothermal power generation, development plans for new geothermal plants have recently emerged throughout Japan. Through a literature review, we investigated the relationships between the principal barriers to geothermal development and we thereby analyzed the deciding factors in the future success of such enterprises. The results show that the societal acceptance of geothermal power by local stakeholders is the fundamental barrier as it affects almost all other barriers, such as financial, technical, and political risks. Thus, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 stakeholders including developers, hot spring inn managers, and local government officials. Some hot spring inn managers and local government officials noted that they have always been strongly concerned about the adverse effects of geothermal power generation on hot springs; their opposition has delayed decision-making by local governments regarding drilling permits, prolonged lead times, and caused other difficulties. A key reason for opposition was identified as uncertainty about the reversibility and predictability of the adverse effects on hot springs and other underground structures by geothermal power production and reinjection of hot water from reservoirs. Therefore, we discuss and recommend options for improving the risk management of hot springs near geothermal power plants. - Highlights: • We clarify relationships between barriers to geothermal power development in Japan. • Local acceptance by hot spring managers is the most prominent barrier. • Uncertainty of reversibility and predictability induces low acceptance. • Risk transfer system and dialogue are needed to alleviate concerns

  3. Genome Sequence of a Novel Archaeal Rudivirus Recovered from a Mexican Hot Spring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Servín-Garcidueñas, L; Peng, X; Garrett, R

    2013-01-01

    We report the consensus genome sequence of a novel GC-rich rudivirus, designated SMR1 (Sulfolobales Mexican rudivirus 1), assembled from a high-throughput sequenced environmental sample from a hot spring in Los Azufres National Park in western Mexico.......We report the consensus genome sequence of a novel GC-rich rudivirus, designated SMR1 (Sulfolobales Mexican rudivirus 1), assembled from a high-throughput sequenced environmental sample from a hot spring in Los Azufres National Park in western Mexico....

  4. The Mycoflora of Hot Spring Soil in Northern Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuei-Yu Chen

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available An investigation of the mycoflora in northern Taiwan from August 1999 to June 2000, particularly of thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi inhabiting sulfurous hot spring soils, resulted in identification 12 taxa: Aspergillus fumigatus var. fumigatus (66.85 %, A. fumigatus var. 1 with green colony (7.86 %, A. fumigatus var. 2 with brown colony (4.81 %, A. niger (1.14 %, unidentified Asperigillus sp. (0.045 %, Chrysosporium sp. (0.18 %, Papulaspora thermophila (2.72 %, Scytalidium thermophilum (0.045 %, Sporotrichum sp. (0.045 %, Mycelia sterilia sp.1 with white colony (6.63 %, Mycelia sterilia sp.2 with yellow colony (5.27 % and Mycelia sterilia sp. 3 with gray colony (4.405 %. A total of 2202 colonies were isolated from three sampling sites: site 1 (hot springhead, site 2 (2 m from site 1 and site 3 (4 m from site 1. Fungal colonies isolated as well as species percentage at three sites were as follows: 32.92 % in 9 taxa from site 1, 37.87 % in 11 taxa from site 2, and 29.21 % in 8 taxa from site 3. The dominant species was Aspergillus fumigatus var. fumigatus, which was isolated year around from three sampling sites. A. fumigatus var. 1 appeared from February to June 2000. A. fumigatus var. 2 was isolated only in August and October 1999. Within the sampling range of hot spring niches, there was evidence of the presence of ecotypes in the A. fumigatus complex. Chrysosporium sp. and Sporotrichum sp. were isolated only from the soils without hot water treatment, but Aspergillus sp. and Scytalidium thermophilum were isolated only from the soils pre-treated with hot water for 30 min. at 60℃. The significance level (P value of fungal communities between hot water treatment and no treatment was 0.866, indicating that no significant difference between both treatments.

  5. Biogeochemical characteristics of Kuan-Tzu-Ling, Chung-Lun and Bao-Lai hot springs in southern Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Liu, Chia-Chuan; Nath, Bibhash; Bundschuh, Jochen; Kar, Sandeep; Jean, Jiin-Shuh; Bhattacharya, Prosun; Liu, Jiann-Hong; Atla, Shashi B; Chen, Chien-Yen

    2011-01-01

    Hot springs are the important natural sources of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. Kuan-Tzu-Ling (KTL), Chung-Lun (CL) and Bao-Lai (BL) are well-known hot springs in southern Taiwan. Fluid and mud (sediments) samples were collected from the eruption points of three hot springs for detailed biogeochemical characterization. The fluid sample displays relatively high concentrations of Na(+) and Cl(-) compared with K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), NO(2) (-), and SO(4) (2-), suggesting a possible marine origin. The concentrations of Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, V and Zn were significantly higher in the mud sediments compared with fluids, whereas high concentrations of As, Ba, Cu, Se, Sr and Rb were observed in the fluids. This suggests that electronegative elements were released during sediment-water interactions. High As concentration in the fluids was observed to be associated with low redox (Eh) conditions. The FTIR spectra of the humic acid fractions of the sediments showed the presence of possible functional groups of secondary amines, ureas, urethanesm (amide), and silicon. The sulfate-reducing deltaproteobacterium 99% similar to Desulfovibrio psychrotolerans (GU329907) were rich in the CL hot spring while mesophilic, proteolytic, thiosulfate- and sulfur-reducing bacterium that 99% similar to Clostridium sulfidigenes (GU329908) were rich in the BL hot spring.

  6. Effects of Misasa hot spring water on the growth of vegetables (Joint research)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Satoshi; Kita, Makoto; Goto, Yukari; Ishimori, Yuu

    2011-11-01

    Tottori University and Japan Atomic Energy Agency started a joint study to investigate the effect of hot spring water on the growth of vegetable plants in 2009. The aim of the study is to examine a feasibility of producing a regionally special vegetable with considering the characteristics of the Misasa district, where radon hot springs are historically famous. This report illustrates the intermediate results obtained from the study carried out from 2009 to 2010. (1) Screening test: Eighteen plants were examined for screening. As the results, Misasa hot spring water used in the water culture enlarged the growths of 14 plants. Lastly, 9 plants were selected as candidate plants for further examinations. (2) Sample preparation: Plants sampled in the water culture were lyophilized and stored in a freezer for nutrio-physiological analyses to select the suitable plant from the 9 plants. (3) Examination in labor-saving cultivation: Preliminary examinations were performed with a large-scale system to establish a practical labor-saving water culture system. (author)

  7. Annual absorbed dose rate at the surface of 38 hot and mineral springs in Iran

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bahreyni Toosi, M.; Orougi, M.H.; Sadeghzadeh, A.; Aghamir, A.; Jomehzadeh, A.; Zare, H. [Mashhad Univ. of Medical Sciences, Medical Physics Dep., Faculty of Medicine (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2006-07-01

    Full text of publication follows: Measurement of background radiation is very important from different points of view especially to human health. In some cases exposure rate near hot and mineral springs are higher than those of normal areas. The high background radiation of hot and mineral springs is primarily due to the presence of very high amounts of Ra 226 and its decay products. In this research, environmental gamma radiation of hot and mineral springs in Khorasan, Mazandaran and Sareeyn town in Ardabil province have been measured. Equipment used in this work included: a survey meter (R.D.S. -110), a tripod and an aluminium frame to hold the survey meter horizontally.R.D.S. -110 is a microprocessor controlled detector. This survey meter has been designed for monitoring X and rays and radiation. Measurements were carried out at one meter above water level in the vicinity of hot and mineral springs. Dose rates were recorded for one hour. The average of all recorded dose rates over one hour period was taken as the exposure rate for each station. The results indicate that in Khorasan province the highest and lowest annual absorbed dose rates were equal to 10.80 mSv/y at Shanigarmab and 0.52 mSv/y at Nasradin source respectively. In Mazandaran province maximum and minimum exposure rates equal to 54.4 and 0.53 mSv/y were obtained at the surface of Talleshmahalleh and Ghormerz sources. Exposure rates at the vicinity of Sarein sources were not very different and ranged from 1.39 to 1.59 mSv/y. The results indicate that in Khorasan province Shahingarmab hot spring has the highest annual absorbed dose rate (10.80 mSv/y) and Nasraddin in Sarbisheh has the lowest level of radiation (0.62 mSv/y). In Mazandaran province Taleshmahalleh hot mineral spring has the highest annual absorbed dose rate (54.41 mSv/y) and Ghormerz mineral spring has the lowest radiation level (0.53 mSv/y). Also in Sareeyn (in Ardabil province) Abechashm source has the highest annual absorbed dose

  8. Temporal variation in community composition, pigmentation, and Fv/Fm of desert cyanobacterial soil crusts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowker, M.A.; Reed, S.C.; Belnap, J.; Phillips, S.L.

    2002-01-01

    Summers on the Colorado Plateau (USA) are typified by harsh conditions such as high temperatures, brief soil hydration periods, and high UV and visible radiation. We investigated whether community composition, physiological status, and pigmentation might vary in biological soil crusts as a result of such conditions. Representative surface cores were sampled at the ENE, WSW, and top microaspects of 20 individual soil crust pedicels at a single site in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, in spring and fall of 1999. Frequency of cyanobacterial taxa, pigment concentrations, and dark adapted quantum yield (Fv/Fm) were measured for each core. The frequency of major cyanobacterial taxa was lower in the fall compared to spring. The less-pigmented cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatus showed significant mortality when not in the presence of Nostoc spp. and Scytonema myochrous (Dillw.) Agardh. (both synthesizers of UV radiation-linked pigments) but had little or no mortality when these species were abundant. We hypothesize that the sunscreen pigments produced by Nostoc and Scytonema in the surface of crusts protect other, less-pigmented taxa. When fall and spring samples were compared, overall cyanobacterial frequency was lower in fall, while sunscreen pigment concentrations, chlorophyll a concentration, and Fv/Fm were higher in fall. The ratio of cyanobacterial frequency/chlorophyll a concentrations was 2-3 times lower in fall than spring. Because chlorophyll a is commonly used as a surrogate measure of soil cyanobacterial biomass, these results indicate that seasonality needs to be taken into consideration. In the fall sample, most pigments associated with UV radiation protection or repair were at their highest concentrations on pedicel tops and WSW microaspects, and at their lowest concentrations on ENE microaspects. We suggest that differential pigment concentrations between microaspects are induced by varying UV radiation dosage at the soil surface on these different

  9. Characteristics and Origins of Hot Springs in the Tatun Volcano Group in Northern Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Mei Liu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper systematically surveyed distribution and field occurrences of 13 hot springs as well as geochemical investigation on the geothermal area of the Tatun Volcano Group (TVG. According to Piper diagrams, pH values, field occurrences and water-rock interactions, these hot springs can be classified into three types: (1 Type I, SO42- acidic water where the reservoir is located in the Wuchishan Formation; (2 Type II, HCO3- a near neutral spring where waters originate from the volcanic terrane (andesite; and (3 Type III, Cl- -rich acidic water where waters emanate from shallower Wuchishan Formation. In terms of isotopic ratio, δD and δ18O values, two groups of hot spring can be recognized. One is far away from the meteoric water line of the Tatun area with values ranging between -26.2‰ and -3.5‰, and from -3.2‰ to 1.6‰, respectively. However, another close to the meteoric water line of the Tatun area is between -28.4‰ and -13.6‰, and from -5.5‰ to -4.2‰, respectively. In addition, the δ34S value of thermal waters can also be distinguished into two groups, one ranging from 26.1‰ to 28.5‰, and the other between 0.8‰ and 7.8‰. Based on field occurrences and geochemical characteristics, a model has been proposed to illustrate the origin of these hot springs.

  10. Portrait of a Geothermal Spring, Hunter’s Hot Springs, Oregon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard W. Castenholz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Although alkaline Hunter’s Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon has been studied extensively for over 40 years, most of these studies and the subsequent publications were before the advent of molecular methods. However, there are many field observations and laboratory experiments that reveal the major aspects of the phototrophic species composition within various physical and chemical gradients of these springs. Relatively constant temperature boundaries demark the upper boundary of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus at 73–74 °C (the world-wide upper limit for photosynthesis, and 68–70 °C the upper limit for Chloroflexus. The upper limit for the cover of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Geitlerinema (Oscillatoria is at 54–55 °C, and the in situ lower limit at 47–48 °C for all three of these phototrophs due to the upper temperature limit for the grazing ostracod, Thermopsis. The in situ upper limit for the cyanobacteria Pleurocapsa and Calothrix is at ~47–48 °C, which are more grazer-resistant and grazer dependent. All of these demarcations are easily visible in the field. In addition, there is a biosulfide production in some sections of the springs that have a large impact on the microbiology. Most of the temperature and chemical limits have been explained by field and laboratory experiments.

  11. Portrait of a Geothermal Spring, Hunter’s Hot Springs, Oregon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castenholz, Richard W.

    2015-01-01

    Although alkaline Hunter’s Hot Springs in southeastern Oregon has been studied extensively for over 40 years, most of these studies and the subsequent publications were before the advent of molecular methods. However, there are many field observations and laboratory experiments that reveal the major aspects of the phototrophic species composition within various physical and chemical gradients of these springs. Relatively constant temperature boundaries demark the upper boundary of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechococcus at 73–74 °C (the world-wide upper limit for photosynthesis), and 68–70 °C the upper limit for Chloroflexus. The upper limit for the cover of the filamentous cyanobacterium, Geitlerinema (Oscillatoria) is at 54–55 °C, and the in situ lower limit at 47–48 °C for all three of these phototrophs due to the upper temperature limit for the grazing ostracod, Thermopsis. The in situ upper limit for the cyanobacteria Pleurocapsa and Calothrix is at ~47–48 °C, which are more grazer-resistant and grazer dependent. All of these demarcations are easily visible in the field. In addition, there is a biosulfide production in some sections of the springs that have a large impact on the microbiology. Most of the temperature and chemical limits have been explained by field and laboratory experiments. PMID:25633225

  12. Enzyme activity screening of thermophilic bacteria isolated from Dusun Tua Hot Spring, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Msarah, Marwan; Ibrahim, Izyanti; Aqma, Wan Syaidatul

    2018-04-01

    Thermophilic bacteria have biotechnological importance due to the availability of unique enzymes which are stable in extreme circumstances. The aim of this study includes to isolate thermophilic bacteria from hot spring and screen for important enzyme activities. Water samples from the Dusun Tua Hot Spring were collected and the physiochemical characterisation of water was measured. Eight thermophilic bacteria were isolated and determined to have at least three strong enzyme activity including protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase, pectinase and xylanase. The results showed that HuluC2 displayed all the enzyme activities and can be further studied.

  13. Phototrophy in Mildly Acidic Hot Spring Ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fecteau, K.; Boyd, E. S.; Shock, E.

    2014-12-01

    Microbial light-driven reduction of carbon in continental hydrothermal ecosystems is restricted to environments at temperatures less than 73 °C. In circumneutral and alkaline systems bacterial phototrophs (cyanobacteria and anoxygenic phototrophs) are suggested to be principally responsible for this activity whereas algal (i.e., eukaryotic) phototrophs are thought to be responsible for this activity in acidic systems. In Yellowstone National Park numerous examples of phototrophic microbial communities exist at high and low pH, while hot springs with intermediate pH (values 3-5) are rare and commonly dilute. It is thought that the transition from algal photosynthesis to bacterial photosynthesis occurs within this pH range. To test this hypothesis, we sequenced bacterial and eukaryal small subunit ribosomal RNA genes, analyzed pigments, and performed comprehensive geochemical measurements from 12 hot springs within this pH realm. At all sites, the largest phototrophic population was either comprised of Cyanobacteria or affiliated with the algal order Cyanidiales, which are ubiquitous in acidic springs, yet abundant sequences of both lineages were present in 8 of the 12 sites. Nevertheless, some of these samples exceeded the known temperature limit of the algae (56 °C), suggesting that these populations are dead or inactive. Indeed, one site yielded evidence for a large Cyanidiales population as the only phototrophs present, yet an experiment at the time of sampling failed to demonstrate light-driven carbon fixation, and analysis of extracted pigments showed a large amount of the chlorophyll degradation product pheophorbide a and very little intact chlorophyll, indicating photosynthesis occurred at this site when conditions were different. Our observations illustrate the dynamic nature of these systems that may be transiently conducive to photosynthesis, which may open niches for phototrophs of both domains and likely played a role in the evolution of photosynthesis.

  14. Gas geochemistry of the hot spring in the Litang fault zone, Southeast Tibetan Plateau

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Xiaocheng; Liu, Lei; Chen, Zhi; Cui, Yueju; Du, Jianguo

    2017-01-01

    The southeast Tibetan Plateau is a region with high level seismic activity and strong hydrothermal activity. Several large (7.5 > M > 7) historical earthquakes have occurred in the Litang fault zone (LFZ), eastern Tibetan Plateau since 1700. Litang Ms 5.1 earthquake occurred On Sept 23, 2016, indicating the reactivation of the LFZ. This study was undertaken to elucidate spatial-temporal variations of the hot spring gas geochemistry along the LFZ from Jun 2010 to April 2016. The chemical components, He, Ne and C isotropic ratios of bubbling gas samples taken from 18 hot springs along LFZ were investigated. Helium isotope ratios ( 3 He/ 4 He) measured in hot springs varied from 0.06 to 0.93 Ra (Ra = air 3 He/ 4 He = 1.39 × 10 −6 ), with mantle-derivd He up to 11.1% in the LFZ (assuming R/Ra = 8 for mantle) indicated the fault was a crustal-scale feature that acts as a conduit for deep fluid from the mantle. CO 2 concentrations of the majority of hot spring gas samples were ≥80 vol%, CO 2 / 3 He ratios varied from 1.4 to 929.5 × 10 10 , and δ 13 C CO2 values varied from −19.2‰ to −2.3‰ (vs. PDB). The proportions of mantle-derived CO 2 varied from 0 to 1.8%. Crustal marine limestone was the major contributor (>75%) to the carbon inventory of the majority of hot spring gas samples. Before Litang Ms 5.1 earthquake, the 3 He/ 4 He ratios obviously increased in the Heni spring from May 2013 to Apr 2016. The geographical distribution of the mantle-derivd He decreased from east to west along 30°N in the southeast Tibetan Plateau relative to a corresponding increase in the radiogenic component. The gas geochemical data suggested that the upwelling mantle fluids into the crust play an important role in seismic activity in the strike-slip faults along 30°N in the southeast Tibetan Plateau. - Highlights: • Gas geochemistry of hot springs along Litang fault, Southeast Tibetan Plateau were surveyed. • Mantle-derived He decreased from east to

  15. Volcanic Gases and Hot Spring Water to Evaluate the Volcanic Activity of the Mt. Baekdusan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, S. H.; Lee, S.; Chang, C.

    2017-12-01

    This study performed the analysis on the volcanic gases and hot spring waters from the Julong hot spring at Mt. Baekdu, also known as Changbaishan on the North Korea(DPRK)-China border, during the period from July 2015 to August 2016. Also, we confirmed the errors that HCO3- concentrations of hot spring waters in the previous study (Lee et al. 2014) and tried to improve the problem. Dissolved CO2 in hot spring waters was analyzed using gas chromatograph in Lee et al.(2014). Improving this, from 2015, we used TOC-IC to analysis dissolved CO2. Also, we analyzed the Na2CO3 standard solutions of different concentrations using GC, and confirmed the correlation between the analytical concentrations and the real concentrations. However, because the analytical results of the Julong hot spring water were in discord with the estimated values based on this correlation, we can't estimate the HCO3-concentrations of 2014 samples. During the period of study, CO2/CH4 ratios in volcanic gases are gradually decreased, and this can be interpreted in two different ways. The first interpretation is that the conditions inside the volcanic edifice are changing into more reduction condition, and carbon in volcanic gases become more favorable to distribute into CH4 or CO than CO2. The second interpretation is that the interaction between volcanic gases and water becomes greater than past, and the concentrations of CO2which have much higher solubility in water decreased, relatively. In general, the effect of scrubbing of volcanic gas is strengthened during the quiet periods of volcanic activity rather than active periods. Meanwhile, the analysis of hot spring waters was done on the anion of acidic gases species, the major cations, and some trace elements (As, Cd, Re).This work was funded by the Korea Meteorological Administration Research and Development Program under Grant KMIPA 2015-3060.

  16. SMA spring-based artificial muscle actuated by hot and cool water using faucet-like valve

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Cheol Hoon; Son, Young Su

    2017-04-01

    An artificial muscle for a human arm-like manipulator with high strain and high power density are under development, and an SMA(Shape memory alloy) spring is a good actuator for this application. In this study, an artificial muscle composed of a silicon tube and a bundle of SMA(Shape memory alloy) springs is evaluated. A bundle of SMA springs consists of five SMA springs which are fabricated by using SMA wires with a diameter of 0.5 mm, and hot and cool water actuates it by heating and cooling SMA springs. A faucet-like valve was also developed to mix hot water and cool water and control the water temperature. The mass of silicon tube and a bundle of SMA springs is only 3.3 g and 2.25 g, respectively, and the total mass of artificial muscle is 5.55 g. It showed good actuating performance for a load with a mass of 2.3 kg and the power density was more than 800 W/kg for continuous valve switching with a cycle of 0.6 s. The faucet-like valve can switch a water output from hot water to cold water within 0.3s, and the artificial muscle is actuated well in response to the valve position and speed. It is also presented that the temperature of the mixed water can be controlled depending on the valve position, and the displacement of the artificial muscle can be controlled well by the mixed water. Based on these results, SMA spring-based artificial muscle actuated by hot and cool water could be applicable to the human arm-like robot manipulators.

  17. Study of tourists exposure rate in Mahallat hot Spring Region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tavakoli, H. M.B. [Isfahan Univ. of Medical Sciences, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fallah, M.G. [Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghiasinejad, M. [Iran Atomic Energy Organization, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2006-07-01

    Introduction: High level radiation areas have been recognized on various parts of the earth. Some of these areas include: Brasilia, India, and Iran. Mahallat hot spring region in the central part of Iran is also one of these areas. Study of exposure in these areas could be helpful in investigating the effects of ionizing radiation. Materials and Methods: In addition to several seasonal springs, Mahallat hot spring region contains five permanent springs named: Soleimani, Shafa, Dombe, Romatism and Sauda. Internal exposure (due to inhalation of radon gas and drinking water) and external exposure (due to cosmic rays and radioactive elements in the ground) to the tourists was studied. Used materials and apparatus include: RSS -112 ionizing chamber for environmental gamma rays exposure measurement, highly pure germanium detector for measuring radioactive elements in the ground, liquid scintillation counter for measuring {sup 222}Rn gas concentration in water samples, Bubbler chamber and Locus cells for Rn concentration measurements (Emanation method) and Alfa guard detector for {sup 226}Ra concentration measurements. Conclusions and Discussion: A total of 270 visitors are included in this study. Considering residual durations of the studied group in open and closed environment of bathrooms, hotel and inn rooms, obtained annual external effective dose is 75.4{+-}8.7{mu}Sv and 138.3{+-}11.8{mu}Sv for natives and travelers respectively. EEC coefficients has been used for calculating annual internal effective dose due to radon gas inhalation. Annual internal effective dose, in this path, is 0.9 and 2.1 mSv in open and closed environment for native and visitors respectively. Annual internal effective dose due to drinking water, is 0.43 and 0.09{mu}Sv for natives people and travelers, respectively. Measurements show that more than 90% of the received dose in the studied groups is due to radon gas inhalation. External and internal dose summation is 0.98 mSv for natives and 2

  18. Study of tourists exposure rate in Mahallat hot Spring Region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tavakoli, H. M.B.; Fallah, M.G.; Ghiasinejad, M.

    2006-01-01

    Introduction: High level radiation areas have been recognized on various parts of the earth. Some of these areas include: Brasilia, India, and Iran. Mahallat hot spring region in the central part of Iran is also one of these areas. Study of exposure in these areas could be helpful in investigating the effects of ionizing radiation. Materials and Methods: In addition to several seasonal springs, Mahallat hot spring region contains five permanent springs named: Soleimani, Shafa, Dombe, Romatism and Sauda. Internal exposure (due to inhalation of radon gas and drinking water) and external exposure (due to cosmic rays and radioactive elements in the ground) to the tourists was studied. Used materials and apparatus include: RSS -112 ionizing chamber for environmental gamma rays exposure measurement, highly pure germanium detector for measuring radioactive elements in the ground, liquid scintillation counter for measuring 222 Rn gas concentration in water samples, Bubbler chamber and Locus cells for Rn concentration measurements (Emanation method) and Alfa guard detector for 226 Ra concentration measurements. Conclusions and Discussion: A total of 270 visitors are included in this study. Considering residual durations of the studied group in open and closed environment of bathrooms, hotel and inn rooms, obtained annual external effective dose is 75.4±8.7μSv and 138.3±11.8μSv for natives and travelers respectively. EEC coefficients has been used for calculating annual internal effective dose due to radon gas inhalation. Annual internal effective dose, in this path, is 0.9 and 2.1 mSv in open and closed environment for native and visitors respectively. Annual internal effective dose due to drinking water, is 0.43 and 0.09μSv for natives people and travelers, respectively. Measurements show that more than 90% of the received dose in the studied groups is due to radon gas inhalation. External and internal dose summation is 0.98 mSv for natives and 2.2 mSv for for

  19. Metagenomic Analysis of Hot Springs in Central India Reveals Hydrocarbon Degrading Thermophiles and Pathways Essential for Survival in Extreme Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxena, Rituja; Dhakan, Darshan B.; Mittal, Parul; Waiker, Prashant; Chowdhury, Anirban; Ghatak, Arundhuti; Sharma, Vineet K.

    2017-01-01

    Extreme ecosystems such as hot springs are of great interest as a source of novel extremophilic species, enzymes, metabolic functions for survival and biotechnological products. India harbors hundreds of hot springs, the majority of which are not yet explored and require comprehensive studies to unravel their unknown and untapped phylogenetic and functional diversity. The aim of this study was to perform a large-scale metagenomic analysis of three major hot springs located in central India namely, Badi Anhoni, Chhoti Anhoni, and Tattapani at two geographically distinct regions (Anhoni and Tattapani), to uncover the resident microbial community and their metabolic traits. Samples were collected from seven distinct sites of the three hot spring locations with temperature ranging from 43.5 to 98°C. The 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of V3 hypervariable region and shotgun metagenome sequencing uncovered a unique taxonomic and metabolic diversity of the resident thermophilic microbial community in these hot springs. Genes associated with hydrocarbon degradation pathways, such as benzoate, xylene, toluene, and benzene were observed to be abundant in the Anhoni hot springs (43.5–55°C), dominated by Pseudomonas stutzeri and Acidovorax sp., suggesting the presence of chemoorganotrophic thermophilic community with the ability to utilize complex hydrocarbons as a source of energy. A high abundance of genes belonging to methane metabolism pathway was observed at Chhoti Anhoni hot spring, where methane is reported to constitute >80% of all the emitted gases, which was marked by the high abundance of Methylococcus capsulatus. The Tattapani hot spring, with a high-temperature range (61.5–98°C), displayed a lower microbial diversity and was primarily dominated by a nitrate-reducing archaeal species Pyrobaculum aerophilum. A higher abundance of cell metabolism pathways essential for the microbial survival in extreme conditions was observed at Tattapani. Taken together

  20. Diversity of thermophilic archaeal isolates from hot springs in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Takashi; Yoshikawa, Naoto; Takashina, Tomonori

    2005-09-01

    In the light of the significance of extremophiles as model organisms to access possible extraterrestiral life, we provide a short review of the systematics of thermophilic Archaea, and introduce our exploratory research of novel thermophilic Archaea from hot springs in Japan. Up to date, we have isolated 162 strains of the thermophilic Archaea from hot springs in Japan by the enrichment method or the most probable number/PCR method, and the 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined to reveal their phylogenetic diversity. The sequence comparison illustrated that the isolates belonged to the orders Sulfolobales (117 isolates) , Thermoproteales (29 isolates), Desulfurococcales (8 isolates) and Thermoplasmatales (8 isolates), and there were six separate lineages representing new genera, and at least seven new species as predicted by the phylogenetic distance to known species. The collection of isolates not only included novel taxa but would give some implication for a necessity to reevaluate the current taxonomy of the thermophilic Archaea.

  1. Functional genes and thermophilic microorganisms responsible for arsenite oxidation from the shallow sediment of an untraversed hot spring outlet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ye; Mu, Yao; Zeng, Xian-Chun; Wu, Weiwei; Yuan, Jie; Liu, Yichen; Guoji, E; Luo, Feng; Chen, Xiaoming; Li, Hao; Wang, Jianing

    2017-05-01

    Hot Springs have unique geochemical features. Microorganisms-mediated arsenite oxidation is one of the major biogeochemical processes occurred in some hot springs. This study aimed to understand the diversities of genes and microorganisms involved in arsenite oxidation from the outlet of an untraversed hot spring located at an altitude of 4226 m. Microcosm assay indicated that the microbial community from the hot spring was able to efficiently oxidize As(III) using glucose, lactic acid, yeast extract or sodium bicarbonate as the sole carbon source. The microbial community contained 7 phyla of microorganisms, of which Proteobacteria and Firmicutes are largely dominant; this composition is unique and differs significantly from those of other described hot springs. Twenty one novel arsenite oxidase genes were identified from the samples, which are affiliated with the arsenite oxidase families of α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria or Archaea; this highlights the high diversity of the arsenite-oxidizing microorganisms from the hot spring. A cultivable arsenite-oxidizer Chelatococcu sp. GHS311 was also isolated from the sample using enrichment technique. It can completely convert 75.0 mg/L As(III) into As(V) in 18 days at 45 °C. The arsenite oxidase of GHS311 shares the maximal sequence identity (84.7%) to that of Hydrogenophaga sp. CL3, a non-thermotolerant bacterium. At the temperature lower than 30 °C or higher than 65 °C, the growth of this strain was completely inhibited. These data help us to better understand the diversity and functional features of the thermophilic arsenite-oxidizing microorganisms from hot springs.

  2. Hydrogeochemical Characteristics and Evolution of Hot Springs in Eastern Tibetan Plateau Geothermal Belt, Western China: Insight from Multivariate Statistical Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheming Shi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The eastern Tibetan Plateau geothermal belt is one of the important medium-high temperature geothermal belts in China. However, less work has been done on the hydrochemical characteristic and its geological origin. Understanding the chemical characteristics and the hydrochemical evolution processes is important in evaluating the geothermal energy potential in this area. In the present study, we discussed the hydrochemical properties and their origins of 39 hot springs located in the eastern Tibetan Plateau geothermal belt (Kangding-Litang-Batang geothermal belt. Cluster analysis and factor analysis are employed to character the hydrochemical properties of hot springs in different fault zones and the possible hydrochemical evolution processes of these hot springs. Our study shows that the hot springs can be divided into three groups based on their locations. The hot springs in the first group mainly originate from the volcanic rock and the springs in the second group originate from the metamorphic rock while the springs in the third group originate from the result of mixture of shallow water. Water-rock interaction, cation exchange, and the water environment are the three dominant factors that control the hydrochemical evolution process in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. These results are also in well agreement with the isotopic and chemical analysis.

  3. Hot Springs-Garrison Fiber Optic Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-10-01

    Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to upgrade its operational telecommunications system between the Hot Springs Substation and the Garrison Substation using a fiber optic system. The project would primarily involve installing 190 kilometers (120 miles) of fiber optic cable on existing transmission structures and installing new fiber optic equipment in BPA's substation yards and control houses. BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) evaluating the proposed action. This EA was published in October 1994. The EA identifies a number of minor impacts that might occur as a result of the proposed action, as well as some recommended mitigation measures. This Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) identifies specific measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for impacts identified in the EA

  4. Hot Springs-Garrison Fiber Optic Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-10-01

    Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to upgrade its operational telecommunications system between the Hot Springs Substation and the Garrison Substation using a fiber optic system. The project would primarily involve installing 190 kilometers (120 miles) of fiber optic cable on existing transmission structures and installing new fiber optic equipment in BPA`s substation yards and control houses. BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) evaluating the proposed action. This EA was published in October 1994. The EA identifies a number of minor impacts that might occur as a result of the proposed action, as well as some recommended mitigation measures. This Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) identifies specific measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for impacts identified in the EA.

  5. Diversity of thermophiles in a Malaysian hot spring determined using 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenome sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Chia Sing; Chan, Kok-Gan; Tay, Yea-Ling; Chua, Yi-Heng; Goh, Kian Mau

    2015-01-01

    The Sungai Klah (SK) hot spring is the second hottest geothermal spring in Malaysia. This hot spring is a shallow, 150-m-long, fast-flowing stream, with temperatures varying from 50 to 110°C and a pH range of 7.0-9.0. Hidden within a wooded area, the SK hot spring is continually fed by plant litter, resulting in a relatively high degree of total organic content (TOC). In this study, a sample taken from the middle of the stream was analyzed at the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region by amplicon metagenome sequencing. Over 35 phyla were detected by analyzing the 16S rRNA data. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria represented approximately 57% of the microbiome. Approximately 70% of the detected thermophiles were strict anaerobes; however, Hydrogenobacter spp., obligate chemolithotrophic thermophiles, represented one of the major taxa. Several thermophilic photosynthetic microorganisms and acidothermophiles were also detected. Most of the phyla identified by 16S rRNA were also found using the shotgun metagenome approaches. The carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism within the SK hot spring community were evaluated by shotgun metagenome sequencing, and the data revealed diversity in terms of metabolic activity and dynamics. This hot spring has a rich diversified phylogenetic community partly due to its natural environment (plant litter, high TOC, and a shallow stream) and geochemical parameters (broad temperature and pH range). It is speculated that symbiotic relationships occur between the members of the community.

  6. Microbial community analysis of a coastal hot spring in Kagoshima, Japan, using molecular- and culture-based approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishiyama, Minako; Yamamoto, Shuichi; Kurosawa, Norio

    2013-08-01

    Ibusuki hot spring is located on the coastline of Kagoshima Bay, Japan. The hot spring water is characterized by high salinity, high temperature, and neutral pH. The hot spring is covered by the sea during high tide, which leads to severe fluctuations in several environmental variables. A combination of molecular- and culture-based techniques was used to determine the bacterial and archaeal diversity of the hot spring. A total of 48 thermophilic bacterial strains were isolated from two sites (Site 1: 55.6°C; Site 2: 83.1°C) and they were categorized into six groups based on their 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Two groups (including 32 isolates) demonstrated low sequence similarity with published species, suggesting that they might represent novel taxa. The 148 clones from the Site 1 bacterial library included 76 operational taxonomy units (OTUs; 97% threshold), while 132 clones from the Site 2 bacterial library included 31 OTUs. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were frequently detected in both clone libraries. The clones were related to thermophilic, mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria. Approximately half of the sequences in bacterial clone libraries shared <92% sequence similarity with their closest sequences in a public database, suggesting that the Ibusuki hot spring may harbor a unique and novel bacterial community. By contrast, 77 clones from the Site 2 archaeal library contained only three OTUs, most of which were affiliated with Thaumarchaeota.

  7. High Prevalence, Genetic Diversity and Intracellular Growth Ability of Legionella in Hot Spring Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Haijian; Wang, Huanxin; Xu, Ying; Zhao, Mingqiang; Guan, Hong; Li, Machao; Shao, Zhujun

    2013-01-01

    Background Legionella is the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, and hot springs are a major source of outbreaks of this disease. It is important from a public health perspective to survey hot spring environments for the presence of Legionella. Methods Prospective surveillance of the extent of Legionella pollution was conducted at three hot spring recreational areas in Beijing, China in 2011. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and sequence-based typing (SBT) were used to describe the genetic polymorphism of isolates. The intracellular growth ability of the isolates was determined by interacting with J774 cells and plating the dilutions onto BCYE agar plates. Results Overall, 51.9% of spring water samples showed Legionella-positive, and their concentrations ranged from 1 CFU/liter to 2,218 CFU/liter. The positive rates of Legionella were significantly associated with a free chlorine concentration of ≥0.2 mg/L, urea concentration of ≥0.05 mg/L, total microbial counts of ≥400 CFU/ml and total coliform of ≥3 MPN/L (pLegionella concentrations were significantly associated with sample temperature, pH, total microbial counts and total coliform (pLegionella pneumophila was the most frequently isolated species (98.9%), and the isolated serogroups included serogroups 3 (25.3%), 6 (23.4%), 5 (19.2%), 1 (18.5%), 2 (10.2%), 8 (0.4%), 10 (0.8%), 9 (1.9%) and 12 (0.4%). Two hundred and twenty-eight isolates were analyzed by PFGE and 62 different patterns were obtained. Fifty-seven L. pneumophila isolates were selected for SBT analysis and divided into 35 different sequence types with 5 main clonal groups. All the 57 isolates had high intracellular growth ability. Conclusions Our results demonstrated high prevalence and genetic polymorphism of Legionella in springs in Beijing, China, and the SBT and intracellular growth assay results suggested that the Legionella isolates of hot spring environments were pathogenic. Improved control and prevention strategies are

  8. High prevalence, genetic diversity and intracellular growth ability of Legionella in hot spring environments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tian Qin

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Legionella is the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, and hot springs are a major source of outbreaks of this disease. It is important from a public health perspective to survey hot spring environments for the presence of Legionella. METHODS: Prospective surveillance of the extent of Legionella pollution was conducted at three hot spring recreational areas in Beijing, China in 2011. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE and sequence-based typing (SBT were used to describe the genetic polymorphism of isolates. The intracellular growth ability of the isolates was determined by interacting with J774 cells and plating the dilutions onto BCYE agar plates. RESULTS: Overall, 51.9% of spring water samples showed Legionella-positive, and their concentrations ranged from 1 CFU/liter to 2,218 CFU/liter. The positive rates of Legionella were significantly associated with a free chlorine concentration of ≥0.2 mg/L, urea concentration of ≥0.05 mg/L, total microbial counts of ≥400 CFU/ml and total coliform of ≥3 MPN/L (p<0.01. The Legionella concentrations were significantly associated with sample temperature, pH, total microbial counts and total coliform (p<0.01. Legionella pneumophila was the most frequently isolated species (98.9%, and the isolated serogroups included serogroups 3 (25.3%, 6 (23.4%, 5 (19.2%, 1 (18.5%, 2 (10.2%, 8 (0.4%, 10 (0.8%, 9 (1.9% and 12 (0.4%. Two hundred and twenty-eight isolates were analyzed by PFGE and 62 different patterns were obtained. Fifty-seven L. pneumophila isolates were selected for SBT analysis and divided into 35 different sequence types with 5 main clonal groups. All the 57 isolates had high intracellular growth ability. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated high prevalence and genetic polymorphism of Legionella in springs in Beijing, China, and the SBT and intracellular growth assay results suggested that the Legionella isolates of hot spring environments were pathogenic. Improved control

  9. Characterization of cyanobacterial communities from high-elevation lakes in the Bolivian Andes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, Erich D.; Prufert-Bebout, Leslie

    2010-06-01

    The Bolivian Altiplano is a harsh environment for life with high solar irradiation (visible and UVR), below freezing temperatures, and some of the lowest precipitation rates on the planet. However, microbial life is visibly abundant in small isolated refugia of spring or snowmelt-fed lakes. In this study, we characterized the cyanobacterial composition of a variety of microbial mats present in three lake systems: Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde (elevation 4300 m), and a summit lake in the Licancabur Volcano cone (elevation 5970 m). These lakes and their adjacent geothermal springs present an interesting diversity of environments within a geographically small region (5 km2). From these sites, 78 cyanobacterial cultures were isolated in addition to ˜400 cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from environmental genomic DNA. Based on microscopy, cultivation, and molecular analyses, these communities contained many heterocytous, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (e.g., Calothrix, Nostoc, Nodularia) as well as a large number of cyanobacteria belonging to the form-genus Leptolyngbya. More than a third (37%) of all taxa in this study were new species (≤96% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity), and 11% represented new and novel taxa distantly related (≤93% identity) to any known cyanobacteria. This is one of the few studies to characterize cyanobacterial communities based on both cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent analyses.

  10. Exposure to Particle Matters and Hazardous Volatile Organic Compounds in Selected Hot Spring Hotels in Guangdong, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiusheng He

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In Guangdong province, many hot springs were exploited and developed into popular places for tourist. In addition, hotels have been set up near hot spring sites to attract people, including local citizens, to spend their spare time inside these so-called “spring hotels”. In our study, indoor air quality was investigated in four hot spring hotels in Guangdong province, China. Measured indoor pollutants included CO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5 and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs. As the result show, high concentrations of carbon dioxide might be attributed to poor ventilation; and the variations of indoor PM10, PM2.5 concentrations were related to occupants’ activities. Alpha-pinene and toluene were the most common VOC species in the hot spring hotels other than monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes (BTEX, which were at medium levels among the reported indoor pollutants. High cancer risk of benzene in the newly decorated rooms should be seriously taken into consideration in the future. Indoor to Outdoor air concentration ratios (I/O for CO2 and VOCs were higher than 1, indicating their strong indoor sources. Negative correlations were found between indoor CO2 and all the other compounds, and VOCs were shown to be significantly correlated (p < 0.01 to each other, including aromatic hydrocarbons and mono-terpenes. For indoor and outdoor air compounds, correlation coefficients among all compounds did not show a significant correlation, which indicated that these pollutants had different sources. Principal components analysis by SPSS showed that indoor materials, inhabitants’ activities and respiration, cleaning products and outdoor sources were the main sources of indoor detected pollutants in hot spring hotels.

  11. CRISPR Spacer Arrays for Detection of Viral Signatures from Acidic Hot Springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, J. C.; Bateson, M. M.; Suciu, D.; Young, M. J.

    2010-04-01

    Viruses are the most abundant life-like entities on the planet Earth. Using CRISPR spacer sequences, we have developed a microarray-based approach to detecting viral signatures in the acidic hot springs of Yellowstone.

  12. Diversity of thermophiles in a Malaysian hot spring determined using 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenome sequencing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia Sing eChan

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The Sungai Klah (SK hot spring is the second hottest geothermal spring in Malaysia. This hot spring is a shallow, 150-meter-long, fast-flowing stream, with temperatures varying from 50 to 110°C and a pH range of 7.0 to 9.0. Hidden within a wooded area, the SK hot spring is continually fed by plant litter, resulting in a relatively high degree of total organic content (TOC. In this study, a sample taken from the middle of the stream was analyzed at the 16S rRNA V3−V4 region by amplicon metagenome sequencing. Over 35 phyla were detected by analyzing the 16S rRNA data. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria represented approximately 57% of the microbiome. Approximately 70% of the detected thermophiles were strict anaerobes; however, Hydrogenobacter spp., obligate chemolithotrophic thermophiles, represented one of the major taxa. Several thermophilic photosynthetic microorganisms and acidothermophiles were also detected. Most of the phyla identified by 16S rRNA were also found using the shotgun metagenome approaches. The carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism within the SK hot spring community were evaluated by shotgun metagenome sequencing, and the data revealed diversity in terms of metabolic activity and dynamics. This hot spring has a rich diversified phylogenetic community partly due to its natural environment (plant litter, high TOC, and a shallow stream and geochemical parameters (broad temperature and pH range. It is speculated that symbiotic relationships occur between the members of the community.

  13. Penentuan Strategi Pengembangan Pariwisata Menggunakan Metode Analisis Swot (Studi Pada Pemandian Air Panas atau Hot Spring di Kelurahan Siogung-Ogung Kecamatan Pangururan Kabupaten Samosir)

    OpenAIRE

    Napitu, Kartini Indayati

    2016-01-01

    Hot spring is a tourist attraction that has the potential to attract more visitors if developed with good strategy. Therefore , researchers interested in studying how to develop the tourist hot spring and strategies that can be done. This study aims to , first to analyze the factors that the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to tourism Hot Spring in Pangururan Samosir. Second, determine the right marketing strategy in tourism Hot Spring is based on the analysis of strengths , w...

  14. Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Thermophile Community Within Tanjung Sakti Hot Spring, South Sumatera, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heni Yohandini

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available A community of thermophiles within Tanjung Sakti Hot Spring (South Sumatera have been cultivated and identified based on 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence. The hot spring has temperature 80 °C–91 °C and pH 7–8. We used a simple method for culturing the microbes, by enriching the spring water with nutrient broth media. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the method could recover microbes, which clustered within four distinct taxonomic groups: Anoxybacillus, Geobacillus, Brevibacillus, and Bacillus. These microbes closely related to Anoxybacillus rupiensis, Anoxybacillus flavithermus, Geobacillus pallidus, Brevibacillus thermoruber, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus thermoamylovorans. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence of one isolate only had 96% similarity with Brevibacillus sequence in GenBank.

  15. Biophysical model of prokaryotic diversity in geothermal hot springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klales, Anna; Duncan, James; Nett, Elizabeth Janus; Kane, Suzanne Amador

    2012-02-01

    Recent studies of photosynthetic bacteria living in geothermal hot spring environments have revealed surprisingly complex ecosystems with an unexpected level of genetic diversity. One case of particular interest involves the distribution along hot spring thermal gradients of genetically distinct bacterial strains that differ in their preferred temperatures for reproduction and photosynthesis. In such systems, a single variable, temperature, defines the relevant environmental variation. In spite of this, each region along the thermal gradient exhibits multiple strains of photosynthetic bacteria adapted to several distinct thermal optima, rather than a single thermal strain adapted to the local environmental temperature. Here we analyze microbiology data from several ecological studies to show that the thermal distribution data exhibit several universal features independent of location and specific bacterial strain. These include the distribution of optimal temperatures of different thermal strains and the functional dependence of the net population density on temperature. We present a simple population dynamics model of these systems that is highly constrained by biophysical data and by physical features of the environment. This model can explain in detail the observed thermal population distributions, as well as certain features of population dynamics observed in laboratory studies of the same organisms. © 2012 American Physical Society

  16. Thermostable 𝜶-Amylase Activity from Thermophilic Bacteria Isolated from Bora Hot Spring, Central Sulawesi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazali, F. M.; Suwastika, I. N.

    2018-03-01

    α-Amylase is one of the most important enzyme in biotechnology field, especially in industrial application. Thermostability of α-Amylase produced by thermophilic bacteria improves industrial process of starch degradation in starch industry. The present study were concerned to the characterization of α-Amylase activity from indigenous thermophilic bacteria isolated from Bora hot spring, Central Sulawesi. There were 18 isolates which had successfully isolated from 90°C sediment samples of Bora hot spring and 13 of them showed amylolytic activity. The α-Amylase activity was measured qualitatively at starch agar and quantitatively based on DNS (3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid) methods, using maltose as standard solution. Two isolates (out of 13 amylolytic bacteria), BR 002 and BR 015 showed amylolytic index of 0.8 mm and 0.5 mm respectively, after being incubated at 55°C in the 0.002% Starch Agar Medium. The α-Amylase activity was further characterized quantitatively which includes the optimum condition of pH and temperature of α-Amylase crude enzyme from each isolate. To our knowledge, this is the first report on isolation and characterization of a thermostable α-Amylase from thermophilic bacteria isolated from Central Sulawesi particularly from Bora hot spring.

  17. The isotope geochemistry of hot springs gases and waters from Coromandel and Hauraki

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyon, G.L.; Giggenbach, W.F.

    1992-01-01

    Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope analyses have been made on carbon dioxide,methane and water from warm and hot springs in the Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki Plains. Most of the waters are isotopically unaltered meteoric waters. Methane δ 1 3C values vary widely, from -30%o to -72%o. Warm springs in swamps at Maketu and Kerepehi have microbial methane probably added to the water near the surface. Puriri, Okoroire and Miranda springs produce thermally derived methane, and the Hot Water Beach gas is similar to the Kaitoke gas in chemistry and isotopic composition but altered by shallow microbial oxidation. The Te Aroha gas, though, is not inconsistent with a geothermal origin and the boiling springs and oxygen-isotope altered water are further evidence for high temperatures. Other spring gases have mixtures of thermogenic and microbial methane and none are closely similar to major NZ geothermal CH 4 composition. CO 2 , which is usually present in lesser amounts than N 2 , has isotopic values which suggest a geothermal origin at Te Aroha and Maketu, but otherwise indicates a crustal origin. The dominance of N 2 implies that the fluid flows are tectonic fracture flow rather than geothermal. 3 He/ 4 He data gives further evidence of no major contribution from magmatic material except at Maketu, on the NW boundary of the TVZ. (author). 24 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

  18. Abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhao-Qi; Wang, Li; Wang, Feng-Ping; Jiang, Hong-Chen; Chen, Jin-Quan; Zhou, En-Min; Liang, Feng; Xiao, Xiang; Li, Wen-Jun

    2013-09-01

    It has been suggested that archaea carrying the accA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of the acetyl CoA carboxylase, autotrophically fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway in low-temperature environments (e.g., soils, oceans). However, little new information has come to light regarding the occurrence of archaeal accA genes in high-temperature ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China, using DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that archaeal accA genes were present and expressed in the investigated Yunnan hot springs with a wide range of temperatures (66-96 °C) and pH (4.3-9.0). The majority of the amplified archaeal accA gene sequences were affiliated with the ThAOA/HWCG III [thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA)/hot water crenarchaeotic group III]. The archaeal accA gene abundance was very close to that of AOA amoA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia monooxygenase. These data suggest that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.

  19. Fiscal 1999 survey report on introducing technique for predicting impact on hot spring; 1999 nendo onsen eikyo yosoku shuho donyu chosa hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-10-01

    For the application of fruits of the geothermal development promotion project to survey phase C and for the study of technical means for appropriate development to employ after phase C, some cases of impacts imposed on hot springs by geothermal development were taken up and the causes of the impacts were investigated. Activities were conducted in the three fields of (1) the survey of actualities of impacts imposed on hot springs, (2) the survey of the causes of such impacts, and (3) a comprehensive survey. Keyword searches were conducted into the data system and geothermal energy related magazines, and 13 cases were found in which hot springs were affected by geothermal development, which included the Palinpinon district (Philippines), the Koso district (America), and the Wairakei district (New Zealand). Concerning the 13 cases, data on geology, geological structures, and geothermal fluids were collected and studies were conducted about relations of geothermal development with geological structures and geothermal fluids, as in the case of hot springs, and the two were integrated for the clarification of the causes of impacts. In concluding the report, the difference in mechanism is deliberated between cases with impacts on hot springs and cases without impacts on hot springs. (NEDO)

  20. Chemical analyses of waters from geysers, hot springs, and pools in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming from 1974 to 1978

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, J.M.; Yadav, S.

    1979-01-01

    Waters from geysers, hot springs, and pools of Yellowstone National Park have been analyzed. We report 422 complete major ion analyses from 330 different locations of geysers, hot springs, and pools, collected from 1974 to 1978. Many of the analyses from Upper, Midway, Lower, and Norris Geyser Basin are recollections of features previously reported.

  1. Multi proxy approach to evaluate and delineate the potential of hot springs in the Kotli District (Kashmir, Pakistan)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anees, M.; Shah, M.; Qureshi, A.; Manzoor, S.

    2017-11-01

    Tattapani hot springs are located near the Kotli District of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. This study evaluates these hot springs based on surface geological information, radon emission measurements, hydro-geochemical and isotopic signatures and potential source mechanisms. Field observations reveal that the hot springs are located at the crest of the Tattapani anticline along the faulted contact of Cambrian carbonates with Paleocene siliciclastics. In addition, remnants of igneous intrusions in the Cambrian carbonates are commonly observed. Spatial distribution of radon emissions (ranging between 2.1 and 29.5KBq m-3) indicates an anomalous zone located over the Cambrian-Paleocene faulted contact. Hydro-geochemical data show sodium-bicarbonate affinity of hot springs. The highest surface temperature of these springs is recorded at 60.8ºC. Average reservoir temperatures based on silica and cation geo-thermometers are 101ºC and 115ºC, respectively. Giggenbach ternary diagram (Na-K-Mg) suggests a non-equilibrium state between fluid and rock, whereas isotopic and chemical data indicate heat loss by conductive cooling and mixing with groundwater during the flow of thermal water up to the surface. Oxygen and deuterium isotopes indicate that thermal water is of meteoric origin, rain and/or snow in the north at higher altitudes providing the potential recharge. Furthermore, absence of tritium in the thermal water suggests a residence time of more than 50 years.

  2. Subaqueous hot springs in Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay (SW Turkey): Locations, chemistry and origins

    KAUST Repository

    Avşar, Özgür

    2017-08-07

    In this study, horizontal temperature measurements along organized grids have been used to detect subaqueous hot springs. The study area, located in the southwest of Turkey and comprised of Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay, was scanned by measuring temperatures horizontally, 2–3m above the bottom of the lake or sea. After analyzing the temperature data along the grids, the locations with anomalous temperature values were detected, and divers headed here for further verification. Accordingly, among these anomalies, the divers confirmed seven of them as subaqueous hot springs. Three of these hot springs are located in the Köyceğiz Lake, three of them are located in the Dalyan Channel and one hot spring is located in the Fethiye-Göcek Bay. At the locations where temperature anomalies were detected, the divers collected samples directly from the subaqueous hot spring using a syringe-type sampler. We evaluated these water samples together with samples collected from hot and cold springs on land and from local rivers, lakes and the sea, with an aim to generate a conceptual hydrogeochemical model of the geothermal system in the study area. This model predicts that rainwater precipitating in the highlands percolates through fractures and faults into the deeper parts of the Earth\\'s crust, here it is heated and ascends through the sea bottom via buried faults. Pervious carbonate nappes that are underlain and overlain by impervious rocks create a confined aquifer. The southern boundary of the Carbonate-Marmaris nappes is buried under alluvium and/or sea/lake water bodies and this phenomenon determines whether hot springs occur on land or subaqueous. The chemical and isotopic properties of the hot springs point to seawater mixing at deep levels. Thus, the mixing most probably occurs while the water is ascending through the faults and fractures. The gas geochemistry results reveal that the lowest mantle He contributions occur in the samples from K

  3. Subaqueous hot springs in Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay (SW Turkey): Locations, chemistry and origins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avşar, Özgür; Avşar, Ulaş; Arslan, Şebnem; Kurtuluş, Bedri; Niedermann, Samuel; Güleç, Nilgün

    2017-10-01

    In this study, horizontal temperature measurements along organized grids have been used to detect subaqueous hot springs. The study area, located in the southwest of Turkey and comprised of Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay, was scanned by measuring temperatures horizontally, 2-3 m above the bottom of the lake or sea. After analyzing the temperature data along the grids, the locations with anomalous temperature values were detected, and divers headed here for further verification. Accordingly, among these anomalies, the divers confirmed seven of them as subaqueous hot springs. Three of these hot springs are located in the Köyceğiz Lake, three of them are located in the Dalyan Channel and one hot spring is located in the Fethiye-Göcek Bay. At the locations where temperature anomalies were detected, the divers collected samples directly from the subaqueous hot spring using a syringe-type sampler. We evaluated these water samples together with samples collected from hot and cold springs on land and from local rivers, lakes and the sea, with an aim to generate a conceptual hydrogeochemical model of the geothermal system in the study area. This model predicts that rainwater precipitating in the highlands percolates through fractures and faults into the deeper parts of the Earth's crust, here it is heated and ascends through the sea bottom via buried faults. Pervious carbonate nappes that are underlain and overlain by impervious rocks create a confined aquifer. The southern boundary of the Carbonate-Marmaris nappes is buried under alluvium and/or sea/lake water bodies and this phenomenon determines whether hot springs occur on land or subaqueous. The chemical and isotopic properties of the hot springs point to seawater mixing at deep levels. Thus, the mixing most probably occurs while the water is ascending through the faults and fractures. The gas geochemistry results reveal that the lowest mantle He contributions occur in the samples from K

  4. Hyperspatial Thermal Imaging of Surface Hydrothermal Features at Pilgrim Hot Springs, Alaska using a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haselwimmer, C. E.; Wilson, R.; Upton, C.; Prakash, A.; Holdmann, G.; Walker, G.

    2013-12-01

    Thermal remote sensing provides a valuable tool for mapping and monitoring surface hydrothermal features associated with geothermal activity. The increasing availability of low-cost, small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) with integrated thermal imaging sensors offers a means to undertake very high spatial resolution (hyperspatial), quantitative thermal remote sensing of surface geothermal features in support of exploration and long-term monitoring efforts. Results from the deployment of a quadcopter sUAS equipped with a thermal camera over Pilgrim Hot Springs, Alaska for detailed mapping and heat flux estimation for hot springs, seeps, and thermal pools are presented. Hyperspatial thermal infrared imagery (4 cm pixels) was acquired over Pilgrim Hot Springs in July 2013 using a FLIR TAU 640 camera operating from an Aeryon Scout sUAS flying at an altitude of 40m. The registered and mosaicked thermal imagery is calibrated to surface temperature values using in-situ measurements of uniform blackbody tarps and the temperatures of geothermal and other surface pools acquired with a series of water temperature loggers. Interpretation of the pre-processed thermal imagery enables the delineation of hot springs, the extents of thermal pools, and the flow and mixing of individual geothermal outflow plumes with an unprecedented level of detail. Using the surface temperatures of thermal waters derived from the FLIR data and measured in-situ meteorological parameters the hot spring heat flux and outflow rate is calculated using a heat budget model for a subset of the thermal drainage. The heat flux/outflow rate estimates derived from the FLIR data are compared against in-situ measurements of the hot spring outflow rate recorded at the time of the thermal survey.

  5. Cyanobacterial diversity in extreme environments in Baja California, Mexico: a polyphasic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Cortés, A; García-Pichel, F; Nübel, U; Vázquez-Juárez, R

    2001-12-01

    Cyanobacterial diversity from two geographical areas of Baja California Sur, Mexico, were studied: Bahia Concepcion, and Ensenada de Aripez. The sites included hypersaline ecosystems, sea bottom, hydrothermal springs, and a shrimp farm. In this report we describe four new morphotypes, two are marine epilithic from Bahia Concepcion, Dermocarpa sp. and Hyella sp. The third, Geitlerinema sp., occurs in thermal springs and in shrimp ponds, and the fourth, Tychonema sp., is from a shrimp pond. The partial sequences of the 16S rRNA genes and the phylogenetic relationship of four cyanobacterial strains (Synechococcus cf. elongatus, Leptolyngbya cf. thermalis, Leptolyngbya sp., and Geitlerinema sp.) are also presented. Polyphasic studies that include the combination of light microscopy, cultures and the comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences provide the most powerful approach currently available to establish the diversity of these oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms in culture and in nature.

  6. Lipid Biomarkers and Stable Isotope Signatures of Microbial Mats in Hot Springs of Kamchatka, Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanek, C. S.; Mills, G. L.; Jones, M. E.; Paddock, L.; Li, Y.; Zhang, C. L.; Wiegel, J.

    2004-12-01

    Various hot springs of the Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka, were analyzed for their chemical and stable isotope composition to better understand the relationship(s) between thermophilic microorganisms and the environments in which they live. The springs had water temperatures ranging from 40-90\\deg C and pH ranging from 5.6-5.9. Gases that emanated from the springs were composed predominantly of CO2 (20 to 90%), with lesser amounts of CH4, (Archaea. Results of PLFA showed 16:0 as the most abundant fatty acid (33-44%), which is universal in all living organisms. Other significant biomarkers included 18:1ω (19 to 24%), 18:2ω (5 to 13%), 16:1ω (3 to 12%), and 18:0 (2 to 7%). These biomarkers are characteristic of cyanobacteria, green-sulfur bacteria, and green non-sulfur bacteria, respectively, which are common autotrophic organisms in terrestrial hot springs. On the other hand, biomarkers of heterotrophic bacteria, such as iso- and anteiso-15:0 were low (2-8%), indicating that the bacterial carbon cycle was dominated by autotrophic organisms. Analogous archaeal constituents were present in significant abundance in the ether lipids fraction.

  7. Recovery Act Validation of Innovative Exploration Techniques Pilgrim Hot Springs, Alaska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holdmann, Gwen [Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (United States)

    2015-04-30

    Drilling and temperature logging campaigns between the late 1970's and early 1980’s measured temperatures at Pilgrim Hot Springs in excess of 90°C. Between 2010 and 2014 the University of Alaska used a variety of methods including geophysical surveys, remote sensing techniques, heat budget modeling, and additional drilling to better understand the resource and estimate the available geothermal energy.

  8. Some geophysical and geological studies of the Tanzawa Mountains. [Nakagawa Hot Spring area, Hokizawa, and Higashizawa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Minakami, T; Matsuda, T; Hiraga, S; Horai, K I; Sugita, M

    1964-11-01

    Joints and zeolite-veins in both metamorphic rocks and quartz diorite exposed along the Nakagawa River were studied. Fractures with zeolite-veins are most developed in three areas, the Nakagawa hot spring area, Hokizawa, and Higashizawa. They follow two prevailing directions: N--S with minor right-lateral displacement and N60/sup 0/E with minor left-lateral displacement. The two fractures should represent a conjugate set that was produced by stress with maximum principal axis of N30/sup 0/E-S30/sup 0/W. Distribution and prevailing directions of fractures are illustrated. Geothermal gradients are measured in two newly opened boreholes, at the Nakagawa hot spring area and Higashizawa. The geothermal gradients are 12.60 +- 0.48/sup 0/C/100m at the Nakagawa hot spring and 5.55 +- 0.24/sup 0/C/100m at Higashizawa. Temperature-depth relationships in the two boreholes are given. Seismic observation was made at the Higashizawa. In five days 43 shocks were recorded, of which 20 are thought to have occurred 2 to 20km from the observation station, that is, in and very near the Tanzawa mountains. None have shallower hypocenters than 2 km in depth.

  9. Structural Controls of Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Field, Malhuer County, Oregon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, J. H.; Faulds, J. E.

    2012-12-01

    Detailed mapping (1:24,000) of the Neal Hot Springs area (90 km2) in eastern Oregon is part of a larger study of geothermal systems in the Basin and Range, which focuses on the structural controls of geothermal activity. The study area lies within the intersection of two regional grabens, the middle-late Miocene, N-striking, Oregon-Idaho graben and younger late Miocene to Holocene, NW-striking, western Snake River Plain graben. The geothermal field is marked by Neal Hot Springs, which effuse from opaline sinter mounds just north of Bully Creek. Wells producing geothermal fluids, with temperatures at 138°C, intersect a major, W-dipping, NNW-striking, high-angle normal fault at depths of 850-915 m. Displacement along this structure dies southward, with likely horse-tailing, which commonly produces high fracture density and a zone of high permeability conducive for channeling hydrothermal fluids. Mapping reveals that the geothermal resource lies within a local, left step-over. 'Hard-linkage' between strands of the left-stepping normal fault, revealed through a study of well chips and well logs, occurs through two concealed structures. Both are W-striking faults, with one that runs parallel to Cottonwood Creek and one 0.5 km N of the creek. Injection wells intersect these two transverse structures within the step-over. Stepping and displacement continue to the NW of the known geothermal field, along W-dipping, N-striking faults that cut lower to middle Miocene Hog Creek Formation, consisting of silicic and mafic volcanic rocks. These N-striking faults were likely initiated during initial Oregon-Idaho graben subsidence (15.3-15.1 Ma), with continued development through late Miocene. Bully Creek Formation deposits, middle to upper Miocene lacustrine and pyroclastic rocks, concomitantly filled the sub half-grabens, and they dip gently to moderately eastward. Younger, western Snake River Plain deposits, upper Miocene to Pliocene fluvial, lacustrine, and pyroclastic rocks

  10. Probability-based classifications for spatially characterizing the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs in the Tatun Volcanic Region, Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Cheng-Shin

    2015-05-01

    Accurately classifying the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs is crucial for environmental resources use and management. This study spatially characterized classifications of the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs in the Tatun Volcanic Region of Northern Taiwan by using indicator kriging (IK). The water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs were first assigned to high, moderate, and low categories according to the two thresholds of the proposed spring classification criteria. IK was then used to model the occurrence probabilities of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs and probabilistically determine their categories. Finally, nine combinations were acquired from the probability-based classifications for the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs. Moreover, various combinations of spring water features were examined according to seven subzones of spring use in the study region. The research results reveal that probability-based classifications using IK provide practicable insights related to propagating the uncertainty of classifications according to the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs. The springs in the Beitou (BT), Xingyi Road (XYR), Zhongshanlou (ZSL), and Lengshuikeng (LSK) subzones are suitable for supplying tourism hotels with a sufficient quantity of spring water because they have high or moderate discharge rates. Furthermore, natural hot springs in riverbeds and valleys should be developed in the Dingbeitou (DBT), ZSL, Xiayoukeng (XYK), and Macao (MC) subzones because of low discharge rates and low or moderate water temperatures.

  11. Microscopic Examination of Distribution and Phenotypic Properties of Phylogenetically Diverse Chloroflexaceae-Related Bacteria in Hot Spring Microbial Mats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nübel, U.; Bateson, Mary M.; Vandieken, V.

    2002-01-01

    We investigated the diversity, distribution, and phenotypes of uncultivated Chloroflexaceae-related bacteria in photosynthetic microbial mats of an alkaline hot spring (Mushroom Spring, Yellowstone National Park). By applying a directed PCR approach, molecular cloning, and sequence analysis of 16S...

  12. Pediatric deep burns caused by hot incense ashes during 2014 Spring Festival in Fuyang city, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jian; Zhou, Bo; Tao, Ren Qin; Chen, Xu Lin

    2016-01-01

    The Chinese people in Fuyang city, a northwest city of Anhui Province, are accustomed to burning incense at home for blessing during the Spring Festival. Their children, especially toddlers, like playing around the burning incense and are at risk of burning by hot incense ashes. The purpose of this study was to describe the unique cause and clinical characteristics of pediatric deep burns caused by hot incense ashes during 2014 Spring Festival. Twelve consecutive children admitted to our Burn Center and Fuyang People's Hospital during 2014 Spring Festival, with burn injuries caused by hot incense ashes which were epidemiologically studied retrospectively. Data on age, gender, size, depth and site of burn, incidence by day, number of operation, hospital stay, and causes of burns were collected. All patients came from Fuyang city. Of the 12 patients, the average age was 2.17 years, with a range of 1-6. The boy-to-girl ratio was 2: 1. The mean total burn surface area (TBSA) was 5.83%, and 91.67% of the children sustained full-thickness burn. Hands were the most common parts of the body to be injured. Dry necrosis developed in 14 fingers of 3 patients. January 31, 2014, the first day of the Chinese New Year, was the time of highest incidence. Six patients (50%) required surgical intervention while the number of operations including escharectomy, excision, skin grafting, or amputation of necrotic fingers, per patient was 2. A total of 14 fingers were amputated of the necrotic parts. All children survived and mean length of hospital stay of the patients was 20 days. Hot incense ashes cause serious injuries to children in Fuyang city during the Spring Festival. Preventive programs should be directed towards high risk groups to reduce the incidence of this burn.

  13. Feasibility for development of an aquaculture facility at Hot Spring Cove

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1986-01-01

    This report describes the feasibilty of obtaining geothermally warmed water for use in aquaculture at Hot Springs Cove, British Columbia, and concludes that while the sources can probably be assessed from two sites in the cove, neither this nor the quantity of water available can be known for certain without field trials. The report also examines the feasibility of culturing various species of sea life at Hot Springs Cove, and concludes that a combination of rearing coho salmon smolts and oysters, with the late addition of tilapia, appears to be the most suitable both for biological and economic reasons. The total capital investment amounts to about $1,033,000. Operating costs would be about $450,000 annually, and additional capital to cover this would be needed in the first years of operation. A business plan is provided which includes cash flow projections for the first nine years of operation, and this shows that a maximum investment of approximately $1.2 million would be needed by the third year of operation. If sufficient warm water is available, and the facility is operated successfully, it should pay off the investment in seven to nine years, provided that interest free loans are available for capital investments. 20 refs., 1 fig., 8 tabs.

  14. Toxicity at the Edge of Life: A Review on Cyanobacterial Toxins from Extreme Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cirés, Samuel; Casero, María Cristina; Quesada, Antonio

    2017-07-24

    Cyanotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria, of varied chemical nature and toxic effects. Although cyanobacteria thrive in all kinds of ecosystems on Earth even under very harsh conditions, current knowledge on cyanotoxin distribution is almost restricted to freshwaters from temperate latitudes. In this review, we bring to the forefront the presence of cyanotoxins in extreme environments. Cyanotoxins have been reported especially in polar deserts (both from the Arctic and Antarctica) and alkaline lakes, but also in hot deserts, hypersaline environments, and hot springs. Cyanotoxins detected in these ecosystems include neurotoxins-anatoxin-a, anatoxin-a (S), paralytic shellfish toxins, β-methylaminopropionic acid, N -(2-aminoethyl) glycine and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid- and hepatotoxins -cylindrospermopsins, microcystins and nodularins-with microcystins being the most frequently reported. Toxin production there has been linked to at least eleven cyanobacterial genera yet only three of these ( Arthrospira , Synechococcus and Oscillatoria ) have been confirmed as producers in culture. Beyond a comprehensive analysis of cyanotoxin presence in each of the extreme environments, this review also identifies the main knowledge gaps to overcome (e.g., scarcity of isolates and -omics data, among others) toward an initial assessment of ecological and human health risks in these amazing ecosystems developing at the very edge of life.

  15. Factors controlling the distribution of archaeal tetraethers in terrestrial hot springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Ann; Pi, Yundan; Zhao, Weidong; Li, WenJun; Li, Yiliang; Inskeep, William; Perevalova, Anna; Romanek, Christopher; Li, Shuguang; Zhang, Chuanlun L

    2008-06-01

    Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) found in hot springs reflect the abundance and community structure of Archaea in these extreme environments. The relationships between GDGTs, archaeal communities, and physical or geochemical variables are underexamined to date and when reported often result in conflicting interpretations. Here, we examined profiles of GDGTs from pure cultures of Crenarchaeota and from terrestrial geothermal springs representing a wide distribution of locations, including Yellowstone National Park (United States), the Great Basin of Nevada and California (United States), Kamchatka (Russia), Tengchong thermal field (China), and Thailand. These samples had temperatures of 36.5 to 87 degrees C and pH values of 3.0 to 9.2. GDGT abundances also were determined for three soil samples adjacent to some of the hot springs. Principal component analysis identified four factors that accounted for most of the variance among nine individual GDGTs, temperature, and pH. Significant correlations were observed between pH and the GDGTs crenarchaeol and GDGT-4 (four cyclopentane rings, m/z 1,294); pH correlated positively with crenarchaeol and inversely with GDGT-4. Weaker correlations were observed between temperature and the four factors. Three of the four GDGTs used in the marine TEX(86) paleotemperature index (GDGT-1 to -3, but not crenarchaeol isomer) were associated with a single factor. No correlation was observed for GDGT-0 (acyclic caldarchaeol): it is effectively its own variable. The biosynthetic mechanisms and exact archaeal community structures leading to these relationships remain unknown. However, the data in general show promise for the continued development of GDGT lipid-based physiochemical proxies for archaeal evolution and for paleo-ecology or paleoclimate studies.

  16. Hydrogeological controls of radon in a few hot springs in the Western Ghats at Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra, India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansari, Md. Arzoo; Sharma, Suman; Saravana Kumar, U.; Chatterjee, Sitangshu; Diksha; Low, Upananda

    2014-01-01

    Geological structures (faults, fractures and weak zones) and high heat flow in geothermal areas allow easy passage for release of radon gas to the atmosphere. Radon is constantly transported from the Earth's interior and vented out through exhalation points at permeable fault zones. 222 Rn concentrations were measured in a few hot springs and nearby groundwater using RAD7 at Tural and Rajwadi, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. The 222 Rn concentrations in the hot springs vary from 1087 ± 132 to 1655 ± 177 Bq/m 3 at Tural and from 152 ± 67 to 350 ± 82 Bq/m 3 at Rajwadi. Groundwaters from wells within a radius of 200 m around the geothermal fields have radon concentration between 1087 ± 132 and 5445 ± 337 Bq/m 3 . We have assessed the radon activity in the vicinity of the hot springs to understand their hydrogeological control, origin of heat source and possible effect on the tourist and the human population residing nearby. (author)

  17. FY 2000 report on the survey for introduction of the hot spring effect prediction method in the geothermal development promotion survey. Improvement of the hot spring effect prediction method in the geothermal development promotion survey; 2000 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa. Onsen eikyo yosoku shuho donyu chosa - Chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa ni okeru onsen eikyo yosoku shuho no kairyo hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    Supposing the case where the geothermal development promotion survey was carried out in promising geothermal areas in Japan, investigational study was conducted on possibilities of introducing the hot spring effect prediction method, improvement of the method, etc. In the survey, adjustment/classification of formation mechanisms of hot spring were made. For each of the formation mechanisms, the mechanisms in case of the geothermal development having effects were studied/summarized. As to how effects are brought about, presumed were the lowering of water level and decrease in discharge amount in accordance with the decreasing pressure and the dilution by increase in mixture of the ground water around the area. Also cited were the vaporization of hot spring aquifers by the increasing rate of vapor inflow, etc. For the introduction of the hot spring effect prediction method to the geothermal development promotion survey, the problem is short supply of various data, and the examination for it was made. Based on the results of the survey, items to be studied in case of introducing the hot spring effect prediction method were selected. Further, the hot spring effect prediction flow in case of introducing surface survey and well survey was made out. (NEDO)

  18. Clumped isotopologue constraints on the origin of methane at seafloor hot springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, David T.; Reeves, Eoghan P.; McDermott, Jill M.; Seewald, Jeffrey S.; Ono, Shuhei

    2018-02-01

    Hot-spring fluids emanating from deep-sea vents hosted in unsedimented ultramafic and mafic rock commonly contain high concentrations of methane. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed for the origin(s) of this methane, ranging from synthesis via reduction of aqueous inorganic carbon (∑CO2) during active fluid circulation to leaching of methane-rich fluid inclusions from plutonic rocks of the oceanic crust. To further resolve the process(es) responsible for methane generation in these systems, we determined the relative abundances of several methane isotopologues (including 13CH3D, a "clumped" isotopologue containing two rare isotope substitutions) in hot-spring source fluids sampled from four geochemically-distinct hydrothermal vent fields (Rainbow, Von Damm, Lost City, and Lucky Strike). Apparent equilibrium temperatures retrieved from methane clumped isotopologue analyses average 310-42+53 °C, with no apparent relation to the wide range of fluid temperatures (96-370 °C) and chemical compositions (pH, [H2], [∑CO2], [CH4]) represented. Combined with very similar bulk stable isotope ratios (13C/12C and D/H) of methane across the suite of hydrothermal fluids, all available geochemical and isotopic data suggest a common mechanism of methane generation at depth that is disconnected from active fluid circulation. Attainment of equilibrium amongst methane isotopologues at temperatures of ca. 270-360 °C is compatible with the thermodynamically-favorable reduction of CO2 to CH4 at temperatures at or below ca. 400 °C under redox conditions characterizing intrusive rocks derived from sub-ridge melts. Collectively, the observations support a model where methane-rich aqueous fluids, known to be trapped in rocks of the oceanic lithosphere, are liberated from host rocks during hydrothermal circulation and perhaps represent the major source of methane venting with thermal waters at unsedimented hydrothermal fields. The results also provide further evidence that water

  19. Thermophilic bacteria in Moroccan hot springs, salt marshes and desert soils

    OpenAIRE

    Aanniz,Tarik; Ouadghiri,Mouna; Melloul,Marouane; Swings,Jean; Elfahime,Elmostafa; Ibijbijen,Jamal; Ismaili,Mohamed; Amar,Mohamed

    2015-01-01

    The diversity of thermophilic bacteria was investigated in four hot springs, three salt marshes and 12 desert sites in Morocco. Two hundred and forty (240) thermophilic bacteria were recovered, identified and characterized. All isolates were Gram positive, rod-shaped, spore forming and halotolerant. Based on BOXA1R-PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the recovered isolates were dominated by the genus Bacillus (97.5%) represented by B. licheniformis (119), B. aerius (44), B. sonorensis (33), B. ...

  20. Ammonia oxidation driven by archaea rather than bacteria in the hot spring at Tengchong geothermal field, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shun; Peng, Xiaotong; Xu, Hengchao; Li, Jiwei; Ta, Kaiwen

    2015-04-01

    The occurrence of microbial mediated ammonia oxidation and these organisms are present in large numbers in natural environments indicated a potential biogeochemical role for them in the global nitrogen cycle. However, very little is understood about their role and contribution to nitrification in the high temperature extreme environments. Here we explore the ammonia oxidation rates and abundance of potential ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in upper and bottom sediments from Gongxiaoshe hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan, China. The 15N-incorporating AOA cells and cell aggregated were detected with Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Nano secondary ion mass spectrometry (Nano-SIMS). Ammonia oxidation rates measured using 15N-NO3- pool dilution in upper and bottom sediments (without NH4+ stimulated) were 4.8 and 5.3 nmol N g-1h-1, respectively. Close relatives of the autotrophic, ammonia-oxidizing archaeon 'Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii' represented the most abundant OTU in both of the two spring sediments by 16S rRNA gene analysis. Furthermore, it should be noted that no ammonia-oxidizing bacterial clones detected in this study. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that AOA and 16S rRNA genes were present at 2.75-9.80×105 and 0.128-1.96×108 gene copies g-1 sediment. Based on the reaction rates and AOA abundance, we estimated the cell-specific nitrification rates were 0.41 to 0.79 fmol N archaeal cell-1 h-1, which are comparable to those observed in estuary environment. We suggest that AOA have the responsibility in nitrification in this hot spring, and these archaea rather than bacteria may be considered as a driver in nitrogen cycling in terrestrial hot ecosystems. Key words: ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA); nitrification; ammonia-oxidizing rate; hot spring;

  1. Effects of normal saline and selenium-enriched hot spring water on experimentally induced rhinosinusitis in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong-Hyun; Yeo, Sang Won

    2013-01-01

    This prospective, randomized, and controlled study examined the effects of normal saline and selenium-enriched hot spring water on experimentally induced rhinosinusitis in rats. The study comprised two control groups (untreated and saline-treated) and three experimental groups of Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental groups received an instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) only, LPS+normal saline (LPS/saline), or LPS+selenium-enriched hot spring water (LPS/selenium). Histopathological changes were identified using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Leakage of exudate was identified using fluorescence microscopy. Microvascular permeability was measured using the Evans blue dye technique. Expression of the Muc5ac gene was measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Mucosal edema and expression of the Muc5ac gene were significantly lower in the LPS/saline group than in the LPS group. Microvascular permeability, mucosal edema, and expression of the Muc5ac gene were significantly lower in the LPS/selenium group than in the LPS group. Mucosal edema was similar in the LPS/selenium group and LPS/saline group, but capillary permeability and Muc5ac expression were lower in the LPS/selenium group. This study shows that normal saline and selenium-enriched hot spring water reduce inflammatory activity and mucus hypersecretion in LPS-induced rhinosinusitis in rats. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Molecular diversity of thermophilic bacteria isolated from Pasinler hot spring (Erzurum, Turkey)

    OpenAIRE

    ADIGÜZEL, Ahmet; İNAN, Kadriye; ŞAHİN, Fikrettin; ARASOĞLU, Tulin; GÜLLÜCE, Medine

    2011-01-01

    The present study was conducted to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of thermophilic bacteria isolated from Pasinler hot spring, Erzurum, Turkey. Fatty acid profiles, BOX PCR fingerprints, and 16S rDNA sequence data were used for the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of thermophilic bacteria. Totally 9 different bacterial strains were selected based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. These strains were characterized by molecular tests includi...

  3. Stable isotope labeling confirms mixotrophic nature of streamer biofilm communities at alkaline hot springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florence eSchubotz

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Streamer biofilm communities (SBC are often observed within chemosynthetic zones of Yellowstone hot spring outflow channels, where temperatures exceed those conducive to photosynthesis. Nearest the hydrothermal source (75-88°C SBC comprise thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria, often mixed communities including Desulfurococcales and uncultured Crenarchaeota, as well as Aquificae, Thermus, each carrying diagnostic membrane lipid biomarkers. We tested the hypothesis that SBC can alternate their metabolism between autotrophy and heterotrophy depending on substrate availability. Feeding experiments were performed at two alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park: Octopus Spring and ‘Bison Pool’, using various 13C-labeled substrates (bicarbonate, formate, acetate and glucose to determine the relative uptake of these different carbon sources. Highest 13C uptake, at both sites, was from acetate into almost all bacterial fatty acids, particularly into methyl-branched C15, C17 and C19 fatty acids that are diagnostic for Thermus/Meiothermus and some Firmicutes as well as into universally common C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids. 13C-glucose showed a similar, but a 10 to 30 times lower uptake across most fatty acids. 13C bicarbonate uptake, signifying the presence of autotrophic communities was only significant at ‘Bison Pool’ and was observed predominantly in non-specific saturated C16, C18, C20 and C22 fatty acids. Incorporation of 13C-formate occurred only at very low rates at ‘Bison Pool’ and was almost undetectable at Octopus Spring, suggesting that formate is not an important carbon source for SBC. 13C uptake into archaeal lipids occurred predominantly with 13C acetate, suggesting also that archaeal communities at both springs have primarily heterotrophic carbon assimilation pathways. We hypothesize that these communities are energy-limited and predominantly nurtured by input of exogenous organic material, with only a small fraction being

  4. Controls on O2 Production in Cyanobacterial Mats and Implications for Earth's Oxygenation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dick, Gregory J.; Grim, Sharon L.; Klatt, Judith M.

    2018-05-01

    Cyanobacterial mats are widely assumed to have been globally significant hot spots of biogeochemistry and evolution during the Archean and Proterozoic, but little is known about their quantitative contributions to global primary productivity or Earth's oxygenation. Modern systems show that mat biogeochemistry is the outcome of concerted activities and intimate interactions between various microbial metabolisms. Emerging knowledge of the regulation of oxygenic and sulfide-driven anoxygenic photosynthesis by versatile cyanobacteria, and their interactions with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria, highlights how ecological and geochemical processes can control O2 production in cyanobacterial mats in unexpected ways. This review explores such biological controls on O2 production. We argue that the intertwined effects of light availability, redox geochemistry, regulation and competition of microbial metabolisms, and biogeochemical feedbacks result in emergent properties of cyanobacterial mat communities that are all critical yet largely overlooked mechanisms to potentially explain the protracted nature of Earth's oxygenation.

  5. Laser-fluorescence determination of trace uranium in hot spring water, geothermal water and tap water in Xi'an Lishan region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Wenyan; Zhou Chunlin; Han Feng; Di Yuming

    2002-01-01

    Using the Laser-Fluorescence technique, an investigation was made, adopting the standard mix method, on trace uranium concentrations in hot spring water and geothermal water from Lishan region, and in tap water from some major cities in Shanxi province. Totally 40 samples from 27 sites were investigated. Measurement showed that the tap water contains around 10 -6 g/L of uranium, whose concentrations in both hot spring water and geothermal water are 10 -5 g/L. Most of samples are at normal radioactive background level, some higher contents were determined in a few samples

  6. Thermal springs of Malaysia and their potentialdevelopment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahim Samsudin, Abdul; Hamzah, Umar; Rahman, Rakmi Ab.; Siwar, Chamhuri; Fauzi Mohd. Jani, Mohd; Othman, Redzuan

    The study on the potential development of hot springs for the tourism industry in Malaysiawas conducted. Out of the 40 hot springs covered, the study identified 9 hot springs having a high potential for development, 14 having medium potential and the remaining 17 having low or least potential for development. This conclusion was arrived at after considering the technical and economic feasibility of the various hot springs. Technical feasibility criteria includes geological factors, water quality, temperature and flow rate. The economic feasibility criteria considers measures such as accessibility, current and market potentials in terms of visitors, surrounding attractions and existing inventory and facilities available. A geological input indicates that high potential hot springs are located close to or within the granite body and associated with major permeable fault zones. They normally occur at low elevation adjacent to topographic highs. High potential hot springs are also characterised by high water temperature, substantial flowrate and very good water quality which is important for water-body contact activities such as soaking. Economic criteria for high potential hot springs are associated with good accessibility, good market, good surrounding attractions like rural and village setting and well developed facilities and infrastructures.

  7. Radiocarbon Ages and Environments of Deposition of the Wono and Trego Hot Springs Tephra Layers in the Pyramid Lake Subbasin, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, L.V.; Smoot, J.P.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Burdett, J.W.

    1997-01-01

    Uncalibrated radiocarbon data from core PLC92B taken from Wizards Cove in the Pyramid Lake subbasin indicate that the Trego Hot Springs and Wono tephra layers were deposited 23,200 ?? 300 and 27,300 ??300 14C yr B.P. (uncorrected for reservoir effect). Sedimentological data from sites in the Pyramid Lake and Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasins indicate that the Trego Hot Springs tephra layer was deposited during a relatively dry period when Pyramid Lake was at or below its spill point (1177 m) to the Winnemucca Lake subbasin. The Wono tephra layer was deposited when lake depth was controlled by spill across Emerson Pass sill (1207 m) to the Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasin. 18O data from core PLC92B also support the concept that the Trego Hot Springs tephra fell into a relatively shallow Pyramid Lake and that the Wono tephra fell into a deeper spilling lake. ?? 1997 University of Washington.

  8. Phylogenetic Analysis and Antimicrobial Profiles of Cultured Emerging Opportunistic Pathogens (Phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria) Identified in Hot Springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jardine, Jocelyn Leonie; Abia, Akebe Luther King; Mavumengwana, Vuyo; Ubomba-Jaswa, Eunice

    2017-09-15

    Hot spring water may harbour emerging waterborne opportunistic pathogens that can cause infections in humans. We have investigated the diversity and antimicrobial resistance of culturable emerging and opportunistic bacterial pathogens, in water and sediment of hot springs located in Limpopo, South Africa. Aerobic bacteria were cultured and identified using 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene sequencing. The presence of Legionella spp. was investigated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Isolates were tested for resistance to ten antibiotics representing six different classes: β-lactam (carbenicillin), aminoglycosides (gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin), tetracycline, amphenicols (chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone), sulphonamides (co-trimoxazole) and quinolones (nalidixic acid, norfloxacin). Gram-positive Kocuria sp. and Arthrobacter sp. and gram-negative Cupriavidus sp., Ralstonia sp., Cronobacter sp., Tepidimonas sp., Hafnia sp. and Sphingomonas sp. were isolated, all recognised as emerging food-borne pathogens. Legionella spp. was not detected throughout the study. Isolates of Kocuria , Arthrobacter and Hafnia and an unknown species of the class Gammaproteobacteria were resistant to two antibiotics in different combinations of carbenicillin, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid and chloramphenicol. Cronobacter sp. was sensitive to all ten antibiotics. This study suggests that hot springs are potential reservoirs for emerging opportunistic pathogens, including multiple antibiotic resistant strains, and highlights the presence of unknown populations of emerging and potential waterborne opportunistic pathogens in the environment.

  9. Microbial diversity of acidic hot spring (kawah hujan B) in geothermal field of kamojang area, west java-indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aditiawati, Pingkan; Yohandini, Heni; Madayanti, Fida; Akhmaloka

    2009-01-01

    Microbial communities in an acidic hot spring, namely Kawah Hujan B, at Kamojang geothermal field, West Java-Indonesia was examined using culture dependent and culture independent strategies. Chemical analysis of the hot spring water showed a characteristic of acidic-sulfate geothermal activity that contained high sulfate concentrations and low pH values (pH 1.8 to 1.9). Microbial community present in the spring was characterized by 16S rRNA gene combined with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. The majority of the sequences recovered from culture-independent method were closely related to Crenarchaeota and Proteobacteria phyla. However, detail comparison among the member of Crenarchaeota showing some sequences variation compared to that the published data especially on the hypervariable and variable regions. In addition, the sequences did not belong to certain genus. Meanwhile, the 16S Rdna sequences from culture-dependent samples revealed mostly close to Firmicute and gamma Proteobacteria.

  10. Thermal algae in certain radioactive springs in Japan, (3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mifune, Masaaki; Hirose, Hiroyuki.

    1982-01-01

    Shikano Hot Springs are located at five km to the south of Hamamura Station on the Sanin Line in Tottori Prefecture. The water temperature and the pH of the springs are 40.2 - 61.2 0 C, and 7.5 - 7.8, respectively. They belong to simple thermals. Hamamura Hot Springs are located in the neighbourhood of Hamamura Station. The highest radon content of the hot springs is 175.1 x 10 -10 Ci/l, and the great part of the springs belong to radioactive ones. From the viewpoint of the major ionic constituents, they are also classified under weak salt springs, sulfated salt springs, and simple thermals. Regarding the habitates of the algal flora, the water temperature and the pH of the springs are 28.0 - 68.0 0 C, and 6.8 - 7.4, respectively. The thermal algae found by Ikoma and Doi at Hamamura Hot Springs were two species of Cyanophyceae. By the authors, nine species and one variety of Cyanophyceae including Ikoma and Doi's two species were newly found at Shikano and Hamamura Hot Springs. Chlorophyceous alga was not found. The dominant thermal algae of these hot springs were Mastigocladus laminosus, and the other algae which mainly consist of Oscillatoriaceous algae. From these points, it seems that the thermal algae of Shikano and Hamamura Hot Springs belong to the normal type of thermal algae, and they are different from the thermal algae of Ikeda Mineral Springs and Masutomi Hot Springs which belong to strongly radioactive springs. (author)

  11. Hot spring deposits on a cliff face: A case study from Jifei, Yunnan Province, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Brian; Peng, Xiaotong

    2014-04-01

    A cliff face in the Jifei karst area, southwest China, is covered by a spectacular succession of precipitates that formed from the hot spring water that once flowed down its surface. This layered succession is formed of aragonite layers that are formed largely of “fountain dendrites”, calcite layers that are formed mostly of “cone dendrites”, and microlaminated layers that contain numerous microbes and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Many of the aragonite crystals are hollow due to preferential dissolution of their cores. The calcite cone dendrites are commonly covered with biofilms, reticulate Si-Mg coatings, and other precipitates. The microbial layers include dodecahedral calcite crystals and accessory minerals that include opal-A, amorphous Si-Mg coatings, trona, barite, potassium sulfate crystals, mirabillite, and gaylussite. Interpretation of the δ18O(calcite) and δ18O(aragonite) indicates precipitation from water with a temperature of 54 to 66 °C. The active hot spring at the top of the cliff presently ejects water at a temperature of 65 °C. Layers, 1 mm to 6 cm thick, record temporal changes in the fluids from which the precipitates formed. This succession is not, however, formed of recurring cycles that can be linked to diurnal or seasonal changes in the local climate. Indeed, it appears that the climatic contrast between the wet season and the dry season had little impact on precipitation from the spring waters that flowed down the cliff face. Integration of currently available evidence suggests that the primary driving force was aperiodic changes in the CO2 content of the spring waters because that seems to be the prime control on the saturation levels that underpinned precipitation of the calcite and aragonite as well as the dissolution of the aragonite. Such variations in the CO2 content of the spring water were probably due to changes that took place in the subterranean plumbing system of the spring.

  12. Nitrification of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in a high- temperature hot spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shun; Peng, Xiaotong; Xu, Hengchao; Ta, Kaiwen

    2016-04-01

    The oxidation of ammonia by microbes has been shown to occur in diverse natural environments. However, the link of in situ nitrification activity to taxonomic identities of ammonia oxidizers in high-temperature environments remains poorly understood. Here, we studied in situ ammonia oxidation rates and the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea (AOA) in surface and bottom sediments at 77 °C in the Gongxiaoshe hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan, China. The in situ ammonia oxidation rates measured by the 15N-NO3- pool dilution technique in the surface and bottom sediments were 4.80 and 5.30 nmol N g-1 h-1, respectively. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) indicated that the archaeal 16S rRNA genes and amoA genes were present in the range of 0.128 to 1.96 × 108 and 2.75 to 9.80 × 105 gene copies g-1 sediment, respectively, while bacterial amoA was not detected. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed high sequence similarity to thermophilic Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii, which represented the most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTU) in both surface and bottom sediments. The archaeal predominance was further supported by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) visualization. The cell-specific rate of ammonia oxidation was estimated to range from 0.410 to 0.790 fmol N archaeal cell-1 h-1, higher than those in the two US Great Basin hot springs. These results suggest the importance of archaeal rather than bacterial ammonia oxidation in driving the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial geothermal environments.

  13. Contribution of 222Rn-bearing water to indoor radon and indoor air quality assessment in hot spring hotels of Guangdong, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Gang; Wang Xinming; Chen Diyun; Chen Yongheng

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the contribution of radon ( 222 Rn)-bearing water to indoor 222 Rn in thermal baths. The 222 Rn concentrations in air were monitored in the bathroom and the bedroom. Particulate matter (PM, both PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) were also monitored with portable analyzers. The bathrooms were supplied with hot spring water containing 66-260 kBq m -3 of 222 Rn. The results show that the spray of hot spring water from the bath spouts is the dominant mechanism by which 222 Rn is released into the air of the bathroom, and then it diffuses into the bedroom. Average 222 Rn level was 110-410% higher in the bedrooms and 510-1200% higher in the bathrooms compared to the corresponding average levels when there was no use of hot spring water. The indoor 222 Rn levels were influenced by the 222 Rn concentrations in the hot spring water and the bathing times. The average 222 Rn transfer coefficients from water to air were 6.2 x 10 -4 -4.1 x 10 -3 . The 24-h average levels of CO 2 and PM 10 in the hotel rooms were 89% and 22% higher than the present Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) standard of China. The main particle pollutant in the hotel rooms was PM 2.5 . Radon and PM 10 levels in some hotel rooms were at much higher concentrations than guideline levels, and thus the potential health risks to tourists and especially to the hotel workers should be of great concern, and measures should be taken to lower inhalation exposure to these air pollutants. - Highlights: → 222 Rn-bearing water is the main contributor to indoor radon in hot spring hotel. → The PM 2.5 and CO 2 are also the main indoor pollutants in the hotel rooms. → Higher radon and PM levels might have significant negative health effects to human. → The radon transfer coefficients are consistent with the published data.

  14. Microbial Diversity, Distribution and Insight into Their Role in S, Fe and N Biogeochemical Cycling in the Hot Springs at Tengchong Geothermal Fields, Southwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, J.; Peng, X.; Zhang, L.

    2014-12-01

    Ten sediment samples collected from one acidic and three alkaline high temperature hot springs at Tengchong terrestrial geothermal field, Southwest China, were examined by the mineralogical, geochemical, and molecular biological techniques. The mineralogical and geochemical analyses suggested that these hot springs contain relative high concentrations of S, Fe and N chemical species. Specifically, the acidic hot spring was rich in Fe2+, SO42- and NH4+, while the alkaline hot springs were high in NO3-, H2S and S2O3-. Analyses of 16S rRNA sequences showed their bacterial communities were dominated by Aquificae, Cyanobacteria, Deinococci-Thermus, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Thermodesulfobacteria, while the archeal clone libraries were dominated by Desulfurococcales, Sulfolobales, and Thermoproteales. Among them, the potential S-, N- and Fe-related oxidizing and reducing prokaryote were presenting as a relative high proportion but with a great difference in diversity and metabolic approaches of each sample. These findings provide some significant implications for the microbial function in element biogeochemical cycles within the Tengchong geothermal environments: i). the distinct differences in abundance and diversity of microbial communities of geothermal sediments were related to in situ different physicochemical conditions; ii). the S-, N- and Fe-related prokaryote would take advantage of the strong chemical disequilibria in the hot springs; iii). in return, their metabolic activities can promote the transformation of S, Fe and N chemical species, thus founded the bases of biogeochemical cycles in the terrestrial geothermal environments.

  15. The distribution and abundance of archaeal tetraether lipids in U.S. Great Basin hot springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julienne J. eParaiso

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (iGDGTs are core membrane lipids of many archaea that enhance the integrity of cytoplasmic membranes in extreme environments. We examined the iGDGT profiles and corresponding aqueous geochemistry in 40 hot spring sediment and microbial mat samples from the U.S. Great Basin with temperatures ranging from 31 to 95°C and pH ranging from 6.8 to 10.7. The absolute abundance of iGDGTs correlated negatively with pH and positively with temperature. High lipid concentrations, distinct lipid profiles, and a strong relationship between polar and core lipids in hot spring samples suggested in situ production of most iGDGTs rather than contamination from local soils. Two-way cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS of polar iGDGTs indicated that the relative abundance of individual lipids was most strongly related to temperature (r2 = 0.546, with moderate correlations with pH (r2 = 0.359, nitrite (r2 = 0.286, oxygen (r2 = 0.259, and nitrate (r2 = 0.215. Relative abundance profiles of individual polar iGDGTs indicated potential temperature optima for iGDGT-0 (≤70°C, iGDGT-3 (≥55°C, and iGDGT -4 (≥60°C. These relationships likely reflect both physiological adaptations and community-level population shifts in response to temperature differences, such as a shift from cooler samples with more abundant methanogens to higher-temperature samples with more abundant Crenarchaeota. Crenarchaeol was widely distributed across the temperature gradient, which is consistent with other reports of abundant crenarchaeol in Great Basin hot springs and suggests a wide distribution for thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA.

  16. An Origin of Life in Cycling Hot Spring Pools: Emerging Evidence from Chemistry, Geology and Computational Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deamer, D. W.; Damer, B. F.; Van Kranendonk, M. J.; Djokic, T.

    2017-07-01

    New evidence for an origin of life in a hot spring setting on land is supported by three studies: chemical (polymerization in wet-dry cycles), geological (stromatolites in a 3.48 Ga geothermal field) and computational (verifying the kinetic trap).

  17. Xylanases of thermophilic bacteria from Icelandic hot springs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pertulla, M; Raettoe, M; Viikari, L [VTT, Biotechnical Lab., Espoo (Finland); Kondradsdottir, M [Dept. of Biotechnology, Technological Inst. of Iceland, Reykjavik (Iceland); Kristjansson, J K [Dept. of Biotechnology, Technological Inst. of Iceland, Reykjavik (Iceland) Inst. of Biotechnology, Iceland Univ., Reykjavik (Iceland)

    1993-02-01

    Thermophilic, aerobic bacteria isolated from Icelandic hot springs were screened for xylanase activity. Of 97 strains tested, 14 were found to be xylanase positive. Xylanase activities up to 12 nkat/ml were produced by these strains in shake flasks on xylan medium. The xylanases of the two strains producing the highest activities (ITI 36 and ITI 283) were similar with respect to temperature and pH optima (80deg C and pH 8.0). Xylanase production of strain ITI 36 was found to be induced by xylan and xylose. Xylanase activity of 24 nkat/ml was obtained with this strain in a laboratory-scale-fermentor cultivation on xylose medium. [beta]-Xylosidase activity was also detected in the culture filtrate. The thermal half-life of ITI 36 xylanase was 24 h at 70deg C. The highest production of sugars from hydrolysis of beech xylan was obtained at 70deg C, although xylan depolymerization was detected even up to 90deg C. (orig.).

  18. Diversity of Cultured Thermophilic Anaerobes in Hot Springs of Yunnan Province, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, L.; Lu, Y.; Dong, X.; Liu, X.; Wei, Y.; Ji, X.; Zhang, C.

    2010-12-01

    Thermophilic anaerobes including Archaea and Bacteria refer to those growing optimally at temperatures above 50°C and do not use oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor for growth. Study on thermophilic anaerobes will help to understand how life thrives under extreme conditions. Meanwhile thermophilic anaerobes are of importance in potential application and development of thermophilic biotechnology. We have surveyed culturable thermophilic anaerobes in hot springs (pH6.5-7.5; 70 - 94°C) in Rehai of Tengchong, Bangnazhang of Longlin, Eryuan of Dali,Yunnan, China. 50 strains in total were cultured from the hot springs water using Hungate anaerobic technique, and 30 strains were selected based on phenotypic diversity for analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 28 strains belonged to the members of five genera: Caldanaerobacter, Calaramator, Thermoanaerobacter, Dictyoglomus and Fervidobacterium, which formed five branches on the phylogenetic tree. Besides, 2 strains of methanogenic archaea were obtained. The majority of the isolates were the known species, however, seven strains were identified as novel species affiliated to the five genera based on the lower 16S rDNA sequence similarities (less than 93 - 97%) with the described species. This work would provide the future study on their diversity, distribution among different regions and the potential application of thermophilic enzyme. Supported by State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences(SKLMR-080605)and the Foundation of State Natural Science (30660009, 30960022, 31081220175).

  19. Close Link Between Harmful Cyanobacterial Dominance and Associated Bacterioplankton in a Tropical Eutrophic Reservoir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iame A. Guedes

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Cyanobacteria tend to become the dominant phytoplankton component in eutrophic freshwater environments during warmer seasons. However, general observations of cyanobacterial adaptive advantages in these circumstances are insufficient to explain the prevalence of one species over another in a bloom period, which may be related to particular strategies and interactions with other components of the plankton community. In this study, we present an integrative view of a mixed cyanobacterial bloom occurring during a warm, rainy period in a tropical hydropower reservoir. We used high-throughput sequencing to follow temporal shifts in the dominance of cyanobacterial genera and shifts in the associated heterotrophic bacteria community. The bloom occurred during late spring-summer and included two distinct periods. The first period corresponded to Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC dominance with a contribution from Dolichospermum circinale; this pattern coincided with high water retention time and low transparency. The second period corresponded to Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Synechococcus spp. dominance, and the reservoir presented lower water retention time and higher water transparency. The major bacterial phyla were primarily Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes. Temporal shifts in the dominance of cyanobacterial genera were not only associated with physical features of the water but also with shifts in the associated heterotrophic bacteria. The MAC bloom was associated with a high abundance of Bacteroidetes, particularly Cytophagales. In the second bloom period, Planctomycetes increased in relative abundance, five Planctomycetes OTUs were positively correlated with Synechococcus or C. raciborskii OTUs. Our results suggest specific interactions of the main cyanobacterial genera with certain groups of the heterotrophic bacterial community. Thus, considering biotic

  20. Near-infrared detection of ammonium minerals at Ivanhoe Hot Springs, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krohn, M. D.

    1986-01-01

    Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data were collected over the fossil hot spring deposit at Ivanhoe, Nevada in order to determine the surface distribution of NH4-bearing minerals. Laboratory studies show that NH4-bearing minerals have characteristic absorption features in the near-infrared (NIR). Ammonium-bearing feldspars and alunites were observed at the surface of Ivanhoe using a hand-held radiometer. However, first look analysis of the AIS images showed that the line was about 500 m east of its intended mark, and the vegetation cover was sufficiently dense to inhibit preliminary attempts at making relative reflectance images for detection of ammonium minerals.

  1. In situ ecophysiology of Aigarchaeota from an oxic, hot-spring filamentous 'streamer' community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beam, J.; Jay, Z.; Tringe, S. G.; Glavina del Rio, T.; Rusch, D.; Schmid, M.; Wagner, M.; Inskeep, W.

    2014-12-01

    The candidate phylum Aigarchaeota contains thermophilic archaea from terrestrial, subsurface, and marine geothermal ecosystems. The phylogeny and metabolic potential of Aigarchaeota has been deduced from several recent single-cell amplified genomes; however, an accurate description of their metabolism, potential ecological interactions, and role in biogeochemical cycling is lacking. Here we report possible ecological interactions and the in situ metabolism of an uncultivated lineage of Aigarchaeota from an oxic, terrestrial hot-spring filamentous 'streamer' community (Octopus Spring, pH = 8; T = 78 - 84 °C, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was combined with detailed genomic and transcriptomic reconstruction to elucidate the ecophysiological role of Aigarchaeota in these streamer communities. This novel population of Aigarchaeota are filamentous (~500 nm diameter by ~10-30 μm length), which is consistent with the morphology predicted by the presence and transcription of a single actin-encoding gene. Aigarchaeota filaments are intricately associated with other community members, which include both thermophilic bacteria and archaea. Metabolic reconstruction suggests that this aigarchaeon is an aerobic, chemoorganotroph. A single heme copper oxidase complex was identified in de novo genome assemblies, and was highly transcribed in environmental samples. Potential electron donors include acetate, fatty acids, sugars, peptides, and aromatic compounds. Transcripts related to genes specific to each of these potential electron donors were identified, indicating that this population of Aigarchaeota likely utilizes a broad range of reduced carbon substrates. Potential electron donors for this population may include extracellular polymeric substances produced by other microorganisms in close proximity. Flagellum genes were also highly transcribed, which suggests a potential mechanism for motility and/or cell-cell attachment

  2. Geochemistry of hydrothermal alteration at the Roosevelt Hot Springs thermal area, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parry, W T; Ballantyne, J M; Bryant, N L; Dedolph, R E

    1980-01-01

    Hot spring deposits in the Roosevelt thermal area consist of opaline sinter and sinter-cemented alluvium. Alluvium, plutonic rocks, and amphibolite-facies gneiss have been altered by acid-sulfate water to alunite and opal at the surface, and alunite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and muscovite to a depth of 70 m. Marcasite, pyrite, chlorite, and calcite occur below the water table at about 30 m. The thermal water is dilute (ionic strength 0.1 to 0.2) sodium-chloride brine. The spring water now contains 10 times as much Ca, 100 times as much Mg, and up to 2.5 times as much SO/sub 4/ as the deep water. Although the present day spring temperature is 25/sup 0/C, the temperature was 85/sup 0/C in 1950. A model for development of the observed alteration is supported by observation and irreversible mass transfer calculations. Hydrothermal fluid convectively rises along major fractures. Water cools by conduction and steam separation, and the pH rises due to carbon dioxide escape. At the surface, hydrogen and sulfate ions are produced by oxidation of H/sub 2/S. The low pH water percolates downward and reacts with feldspar in the rocks to produce alunite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and muscovite as hydrogen ion is consumed. 4 figures, 4 tables.

  3. Chemistry of Hot Spring Pool Waters in Calamba and Los Banos and Potential Effect on the Water Quality of Laguna De Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balangue, M. I. R. D.; Pena, M. A. Z.; Siringan, F. P.; Jago-on, K. A. B.; Lloren, R. B.; Taniguchi, M.

    2014-12-01

    Since the Spanish Period (1600s), natural hot spring waters have been harnessed for balneological purposes in the municipalities of Calamba and Los Banos, Laguna, south of Metro Manila. There are at more than a hundred hot spring resorts in Brgy. Pansol, Calamba and Tadlac, Los Banos. These two areas are found at the northern flanks of Mt. Makiling facing Laguna de Bay. This study aims to provide some insights on the physical and chemical characteristics of hot spring resorts and the possible impact on the lake water quality resulting from the disposal of used water. Initial ocular survey of the resorts showed that temperature of the pool water ranges from ambient (>300C) to as high as 500C with an average pool size of 80m3. Water samples were collected from a natural hot spring and pumped well in Los Banos and another pumped well in Pansol to determine the chemistry. The field pH ranges from 6.65 to 6.87 (Pansol springs). Cation analysis revealed that the thermal waters belonged to the Na-K-Cl-HCO3 type with some trace amount of heavy metals. Methods for waste water disposal are either by direct discharge down the drain of the pool or by discharge in the public road canal. Both methods will dump the waste water directly into Laguna de Bay. Taking in consideration the large volume of waste water used especially during the peak season, the effect on the lake water quality would be significant. It is therefore imperative for the environmental authorities in Laguna to regulate and monitor the chemistry of discharges from the pool to protect both the lake water as well as groundwater quality.

  4. Determination of arsenic and bromine in hot spring waters by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikawada, Y.; Kawai, S.; Oi, T.

    2004-01-01

    Concentrations of arsenic and bromine dissolved in hot spring waters have been determined by neutron activation analysis using 0.5 cm 3 of sample waters without any chemical pretreatment. The samples prepared for neutron irradiation were simply pieces of filter papers which were infiltrated with samples. With the results of satisfactorily high accuracy and precision, this analytical method was found to be very convenient for the determinations of arsenic and bromine dissolved in water at ppm to sub-ppm levels. (author)

  5. Geofluids Assessment of the Ayub and Shafa Hot Springs in Kopet-Dagh Zone (NE Iran: An Isotopic Geochemistry Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossein Mohammadzadeh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Geothermal energy has a wide range of uses in our life. It is very important to characterize the temperature and the depth of geothermal reservoirs. The aim of this paper is the determination of type, origin source of water temperature, and depth of water circulation in the Ayub-Peighambar and Shafa (AP and SH hot springs, located in NE Iran, using hydrogeochemistry and environmental isotopes (2H and 18O. AP hot spring has elevated temperature (36–40°C and as such is very important for balneotherapy and geotourism industry purposes. The average values of δ18O and δ2H for this hot spring (−10‰ and −73‰, resp. are analogous to that of geothermal and meteoric waters. This indicates that the heat source cannot be related to volcanic activities (with average δ18O value of about 5‰ and it is most probably associated with geothermal gradient with deep circulation of groundwater through faults. Based on Na-K geothermometers coupled with isotopic (18O and 2H geochemistry the temperature of the AP geothermal reservoir was estimated to be in the range of 100–150°C with 3–5 and 4.2 kilometres’ depth, respectively. Chemically, the AP samples are CaSO4 facies with a chemically homogeneous source and steam heated waters type.

  6. Distribution of sequence-based types of legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strains isolated from cooling towers, hot springs, and potable water systems in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Tian; Zhou, Haijian; Ren, Hongyu; Guan, Hong; Li, Machao; Zhu, Bingqing; Shao, Zhujun

    2014-04-01

    Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 causes Legionnaires' disease. Water systems contaminated with Legionella are the implicated sources of Legionnaires' disease. This study analyzed L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains in China using sequence-based typing. Strains were isolated from cooling towers (n = 96), hot springs (n = 42), and potable water systems (n = 26). Isolates from cooling towers, hot springs, and potable water systems were divided into 25 sequence types (STs; index of discrimination [IOD], 0.711), 19 STs (IOD, 0.934), and 3 STs (IOD, 0.151), respectively. The genetic variation among the potable water isolates was lower than that among cooling tower and hot spring isolates. ST1 was the predominant type, accounting for 49.4% of analyzed strains (n = 81), followed by ST154. With the exception of two strains, all potable water isolates (92.3%) belonged to ST1. In contrast, 53.1% (51/96) and only 14.3% (6/42) of cooling tower and hot spring, respectively, isolates belonged to ST1. There were differences in the distributions of clone groups among the water sources. The comparisons among L. pneumophila strains isolated in China, Japan, and South Korea revealed that similar clones (ST1 complex and ST154 complex) exist in these countries. In conclusion, in China, STs had several unique allelic profiles, and ST1 was the most prevalent sequence type of environmental L. pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates, similar to its prevalence in Japan and South Korea.

  7. 16S RRNA Gene Analysis of Chlorate Reducing Thermophilic Bacteria From Local Hot Spring

    OpenAIRE

    Aminin, Agustina L. N; Katulistiwasari, Puri; Mulyani, Nies Suci

    2011-01-01

    Chlorates waste remediation by biological processes has been the object of current research. Strain CR, the chlorate reducing bacteria was isolated from Gedongsongo hot spring using minimal medium broth containing chlorates and acetate at 55oC. The determination of chlorate reduction from medium was carried out using turbidimetric method. CR isolate showed reducing ability 18% after four days of incubation. The phenotypic character of CR isolate including rod-shaped cells, gram-positive bacte...

  8. Hot spring therapy of atomic bomb exposed patients, (9)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hatta, O [Balneogic Sanatorium for the Atomic Bomb Injured Beppu, Oita (Japan); Tsuji, H

    1978-03-01

    The following description shows the statistics and the results of medical examinatin concerning the patients utilized Beppu Atomic Bomb Center from April, 1977, to March, 1978. Number of persons utilized the center was 3904, and 20285 man-days in total. Number of case treated there was 268. Number of diseases amounted to 442 of 66 sorts, excluding temporary of acute diseases such as acute entergastritis and cold diseases, etc. According to the report by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, atomic bomb-exposed persons show twice as much rate of incidence as normal persons, and owing to aging, many of them have more than two kinds of diseases. Among the diseases, 60 cases were hypertension, 32 heart disease, 30 knee-arthritis, 26 diabetes, 25 hepatitis, 23 spondylosis deformans, etc. Among 268 cases treated by hot spring therapy, 6 were totally cured, and 252 showed alleviation, while 10 showed no change.

  9. Thermoanaerobacter mathranii sp. nov., an ethanol-producing, extremely thermophilic anaerobic bacterium from a hot spring in Iceland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, L.; Nielsen, P.; Ahring, B.K.

    1997-01-01

    The extremely thermophilic ethanol-producing strain A3 was isolated from a hot spring in Iceland, The cells were rod-shaped, motile, and had terminal spores: cells from the mid-to-late exponential growth phase stained gram-variable but had a gram-positive cell wall structure when viewed...

  10. Contribution of (222)Rn-bearing water to indoor radon and indoor air quality assessment in hot spring hotels of Guangdong, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Gang; Wang, Xinming; Chen, Diyun; Chen, Yongheng

    2011-04-01

    This study investigates the contribution of radon ((222)Rn)-bearing water to indoor (222)Rn in thermal baths. The (222)Rn concentrations in air were monitored in the bathroom and the bedroom. Particulate matter (PM, both PM(10) and PM(2.5)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) were also monitored with portable analyzers. The bathrooms were supplied with hot spring water containing 66-260 kBq m(-3) of (222)Rn. The results show that the spray of hot spring water from the bath spouts is the dominant mechanism by which (222)Rn is released into the air of the bathroom, and then it diffuses into the bedroom. Average (222)Rn level was 110-410% higher in the bedrooms and 510-1200% higher in the bathrooms compared to the corresponding average levels when there was no use of hot spring water. The indoor (222)Rn levels were influenced by the (222)Rn concentrations in the hot spring water and the bathing times. The average (222)Rn transfer coefficients from water to air were 6.2 × 10(-4)-4.1 × 10(-3). The 24-h average levels of CO(2) and PM(10) in the hotel rooms were 89% and 22% higher than the present Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) standard of China. The main particle pollutant in the hotel rooms was PM(2.5). Radon and PM(10) levels in some hotel rooms were at much higher concentrations than guideline levels, and thus the potential health risks to tourists and especially to the hotel workers should be of great concern, and measures should be taken to lower inhalation exposure to these air pollutants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. [Abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaeal accA and amoA genes in response to NO2 - and NO3 - of hot springs in Yunnan province].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhaoqi; Wang, Li; Zhou, Enmin; Wang, Fengping; Xiao, Xiang; Zhang, Chuanlun; Li, Wenjun

    2014-12-04

    Yunnan hot springs have highly diverseammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), which are autotrophic and can fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/ 4-hydroxybutyrate (HP/HD) pathway. In this study, we investigated the abundances of prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene and archaeal accA and amoA genes in the sediments of hot springs of Yunnan Province, and analysed the correlations between the above gene abundances and environmental factors. We selected the sediments of twenty representative hot springs, and detected the gene abundances by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The principal component analysis (PCA) and the Mantel test in the R software package were performed for the correlations of gene abundance and environmental variables. The bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene abundances were from 6.6 x 10(7) to 4.19 x 10(11) and from 1.27 x 10(6) to 1.51 x 10(11) copies/g sediment, respectively; Archaeal accA and amoA genes were from 8.89 x 10(3) to 6.49 x 10(5) and from 7.64 x 10(3) to 4.36 x 10(5) copies/g sediment, respectively. The results of mantel test showed that accA gene was significantly (R = 0.98, P < 0.001) correlated with amoA gene; Both of them also were correlated significantly with NO2- and NO3 -, but not with pH. The abundances of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes and the ratio between them varied significantly among Yunnan hot springs. The archaealaccA and amoA genes showed significant correlation with each other, validating our previous finding that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.

  12. Contribution of {sup 222}Rn-bearing water to indoor radon and indoor air quality assessment in hot spring hotels of Guangdong, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song Gang, E-mail: songg2005@126.co [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wang Xinming [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Chen Diyun; Chen Yongheng [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

    2011-04-15

    This study investigates the contribution of radon ({sup 222}Rn)-bearing water to indoor {sup 222}Rn in thermal baths. The {sup 222}Rn concentrations in air were monitored in the bathroom and the bedroom. Particulate matter (PM, both PM{sub 10} and PM{sub 2.5}) and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) were also monitored with portable analyzers. The bathrooms were supplied with hot spring water containing 66-260 kBq m{sup -3} of {sup 222}Rn. The results show that the spray of hot spring water from the bath spouts is the dominant mechanism by which {sup 222}Rn is released into the air of the bathroom, and then it diffuses into the bedroom. Average {sup 222}Rn level was 110-410% higher in the bedrooms and 510-1200% higher in the bathrooms compared to the corresponding average levels when there was no use of hot spring water. The indoor {sup 222}Rn levels were influenced by the {sup 222}Rn concentrations in the hot spring water and the bathing times. The average {sup 222}Rn transfer coefficients from water to air were 6.2 x 10{sup -4}-4.1 x 10{sup -3}. The 24-h average levels of CO{sub 2} and PM{sub 10} in the hotel rooms were 89% and 22% higher than the present Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) standard of China. The main particle pollutant in the hotel rooms was PM{sub 2.5}. Radon and PM{sub 10} levels in some hotel rooms were at much higher concentrations than guideline levels, and thus the potential health risks to tourists and especially to the hotel workers should be of great concern, and measures should be taken to lower inhalation exposure to these air pollutants. - Highlights: {yields} {sup 222}Rn-bearing water is the main contributor to indoor radon in hot spring hotel. {yields} The PM{sub 2.5} and CO{sub 2} are also the main indoor pollutants in the hotel rooms. {yields} Higher radon and PM levels might have significant negative health effects to human. {yields} The radon transfer coefficients are consistent with the published data.

  13. Archaeal and bacterial diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from a geothermal region in Romania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coman, Cristian; Drugă, Bogdan; Hegedus, Adriana; Sicora, Cosmin; Dragoş, Nicolae

    2013-05-01

    The diversity of archaea and bacteria was investigated in two slightly alkaline, mesophilic hot springs from the Western Plain of Romania. Phylogenetic analysis showed a low diversity of Archaea, only three Euryarchaeota taxa being detected: Methanomethylovorans thermophila, Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis and Methanococcus aeolicus. Twelve major bacterial groups were identified, both springs being dominated by Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria. While at the phylum/class-level the microbial mats share a similar biodiversity; at the species level the geothermal springs investigated seem to be colonized by specific consortia. The dominant taxa were filamentous heterocyst-containing Fischerella, at 45 °C and non-heterocyst Leptolyngbya and Geitlerinema, at 55 °C. Other bacterial taxa (Thauera sp., Methyloversatilis universalis, Pannonibacter phragmitetus, Polymorphum gilvum, Metallibacterium sp. and Spartobacteria) were observed for the first time in association with a geothermal habitat. Based on their bacterial diversity the two mats were clustered together with other similar habitats from Europe and part of Asia, most likely the water temperature playing a major role in the formation of specific microbial communities that colonize the investigated thermal springs.

  14. Geological, geochemical, and geophysical survey of the geothermal resources at Hot Springs Bay Valley, Akutan Island, Alaska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Motyka, R.J.; Wescott, E.M.; Turner, D.L.; Swanson, S.E.; Romick, J.D.; Moorman, M.A.; Poreda, R.J.; Witte, W.; Petzinger, B.; Allely, R.D.

    1985-01-01

    An extensive survey was conducted of the geothermal resource potential of Hot Springs Bay Valley on Akutan Island. A topographic base map was constructed, geologic mapping, geophysical and geochemical surveys were conducted, and the thermal waters and fumarolic gases were analyzed for major and minor element species and stable isotope composition. (ACR)

  15. Geochemical and physical drivers of microbial community structure in hot spring ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havig, J. R.; Hamilton, T. L.; Boyd, E. S.; Meyer-Dombard, D. R.; Shock, E.

    2012-12-01

    Microbial communities in natural systems are typically characterized using samples collected from a single time point, thereby neglecting the temporal dynamics that characterize natural systems. The composition of these communities obtained from single point samples is then related to the geochemistry and physical parameters of the environment. Since most microbial life is adapted to a relatively narrow ecological niche (multiplicity of physical and chemical parameters that characterize a local habitat), these assessments provide only modest insight into the controls on community composition. Temporal variation in temperature or geochemical composition would be expected to add another dimension to the complexity of niche space available to support microbial diversity, with systems that experience greater variation supporting a greater biodiversity until a point where the variability is too extreme. . Hot springs often exhibit significant temporal variation, both in physical as well as chemical characteristics. This is a result of subsurface processes including boiling, phase separation, and differential mixing of liquid and vapor phase constituents. These characteristics of geothermal systems, which vary significantly over short periods of time, provide ideal natural laboratories for investigating how i) the extent of microbial community biodiversity and ii) the composition of those communities are shaped by temporal fluctuations in geochemistry. Geochemical and molecular samples were collected from 17 temporally variable hot springs across Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Temperature measurements using data-logging thermocouples, allowing accurate determination of temperature maximums, minimums, and ranges for each collection site, were collected in parallel, along with multiple geochemical characterizations as conditions varied. There were significant variations in temperature maxima (54.5 to 90.5°C), minima (12.5 to 82.5°C), and range (3.5 to 77.5°C) for

  16. Metagenomics of Kamchatkan hot spring filaments reveal two new major (hyper)thermophilic lineages related to Thaumarchaeota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eme, Laura; Reigstad, Laila J; Spang, Anja; Lanzén, Anders; Weinmaier, Thomas; Rattei, Thomas; Schleper, Christa; Brochier-Armanet, Céline

    2013-06-01

    Based on phylogenetic analyses and gene distribution patterns of a few complete genomes, a new distinct phylum within the Archaea, the Thaumarchaeota, has recently been proposed. Here we present analyses of six archaeal fosmid sequences derived from a microbial hot spring community in Kamchatka. The phylogenetic analysis of informational components (ribosomal RNAs and proteins) reveals two major (hyper-)thermophilic clades ("Hot Thaumarchaeota-related Clade" 1 and 2, HTC1 and HTC2) related to Thaumarchaeota, representing either deep branches of this phylum or a new archaeal phylum and provides information regarding the ancient evolution of Archaea and their evolutionary links with Eukaryotes. Copyright © 2013 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Genome Sequence of Anoxybacillus flavithermus Strain AK1, a Thermophile Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia

    KAUST Repository

    Khalil, Amjad

    2015-06-04

    Anoxybacillus flavithermus strain AK1 was isolated from Al-Ain Alhara, a thermal hot spring located 50 km southeast of the city of Gazan, Saudi Arabia (16°56ʹN, 43°15ʹE). The sequenced and annotated genome is 2,630,664 bp and encodes 2,799 genes.

  18. Genome Sequence of Anoxybacillus flavithermus Strain AK1, a Thermophile Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia

    KAUST Repository

    Khalil, Amjad; Neelamegam, Sivakumar; Alqarawi, Sami

    2015-01-01

    Anoxybacillus flavithermus strain AK1 was isolated from Al-Ain Alhara, a thermal hot spring located 50 km southeast of the city of Gazan, Saudi Arabia (16°56ʹN, 43°15ʹE). The sequenced and annotated genome is 2,630,664 bp and encodes 2,799 genes.

  19. A radioecological survey of eatable organisms for natural radionuclides in hot spring water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, H.; Huang, X.; Song, H.; Li, J.; Zhang, J.

    1993-01-01

    This paper reports a radioecological survey on some aquatic eatable organisms raised in a hot spring water, which is rich in 226 Ra, in Hubei Province; and on agricultural products irrigated with the water. The contents of 226 Ra, 210 Pb and 210 Po in the water, some aquatic organisms, rice, vegetable an some other connected environmental samples were determined. The Concentration Factor (CF) or Transfer Coefficient (TC) from environmental medium into the eatable parts of the organisms for these nuclides as well as relative Distribution Factor (DF) was calculated. (author). 6 refs, 1 fig., 9 tabs

  20. Structural and Functional Insights from the Metagenome of an Acidic Hot Spring Microbial Planktonic Community in the Colombian Andes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jiménez Avella, Diego; Dini Andreote, Fernando; Chaves, Diego; Montaña, José Salvador; Osorio-Forero, Cesar; Junca, Howard; Zambrano, María Mercedes; Baena, Sandra

    2012-01-01

    A taxonomic and annotated functional description of microbial life was deduced from 53 Mb of metagenomic sequence retrieved from a planktonic fraction of the Neotropical high Andean (3,973 meters above sea level) acidic hot spring El Coquito (EC). A classification of unassembled metagenomic reads

  1. Eutrophication and warming boost cyanobacterial biomass and microcystins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lurling, Miguel; Oosterhout, Jean; Faassen, Els

    2017-01-01

    Eutrophication and warming are key drivers of cyanobacterial blooms, but their combined effects on microcystin (MC) concentrations are less studied. We tested the hypothesis that warming promotes cyanobacterial abundance in a natural plankton community and that eutrophication enhances cyanobacterial

  2. Iron Homeostasis in Yellowstone National Park Hot Spring Microbial Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, I.; Tringe, S. G.; Franklin, H.; Bryant, D. A.; Klatt, C. G.; Sarkisova, S. A.; Guevara, M.

    2010-01-01

    It has been postulated that life may have originated on Earth, and possibly on Mars, in association with hydrothermal activity and high concentrations of ferrous iron. However, it is not clear how an iron-rich thermal hydrosphere could be hospitable to microbes, since reduced iron appears to stimulate oxidative stress in all domains of life and particularly in oxygenic phototrophs. Therefore, the study of microbial diversity in iron-depositing hot springs (IDHS) and the mechanisms of iron homeostasis and suppression of oxidative stress may help elucidate how Precambrian organisms could withstand the extremely high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by interaction between environmental Fe(2+) and O2. Proteins and clusters of orthologous groups (COGs) involved in the maintenance of Fe homeostasis found in cyanobacteria (CB) inhabiting environments with high and low [Fe] were main target of this analysis. Preliminary results of the analysis suggest that the Chocolate Pots (CP) microbial community is heavily dominated by phototrophs from the cyanobacteria (CB), Chloroflexi and Chlorobi phyla, while the Mushroom Spring (MS) effluent channel harbors a more diverse community in which Chloroflexi are the dominant phototrophs. It is speculated that CB inhabiting IDHS have an increased tolerance to both high concentrations of Fe(2+) and ROS produced in the Fenton reaction. This hypothesis was explored via a comparative analysis of the diversity of proteins and COGs involved in Fe and redox homeostasis in the CP and MS microbiomes.

  3. Jet-Suspended, Calcite-Ballasted Cyanobacterial Waterwarts in a Desert Spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pichel-Garcia, Ferran; Wade, Bman D.; Farmer, Jack D.

    2002-01-01

    We describe a population of colonial cyanobacteria (waterwarts) that develops as the dominant primary producer in a bottom-fed, warm spring in the Cuatro Cienegas karstic region of the Mexican Chihuahuan Desert. The centimeter-sized waterwarts were suspended within a central, conically shaped, 6-m deep well by upwelling waters. Waterwarts were built by an unicellular cyanobacterium and supported a community of epiphytic filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms but were free of heterotrophic bacteria inside. Sequence analysis of genes revealed that this cyanobacterium is only distantly related to several strains of other unicellular teria Cyanothece, Waterwarts contained orderly arrangements of mineral made up of microcrystalline low-magnesium calcite with high levels of strontium and sulfur. Waterwarts were 95.9% (v/v) glycan, 2.8% cells, and 1.3% mineral grains and had a buoyant density of 1.034 kg/L. An analysis of the hydrological properties of the spring well and the waterwarts demonstrated that both large colony size and the presence of controlled amounts of mineral ballast are required to prevent the population from being washed out of the well. The unique hydrological characteristics of the spring have likely selected for both traits. The mechanisms by which controlled nucleation of extracellular calcite is achieved remain to be explored.

  4. Change in color of the hot spring deposits at the Chinoike-Jigoku hot pool, Beppu geothermal field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kazuthoshi, Oue; Ohsawa, Shinji; Yusa, Yuki [Kyoto University, Beppu (Japan). Beppu Geothermal Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Science

    2002-06-01

    The Chinoike-Jigoku hot pool in Beppu geothermal field, Central Kyushu, Japan, displays a blood-red color due to the hematite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) deposited at the bottom of the pool. The colors of the deposits collected on 1 October 1990, on 27 March 1995, and on 6 March 1996 were measured with a colorimeter. The results show that the red deposits became yellower in 1995 and 1996 than they were in 1990. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and chemical compositions of the deposits indicate that the discoloration of the Chinoike-Jigoku pool water is caused by an increase in the content of jarosite [KFe{sub 3}(SO{sub 4}){sub 2}(OH){sub 6}]. The temperature of the subsurface thermal water beneath the Chinoike-Jigoku hot pool, as estimated by the anhydrite chemical geothermometer, has declined from 200 to 150{sup o}C over the past 25 years. The Na and Cl concentrations of the hot spring water discharging from Chinoike-Jigoku have decreased, while the SO{sub 4} concentration has increased. The temporal variations in subsurface temperature and dissolved ion concentrations suggest that the mixing ratio between the high-temperature, neutral Na-Cl type water and the relatively low-temperature, acid H-SO{sub 4} type water that form the thermal water of Chinoike-Jigoku has changed over the last 25 years. Hydrothermal studies of jarosite stability have confirmed that the increase in jarosite content in the deposits was caused by a temperature drop of the mixed thermal water beneath Chinoike-Jigoku pool, due to an increase in the contribution of the cooler H-SO{sub 4} water type to the thermal mixture. (author)

  5. Biodiversity of thermophilic prokaryotes with hydrolytic activities in hot springs of Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka (Russia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kublanov, Ilya V; Perevalova, Anna A; Slobodkina, Galina B; Lebedinsky, Aleksander V; Bidzhieva, Salima K; Kolganova, Tatyana V; Kaliberda, Elena N; Rumsh, Lev D; Haertlé, Thomas; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2009-01-01

    Samples of water from the hot springs of Uzon Caldera with temperatures from 68 to 87 degrees C and pHs of 4.1 to 7.0, supplemented with proteinaceous (albumin, casein, or alpha- or beta-keratin) or carbohydrate (cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, chitin, or agarose) biological polymers, were filled with thermal water and incubated at the same sites, with the contents of the tubes freely accessible to the hydrothermal fluid. As a result, several enrichment cultures growing in situ on different polymeric substrates were obtained. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments obtained after PCR with Bacteria-specific primers showed that the bacterial communities developing on carbohydrates included the genera Caldicellulosiruptor and Dictyoglomus and that those developing on proteins contained members of the Thermotogales order. DGGE analysis performed after PCR with Archaea- and Crenarchaeota-specific primers showed that archaea related to uncultured environmental clones, particularly those of the Crenarchaeota phylum, were present in both carbohydrate- and protein-degrading communities. Five isolates obtained from in situ enrichments or corresponding natural samples of water and sediments represented the bacterial genera Dictyoglomus and Caldanaerobacter as well as new archaea of the Crenarchaeota phylum. Thus, in situ enrichment and consequent isolation showed the diversity of thermophilic prokaryotes competing for biopolymers in microbial communities of terrestrial hot springs.

  6. Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from Jordanian Hot Springs: Bacillus licheniformis and Thermomonas hydrothermalis Isolates as Potential Producers of Thermostable Enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammad, Balsam T; Al Daghistani, Hala I; Jaouani, Atef; Abdel-Latif, Saleh; Kennes, Christian

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from hot springs in Jordan. Ten isolates were characterized by morphological, microscopic, biochemical, molecular, and physiological characteristics. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA of the isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that nine strains could be identified as Bacillus licheniformis and one isolate as Thermomonas hydrothermalis . This is the first report on the isolation of Thermomonas species from Jordanian hot springs. The isolates showed an ability to produce some thermostable enzymes such as amylase, protease, cellulose, gelatins, and lecithin. Moreover, the UPGMA dendrogram of the enzymatic characteristics of the ten isolates was constructed; results indicated a high phenotypic diversity, which encourages future studies to explore further industrial and environmental applications.

  7. Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from Jordanian Hot Springs: Bacillus licheniformis and Thermomonas hydrothermalis Isolates as Potential Producers of Thermostable Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balsam T. Mohammad

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from hot springs in Jordan. Ten isolates were characterized by morphological, microscopic, biochemical, molecular, and physiological characteristics. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA of the isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that nine strains could be identified as Bacillus licheniformis and one isolate as Thermomonas hydrothermalis. This is the first report on the isolation of Thermomonas species from Jordanian hot springs. The isolates showed an ability to produce some thermostable enzymes such as amylase, protease, cellulose, gelatins, and lecithin. Moreover, the UPGMA dendrogram of the enzymatic characteristics of the ten isolates was constructed; results indicated a high phenotypic diversity, which encourages future studies to explore further industrial and environmental applications.

  8. Digital data for Quick Response (QR) codes of thermophiles to identify and compare the bacterial species isolated from Unkeshwar hot springs (India)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rekadwad, Bhagwan N.; Khobragade, Chandrahasya N.

    2015-01-01

    16S rRNA sequences of morphologically and biochemically identified 21 thermophilic bacteria isolated from Unkeshwar hot springs (19°85′N and 78°25′E), Dist. Nanded (India) has been deposited in NCBI repository. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were used to generate QR codes for sequences (FASTA format and full Gene Bank information). Diversity among the isolates is compared with known isolates and evaluated using CGR, FCGR and PCA i.e. visual comparison and evaluation respectively. Considerable biodiversity was observed among the identified bacteria isolated from Unkeshwar hot springs. The hyperlinked QR codes, CGR, FCGR and PCA of all the isolates are made available to the users on a portal https://sites.google.com/site/bhagwanrekadwad/. PMID:26793757

  9. Calculation of the relative chemical stabilities of proteins as a function of temperature and redox chemistry in a hot spring.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey M Dick

    Full Text Available Uncovering the chemical and physical links between natural environments and microbial communities is becoming increasingly amenable owing to geochemical observations and metagenomic sequencing. At the hot spring known as Bison Pool in Yellowstone National Park, the cooling of the water in the outflow channel is associated with an increase in oxidation potential estimated from multiple field-based measurements. Representative groups of proteins whose sequences were derived from metagenomic data also exhibit an increase in average oxidation state of carbon in the protein molecules with distance from the hot-spring source. The energetic requirements of reactions to form selected proteins used in the model were computed using amino-acid group additivity for the standard molal thermodynamic properties of the proteins, and the relative chemical stabilities of the proteins were investigated by varying temperature, pH and oxidation state, expressed as activity of dissolved hydrogen. The relative stabilities of the proteins were found to track the locations of the sampling sites when the calculations included a function for hydrogen activity that increases with temperature and is higher, or more reducing, than values consistent with measurements of dissolved oxygen, sulfide and oxidation-reduction potential in the field. These findings imply that spatial patterns in the amino acid compositions of proteins can be linked, through energetics of overall chemical reactions representing the formation of the proteins, to the environmental conditions at this hot spring, even if microbial cells maintain considerably different internal conditions. Further applications of the thermodynamic calculations are possible for other natural microbial ecosystems.

  10. Silicon isotope fractionation during silica precipitation from hot-spring waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geilert, Sonja; Vroon, Pieter; Keller, Nicole; Gudbrnadsson, Snorri; Stefánsson, Andri; van Bergen, Manfred

    2014-05-01

    Hot-spring systems in the Geysir geothermal area, Iceland, have been studied to explore silicon isotope fractionation in a natural setting where sinter deposits are actively formed over a temperature interval between 20° and 100° C. The SiO2(aq)concentrations in spring and stream waters range between 290 and 560ppm and stay relatively constant along downstream trajectories, irrespective of significant cooling gradients. The waters are predominantly oversaturated in amorphous silica at the temperatures measured in the field. Correlations between the saturation indices, temperature and amounts of evaporative water loss suggest that cooling and evaporation are the main causes of subaqueous silica precipitation. The δ30Si values of dissolved silica in spring water and outflowing streams average around +1o probably due to the small quantities of instantaneously precipitating silica relative to the dissolved amount. Siliceous sinters, in contrast, range between -0.1o to -4.0o consistent with a preferred incorporation of the light silicon isotope and with values for precipitated silica becoming more negative with downstream decreasing temperatures. Larger fractionation magnitudes are inversely correlated with the precipitation rate, which itself is dependent on temperature, saturation state and the extent of a system. The resulting magnitudes of solid-fluid isotopic fractionation generally decline from -3.5o at 10° C to -2.0o at 90° C. These values confirm a similar relationship between fractionation magnitude and temperature that we found in laboratory-controlled silica-precipitation experiments. However, a relatively constant offset of ca. -2.9o between field and experimental fractionation values indicates that temperature alone cannot be responsible for the observed shifts. We infer that precipitation kinetics are a prominent control of silicon isotope fractionation in aqueous environments, whereby the influence of the extent of the system on the precipitation

  11. Iron-Tolerant Cyanobacteria: Ecophysiology and Fingerprinting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, I. I.; Mummey, D.; Lindsey, J.; McKay, D. S.

    2006-01-01

    Although the iron-dependent physiology of marine and freshwater cyanobacterial strains has been the focus of extensive study, very few studies dedicated to the physiology and diversity of cyanobacteria inhabiting iron-depositing hot springs have been conducted. One of the few studies that have been conducted [B. Pierson, 1999] found that cyanobacterial members of iron depositing bacterial mat communities might increase the rate of iron oxidation in situ and that ferrous iron concentrations up to 1 mM significantly stimulated light dependent consumption of bicarbonate, suggesting a specific role for elevated iron in photosynthesis of cyanobacteria inhabiting iron-depositing hot springs. Our recent studies pertaining to the diversity and physiology of cyanobacteria populating iron-depositing hot springs in Great Yellowstone area (Western USA) indicated a number of different isolates exhibiting elevated tolerance to Fe(3+) (up to 1 mM). Moreover, stimulation of growth was observed with increased Fe(3+) (0.02-0.4 mM). Molecular fingerprinting of unialgal isolates revealed a new cyanobacterial genus and species Chroogloeocystis siderophila, an unicellular cyanobacterium with significant EPS sheath harboring colloidal Fe(3+) from iron enriched media. Our preliminary data suggest that some filamentous species of iron-tolerant cyanobacteria are capable of exocytosis of iron precipitated in cytoplasm. Prior to 2.4 Ga global oceans were likely significantly enriched in soluble iron [Lindsay et al, 2003], conditions which are not conducive to growth of most contemporary oxygenic cyanobacteria. Thus, iron-tolerant CB may have played important physiological and evolutionary roles in Earths history.

  12. Cyanobacterial flora from polluted industrial effluents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parikh, Amit; Shah, Vishal; Madamwar, Datta

    2006-05-01

    Effluents originating from pesticides, agro-chemicals, textile dyes and dyestuffs industries are always associated with high turbidity, colour, nutrient load, and heavy metals, toxic and persistent compounds. But even with such an anthropogenic nature, these effluents contain dynamic cyanobacterial communities. Documentation of cyanobacterial cultures along the water channels of effluents discharged by above mentioned industries along the west coast of India and their relationship with water quality is reported in this study. Intensity of pollution was evaluated by physico-chemical analysis of water. Higher load of solids, carbon and nutrients were found to be persistent throughout the analysis. Sediment and water samples were found to be colored in nature. Cyanobacterial community structure was found to be influenced by the anthropogenic pollution. 40 different cyanobacterial species were recorded from 14 genera of 5 families and an elevated occurrence of Phormidium, Oscillatoria and Chroococcus genera was observed in all the sampling sites.

  13. Legionella thermalis sp. nov., isolated from hot spring water in Tokyo, Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishizaki, Naoto; Sogawa, Kazuyuki; Inoue, Hiroaki; Agata, Kunio; Edagawa, Akiko; Miyamoto, Hiroshi; Fukuyama, Masafumi; Furuhata, Katsunori

    2016-03-01

    Strain L-47(T) of a novel bacterial species belonging to the genus Legionella was isolated from a sample of hot spring water from Tokyo, Japan. The 16S rRNA gene sequences (1477 bp) of this strain (accession number AB899895) had less than 95.0% identity with other Legionella species. The dominant fatty acids of strain L-47(T) were a15:0 (29.6%) and the major ubiquinone was Q-12 (71.1%). It had a guanine-plus-cytosine content of 41.5 mol%. The taxonomic description of Legionella thermalis sp. nov. is proposed to be type strain L-47(T) (JCM 30970(T)  = KCTC 42799(T)). © 2016 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. Fiscal 1999 geothermal energy development promotion survey. Report on survey of introduction of techniques for predicting impact on hot springs; 1999 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa hokokusho. Onsen eikyo yosoku shuho donyu chosa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-08-01

    In an effort to find guidelines on how to proceed with geothermal energy development so that it may coexist with hot springs, investigations are conducted into cases of impacts on hot springs imposed by geothermal energy development activities. An impact is judged to exist when geothermal development results in a decrease or depletion of pumped or spontaneously welling hot spring water, change in the concentration of dissolved chemical ingredients, fall in water temperature, or in an increase in the amount of discharged steam. Keyword-aided retrieval of data from databases is performed, and geothermal magazines are referred to for information. There are articles reporting impacts imposed by geothermal development on hot springs in the Palinpinon area (Philippines) and 12 others and in the Corwin Springs area (U.S.) and 13 others. These articles carrying outlines and impacts of geothermal development are collected, put in order, and analyzed. Cases in which such impacts are found to exist are categorized into four groups and, in each group, episodes are differentiated from each other by the type of mechanism linking the aquifer and the reservoir which is the object of development. (NEDO)

  15. Site-specific analysis of hybrid geothermal/fossil power plants. Volume One. Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1977-06-01

    The economics of a particular hybrid plant must be evaluated with respect to a specific site. This volume focuses on the Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA. The temperature, pressure, and flow rate data given suggests the site deserves serious consideration for a hybrid plant. Key siting considerations which must be addressed before an economic judgment can be attempted are presented as follows: the availability, quality, and cost of coal; the availability of water; and the availability of transmission. Seismological and climate factors are presented. (MHR)

  16. Investigation of geothermal development and promotion for fiscal 1997. Fluid geochemical investigation (hot-spring gas) report (No. B-5 Musadake area); 1997 nendo chinetsu kaihatus sokushin chosa. Ryutai chikagaku chosa (onsen gas) hokokusho (No.B-5 Musadake chiiki)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-03-01

    This investigation elucidated the possible existence of geothermal reservoir layer in the subject area by studying and analyzing the hot-spring gasses of Musadake. The Musadake area is the one extending over Shibetu-cho and Nakashibetu-cho, Shibetu district, Hokkaido. The sampling of the hot-spring gasses was carried out at three natural gusher sites and one hot spring well site. The gasses in the Kawakita hot spring is most affected by volcanic gasses. The origin of the volcanic gasses is a magmatic gas of andesite nature the {sup 3}He/{sup 4}He ratio of which is 8X10{sup -6} or about. As a result of the analysis, the hot-spring water is Na-Cl type, high salt concentrated, and 200 degrees C in temperature; from the result of a gas geochemical thermometer, it is estimated to be not less than 250 degrees C. In the tectonic viewpoint, the depth hot water is derived from the meteorite water that flows in through a bent zone incident to the Musadake-Shitabanupuri mountain fault and from the fossil sea water that exists in the underground depth; the depth hot water is formed by conduction heat from a magma reservoir that formed Musadake and by volcanic ejecta. This depth hot water rises along Kawakita south, Urappu River fault, etc., mixing with the meteorite water and forming the shallow reservoir layer. (NEDO)

  17. Studying Prokaryotic Communities in Iron Depositing Hot Springs (IDHS): Implication for Early Mars Habitability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkisova, S. A.; Tringe, S. G.; Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Allen, C. c.; Garrison, D. H.; McKay, David S.; Brown, I. I.

    2010-01-01

    We speculate that both external and intracellular iron precipitate in iron-tolerant CB might be involved in oxidative stress suppression shown by [9]. Significant differences are apparent between a set of proteins involved in the maintenance of Fe homeostasis and oxidative stress protection in iron-tolerant and fresh-water and marine CB. Correspondingly, these properties may help to make iron-tolerant CB as dominant organisms in IDHS and probably on early Earth and Mars. Further comparative analyses of hot springs metagenomes and the genomes of iron-tolerant microbes versus fresh-water/marine ones may point out to different habitable zones on early Mars.

  18. Modeling fluid flow and heat transfer at Basin and Range faults: preliminary results for Leach hot springs, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    López, Dina L.; Smith, Leslie; Storey, Michael L.; Nielson, Dennis L.

    1994-01-01

    The hydrothermal systems of the Basin and Range Province are often located at or near major range bounding normal faults. The flow of fluid and energy at these faults is affected by the advective transfer of heat and fluid from an to the adjacent mountain ranges and valleys, This paper addresses the effect of the exchange of fluid and energy between the country rock, the valley fill sediments, and the fault zone, on the fluid and heat flow regimes at the fault plane. For comparative purposes, the conditions simulated are patterned on Leach Hot Springs in southern Grass Valley, Nevada. Our simulations indicated that convection can exist at the fault plane even when the fault is exchanging significant heat and fluid with the surrounding country rock and valley fill sediments. The temperature at the base of the fault decreased with increasing permeability of the country rock. Higher groundwater discharge from the fault and lower temperatures at the base of the fault are favored by high country rock permabilities and fault transmissivities. Preliminary results suggest that basal temperatures and flow rates for Leach Hot Springs can not be simulated with a fault 3 km deep and an average regional heat flow of 150 mW/m2 because the basal temperature and mass discharge rates are too low. A fault permeable to greater depths or a higher regional heat flow may be indicated for these springs.

  19. [Isolation and identification of seven thermophilic and anaerobic bacteria from hot springs in Tengchong Rehai].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yueqing; Chen, Bo; Liu, Xiaoli; Ji, Xiuling; Wei, Yunlin; Lin, Lianbing

    2009-09-01

    In order to study the taxonomic characteristic and physiological, biochemical properties of anaerobic bacteria from hot springs in Tengchong Rehai, Yunnan Province, China. Using Hungate anaerobic technique We isolated seven strains from hot springs in Tengchong Rehai, Yunnan province, and analyzed their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The seven isolates were rod-shaped, Gram-negative, obligate anaerobe, and spores formation was not observed. All strains could grow well at 70 degrees C. Growth of strain RH0802 occurred between 60 and 80 degrees C, optimally around 70 degrees C. The pH range for its growth was between 5.5 and 8.5, with an optimum around 7.0. Strain RH0802 grew on a wide range of carbon sources, including glucose, starch, mannitol, mannose, ribose, maltose, cellobiose, xylose, fructose, galactose, xylan and glycerol, but it could not utilize sucrose or pyruvate. 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis showed that the maximum similarity between the five strains and the strains of genus Caldanaerobacter was up to 98%, except RH0804 and RH0806, which reached to 96% and 93%, respectively. The two isolates were presumed to be potential novel species. The GenBank accession numbers of RH0802 to RH0808 were FJ748766, FJ748762, FJ748761, FJ748763, FJ748765, FJ748764 and FJ748767. The results showed that the seven thermophilic anaerobes belonged to the genus Caldanaerobacter.

  20. Natural radioactivity of bedrock bath instruments and hot spring instruments in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazuki Iwaoka; Hiroyuki Tabe; Hidenori Yonehara

    2013-01-01

    In Japan, bedrock bath instruments and hot spring instruments that contain natural radioactive nuclides are commercially available. In this study, such instruments containing natural radioactive nuclides, currently distributed in Japan, were collected and the radioactivity concentration of 238 U series, 232 Th series, and 40 K in them was determined by gamma ray spectrum analyses. Effective doses to workers and general consumers handling the materials were estimated, revealing the radioactivity concentration of 238 U series, 232 Th series, and 40 K to be lower than critical values given in the IAEA Safety Guide. The maximum effective doses to workers and general consumers were 210 and 6.1 μSv y -1 , respectively. These values are lower than the intervention exemption level (1,000 μSv y -1 ) given in ICRP Publ. 82. (author)

  1. Saberes e práticas termais: uma perspectiva comparada em Portugal (Termas de S. Pedro do Sul e no Brasil (Caldas da Imperatriz Thermal knowledge and therapies: a comparative view of Portugal (São Pedro do Sul hot springs and Brazil (Caldas da Imperatriz hot springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Manuel Quintela

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Pretende-se neste artigo discutir como o termalismo, como prática terapêutica, se constituiu como um saber dito 'científico' legitimado pela medicina, que criou estabelecimentos terapêuticos e estâncias termais. Tomaremos como fontes textos dos séculos XIX e XX. A pesquisa foi iniciada em Portugal, em 1996, sendo efetuada uma etnografia das experiências termais nas Termas de S. Pedro do Sul. No Brasil, a pesquisa nas Caldas da Imperatriz foi iniciada em agosto de 2001 e encontra-se ainda em curso.Based on nineteenth- and twentieth-century texts, the article discusses how medicine legitimized the therapeutic practice of thermalism as so-called 'scientific' knowledge, with the creation of therapeutic establishments and hot-springs resorts. My research began in Portugal in 1996, where I produced an ethnography of experiences at the São Pedro do Sul hot springs. My research at Brazil's Caldas da Imperatriz, initiated in August 2001, is still underway.

  2. Screening of Thermophilic Bacteria Produce Xylanase from Sapan Sungai Aro Hot Spring South Solok

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irdawati, I.; Syamsuardi, S.; Agustien, A.; Rilda, Y.

    2018-04-01

    xylanase is one of the enzymes with great prospects as hemicellulose hydrolyzing enzyme. Global annual market demand for this enzyme reach US 200 million. This enzyme catalyzes the xylan (hemicellulose) reactions breaking into xilooligosakarida and xylose. Xylanase can be applied to various industrial sectors such as bread, sugar xylose, biofuels, especially in bleaching paper (bleaching) pulp. Xylanase Isable to replace conventional chemical bleaching using chlorine that is not friendly for the environment. Currently xylanase production is extracted from the thermophilic bacteria for enzyme stability at high temperatures that are suitable for industrial applications. Thermophilic bacteria can be isolated from a hot spring, one of the which is a source of Sapan Sungai Aro Hot Spring, located in the district South Solok. The aim of this study was to select and identification of thermophilic bacteria can produce xylanase.This roomates is a descriptive study, which was Carried out in the Laboratory of Microbiology, Mathematic and Science Faculty of Padang State University, and Laboratory of Bacteriology, BasoVeterinary Research Center. The research procedure consisted of the preparation and sterilization of materials and tools, medium manufacturing, regeneration, selection and identification. Selection is performed by using a semiquantitative screening plate that contains xylan substrate. Identification is based on microscopic and biochemical characteristics until the genus level.Selection results Showed 12 out of 16 isolates had xilanolitik activity, with the highest activity is SSA2 with xilanolitik index of 0.74. The top five index producehigestxilanolitik isolates that are SSA2, SSA3 and SSA4 identified as Bacillus sp. 1., and SSAS6 and SSA7 is Bacillus sp. 2.

  3. Subaqueous hot springs in Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay (SW Turkey): Locations, chemistry and origins

    KAUST Repository

    Avşar, Ö zgü r; Avsar, Ulas; Arslan, Şebnem; Kurtuluş, Bedri; Niedermann, Samuel; Gü leç , Nilgü n

    2017-01-01

    In this study, horizontal temperature measurements along organized grids have been used to detect subaqueous hot springs. The study area, located in the southwest of Turkey and comprised of Köyceğiz Lake, Dalyan Channel and Fethiye-Göcek Bay

  4. Cyanobacterial lipopolysaccharides and human health – a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schluter Philip J

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cyanobacterial lipopolysaccharide/s (LPS are frequently cited in the cyanobacteria literature as toxins responsible for a variety of heath effects in humans, from skin rashes to gastrointestinal, respiratory and allergic reactions. The attribution of toxic properties to cyanobacterial LPS dates from the 1970s, when it was thought that lipid A, the toxic moiety of LPS, was structurally and functionally conserved across all Gram-negative bacteria. However, more recent research has shown that this is not the case, and lipid A structures are now known to be very different, expressing properties ranging from LPS agonists, through weak endotoxicity to LPS antagonists. Although cyanobacterial LPS is widely cited as a putative toxin, most of the small number of formal research reports describe cyanobacterial LPS as weakly toxic compared to LPS from the Enterobacteriaceae. We systematically reviewed the literature on cyanobacterial LPS, and also examined the much lager body of literature relating to heterotrophic bacterial LPS and the atypical lipid A structures of some photosynthetic bacteria. While the literature on the biological activity of heterotrophic bacterial LPS is overwhelmingly large and therefore difficult to review for the purposes of exclusion, we were unable to find a convincing body of evidence to suggest that heterotrophic bacterial LPS, in the absence of other virulence factors, is responsible for acute gastrointestinal, dermatological or allergic reactions via natural exposure routes in humans. There is a danger that initial speculation about cyanobacterial LPS may evolve into orthodoxy without basis in research findings. No cyanobacterial lipid A structures have been described and published to date, so a recommendation is made that cyanobacteriologists should not continue to attribute such a diverse range of clinical symptoms to cyanobacterial LPS without research confirmation.

  5. Characterization of Thermophilic Halotolerant Aeribacillus pallidus TD1 from Tao Dam Hot Spring, Thailand

    OpenAIRE

    Yasawong, Montri; Areekit, Supatra; Pakpitchareon, Arda; Santiwatanakul, Somchai; Chansiri, Kosum

    2011-01-01

    The bacterial strain TD1 was isolated from Tao Dam hot spring in Thailand. Strain TD1 was Gram positive, rod-shaped, aerobic, motile, and endospore forming. The cell was 2.0–40 mm in length and about 0.4 mm in diameter. The optimum growth occurred at 55–60 °C and at pH 7–8. Strain TD1 was able to grow on medium containing up to 10% NaCl. The DNA G+C content was 38.9 mol%. The cellular fatty acid content was mainly C16:0, which comprised 25.04% of the total amount of cellular fatty acid. 16S r...

  6. Characterization of novel bacteriochlorophyll-a-containing red filaments from alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boomer, S M; Pierson, B K; Austinhirst, R; Castenholz, R W

    2000-09-01

    Novel red, filamentous, gliding bacteria formed deep red layers in several alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. Filaments contained densely layered intracellular membranes and bacteriochlorophyll a. The in vivo absorption spectrum of the red layer filaments was distinct from other phototrophs, with unusual bacteriochlorophyll a signature peaks in the near-infrared (IR) region (807 nm and 911 nm). These absorption peaks were similar to the wavelengths penetrating to the red layer of the mats as measured with in situ spectroradiometry. The filaments also demonstrated maximal photosynthetic uptake of radiolabeled carbon sources at these wavelengths. The red layer filaments displayed anoxygenic photoheterotrophy, as evidenced by the specific incorporation of acetate, not bicarbonate, and by the absence of oxygen production. Photoheterotrophy was unaffected by sulfide and oxygen, but was diminished by high-intensity visible light. Near-IR radiation supported photoheterotrophy. Morphologically and spectrally similar filaments were observed in several springs in Yellowstone National Park, including Octopus Spring. Taken together, these data suggest that the red layer filaments are most similar to the photoheterotroph, Heliothrix oregonensis. Notable differences include mat position and coloration, absorption spectra, and prominent intracellular membranes.

  7. Chemical characteristics of the major thermal springs of Montana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mariner, R.H.; Presser, T.S.; Evans, W.C.

    1976-07-01

    Twenty-one thermal springs in western Montana were sampled for chemical, isotope, and gas compositions. Most of the springs issue dilute to slightly saline sodium-bicarbonate waters of neutral to slightly alkaline pH. A few of the springs issue sodium-mixed anion waters of near neutral pH. Fluoride concentrations are high in most of the thermal waters, up to 18 miligrams per litre, while F/Cl ratios range from 3/1 in the dilute waters to 1/10 in the slightly saline waters. Most of the springs are theoretically in thermodynamic equilibrium with respect to calcite and fluorite. Nitrogen is the major gas escaping from most of the hot springs; however, Hunters Hot Springs issue principally methane. The deuterium content of the hot spring waters is typical of meteoric water in western Montana. Geothermal calculations based on silica concentrations and Na-K-Ca ratios indicate that most of the springs are associated with low temperature aquifers (less than 100/sup 0/C). Chalcedony may be controlling the silica concentrations in these low temperature aquifers even in ''granitic'' terranes.

  8. National uranium resource evaluation, Hot Springs Quadrangle, South Dakota and Nebraska

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Truesdell, D.B.; Daddazio, P.L.; Martin, T.S.

    1982-06-01

    The Hot Springs Quadrangle, South Dakota and Nebraska, was evaluated to a depth of 1500 m to identify environments and delineate areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits. The evaluation used criteria developed by the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. Surface reconnaissance was conducted using a portable scintillometer and a gamma spectrometer. Geochemical sampling was carried out in all geologic environments accessible within the quadrangle. Additional investigations included the followup of aerial radiometric and hydrogeochemical anomalies and a subsurface study. Environments favorable for sandstone-type deposits occur in the Inyan Kara Group and Chadron Member of the White River Group. Environments favorable for marine black-shale deposits occur in the Hayden Member of the Minnelusa Formation. A small area of the Harney Peak Granite is favorable for authigenic deposits. Environments considered unfavorable for uranium deposits are the Precambrian granitic and metasedimentary rocks and Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary sedimentary rocks other than those previously mentioned

  9. Thermophilic bacteria in Moroccan hot springs, salt marshes and desert soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aanniz, Tarik; Ouadghiri, Mouna; Melloul, Marouane; Swings, Jean; Elfahime, Elmostafa; Ibijbijen, Jamal; Ismaili, Mohamed; Amar, Mohamed

    2015-06-01

    The diversity of thermophilic bacteria was investigated in four hot springs, three salt marshes and 12 desert sites in Morocco. Two hundred and forty (240) thermophilic bacteria were recovered, identified and characterized. All isolates were Gram positive, rod-shaped, spore forming and halotolerant. Based on BOXA1R-PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the recovered isolates were dominated by the genus Bacillus (97.5%) represented by B. licheniformis (119), B. aerius (44), B. sonorensis (33), B. subtilis (subsp. spizizenii (2) and subsp. inaquosurum (6)), B. amyloliquefaciens (subsp. amyloliquefaciens (4) and subsp. plantarum (4)), B. tequilensis (3), B. pumilus (3) and Bacillus sp. (19). Only six isolates (2.5%) belonged to the genus Aeribacillus represented by A. pallidus (4) and Aeribacillus sp. (2). In this study, B. aerius and B. tequilensis are described for the first time as thermophilic bacteria. Moreover, 71.25%, 50.41% and 5.41% of total strains exhibited high amylolytic, proteolytic or cellulolytic activity respectively.

  10. Thermophilic bacteria in Moroccan hot springs, salt marshes and desert soils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarik Aanniz

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The diversity of thermophilic bacteria was investigated in four hot springs, three salt marshes and 12 desert sites in Morocco. Two hundred and forty (240 thermophilic bacteria were recovered, identified and characterized. All isolates were Gram positive, rod-shaped, spore forming and halotolerant. Based on BOXA1R-PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the recovered isolates were dominated by the genus Bacillus (97.5% represented by B. licheniformis (119, B. aerius (44, B. sonorensis (33, B. subtilis (subsp. spizizenii (2 and subsp. inaquosurum (6, B. amyloliquefaciens (subsp. amyloliquefaciens (4 and subsp. plantarum (4, B. tequilensis (3, B. pumilus (3 and Bacillus sp. (19. Only six isolates (2.5% belonged to the genus Aeribacillus represented by A. pallidus (4 and Aeribacillus sp. (2. In this study, B. aerius and B. tequilensis are described for the first time as thermophilic bacteria. Moreover, 71.25%, 50.41% and 5.41% of total strains exhibited high amylolytic, proteolytic or cellulolytic activity respectively.

  11. Cyanobacterial toxins: risk management for health protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Codd, Geoffrey A.; Morrison, Louise F.; Metcalf, James S.

    2005-01-01

    This paper reviews the occurrence and properties of cyanobacterial toxins, with reference to the recognition and management of the human health risks which they may present. Mass populations of toxin-producing cyanobacteria in natural and controlled waterbodies include blooms and scums of planktonic species, and mats and biofilms of benthic species. Toxic cyanobacterial populations have been reported in freshwaters in over 45 countries, and in numerous brackish, coastal, and marine environments. The principal toxigenic genera are listed. Known sources of the families of cyanobacterial toxins (hepato-, neuro-, and cytotoxins, irritants, and gastrointestinal toxins) are briefly discussed. Key procedures in the risk management of cyanobacterial toxins and cells are reviewed, including derivations (where sufficient data are available) of tolerable daily intakes (TDIs) and guideline values (GVs) with reference to the toxins in drinking water, and guideline levels for toxigenic cyanobacteria in bathing waters. Uncertainties and some gaps in knowledge are also discussed, including the importance of exposure media (animal and plant foods), in addition to potable and recreational waters. Finally, we present an outline of steps to develop and implement risk management strategies for cyanobacterial cells and toxins in waterbodies, with recent applications and the integration of Hazard Assessment Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles

  12. Preferential soft-tissue preservation in the Hot Creek carbonate spring deposit, British Columbia, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rainey, Dustin K.; Jones, Brian

    2010-05-01

    The relict Holocene Hot Creek carbonate spring deposit in southeast British Columbia is characterized by excellent preservation of soft-tissue organisms (e.g. cyanobacteria), but poor preservation of organisms with hard-tissue (e.g. wood, diatoms). The deposit is formed mainly of calcified cyanobacteria, with fewer mineralized macrophytes (plants), bryophytes (mosses), wood, and diatoms. Cyanobacteria grew as solitary filaments ( Lyngbya) and as radiating hemispherical colonies ( Rivularia). Both were preserved by encrustation and encapsulation while alive, and as casts after filament death and decay. Sheath impregnation was rare to absent. Filament encrustation, whereby calcite crystals nucleated on, and grew away from the sheath exterior, produced moulds that replicated external filament morphology, but hastened filament decay. Filament encapsulation, whereby calcite nucleated in the vicinity of, and grew towards the encapsulated filament, promoted sheath preservation even after trichome decay. Subsequent calcite precipitation inside the hollow sheath generated sheath casts. The inability of mineralizing spring water to penetrate durable cell walls meant that bryophytes, macrophytes, and most wood was preserved by encrustation. Some wood resisted complete decay for several thousand years, and its lignified cell walls allowed rare permineralizations. Diatoms were not preserved in the relict deposit because the frustules were dissolved by the basic spring water. Amorphous calcium carbonate produced by photosynthetic CO 2 removal may have acted as nucleation sites for physicochemically precipitated calcite. Thus, metabolic activities of floral organisms probably initiated biotic mineralization, but continuous inorganic calcite precipitation on and in flora ensured that soft tissues were preserved.

  13. Phylogenetic Evidence for the Existence of Novel Thermophilic Bacteria in Hot Spring Sulfur-Turf Microbial Mats in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Hiraishi, Akira; Kato, Kenji; Chiura, Hiroshi X.; Maki, Yonosuke; Shimizu, Akira

    1998-01-01

    So-called sulfur-turf microbial mats, which are macroscopic white filaments or bundles consisting of large sausage-shaped bacteria and elemental sulfur particles, occur in sulfide-containing hot springs in Japan. However, no thermophiles from sulfur-turf mats have yet been isolated as cultivable strains. This study was undertaken to determine the phylogenetic positions of the sausage-shaped bacteria in sulfur-turf mats by direct cloning and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes amplified from the bulk DNAs of the mats. Common clones with 16S rDNA sequences with similarity levels of 94.8 to 99% were isolated from sulfur-turf mat samples from two geographically remote hot springs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the phylotypes of the common clones formed a major cluster with members of the Aquifex-Hydrogenobacter complex, which represents the most deeply branching lineage of the domain bacteria. Furthermore, the bacteria of the sulfur-turf mat phylotypes formed a clade distinguishable from that of other members of the Aquifex-Hydrogenobacter complex at the order or subclass level. In situ hybridization with clone-specific probes for 16S rRNA revealed that the common phylotype of sulfur-turf mat bacteria is that of the predominant sausage-shaped bacteria. PMID:9572936

  14. Eutrophication and Warming Boost Cyanobacterial Biomass and Microcystins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miquel Lürling

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Eutrophication and warming are key drivers of cyanobacterial blooms, but their combined effects on microcystin (MC concentrations are less studied. We tested the hypothesis that warming promotes cyanobacterial abundance in a natural plankton community and that eutrophication enhances cyanobacterial biomass and MC concentrations. We incubated natural seston from a eutrophic pond under normal, high, and extreme temperatures (i.e., 20, 25, and 30 °C with and without additional nutrients added (eutrophication mimicking a pulse as could be expected from projected summer storms under climate change. Eutrophication increased algal- and cyanobacterial biomass by 26 and 8 times, respectively, and led to 24 times higher MC concentrations. This effect was augmented with higher temperatures leading to 45 times higher MC concentrations at 25 °C, with 11 times more cyanobacterial chlorophyll-a and 25 times more eukaryote algal chlorophyll-a. At 30 °C, MC concentrations were 42 times higher, with cyanobacterial chlorophyll-a being 17 times and eukaryote algal chlorophyll-a being 24 times higher. In contrast, warming alone did not yield more cyanobacteria or MCs, because the in situ community had already depleted the available nutrient pool. MC per potential MC producing cell declined at higher temperatures under nutrient enrichments, which was confirmed by a controlled experiment with two laboratory strains of Microcystis aeruginosa. Nevertheless, MC concentrations were much higher at the increased temperature and nutrient treatment than under warming alone due to strongly promoted biomass, lifting N-imitation and promotion of potential MC producers like Microcystis. This study exemplifies the vulnerability of eutrophic urban waters to predicted future summer climate change effects that might aggravate cyanobacterial nuisance.

  15. Biodiversity of Thermophilic Prokaryotes with Hydrolytic Activities in Hot Springs of Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka (Russia)▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Kublanov, Ilya V.; Perevalova, Anna A.; Slobodkina, Galina B.; Lebedinsky, Aleksander V.; Bidzhieva, Salima K.; Kolganova, Tatyana V.; Kaliberda, Elena N.; Rumsh, Lev D.; Haertlé, Thomas; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A.

    2008-01-01

    Samples of water from the hot springs of Uzon Caldera with temperatures from 68 to 87°C and pHs of 4.1 to 7.0, supplemented with proteinaceous (albumin, casein, or α- or β-keratin) or carbohydrate (cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, chitin, or agarose) biological polymers, were filled with thermal water and incubated at the same sites, with the contents of the tubes freely accessible to the hydrothermal fluid. As a result, several enrichment cultures growing in situ on different polymeric su...

  16. Recent drilling activities at the earth power resources Tuscarora geothermal power project's hot sulphur springs lease area.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goranson, Colin

    2005-03-01

    Earth Power Resources, Inc. recently completed a combined rotary/core hole to a depth of 3,813 feet at it's Hot Sulphur Springs Tuscarora Geothermal Power Project Lease Area located 70-miles north of Elko, Nevada. Previous geothermal exploration data were combined with geologic mapping and newly acquired seismic-reflection data to identify a northerly tending horst-graben structure approximately 2,000 feet wide by at least 6,000 feet long with up to 1,700 feet of vertical offset. The well (HSS-2) was successfully drilled through a shallow thick sequence of altered Tertiary Volcanic where previous exploration wells had severe hole-caving problems. The ''tight-hole'' drilling problems were reduced using drilling fluids consisting of Polymer-based mud mixed with 2% Potassium Chloride (KCl) to reduce Smectite-type clay swelling problems. Core from the 330 F fractured geothermal reservoir system at depths of 2,950 feet indicated 30% Smectite type clays existed in a fault-gouge zone where total loss of circulation occurred during coring. Smectite-type clays are not typically expected at temperatures above 300 F. The fracture zone at 2,950 feet exhibited a skin-damage during injection testing suggesting that the drilling fluids may have caused clay swelling and subsequent geothermal reservoir formation damage. The recent well drilling experiences indicate that drilling problems in the shallow clays at Hot Sulphur Springs can be reduced. In addition, average penetration rates through the caprock system can be on the order of 25 to 35 feet per hour. This information has greatly reduced the original estimated well costs that were based on previous exploration drilling efforts. Successful production formation drilling will depend on finding drilling fluids that will not cause formation damage in the Smectite-rich fractured geothermal reservoir system. Information obtained at Hot Sulphur Springs may apply to other geothermal systems developed in

  17. Wide distribution of autochthonous branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs in U.S. Great Basin hot springs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian P. Hedlund

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs are membrane-spanning lipids that likely stabilize membranes of some bacteria. Although bGDGTs have been reported previously in certain geothermal environments, it has been suggested that they may derive from surrounding soils since bGDGTs are known to be produced by soil bacteria. To test the hypothesis that bGDGTs can be produced by thermophiles in geothermal environments, we examined the distribution and abundance of bGDGTs, along with extensive geochemical data, in 40 sediment and mat samples collected from geothermal systems in the U.S. Great Basin (temperature: 31-95°C; pH: 6.8-10.7. bGDGTs were found in 38 out of 40 samples at concentrations up to 824 ng/g sample dry mass and comprised up to 99.5% of total GDGTs (branched plus isoprenoidal. The wide distribution of bGDGTs in hot springs, strong correlation between core and polar lipid abundances, distinctness of bGDGT profiles compared to nearby soils, and higher concentration of bGDGTs in hot springs compared to nearby soils provided evidence of in situ production, particularly for the minimally methylated bGDGTs I, Ib, and Ic. Polar bGDGTs were found almost exclusively in samples ≤ 70°C and the absolute abundance of polar bGDGTs correlated negatively with properties of chemically reduced, high temperature spring sources (temperature, H2S/HS- and positively with properties of oxygenated, low temperature sites (O2, NO3-. Two-way cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on relative abundance of polar bGDGTs supported these relationships and showed a negative relationship between the degree of methylation and temperature, suggesting a higher abundance for minimally methylated bGDGTs at high temperature. This study presents evidence of the widespread production of bGDGTs in mats and sediments of natural geothermal springs in the U.S. Great Basin, especially in oxygenated, low-temperature sites (≤ 70°C.

  18. Wide distribution of autochthonous branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) in U.S. Great Basin hot springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedlund, Brian P.; Paraiso, Julienne J.; Williams, Amanda J.; Huang, Qiuyuan; Wei, Yuli; Dijkstra, Paul; Hungate, Bruce A.; Dong, Hailiang; Zhang, Chuanlun L.

    2013-01-01

    Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) are membrane-spanning lipids that likely stabilize membranes of some bacteria. Although bGDGTs have been reported previously in certain geothermal environments, it has been suggested that they may derive from surrounding soils since bGDGTs are known to be produced by soil bacteria. To test the hypothesis that bGDGTs can be produced by thermophiles in geothermal environments, we examined the distribution and abundance of bGDGTs, along with extensive geochemical data, in 40 sediment and mat samples collected from geothermal systems in the U.S. Great Basin (temperature: 31–95°C; pH: 6.8–10.7). bGDGTs were found in 38 out of 40 samples at concentrations up to 824 ng/g sample dry mass and comprised up to 99.5% of total GDGTs (branched plus isoprenoidal). The wide distribution of bGDGTs in hot springs, strong correlation between core and polar lipid abundances, distinctness of bGDGT profiles compared to nearby soils, and higher concentration of bGDGTs in hot springs compared to nearby soils provided evidence of in situ production, particularly for the minimally methylated bGDGTs I, Ib, and Ic. Polar bGDGTs were found almost exclusively in samples ≤70°C and the absolute abundance of polar bGDGTs correlated negatively with properties of chemically reduced, high temperature spring sources (temperature, H2S/HS−) and positively with properties of oxygenated, low temperature sites (O2, NO−3). Two-way cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on relative abundance of polar bGDGTs supported these relationships and showed a negative relationship between the degree of methylation and temperature, suggesting a higher abundance for minimally methylated bGDGTs at high temperature. This study presents evidence of the widespread production of bGDGTs in mats and sediments of natural geothermal springs in the U.S. Great Basin, especially in oxygenated, low-temperature sites (≤70°C). PMID:23964271

  19. Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar [Department of Biotechnology, Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Gunupur, Rayagada 765 022, Odisha (India); Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das, E-mail: pkdmvu@gmail.com [Department of Microbiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore 721 102, West Bengal (India)

    2014-01-30

    Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis.

  20. Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar; Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis

  1. Enrichment of Thermophilic Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea from an Alkaline Hot Spring in the Great Basin, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, C.; Huang, Z.; Jiang, H.; Wiegel, J.; Li, W.; Dong, H.

    2010-12-01

    One of the major advances in the nitrogen cycle is the recent discovery of ammonia oxidation by archaea. While culture-independent studies have revealed occurrence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in nearly every surface niche on earth, most of these microorganisms have resisted isolation and so far only a few species have been identified. The Great Basin contains numerous hot springs, which are characterized by moderately high temperature (40-65 degree C) and circumneutral or alkaline pH. Unique thermophilic archaea have been identified based on molecular DNA and lipid biomarkers; some of which may be ammonia oxidizers. This study aims to isolate some of these archaea from a California hot spring that has pH around 9.0 and temperature around 42 degree C. Mat material was collected from the spring and transported on ice to the laboratory. A synthetic medium (SCM-5) was inoculated with the mat material and the culture was incubated under varying temperature (35-65 degree C) and pH (7.0-10.0) conditions using antibiotics to suppress bacterial growth. Growth of the culture was monitored by microscopy, decrease in ammonium and increase in nitrite, and increases in Crenarchaeota and AOA abundances over time. Clone libraries were constructed to compare archaeal community structures before and after the enrichment experiment. Temperature and pH profiles indicated that the culture grew optimally at pH 9.0 and temperature 45 degree C, which are consistent with the geochemical conditions of the natural environment. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the final OTU was distantly related to all known hyperthermophilic archaea. Analysis of the amoA genes showed two OTUs in the final culture; one of them was closely related to Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis. However, the enrichment culture always contained bacteria and attempts to separate them from archaea have failed. This highlights the difficulty in bringing AOA into pure culture and suggests that some of the AOA may

  2. Genome Sequence of the Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus sp. Strain NK55a.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stolyar, Sergey; Liu, Zhenfeng; Thiel, Vera; Tomsho, Lynn P.; Pinel, Nicolas; Nelson, William C.; Lindemann, Stephen R.; Romine, Margaret F.; Haruta, Shin; Schuster, Stephan C.; Bryant, Donald A.; Fredrickson, Jim K.

    2014-01-02

    The genome of the unicellular cyanobacterium, Thermosynechococcus sp. strain NK55a, isolated from Nakabusa hot spring, comprises a single, circular, 2.5-Mb chromosome. The genome is predicted to encode 2358 protein coding genes, including genes for all typical cyanobacterial photosynthetic and metabolic functions. No genes encoding hydrogenases or nitrogenase were identified.

  3. Compound- and position-specific carbon isotopic signatures of abiogenic hydrocarbons from on-land serpentinite-hosted Hakuba Happo hot spring in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suda, Konomi; Gilbert, Alexis; Yamada, Keita; Yoshida, Naohiro; Ueno, Yuichiro

    2017-06-01

    It has been proposed that serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal/hot spring systems played a significant role in the origin and early evolution of life on early Earth because abiogenic synthesis of organic compounds may accompany serpentinization. However, production mechanisms for apparently abiogenic hydrocarbons that have been observed in the ongoing serpentinizing systems are still poorly constrained. We report a new geochemical study of hydrocarbons in an on-land serpentinite-hosted hot spring in Hakuba Happo, Japan. We have conducted both compound-specific and position-specific carbon isotopic analyses of the observed C1 to C5 hydrocarbons. A positive linear relationship between the δ13C values and the inverse carbon number is found in C1 to C5 straight-chain alkanes in the Happo sample. This isotopic trend is consistent with a simple polymerization model developed in this study. Our model assumes that, for any particular alkane, all of the subsequently added carbons have the same isotopic composition, and those are depleted in 13C with respect to the first carbon in the growing carbon chain. The fit of this model suggests that Happo alkanes can be produced via polymerization from methane with a constant kinetic isotopic fractionation of -8.9 ± 1.0‰. A similar carbon isotopic relationship among alkanes has been observed in some serpentinite-hosted seafloor hydrothermal systems, indicating that the same process is responsible for the abiological hydrocarbon in general serpentinization fields, not only in the Hakuba Happo hot spring. Moreover, our model is also applicable to other potentially abiogenic natural gases and experimentally synthesized hydrocarbon products. For the first time, the intramolecular 13C composition of propane from a natural sample derived from a serpentinite-hosted system was determined. The intramolecular 13C distribution in propane shows the important potential to identify different polymerization mechanisms that cannot be discriminated

  4. Comparison of the microbial communities of hot springs waters and the microbial biofilms in the acidic geothermal area of Copahue (Neuquén, Argentina).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbieta, María Sofía; González-Toril, Elena; Bazán, Ángeles Aguilera; Giaveno, María Alejandra; Donati, Edgardo

    2015-03-01

    Copahue is a natural geothermal field (Neuquén province, Argentina) dominated by the Copahue volcano. As a consequence of the sustained volcanic activity, Copahue presents many acidic pools, hot springs and solfataras with different temperature and pH conditions that influence their microbial diversity. The occurrence of microbial biofilms was observed on the surrounding rocks and the borders of the ponds, where water movements and thermal activity are less intense. Microbial biofilms are particular ecological niches within geothermal environments; they present different geochemical conditions from that found in the water of the ponds and hot springs which is reflected in different microbial community structure. The aim of this study is to compare microbial community diversity in the water of ponds and hot springs and in microbial biofilms in the Copahue geothermal field, with particular emphasis on Cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic species that have not been detected before in Copahue. In this study, we report the presence of Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi and chloroplasts of eukaryotes in the microbial biofilms not detected in the water of the ponds. On the other hand, acidophilic bacteria, the predominant species in the water of moderate temperature ponds, are almost absent in the microbial biofilms in spite of having in some cases similar temperature conditions. Species affiliated with Sulfolobales in the Archaea domain are the predominant microorganism in high temperature ponds and were also detected in the microbial biofilms.

  5. Diversity of Culturable Thermophilic Actinobacteria in Hot Springs in Tengchong, China and Studies of their Biosynthetic Gene Profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lan; Salam, Nimaichand; Jiao, Jian-Yu; Jiang, Hong-Chen; Zhou, En-Min; Yin, Yi-Rui; Ming, Hong; Li, Wen-Jun

    2016-07-01

    The class Actinobacteria has been a goldmine for the discovery of antibiotics and has attracted interest from both academics and industries. However, an absence of novel approaches during the last few decades has limited the discovery of new microbial natural products useful for industries. Scientists are now focusing on the ecological aspects of diverse environments including unexplored or underexplored habitats and extreme environments in the search for new metabolites. This paper reports on the diversity of culturable actinobacteria associated with hot springs located in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, southwestern China. A total of 58 thermophilic actinobacterial strains were isolated from the samples collected from ten hot springs distributed over three geothermal fields (e.g., Hehua, Rehai, and Ruidian). Phylogenetic positions and their biosynthetic profiles were analyzed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene and three biosynthetic gene clusters (KS domain of PKS-I, KSα domain of PKS-II and A domain of NRPS). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis, the 58 strains were affiliated with 12 actinobacterial genera: Actinomadura Micromonospora, Microbispora, Micrococcus, Nocardiopsis, Nonomuraea, Promicromonospora, Pseudonocardia, Streptomyces, Thermoactinospora, Thermocatellispora, and Verrucosispora, of which the two novel genera Thermoactinospora and Thermocatellisopora were recently described from among these strains. Considering the biosynthetic potential of these actinobacterial strains, 22 were positive for PCR amplification of at least one of the three biosynthetic gene clusters (PKS-I, PKS-II, and NRPS). These actinobacteria were further subjected to antimicrobial assay against five opportunistic human pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis). All of the 22 strains that were positive for PCR amplification of at least one of the biosynthetic gene domains exhibited

  6. Cesium accumulation by bacterium Thermus sp.TibetanG7: hints for biomineralization of cesiumbearing geyserite in hot springs in Tibet, China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    The bacterium Thermus sp. TibetanG7, isolated from hot springs in Tibet, China, was examined for the ability to accumulate cesium from solutions. Environmental conditions were simulated and the effects of pH, K+, Na+ and K+-regimes were then studied to determine the possible role of the bacterium in the formation of cesium-bearing geyserite around these hot springs. In despite of the inhibition of K+ and Na+, the bacterium Thermus sp. TibetanG7 revealed noticeable accumulation of cesium from solutions, with maximum accumulations of 53.49 and 40.41 μmol Cesium/g cell dry weight in Na+ and K+ inhibition experiments, respectively. The accumulation of cesium by this microorganism is rapid, with 40%―50% accumulated within the first 5 min. K+-deficient cells showed a much higher capacity of cesium accumulation compared with K+-sufficient cells. It is evident that the bacteria within the genus thermus play a significant role in the cesium assembly. The formation of cesium-bearing geyserite is also considered.

  7. Molecular Phylogenetic Exploration of Bacterial Diversity in a Bakreshwar (India) Hot Spring and Culture of Shewanella-Related Thermophiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Dhritiman; Bal, Bijay; Kashyap, V. K.; Pal, Subrata

    2003-01-01

    The bacterial diversity of a hot spring in Bakreshwar, India, was investigated by a culture-independent approach. 16S ribosomal DNA clones derived from the sediment samples were found to be associated with gamma-Proteobacteria, cyanobacteria, and green nonsulfur and low-GC gram-positive bacteria. The first of the above phylotypes cobranches with Shewanella, a well-known iron reducer. This phylogenetic correlation has been exploited to develop culture conditions for thermophilic iron-reducing microorganisms. PMID:12839826

  8. Composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and their contribution to nitrification in a high-temperature hot spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, S.; Peng, X.-T.; Xu, H.-C.; Ta, K.-W.

    2015-10-01

    The oxidation of ammonia by microbes and associated organisms has been shown to occur in diverse natural environments. However, the contribution of ammonia-oxidizing archaea to nitrification in high-temperature environments remains unclear. Here, we studied in situ ammonia oxidation rates and the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in surface and bottom sediments at 77 °C in the Gongxiaoshe hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan, China. The in situ ammonia oxidation rates measured by the 15N-NO3- pool dilution technique in the surface sinter and bottom sediments were 4.8 and 5.3 nmol N g-1 h-1, respectively. Relative abundances of Crenarchaea in both samples were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed high sequence similarity to thermophilic "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii", which represented the most abundant operation taxonomic units (OTU) in both sediments. Furthermore, bacterial amoA was not detected in this study. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that AOA and 16S rRNA genes were present in the range of 2.75 to 9.80 × 105 and 0.128 to 1.96 × 108 gene copies g-1 sediment. The cell-specific nitrification rates were estimated to be in the range of 0.41 to 0.79 fmol N archaeal cell-1 h-1, which is consistent with earlier estimates in estuary environments. This study demonstrated that AOA were widely involved in nitrification in this hot spring. It further indicated the importance of archaea rather than bacteria in driving the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial geothermal environments.

  9. Tailoring cyanobacterial cell factory for improved industrial properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luan, Guodong; Lu, Xuefeng

    Photosynthetic biomanufacturing provides a promising solution for sustainable production of biofuels and biochemicals. Cyanobacteria are among the most promising microbial platforms for the construction of photosynthetic cell factories. Metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria has enabled effective photosynthetic synthesis of diverse natural or non-natural metabolites, while commercialization of photosynthetic biomanufacturing is usually restricted by process and economic feasibilities. In actual outdoor conditions, active cell growth and product synthesis is restricted to narrow light exposure windows of the day-night cycles and is threatened by diverse physical, chemical, and biological environmental stresses. For biomass harvesting and bioproduct recovery, energy and cost consuming processing and equipment is required, which further decreases the economic and environmental competitiveness of the entire process. To facilitate scaled photosynthetic biomanufacturing, lots of efforts have been made to engineer cyanobacterial cell properties required by robust & continual cultivation and convenient & efficient recovery. In this review, we specifically summarized recently reported engineering strategies on optimizing industrial properties of cyanobacterial cells. Through systematically re-editing the metabolism, morphology, mutualism interaction of cyanobacterial chassis cells, the adaptabilities and compatibilities of the cyanobacterial cell factories to the industrial process could be significantly improved. Cell growth and product synthesis of the tailored cyanobacterial cells could be expanded and maintained at night and in stressful environments, while convenient biomass harvesting could also be expected. For developing more feasible cyanobacterial photosynthetic biomanufacturing in large scale, we here propose the importance of tailoring industrial properties of cyanobacteria and outline the directions that should be exploited in the future. Copyright © 2018

  10. Feasibility study for a 10-MM-GPY fuel ethanol plant, Brady Hot Springs, Nevada. Volume 1. Process and plant design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1980-09-01

    An investigation was performed to determine the technical and economic viability of constructing and operating a geothermally heated, biomass, motor fuel alcohol plant at Brady's Hot Springs. The results of the study are positive, showing that a plant of innovative, yet proven design can be built to adapt current commerical fermentation-distillation technology to the application of geothermal heat energy. The specific method of heat production from the Brady's Hot Spring wells has been successful for some time at an onion drying plant. Further development of the geothermal resource to add the capacity needed for an ethanol plant is found to be feasible for a plant sized to produce 10 million gallons of motor fuel grade ethanol per year. A very adequate supply of feedgrains is found to be available for use in the plant without impact on the local or regional feedgrain market. The effect of diverting supplies from the animal feedlots in Northern Nevada and California will be mitigated by the by-product output of high-protein feed supplements that the plant will produce. The plant will have a favorable impact on the local farming economies of Fallon, Lovelock, Winnemucca and Elko, Nevada. It will make a positive and significant socioeconomic contribution to Churchill County, providing direct employment for an additional 61 persons. Environmental impact will be negligible, involving mostly a moderate increase in local truck traffic and railroad siding activity. The report is presented in two volumes. Volume 1 deals with the technical design aspects of the plant. The second volume addresses the issue of expanded geothermal heat production at Brady's Hot Springs, goes into the details of feedstock supply economics, and looks at the markets for the plant's primary ethanol product, and the markets for its feed supplement by-products. The report concludes with an analysis of the economic viability of the proposed project.

  11. Caldimonas meghalayensis sp. nov., a novel thermophilic betaproteobacterium isolated from a hot spring of Meghalaya in northeast India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rakshak, K.; Ravinder, K.; Nupur, T.N.R.; Srinivas, P.; Kumar, A.

    can provide thermostable novel enzymes. While studying the bacteria from Jakrem, a hot spring of Meghalaya we obtained a strain designated AK31T whose phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that it is closely related... variation that incubation of the bacteria were performed at 50°C. Biochemical and enzymatic characterization were also performed using Vitek 2 GN kits (BioMe´rieux, France) with incubation at 50 °C, according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Determinations...

  12. A comprehensive census of microbial diversity in hot springs of Tengchong, Yunnan Province China using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Weiguo; Wang, Shang; Dong, Hailiang; Jiang, Hongchen; Briggs, Brandon R; Peacock, Joseph P; Huang, Qiuyuan; Huang, Liuqin; Wu, Geng; Zhi, Xiaoyang; Li, Wenjun; Dodsworth, Jeremy A; Hedlund, Brian P; Zhang, Chuanlun; Hartnett, Hilairy E; Dijkstra, Paul; Hungate, Bruce A

    2013-01-01

    The Rehai and Ruidian geothermal fields, located in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, China, host a variety of geochemically distinct hot springs. In this study, we report a comprehensive, cultivation-independent census of microbial communities in 37 samples collected from these geothermal fields, encompassing sites ranging in temperature from 55.1 to 93.6°C, in pH from 2.5 to 9.4, and in mineralogy from silicates in Rehai to carbonates in Ruidian. Richness was low in all samples, with 21-123 species-level OTUs detected. The bacterial phylum Aquificae or archaeal phylum Crenarchaeota were dominant in Rehai samples, yet the dominant taxa within those phyla depended on temperature, pH, and geochemistry. Rehai springs with low pH (2.5-2.6), high temperature (85.1-89.1°C), and high sulfur contents favored the crenarchaeal order Sulfolobales, whereas those with low pH (2.6-4.8) and cooler temperature (55.1-64.5°C) favored the Aquificae genus Hydrogenobaculum. Rehai springs with neutral-alkaline pH (7.2-9.4) and high temperature (>80°C) with high concentrations of silica and salt ions (Na, K, and Cl) favored the Aquificae genus Hydrogenobacter and crenarchaeal orders Desulfurococcales and Thermoproteales. Desulfurococcales and Thermoproteales became predominant in springs with pH much higher than the optimum and even the maximum pH known for these orders. Ruidian water samples harbored a single Aquificae genus Hydrogenobacter, whereas microbial communities in Ruidian sediment samples were more diverse at the phylum level and distinctly different from those in Rehai and Ruidian water samples, with a higher abundance of uncultivated lineages, close relatives of the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii", and candidate division O1aA90 and OP1. These differences between Ruidian sediments and Rehai samples were likely caused by temperature, pH, and sediment mineralogy. The results of this study significantly expand the current understanding of

  13. The genome and structural proteome of an ocean siphovirus: a new window into the cyanobacterial 'mobilome'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Matthew B; Krastins, Bryan; Hughes, Jennifer L; Kelly, Libusha; Chase, Michael; Sarracino, David; Chisholm, Sallie W

    2009-11-01

    Prochlorococcus, an abundant phototroph in the oceans, are infected by members of three families of viruses: myo-, podo- and siphoviruses. Genomes of myo- and podoviruses isolated on Prochlorococcus contain DNA replication machinery and virion structural genes homologous to those from coliphages T4 and T7 respectively. They also contain a suite of genes of cyanobacterial origin, most notably photosynthesis genes, which are expressed during infection and appear integral to the evolutionary trajectory of both host and phage. Here we present the first genome of a cyanobacterial siphovirus, P-SS2, which was isolated from Atlantic slope waters using a Prochlorococcus host (MIT9313). The P-SS2 genome is larger than, and considerably divergent from, previously sequenced siphoviruses. It appears most closely related to lambdoid siphoviruses, with which it shares 13 functional homologues. The approximately 108 kb P-SS2 genome encodes 131 predicted proteins and notably lacks photosynthesis genes which have consistently been found in other marine cyanophage, but does contain 14 other cyanobacterial homologues. While only six structural proteins were identified from the genome sequence, 35 proteins were detected experimentally; these mapped onto capsid and tail structural modules in the genome. P-SS2 is potentially capable of integration into its host as inferred from bioinformatically identified genetic machinery int, bet, exo and a 53 bp attachment site. The host attachment site appears to be a genomic island that is tied to insertion sequence (IS) activity that could facilitate mobility of a gene involved in the nitrogen-stress response. The homologous region and a secondary IS-element hot-spot in Synechococcus RS9917 are further evidence of IS-mediated genome evolution coincident with a probable relic prophage integration event. This siphovirus genome provides a glimpse into the biology of a deep-photic zone phage as well as the ocean cyanobacterial prophage and IS element

  14. Dissection of Microbial Community Functions during a Cyanobacterial Bloom in the Baltic Sea via Metatranscriptomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Berg

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Marine and brackish surface waters are highly dynamic habitats that undergo repeated seasonal variations in microbial community composition and function throughout time. While succession of the various microbial groups has been well investigated, little is known about the underlying gene-expression of the microbial community. We investigated microbial interactions via metatranscriptomics over a spring to fall seasonal cycle in the brackish Baltic Sea surface waters, a temperate brackish water ecosystem periodically promoting massive cyanobacterial blooms, which have implications for primary production, nutrient cycling, and expansion of hypoxic zones. Network analysis of the gene expression of all microbes from 0.22 to 200 μm in size and of the major taxonomic groups dissected the seasonal cycle into four components that comprised genes peaking during different periods of the bloom. Photoautotrophic nitrogen-fixing Cyanobacteria displayed the highest connectivity among the microbes, in contrast to chemoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota, while heterotrophs dominated connectivity among pre- and post-bloom peaking genes. The network was also composed of distinct functional connectivities, with an early season balance between carbon metabolism and ATP synthesis shifting to a dominance of ATP synthesis during the bloom, while carbon degradation, specifically through the glyoxylate shunt, characterized the post-bloom period, driven by Alphaproteobacteria as well as by Gammaproteobacteria of the SAR86 and SAR92 clusters. Our study stresses the exceptionally strong biotic driving force executed by cyanobacterial blooms on associated microbial communities in the Baltic Sea and highlights the impact cyanobacterial blooms have on functional microbial community composition.

  15. Cyanobacterial chassis engineering for enhancing production of biofuels and chemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Xinyan; Sun, Tao; Pei, Guangsheng; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Weiwen

    2016-04-01

    To reduce dependence on fossil fuels and curb greenhouse effect, cyanobacteria have emerged as an important chassis candidate for producing biofuels and chemicals due to their capability to directly utilize sunlight and CO2 as the sole energy and carbon sources, respectively. Recent progresses in developing and applying various synthetic biology tools have led to the successful constructions of novel pathways of several dozen green fuels and chemicals utilizing cyanobacterial chassis. Meanwhile, it is increasingly recognized that in order to enhance productivity of the synthetic cyanobacterial systems, optimizing and engineering more robust and high-efficient cyanobacterial chassis should not be omitted. In recent years, numerous research studies have been conducted to enhance production of green fuels and chemicals through cyanobacterial chassis modifications involving photosynthesis, CO2 uptake and fixation, products exporting, tolerance, and cellular regulation. In this article, we critically reviewed recent progresses and universal strategies in cyanobacterial chassis engineering to make it more robust and effective for bio-chemicals production.

  16. Brevibacillus sediminis sp. nov., isolated from a hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xian, Wen-Dong; Yin, Yi-Rui; Liu, Lan; Yuan, Chang-Guo; Hussain, Firasat; Khan, Inamullah; Habib, Neeli; Zhou, En-Min; Li, Wen-Jun

    2016-02-01

    Strain YIM 78300 T , a novel Gram-stain-positive, moderately thermophilic, endospore-forming, rod-shaped, motile bacterium, was recovered from the sediment of a hot spring in the Tagejia Geothermal Field, Angren, Tibet province, western China. Optimum growth was observed at 50-55 °C, at pH 7.0 and with 0-1.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain YIM 78300 T indicated that it belongs to the genus Brevibacillus . Similarity levels between the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the new isolate and those of the type strains of Brevibacillus members were 96.9-96.3 %; highest sequence similarity was with Brevibacillus thermoruber DSM 7064 T . The predominant menaquinone was MK-7 and the major cellular fatty acids were iso-C 15 : 0 and iso-C 17 : 0 . The major polar lipids were phosphatidyl- N -methylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified phospholipids, an unidentified aminophospholipid and two unidentified polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain YIM 78300 T was 57.9 mol%. Based on phylogenetic analyses, and physiological and biochemical characteristics, strain YIM 78300 T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Brevibacillus , for which the name Brevibacillus sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 78300 T ( = DSM 29928 T  = CPCC 100738 T ).

  17. Filamentous Morphology as a Means for Thermophilic Bacteria to Survive Steep Physical and Chemical Gradients in Yellowstone Hot Springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Y.; Srivastava, V.; Bulone, V.; Keating, K. M.; Khetani, R. S.; Fields, C. J.; Inskeep, W.; Sanford, R. A.; Yau, P. M.; Imai, B. S.; Hernandez, A. G.; Wright, C.; Band, M.; Cann, I. K.; Ahrén, D.; Fouke, K. W.; Sivaguru, M.; Fried, G.; Fouke, B. W.

    2017-12-01

    The filamentous heat-loving bacterium Sulfurihydrogenibium yellowstonense makes up more than 90% of the microbial community that inhabits turbulent, dysoxic hot spring outflow channels (66-71°C, 6.2-6.5 pH, 0.5-0.75 m/s flow rate) at Mammoth Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park. These environments contain abundantly available inorganic substrates (e.g., CO2, sulfide and thiosulfate) and are associated with extensive CaCO3 (travertine) precipitation driven in part by CO2 off-gassing. Evidence from integrated Meta-Omics analyses of DNA, RNA, and proteins (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics) extracted from these S. yellowstonense-dominated communities have detected 1499 non-rRNA open reading frames (ORFs), their transcripts and cognate proteins. During chemoautotrophy and CO2 carbon fixation, chaperons facilitate enzymatic stability and functionalities under elevated temperature. High abundance transcripts and proteins for Type IV pili and exopolysaccharides (EPS) are consistent with S. yellowstonense forming strong (up to 0.5 m) intertwined microbial filaments (fettuccini streamers) composed of linked individual cells that withstand hydrodynamic shear forces and extremely rapid travertine mineralization. Their primary energy source is the oxidation of reduced sulfur (e.g., sulphide, sulfur or thiosulfate) and the simultaneous uptake of extremely low concentrations of dissolved O2 facilitated by bd-type cytochromes. Field observations indicate that the fettuccini microbial filaments build up ridged travertine platforms on the bottom of the springs, parallel to the water flow, where living filaments attach almost exclusively to the top of each ridge. This maximizes their access to miniscule amounts of dissolved oxygen, while optimizing their ability to rapidly form down-flow branched filaments and thus survive in these stressful environments that few other microbes can inhabit.

  18. Differential tolerance to cyanobacterial exposure between geographically distinct populations of Perca fluviatilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Karl-Johan; Bergström, Kristofer; Mazur-Marzec, Hannah; Legrand, Catherine

    2013-12-15

    Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are an important problem worldwide. Cyanobacteria may negatively impact young-of-the-year (YOY) fish directly (toxin production, turbidity, decrease in water quality) or indirectly (trophic toxin transfer, changes in prey species composition). Here we test whether there are any differences in cyanobacterial tolerance between four geographically distinct populations of European perch (Perca fluviatilis). We show that P. fluviatilis may develop tolerance against cyanobacteria demonstrated by the ability of individuals from a marine site (exposed to annual cyanobacterial blooms) to increase their detoxification more than individuals from an oligotrophic site (rarely exposed to cyanobacteria). Our results also revealed significant interaction effects between genotypes within a population and response to cyanobacterial exposure in terms of absolute growth and detoxification activity. This genotype by treatment interaction may result in local adaptations to cyanobacterial exposure in P. fluviatilis. Hence, the sensitivity against cyanobacterial exposure may differ between within species populations increasing the importance of local management of fish populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The genome and structural proteome of an ocean siphovirus: a new window into the cyanobacterial ‘mobilome’

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Matthew B; Krastins, Bryan; Hughes, Jennifer L; Kelly, Libusha; Chase, Michael; Sarracino, David; Chisholm, Sallie W

    2009-01-01

    Prochlorococcus, an abundant phototroph in the oceans, are infected by members of three families of viruses: myo-, podo- and siphoviruses. Genomes of myo- and podoviruses isolated on Prochlorococcus contain DNA replication machinery and virion structural genes homologous to those from coliphages T4 and T7 respectively. They also contain a suite of genes of cyanobacterial origin, most notably photosynthesis genes, which are expressed during infection and appear integral to the evolutionary trajectory of both host and phage. Here we present the first genome of a cyanobacterial siphovirus, P-SS2, which was isolated from Atlantic slope waters using a Prochlorococcus host (MIT9313). The P-SS2 genome is larger than, and considerably divergent from, previously sequenced siphoviruses. It appears most closely related to lambdoid siphoviruses, with which it shares 13 functional homologues. The ∼108 kb P-SS2 genome encodes 131 predicted proteins and notably lacks photosynthesis genes which have consistently been found in other marine cyanophage, but does contain 14 other cyanobacterial homologues. While only six structural proteins were identified from the genome sequence, 35 proteins were detected experimentally; these mapped onto capsid and tail structural modules in the genome. P-SS2 is potentially capable of integration into its host as inferred from bioinformatically identified genetic machinery int, bet, exo and a 53 bp attachment site. The host attachment site appears to be a genomic island that is tied to insertion sequence (IS) activity that could facilitate mobility of a gene involved in the nitrogen-stress response. The homologous region and a secondary IS-element hot-spot in Synechococcus RS9917 are further evidence of IS-mediated genome evolution coincident with a probable relic prophage integration event. This siphovirus genome provides a glimpse into the biology of a deep-photic zone phage as well as the ocean cyanobacterial prophage and IS element

  20. Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water by Adsorptive Media - U.S. EPA Demonstration Project at Hot Springs Mobile Home Park in Willard, Utah - Final Performance Evaluation Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    This report documents activities performed for and results obtained from the arsenic removal treatment technology demonstration project at the Hot Springs Mobile Home Park (HSMHP) in Willard, UT. The objectives of the project were to evaluate the effectiveness of Adsorbsia™ GTO™...

  1. Functional profiling of cyanobacterial genomes and its role in ecological adaptations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratna Prabha

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available With the availability of complete genome sequences of many cyanobacterial species, it is becoming feasible to study the broad prospective of the environmental adaptation and the overall changes at transcriptional and translational level in these organisms. In the evolutionary phase, niche-specific competitive forces have resulted in specific features of the cyanobacterial genomes. In this study, functional composition of the 84 different cyanobacterial genomes and their adaptations to different environments was examined by identifying the genomic composition for specific cellular processes, which reflect their genomic functional profile and ecological adaptation. It was identified that among cyanobacterial genomes, metabolic genes have major share over other categories and differentiation of genomic functional profile was observed for the species inhabiting different habitats. The cyanobacteria of freshwater and other habitats accumulate large number of poorly characterized genes. Strain specific functions were also reported in many cyanobacterial members, of which an important feature was the occurrence of phage-related sequences. From this study, it can be speculated that habitat is one of the major factors in giving the shape of functional composition of cyanobacterial genomes towards their ecological adaptations.

  2. The source, discharge, and chemical characteristics of water from Agua Caliente Spring, Palm Springs, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contributors: Brandt, Justin; Catchings, Rufus D.; Christensen, Allen H.; Flint, Alan L.; Gandhok, Gini; Goldman, Mark R.; Halford, Keith J.; Langenheim, V.E.; Martin, Peter; Rymer, Michael J.; Schroeder, Roy A.; Smith, Gregory A.; Sneed, Michelle; Martin, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Agua Caliente Spring, in downtown Palm Springs, California, has been used for recreation and medicinal therapy for hundreds of years and currently (2008) is the source of hot water for the Spa Resort owned by the Agua Caliente Band of the Cahuilla Indians. The Agua Caliente Spring is located about 1,500 feet east of the eastern front of the San Jacinto Mountains on the southeast-sloping alluvial plain of the Coachella Valley. The objectives of this study were to (1) define the geologic structure associated with the Agua Caliente Spring; (2) define the source(s), and possibly the age(s), of water discharged by the spring; (3) ascertain the seasonal and longer-term variability of the natural discharge, water temperature, and chemical characteristics of the spring water; (4) evaluate whether water-level declines in the regional aquifer will influence the temperature of the spring discharge; and, (5) estimate the quantity of spring water that leaks out of the water-collector tank at the spring orifice.

  3. Dynamics of a cyanobacterial bloom in a hypereutrophic reservoir ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Blooming and non-blooming periods between 2004 and 2006 in a hypereutrophic reservoir, where cyanobacterial blooms have previously been reported to be permanent, presented an opportunity to characterise factors that may favour cyanobacterial dominance. As a bloom developed in May 2004, a shift to dominance by ...

  4. First report of cyanobacterial diversity and microcystins in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The cyanobacterial diversity of Sidi Boughaba, a Moroccan coastal lagoon and Ramsar site, was evaluated and its potentially toxic species were isolated and characterised. This study was the first time that cyanobacterial diversity and cyanotoxin production have been characterised in a Moroccan coastal lagoon. Samples ...

  5. A comprehensive census of microbial diversity in hot springs of Tengchong, Yunnan Province China using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiguo Hou

    Full Text Available The Rehai and Ruidian geothermal fields, located in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, China, host a variety of geochemically distinct hot springs. In this study, we report a comprehensive, cultivation-independent census of microbial communities in 37 samples collected from these geothermal fields, encompassing sites ranging in temperature from 55.1 to 93.6°C, in pH from 2.5 to 9.4, and in mineralogy from silicates in Rehai to carbonates in Ruidian. Richness was low in all samples, with 21-123 species-level OTUs detected. The bacterial phylum Aquificae or archaeal phylum Crenarchaeota were dominant in Rehai samples, yet the dominant taxa within those phyla depended on temperature, pH, and geochemistry. Rehai springs with low pH (2.5-2.6, high temperature (85.1-89.1°C, and high sulfur contents favored the crenarchaeal order Sulfolobales, whereas those with low pH (2.6-4.8 and cooler temperature (55.1-64.5°C favored the Aquificae genus Hydrogenobaculum. Rehai springs with neutral-alkaline pH (7.2-9.4 and high temperature (>80°C with high concentrations of silica and salt ions (Na, K, and Cl favored the Aquificae genus Hydrogenobacter and crenarchaeal orders Desulfurococcales and Thermoproteales. Desulfurococcales and Thermoproteales became predominant in springs with pH much higher than the optimum and even the maximum pH known for these orders. Ruidian water samples harbored a single Aquificae genus Hydrogenobacter, whereas microbial communities in Ruidian sediment samples were more diverse at the phylum level and distinctly different from those in Rehai and Ruidian water samples, with a higher abundance of uncultivated lineages, close relatives of the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii", and candidate division O1aA90 and OP1. These differences between Ruidian sediments and Rehai samples were likely caused by temperature, pH, and sediment mineralogy. The results of this study significantly expand the current

  6. How important is hydrotherapy? Effects of dynamic action of hot spring water as a rehabilitative treatment for burn patients in Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moufarrij, S; Deghayli, L; Raffoul, W; Hirt-Burri, N; Michetti, M; de Buys Roessingh, A; Norberg, M; Applegate, L A

    2014-12-31

    Burn rehabilitation using hydrotherapy can have multiple benefits for the burn patient. The therapy uses specific mineral enriched hot spring water and water jets with varied hydro-pressure to combat hypertrophy, inflammatory reaction signs, abnormal pigmentation, and, more specifically, redness and scarring. Standard operating procedures for burn rehabilitation have been developed and integrated into the Standard of Care at the CHUV hospital using localized hydro-mechanical stimulation of burn sites (20 minutes of alternating anatomical sites) followed by constant pressure large-bore and filiform showers targeting specific scarred areas. These therapeutic regimens are repeated daily for 2 to 3 weeks. Patients showed lasting effects from this regimen (up to 3-6 months), the results becoming permanent with more uniform skin structure, color and visco-elasticity in addition to a decrease in pruritus. The specifications of clinical protocols are described herein along with the virtues of hot spring hydro-pressure therapy for burn rehabilitation. The use of hydrotherapy, which has been a controversial topic among burn units across the world, is also discussed. In North America, hydrotherapy is defined only within the scope of in-patient wound cleansing and is thought to lead to microbial auto-contamination and bacterial resistance. In Switzerland and France the emphasis of hydrotherapy is on rehabilitation after the wound has closed.

  7. Serratia sp. ZF03: an efficient radium biosorbent isolated from hot-spring waters in high background radiation areas of Ramsar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakeri, F.; Sadeghizadeh, M.; Akbari Noghabi, K.; Farshidpour, M.R.; Kardan, M.R.; Atarilar, A.

    2010-01-01

    Natural radionuclides, in particular those emitting alpha particles, make the largest contribution to the world population exposure. The most important example is 226 Ra, with a high potency for causing biological damages. Accordingly, it can be a potential concern in many areas, where these elements have been existed naturally, mined or processed. In addition to its own radiological properties, radium isotopes present additional environmental and health concerns due to the fact that they decay into radon ( 222 Rn); a Class-A carcinogen and the second leading cause of lung cancer estimated to cause 21,000 deaths in the US annually. Physico-chemical methods have been widely used to remove radionuclides and heavy metal ions from wastewaters. These conventional methods may be ineffective or expensive with a few major disadvantages such as high energy requirements, incomplete removal and generation of toxic sludge which needs proper disposal. Biological treatment is an innovative technology available for heavy metal and radionuclide polluted wastewaters. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize 226 Ra biosorbing indigenous bacterial strains from soils and hot-springs of Ramsar containing high concentration of 226 Ra by using biochemical and molecular approaches. Hence, the studied biomass proved very effective and could be used as a low cost and ecofriendly biosorbent for treatment of hot-spring waters containing high levels of 226 Ra in Ramsar

  8. Structural and functional insights from the metagenome of an acidic hot spring microbial planktonic community in the Colombian Andes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Javier Jiménez

    Full Text Available A taxonomic and annotated functional description of microbial life was deduced from 53 Mb of metagenomic sequence retrieved from a planktonic fraction of the Neotropical high Andean (3,973 meters above sea level acidic hot spring El Coquito (EC. A classification of unassembled metagenomic reads using different databases showed a high proportion of Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria (in total read affiliation, and through taxonomic affiliation of 16S rRNA gene fragments we observed the presence of Proteobacteria, micro-algae chloroplast and Firmicutes. Reads mapped against the genomes Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5, Legionella pneumophila str. Corby and Acidithiobacillus caldus revealed the presence of transposase-like sequences, potentially involved in horizontal gene transfer. Functional annotation and hierarchical comparison with different datasets obtained by pyrosequencing in different ecosystems showed that the microbial community also contained extensive DNA repair systems, possibly to cope with ultraviolet radiation at such high altitudes. Analysis of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle indicated the presence of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to N2 (narGHI, nirS, norBCDQ and nosZ, associated with Proteobacteria-like sequences. Genes involved in the sulfur cycle (cysDN, cysNC and aprA indicated adenylsulfate and sulfite production that were affiliated to several bacterial species. In summary, metagenomic sequence data provided insight regarding the structure and possible functions of this hot spring microbial community, describing some groups potentially involved in the nitrogen and sulfur cycling in this environment.

  9. Structural and Functional Insights from the Metagenome of an Acidic Hot Spring Microbial Planktonic Community in the Colombian Andes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez, Diego Javier; Andreote, Fernando Dini; Chaves, Diego; Montaña, José Salvador; Osorio-Forero, Cesar; Junca, Howard; Zambrano, María Mercedes; Baena, Sandra

    2012-01-01

    A taxonomic and annotated functional description of microbial life was deduced from 53 Mb of metagenomic sequence retrieved from a planktonic fraction of the Neotropical high Andean (3,973 meters above sea level) acidic hot spring El Coquito (EC). A classification of unassembled metagenomic reads using different databases showed a high proportion of Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria (in total read affiliation), and through taxonomic affiliation of 16S rRNA gene fragments we observed the presence of Proteobacteria, micro-algae chloroplast and Firmicutes. Reads mapped against the genomes Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5, Legionella pneumophila str. Corby and Acidithiobacillus caldus revealed the presence of transposase-like sequences, potentially involved in horizontal gene transfer. Functional annotation and hierarchical comparison with different datasets obtained by pyrosequencing in different ecosystems showed that the microbial community also contained extensive DNA repair systems, possibly to cope with ultraviolet radiation at such high altitudes. Analysis of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle indicated the presence of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to N2 (narGHI, nirS, norBCDQ and nosZ), associated with Proteobacteria-like sequences. Genes involved in the sulfur cycle (cysDN, cysNC and aprA) indicated adenylsulfate and sulfite production that were affiliated to several bacterial species. In summary, metagenomic sequence data provided insight regarding the structure and possible functions of this hot spring microbial community, describing some groups potentially involved in the nitrogen and sulfur cycling in this environment. PMID:23251687

  10. Cyanobacterial Occurrence and Diversity in Seagrass Meadows in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Oscillatoria, Lyngbya and Spirulina were the dominant cyanobacterial genera. Cyanobacterial coverage was higher in Mjimwema (31–100%) than in Ocean Road (0–60%). The levels of nutrients in tidal pool waters at Ocean Road ranged from 0.45–1.03 μmol NO3 -N/l, 0.19–0.27 μmol NO2 -N/l and 0.03–0.09 μmol PO4 ...

  11. 76 FR 74805 - Notice of Realty Action; Recreation and Public Purposes Act Classification; Tenakee Springs, AK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-01

    ... No. 6910. The City of Tenakee Springs proposes to use the land for a community park and garden, and a... garden, and a community public hot springs bath. Lease or conveyance of the land for recreational or... suitability of the land for development of a community park and garden, and a community public hot springs...

  12. LINEAMENTS MAP OF TURKEY FROM LANDSAT IMAGERY AND SELECTING TARGET AREAS FOR MINERAL EXPLORATION, RELATIONSHIP OF REGIONAL LINEAMENTS TO EARTHQUAKE EPICENTERS, MINERAL WATERS AND HOT SPRINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İsmail HENDEN

    1984-06-01

    Full Text Available Landsat coverage countrywide have been interpreted and a map of lineaments has been prepared. Circular features which are the surface expressions of deep or near   intrusions have  been  carefully mapped in order to investigate their relationship (if any to known mineralizations. From the outset it was postulated that the miner- alizations  are    located at the intersections of lineaments, especially in the vicinity of circular features.  To  test this hypo- thesis known mineralizations were placed on this map. It is noted that the metallic mineral deposits can be grouped into ten regions,  and out  of these,  two regions need to  be explored more intensively. In  some regions selected, locations of possible mineralizations were determined. Earthquake epicenters, mineral water sources and hot spring locations were placed on the  lineaments map. It is seen  that the hot springs and earthquake epicentres are located on regional fault systems.

  13. Community phylogenetic diversity of cyanobacterial mats associated with geothermal springs along a tropical intertidal gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Hongmei; Lacap, Donnabella C; Lau, Chui Yim; Pointing, Stephen B

    2006-04-01

    The 16S rRNA gene-defined bacterial diversity of tropical intertidal geothermal vents subject to varying degrees of seawater inundation was investigated. Shannon-Weaver diversity estimates of clone library-derived sequences revealed that the hottest pools located above the mean high-water mark that did not experience seawater inundation were most diverse, followed by those that were permanently submerged below the mean low-water mark. Pools located in the intertidal were the least biodiverse, and this is attributed to the fluctuating conditions caused by periodic seawater inundation rather than physicochemical conditions per se. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that a ubiquitous Oscillatoria-like phylotype accounted for 83% of clones. Synechococcus-like phylotypes were also encountered at each location, whilst others belonging to the Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, and other non-phototrophic bacteria occurred only at specific locations along the gradient. All cyanobacterial phylotypes displayed highest phylogenetic affinity to terrestrial thermophilic counterparts rather than marine taxa.

  14. Cyanobacterial crust induction using two non-previously tested cyanobacterial inoculants: crusting capability and role of EPSs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mugnai, Gianmarco; Rossi, Federico; De Philippis, Roberto

    2017-04-01

    The use of cyanobacteria as soil improvers and bio-conditioners (a technique often referred to as algalization) has been studied for decades. Several studies proved that cyanobacteria are feasible eco-friendly candidates to trigger soil fertilization and enrichment from agricultural to arid and hyper-arid systems. This approach can be successful to achieve stabilization and rehabilitation of degraded environments. Much of the effectiveness of algalization is due to the productivity and the characteristics of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) which, among their features, embed soil particles and promote the development of a first stable organo-mineral layer (cyanobacterial crusts). In natural settings, cyanobacterial crust induction represents a first step of a succession that may lead to the formation of mature biological soil crusts (Lan et al., 2014). The aim of this research was to investigate the crusting capabilities, and the characteristics of excreted EPSs by two newly tested non-heterocystous cyanobacterial inoculants, in microcosm experiments carried out using oligothrophic sand collected from sand dunes in Negev Desert, Israel. The cyanobacteria tested were Schizothrix AMPL1601, originally isolated from biocrusts collected in Hobq Desert, Inner Mongolia (China) and Leptolyngbia ohadii, originally isolated from biocrusts collected in Negev Desert, Israel. Inoculated microcosms were maintained at 30 °C in a growth chamber under continuous illumination and minimal water availability. Under such stressing conditions, and for a three-months incubation time, the growth and the colonization of the strains in the microcosms were monitored. At the same time, EPSs production and their chemical and macromolecular characteristics were determined by applying a methodology optimized for the purpose. Notably, EPSs were analyzed in two operationally-defined fractions, one more dispersed in the crust matrix (loosely bound EPSs, LB-EPSs) and one more condensed and

  15. Dry limit to photosynthesis and cyanobacterial spatial pattern in the Atacama Desert

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren-Rhodes, K. A.; Pointing, S. B.; Ewing, S.; Lacap, D.; Gomez-Silva, B.; Amundson, R.; Friedmann, E. I.; McKay, C. P.

    2005-12-01

    Hypolithic autotrophs inhabit translucent rocks in the world`'s most extreme hot and cold deserts. Across a rainfall gradient in the Atacama, we measured a three-fold decline in the molecular diversity of cyanobacterial communities and a drop in their abundance from 28% in relatively wet sites to 0.08% in the driest core. Like plants, hypoliths appear to exhibit traits of self-organized patchiness (aggregated spatial patterns) that tightly correlate with rainfall. Rare cyanobacteria in the core live slowly (3,200 y turnover times) and survive in spatially isolated patches of self-augmented fertility, with the dry limit to their survival occurring at ~Mars but may have existed in rare oases in the past. The spatial distributions of terrestrial desert microbes should be considered in the remote search for life on Mars.

  16. Variations of geothermometry and chemical-isotopic compositions of hot spring fluids in the Rehai geothermal field, southwestern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Jianguo; Liu, Congqiang; Fu, Bihong; Ninomiya, Yoshiki; Zhang, Youlian; Wang, Chuanyuan; Wang, Hualiu; Sun, Zigang

    2005-04-01

    Geothermal variations, origins of carbon-bearing components and reservoir temperatures in the Rehai geothermal field (RGF) of Tengchong volcanic area, Yunnan Province, southwestern China, are discussed on the basis of carbon isotope compositions, combined with helium isotope ratios and geothermal data from 1973 to 2000. δ 13C values of CO 2, CH 4, HCO 3-, CO 3= and travertine in the hot springs range from -7.6‰ to -1.18‰, -56.9‰ to -19.48‰, -6.7‰ to -4.2‰, -6.4‰ to -4.2‰ and -27.1‰ to +0.6‰, respectively. The carbon dioxide probably has a mantle/magma origin, but CH 4 and He have multiple origins. HCO 3- and CO 3= in RGF thermal fluids are predominantly derived from igneous carbon dioxide, but other ions originate from rocks through which the fluids circulate. The 13C values of CO 2, HCO 3- (aq) and CO 3= (aq) illustrate that isotopic equilibriums between CO 2 and HCO 3- (aq), and CO 3= (aq) and between DIC and travertine were not achieved, and no carbon isotope fractionation between HCO 3- (aq) and CO 3= (aq) of the hot springs in RGF was found. Using various geothermometers, temperatures of the geothermal reservoirs are estimated in a wide range from 69 °C to 450 °C that fluctuated from time to time. The best estimate of subsurface reservoir temperature may be 250-300 °C. Contributions of mantle fluids and shallow crust fluids in Rehai geothermal field varied with time, which resulted in variations of chemical and isotopic compositions and reservoir temperatures.

  17. Fiscal 1999 survey for promotion of geothermal energy development. Survey report of environmental impact survey - Hot spring fluctuation (No. B-5, Musadake district); 1999 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa. Kankyo eikyo chosa hokokusho (onsen hendo) (No.B-5 Musadake chiiki)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-12-01

    Research boreholes N11-MD-3 and -4 were drilled in Shibetsu-cho, Shibetsu-gun, Hokkaido, in the period July 1999 through December 1999, and thermal water was examined at the sites in July and November 1999. For the purpose of detecting the impact of the said work on the environment, local hot springs were examined for their status before, during, and after the drilling period. Measurements were conducted in the period August 5, 1998, through December 31, 2000. It was found that no fluctuation in water temperature or yield attributable to the drilling was detected. Hot springs were examined for nine items including water temperature and pH level at four spots which were Kaiyo-dai, River Tenyu, and Otoko-yu and Onna-yu of Kawakita Hot Spring, when 23-31 measurements were performed from each of the four. (NEDO)

  18. Balneological Evaluation of the Tafadek Spring, Agadez Region, Niger Republic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nghargbu, K.; Latour, T.; Ponikowska, I.; Kurowska, E.

    2012-04-01

    West Africa, particularly Niger Republic is home to thousands of tourists annually. The vast Saharan desert and it's numerous oases in the northern parts of the Republic are a hot attraction on their own. However, in a recent survey of medicinal springs within the West African sub-region, the only hot spring in this country known locally for its therapeutic egress was analyzed. Located about 160km West of Agadez, the "Tafadek" spring with a yield of over 5l/s and temperature of about 50oC, rich in fluoride and silica is a specific water with capacity for application in balneotherapy for the treatment of orthopaedic, rheumatological, neurological, urinary tract infections, and osteoporosis. If the Tafadek spring is developed into a modern health resort promoting balneotherapy, health (balnear) tourism which is non-existent in Niger Republic today could kick start a new dawn in the health/economic development of the nation and the sub-region at large. Keywords: West Africa, Nigeria, Balneotherapy, Health tourism, Spring

  19. Cyanobacterial Oxygenic Photosynthesis is Protected by Flavodiiron Proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yagut Allahverdiyeva

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Flavodiiron proteins (FDPs, also called flavoproteins, Flvs are modular enzymes widely present in Bacteria and Archaea. The evolution of cyanobacteria and oxygenic photosynthesis occurred in concert with the modulation of typical bacterial FDPs. Present cyanobacterial FDPs are composed of three domains, the β-lactamase-like, flavodoxin-like and flavin-reductase like domains. Cyanobacterial FDPs function as hetero- and homodimers and are involved in the regulation of photosynthetic electron transport. Whilst Flv2 and Flv4 proteins are limited to specific cyanobacterial species (β-cyanobacteria and function in photoprotection of Photosystem II, Flv1 and Flv3 proteins, functioning in the “Mehler-like” reaction and safeguarding Photosystem I under fluctuating light conditions, occur in nearly all cyanobacteria and additionally in green algae, mosses and lycophytes. Filamentous cyanobacteria have additional FDPs in heterocyst cells, ensuring a microaerobic environment for the function of the nitrogenase enzyme under the light. Here, the evolution, occurrence and functional mechanisms of various FDPs in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms are discussed.

  20. Evaluation of radon in hot spring waters in Zacatecas State, Mexico

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favila R, E.; Lopez del Rio, H.; Davila R, I.; Mireles G, F.

    2010-10-01

    It is well know that radon is a potent human carcinogen. Because of the health concern of radon exposure, concentrations of 222 Rn were determined in ten hot spring water samples from the Mexican state of Zacatecas. The thermal water is collected in pools and used mainly for recreational purposes. In addition to radon level, the water samples were characterized for temperature, conductivity, and ph. Liquid scintillation spectrometry was used to measure 222 Rn and its decay products by mixing directly an aliquot of water with a commercial liquid scintillation. All measurements were carried out using a liquid scintillation counter (Wallac 1411). The water temperature ranged from 28 to 59 C, while the ph varied from 7.2 to 9.0, and the water conductivity was between 202.4 and 1072 μS/cm. The 222 Rn concentration varied in the range 3.9-32.6 Bq/L. In addition, the risk to radon exposure was assessed by considering three -real and possible- radon exposure scenarios: 1) ingestion of bottled thermal water, 2) direct ingestion of thermal water; and 3) vapor inhalation. The annual effective dose calculated for ingestion of bottled thermal water was 0.010-0.083 mSv/yr; for ingestion of water was 0.65-5.47 mSv/yr; and for inhalation was 0.28-2.81 mSv/yr. (Author)

  1. Novel viral genomes identified from six metagenomes reveal wide distribution of archaeal viruses and high viral diversity in terrestrial hot springs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Islin, Sóley Ruth; Menzel, Peter; Krogh, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Limited by culture-dependent methods the number of viruses identified from thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria is still very small. In this study we retrieved viral sequences from six hot spring metagenomes isolated worldwide, revealing a wide distribution of four archaeal viral families....... Among the novel genomes, one belongs to a putative thermophilic virus infecting the bacterium Hydrogenobaculum, for which no virus has been reported in the literature. Moreover, a high viral diversity was observed in the metagenomes, especially among the Lipothrixviridae, as indicated by the large...

  2. Cyanobacterial Farming for Environment Friendly Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Innovations and Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jainendra Pathak

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Sustainable supply of food and energy without posing any threat to environment is the current demand of our society in view of continuous increase in global human population and depletion of natural resources of energy. Cyanobacteria have recently emerged as potential candidates who can fulfill abovementioned needs due to their ability to efficiently harvest solar energy and convert it into biomass by simple utilization of CO2, water and nutrients. During conversion of radiant energy into chemical energy, these biological systems produce oxygen as a by-product. Cyanobacterial biomass can be used for the production of food, energy, biofertilizers, secondary metabolites of nutritional, cosmetics, and medicinal importance. Therefore, cyanobacterial farming is proposed as environment friendly sustainable agricultural practice which can produce biomass of very high value. Additionally, cyanobacterial farming helps in decreasing the level of greenhouse gas, i.e., CO2, and it can be also used for removing various contaminants from wastewater and soil. However, utilization of cyanobacteria for resolving the abovementioned problems is subjected to economic viability. In this review, we provide details on different aspects of cyanobacterial system that can help in developing sustainable agricultural practices. We also describe different large-scale cultivation systems for cyanobacterial farming and discuss their merits and demerits in terms of economic profitability.

  3. The plumbing system of the Pagosa thermal Springs, Colorado: Application of geologically constrained geophysical inversion and data fusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Revil, A.; Cuttler, S.; Karaoulis, M.; Zhou, J.; Raynolds, B.; Batzle, M.

    2015-06-01

    Fault and fracture networks usually provide the plumbing for movement of hydrothermal fluids in geothermal fields. The Big Springs of Pagosa Springs in Colorado is known as the deepest geothermal hot springs in the world. However, little is known about the plumbing system of this hot spring, especially regarding the position of the reservoir (if any) or the position of the major tectonic faults controlling the flow of the thermal water in this area. The Mancos shale, a Cretaceous shale, dominates many of the surface expressions around the springs and impede an easy recognition of the fault network. We use three geophysical methods (DC resistivity, self-potential, and seismic) to image the faults in this area, most of which are not recognized in the geologic fault map of the region. Results from these surveys indicate that the hot Springs (the Big Spring and a warm spring located 1.8 km further south) are located at the intersection of the Victoire Fault, a major normal crustal fault, and two north-northeast trending faults (Fault A and B). Self-potential and DC resistivity tomographies can be combined and a set of joint attributes defined to determine the localization of the flow of hot water associated with the Eight Miles Mesa Fault, a second major tectonic feature responsible for the occurrence of warm springs further West and South from the Big Springs of Pagosa Springs.

  4. Microbial contributions to coupled arsenic and sulfur cycling in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool, New Zealand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrin eHug

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Acid-sulfide hot springs are analogs of early Earth geothermal systems where microbial metal(loid resistance likely first evolved. Arsenic is a metalloid enriched in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool (Waiotapu, New Zealand. Arsenic speciation in Champagne Pool follows reaction paths not yet fully understood with respect to biotic contributions and coupling to biogeochemical sulfur cycling. Here we present quantitative arsenic speciation from Champagne Pool, finding arsenite dominant in the pool, rim and outflow channel (55-75% total arsenic, and dithio- and trithioarsenates ubiquitously present as 18-25% total arsenic. In the outflow channel, dimethylmonothioarsenate comprised ≤9% total arsenic, while on the outflow terrace thioarsenates were present at 55% total arsenic. We also quantified sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfate and elemental sulfur, finding sulfide and sulfate as major species in the pool and outflow terrace, respectively. Elemental sulfur reached a maximum at the terrace. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes from metagenomic sequencing revealed the dominance of Sulfurihydrogenibium at all sites and an increased archaeal population at the rim and outflow channel. Several phylotypes were found closely related to known sulfur- and sulfide-oxidizers, as well as sulfur- and sulfate-reducers. Bioinformatic analysis revealed genes underpinning sulfur redox transformations, consistent with sulfur speciation data, and illustrating a microbial role in sulfur-dependent transformation of arsenite to thioarsenate. Metagenomic analysis also revealed genes encoding for arsenate reductase at all sites, reflecting the ubiquity of thioarsenate and a need for microbial arsenate resistance despite anoxic conditions. Absence of the arsenite oxidase gene, aio, at all sites suggests prioritization of arsenite detoxification over coupling to energy conservation. Finally, detection of methyl arsenic in the outflow channel, in conjunction with

  5. Caldimonas meghalayensis sp. nov., a novel thermophilic betaproteobacterium isolated from a hot spring of Meghalaya in northeast India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakshak, K; Ravinder, K; Nupur; Srinivas, T N R; Kumar, P Anil

    2013-12-01

    While studying the microbial diversity of hot springs of North-east India we isolated a strain AK31T from the Jakrem hot spring of Meghalaya. The strain formed light yellow colonies on nutrient agar and was Gram negative, non spore-forming rods, motile with single polar flagellum. The strain was positive for oxidase and catalase and hydrolysed starch and weakly urea. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16:0 (34.8 %), C17:0 cyclo (27.1 %), C16:1 ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2OH (summed feature 3) (9.6 %), C10:0 3OH (8.0 %), C12:0 (5.8 %), C14:0 (5.3 %) and C18:1 ω7c (5.3 %). Strain AK31T contained ubiquinone-8 as the major respiratory quinone and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified phospholipids and one unidentified glycolipid as the polar lipids. The G + C content of the DNA of the strain AK31T was 66.7 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain AK31T was member of the genus Caldimonas and closely related to Caldimonas manganoxidans JCM 10698T and Caldimonas taiwanensis On1T with 96.9 % similarity and with Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L10T and Azohydromonas australica IAM 12664T with 96.5 and 96.4 % similarity respectively. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the strain AK31T clustered with C. manganoxidans JCM 10698T and C. taiwanensis On1T with a phylogenetic distance of 3.25 %. Based on data from the current polyphasic study, strain AK31T is proposed as a novel species of the genus Caldimonas, for which the name Caldimonas meghalayensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of C. meghalayensis is AK31T (= MTCC 11703T = JCM 18786T).

  6. Alaska Open-File Report 127 Assessment of Thermal Springs Sites in Southern Southeastern Alaska - Preliminary Results and Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Motyka, Roman J.; Moorman, Mary A.; Reeder, John W.

    1980-06-01

    Information has been gathered on 13 reported thermal-spring sites, 12 in southern Southeastern Alaska and one in western British Columbia. Five of the reported sites could not be substantiated by DGGS. The eight known thermal spring sites are associated with grainitic terrain and, except for Baker Island Hot Springs, occur within or near intensively fractured Cretaceous-age pluons of the Coast Range Batholith. Thermal-spring surface temperatures range from 21 C (Twin Lakes) to 91.5 C (Bailey Bay). The greatest discharge occurs at Chief Shakes hot springs (450 1pm). Bell Island Hot Springs, which has about a 100-1 pm discharge and a 70 C temperature, has had the most development. Two previously unreported thermal-spring sites, Barnes Lake warm springs and Bradfield hot springs, have a low rate of discharge and respective surface temperatures of about 25 and 54 C. The known thermal springs probably originate from circulation of meteoric waters through deep-seated fracture and fault systems. The chemical constituents of the alkali-sulfate to alkali-chloride thermal waters are probably derived from interaction of the deeply circulating meteoric waters with the granitic wall rocks. Chemical geothermometry suggests subsurface temperatures of 55 to 151 C. If waters are being heated solely by conduction from wall rocks, circulation depths must be about 1.5 to 5 km, assuming geothermal gradients of 30 to 50 C/km. Variations in temperature, discharge, and chemistry were noted at several thermal springs for which previous records are available. A major decrease in silica and potassium concentrations at Chief Shakes hot springs is suggested by comparing recent analyses of water chemistry to Waring's (1917) original analysis. The rate of discharge at Bell Island Hot Springs may have increased by a factor of two since Waring's visit to the springs. Subsurface reservoirs associated with thermal springs in southern Southeastern Alaska are of low temperature and are

  7. Microscale Biosignatures and Abiotic Mineral Authigenesis in Little Hot Creek, California

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily A. Kraus

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Hot spring environments can create physical and chemical gradients favorable for unique microbial life. They can also include authigenic mineral precipitates that may preserve signs of biological activity on Earth and possibly other planets. The abiogenic or biogenic origins of such precipitates can be difficult to discern, therefore a better understanding of mineral formation processes is critical for the accurate interpretation of biosignatures from hot springs. Little Hot Creek (LHC is a hot spring complex located in the Long Valley Caldera, California, that contains mineral precipitates composed of a carbonate base (largely submerged topped by amorphous silica (largely emergent. The precipitates occur in close association with microbial mats and biofilms. Geological, geochemical, and microbiological data are consistent with mineral formation via degassing and evaporation rather than direct microbial involvement. However, the microfabric of the silica portion is stromatolitic in nature (i.e., wavy and finely laminated, suggesting that abiogenic mineralization has the potential to preserve textural biosignatures. Although geochemical and petrographic evidence suggests the calcite base was precipitated via abiogenic processes, endolithic microbial communities modified the structure of the calcite crystals, producing a textural biosignature. Our results reveal that even when mineral precipitation is largely abiogenic, the potential to preserve biosignatures in hot spring settings is high. The features found in the LHC structures may provide insight into the biogenicity of ancient Earth and extraterrestrial rocks.

  8. Bacterial and archaeal diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from the geothermal region of Tengchong, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagaling, Eulyn; Grant, William D; Cowan, Don A; Jones, Brian E; Ma, Yanhe; Ventosa, Antonio; Heaphy, Shaun

    2012-07-01

    We investigated the bacterial and archaeal diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from the geothermal region of Tengchong in the Yunnan Province, China, using direct molecular analyses. The Langpu (LP) laminated mat was found by the side of a boiling pool with temperature of 60-65 °C and a pH of 8.5, while the Tengchong (TC) streamer mat consisted of white streamers in a slightly acidic (pH 6.5) hot pool outflow with a temperature of 72 °C. Four 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed and restriction enzyme analysis of the inserts was used to identify unique sequences and clone frequencies. From almost 200 clones screened, 55 unique sequences were retrieved. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the LP mat consisted of a diverse bacterial population [Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Chlorobia, Nitrospirae, 'Deinococcus-Thermus', Proteobacteria (alpha, beta and delta subdivisions), Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria], while the archaeal population was dominated by methanogenic Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. In contrast, the TC streamer mat consisted of a bacterial population dominated by Aquificae, while the archaeal population also contained Korarchaeota as well as Crenarchaeota and methanogenic Euryarchaeota. These mats harboured clone sequences affiliated to unidentified lineages, suggesting that they are a potential source for discovering novel bacteria and archaea.

  9. Novel Anoxybacillus flavithermus AK1: A Thermophile Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia

    KAUST Repository

    Khalil, Amjad

    2017-06-14

    Anoxybacillus flavithermus AK1 is a thermophilic bacterium that is able to survive at temperatures ranging from 55 to 60∘C. The AK1 strain was isolated from the hot spring “Al-Ain Alhara” located at a distance of 50 km southeast of the city of Gazan, Saudi Arabia. This study presents the morphological characterization of A. flavithermus AK1, including a detailed description of its complete genome sequence. A total of 50 contigs were used to produce a genome sequence of 2,630,664 bp that includes 2724 protein-coding genes and 75 RNA genes, 18 of which are rRNA genes. A comparison of this genome sequence with those of Anoxybacillus flavithermus strains that were previously submitted to NCBI revealed that the AK1 strain has the smallest genome size with the highest GC content. The strain can therefore be exploited for several biotechnological applications based on its high thermophilic potential.

  10. Cyanobacterial Diversity in Biological Soil Crusts along a Precipitation Gradient, Northwest Negev Desert, Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagemann, Martin; Henneberg, Manja; Felde, Vincent J M N L; Drahorad, Sylvie L; Berkowicz, Simon M; Felix-Henningsen, Peter; Kaplan, Aaron

    2015-07-01

    Cyanobacteria occur worldwide but play an important role in the formation and primary activity of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. The cyanobacterial diversity in BSCs of the northwest Negev desert of Israel was surveyed at three fixed sampling stations situated along a precipitation gradient in the years 2010 to 2012. The three stations also are characterized by marked differences in soil features such as soil carbon, nitrogen, or electrical conductivity. The cyanobacterial biodiversity was analyzed by sequencing inserts of clone libraries harboring partial 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained with cyanobacteria-specific primers. Filamentous, non-diazotrophic strains (subsection III), particularly Microcoleus-like, dominated the cyanobacterial community (30% proportion) in all years. Specific cyanobacterial groups showed increased (e.g., Chroococcidiopsis, Leptolyngbya, and Nostoc strains) or decreased (e.g., unicellular strains belonging to the subsection I and Scytonema strains) abundances with declining water availability at the most arid, southern station, whereas many cyanobacterial strains were frequently found in the soils of all three stations. The cyanobacterial diversity at the three sampling stations appears dependent on the available precipitation, whereas the differences in soil chemistry were of lower importance.

  11. Ecotoxicological effects of selected cyanobacterial secondary metabolites a short review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiegand, C.; Pflugmacher, S.

    2005-01-01

    Cyanobacteria are one of the most diverse groups of gram-negative photosynthetic prokaryotes. Many of them are able to produce a wide range of toxic secondary metabolites. These cyanobacterial toxins can be classified in five different groups: hepatotoxins, neurotoxins, cytotoxins, dermatotoxins, and irritant toxins (lipopolysaccharides). Cyanobacterial blooms are hazardous due to this production of secondary metabolites and endotoxins, which could be toxic to animals and plants. Many of the freshwater cyanobacterial blooms include species of the toxigenic genera Microcystis, Anabaena, or Plankthotrix. These compounds differ in mechanisms of uptake, affected organs, and molecular mode of action. In this review, the main focus is the aquatic environment and the effects of these toxins to the organisms living there. Some basic toxic mechanisms will be discussed in comparison to the mammalian system

  12. Cyanobacterial Biofuels: Strategies and Developments on Network and Modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klanchui, Amornpan; Raethong, Nachon; Prommeenate, Peerada; Vongsangnak, Wanwipa; Meechai, Asawin

    Cyanobacteria, the phototrophic microorganisms, have attracted much attention recently as a promising source for environmentally sustainable biofuels production. However, barriers for commercial markets of cyanobacteria-based biofuels concern the economic feasibility. Miscellaneous strategies for improving the production performance of cyanobacteria have thus been developed. Among these, the simple ad hoc strategies resulting in failure to optimize fully cell growth coupled with desired product yield are explored. With the advancement of genomics and systems biology, a new paradigm toward systems metabolic engineering has been recognized. In particular, a genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction and modeling is a crucial systems-based tool for whole-cell-wide investigation and prediction. In this review, the cyanobacterial genome-scale metabolic models, which offer a system-level understanding of cyanobacterial metabolism, are described. The main process of metabolic network reconstruction and modeling of cyanobacteria are summarized. Strategies and developments on genome-scale network and modeling through the systems metabolic engineering approach are advanced and employed for efficient cyanobacterial-based biofuels production.

  13. Drivers of cyanobacterial diversity and community composition in mangrove soils in south-east Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rigonato, Janaina; Kent, Angela D; Alvarenga, Danillo O; Andreote, Fernando D; Beirigo, Raphael M; Vidal-Torrado, Pablo; Fiore, Marli F

    2013-04-01

    Cyanobacteria act as primary producers of carbon and nitrogen in nutrient-poor ecosystems such as mangroves. This important group of microorganisms plays a critical role in sustaining the productivity of mangrove ecosystems, but the structure and function of cyanobacteria assemblages can be perturbed by anthropogenic influences. The aim of this work was to assess the community structure and ecological drivers that influence the cyanobacterial community harboured in two Brazilian mangrove soils, and examine the long-term effects of oil contamination on these keystone species. Community fingerprinting results showed that, although cyanobacterial communities are distinct between the two mangroves, the structure and diversity of the assemblages exhibit similar responses to environmental gradients. In each ecosystem, cyanobacteria occupying near-shore areas were similar in composition, indicating importance of marine influences for structuring the community. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequences revealed the presence of diverse cyanobacterial communities in mangrove sediments, with clear differences among mangrove habitats along a transect from shore to forest. While near-shore sites in both mangroves were mainly occupied by Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus genera, sequences retrieved from other mangrove niches were mainly affiliated with uncultured cyanobacterial 16S rRNA. The most intriguing finding was the large number of potentially novel cyanobacteria 16S rRNA sequences obtained from a previously oil-contaminated site. The abundance of cyanobacterial 16S rRNA sequences observed in sites with a history of oil contamination was significantly lower than in the unimpacted areas. This study emphasized the role of environmental drivers in determining the structure of cyanobacterial communities in mangrove soils, and suggests that anthropogenic impacts may also act as ecological filters that select cyanobacterial taxa. These results are an important contribution to our

  14. Global Occurrence of Archaeal amoA Genes in Terrestrial Hot Springs▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chuanlun L.; Ye, Qi; Huang, Zhiyong; Li, WenJun; Chen, Jinquan; Song, Zhaoqi; Zhao, Weidong; Bagwell, Christopher; Inskeep, William P.; Ross, Christian; Gao, Lei; Wiegel, Juergen; Romanek, Christopher S.; Shock, Everett L.; Hedlund, Brian P.

    2008-01-01

    Despite the ubiquity of ammonium in geothermal environments and the thermodynamic favorability of aerobic ammonia oxidation, thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms belonging to the crenarchaeota kingdom have only recently been described. In this study, we analyzed microbial mats and surface sediments from 21 hot spring samples (pH 3.4 to 9.0; temperature, 41 to 86°C) from the United States, China, and Russia and obtained 846 putative archaeal ammonia monooxygenase large-subunit (amoA) gene and transcript sequences, representing a total of 41 amoA operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 2% identity. The amoA gene sequences were highly diverse, yet they clustered within two major clades of archaeal amoA sequences known from water columns, sediments, and soils: clusters A and B. Eighty-four percent (711/846) of the sequences belonged to cluster A, which is typically found in water columns and sediments, whereas 16% (135/846) belonged to cluster B, which is typically found in soils and sediments. Although a few amoA OTUs were present in several geothermal regions, most were specific to a single region. In addition, cluster A amoA genes formed geographic groups, while cluster B sequences did not group geographically. With the exception of only one hot spring, principal-component analysis and UPGMA (unweighted-pair group method using average linkages) based on the UniFrac metric derived from cluster A grouped the springs by location, regardless of temperature or bulk water pH, suggesting that geography may play a role in structuring communities of putative ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The amoA genes were distinct from those of low-temperature environments; in particular, pair-wise comparisons between hot spring amoA genes and those from sympatric soils showed less than 85% sequence identity, underscoring the distinctness of hot spring archaeal communities from those of the surrounding soil system. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that amoA genes were

  15. Hydrogen-producing microflora and Fe-Fe hydrogenase diversities in seaweed bed associated with marine hot springs of Kalianda, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Shou-Ying; He, Pei-Qing; Dewi, Seswita-Zilda; Zhang, Xue-Lei; Ekowati, Chasanah; Liu, Tong-Jun; Huang, Xiao-Hang

    2013-05-01

    Microbial fermentation is a promising technology for hydrogen (H(2)) production. H(2) producers in marine geothermal environments are thermophilic and halotolerant. However, no one has surveyed an environment specifically for thermophilic bacteria that produce H(2) through Fe-Fe hydrogenases (H(2)ase). Using heterotrophic medium, several microflora from a seaweed bed associated with marine hot springs were enriched and analyzed for H(2) production. A H(2)-producing microflora was obtained from Sargassum sp., 16S rRNA genes and Fe-Fe H(2)ase diversities of this enrichment were also analyzed. Based on 16S rRNA genes analysis, 10 phylotypes were found in the H(2)-producing microflora showing 90.0-99.5 % identities to known species, and belonged to Clostridia, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacillales. Clostridia were the most abundant group, and three Clostridia phylotypes were most related to known H(2) producers such as Anaerovorax odorimutans (94.0 % identity), Clostridium papyrosolvens (98.4 % identity), and Clostridium tepidiprofundi (93.1 % identity). For Fe-Fe H(2)ases, seven phylotypes were obtained, showing 63-97 % identities to known Fe-Fe H(2)ases, and fell into four distinct clusters. Phylotypes HW55-3 and HM55-1 belonged to thermophilic and salt-tolerant H(2)-producing Clostridia, Halothermothrix orenii-like Fe-Fe H(2)ases (80 % identity), and cellulolytic H(2)-producing Clostridia, C. papyrosolvens-like Fe-Fe H(2)ases (97 % identity), respectively. The results of both 16S rRNA genes and Fe-Fe H(2)ases surveys suggested that the thermophilic and halotolerant H(2)-producing microflora in seaweed bed of hot spring area represented previously unknown H(2) producers, and have potential application for H(2) production.

  16. Regulatory, Land Ownership, and Water Availability Factors for a Magma Well: Long Valley Caldera and Coso Hot Springs, California

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blackett, Robert

    1985-09-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy is currently engaged in a program to demonstrate the engineering feasibility of extracting thermal energy from high-level molten magma bodies. The program is being carried out under the direction of Sandia National Laboratories where a number of individual projects support the overall program. The existing program elements include (1) high-temperature materials compatibility testing; (2) studies of properties of melts of various compositions; and (3) the investigation of the economics of a magma energy extraction system. Another element of the program is being conducted with the cooperation of the U.S. Geological Survey, and involves locating and outlining magma bodies at selected sites using various geophysical techniques. The ultimate goal here will be to define the limits of a magma body as a drilling target. During an earlier phase of the program, more than twenty candidate study sites considered were evaluated based upon: (1) the likelihood of the presence of a shallow magma chamber, (2) the accessibility of the site, and (3) physical and institutional constraints associated with each site with respect to performing long-term experiments. From these early phase activities, the number of candidate sites were eventually narrowed to just 2. The sites currently under consideration are Coso Hot Springs and the Long Valley caldera (Figure 1). This report describes certain attributes of these sites in order to help identify potential problems related to: (1) state and federal regulations pertaining to geothermal development; (2) land ownership; and (3) water resource availability. The information sources used in this study were mainly maps, publications, and informative documents gathered from the California Division of Oil and Gas and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Environmental studies completed for the entire Long Valley caldera study area, and for portions of the Coso Hot Springs study area were also used for reference.

  17. Argillization by descending acid at Steamboat Springs, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoen, Robert; White, Donald E.; Hemley, J.J.

    1974-01-01

    Steamboat Springs, Nevada, an area of present-day hot springs, clearly illustrates the genetic dependence of some kaolin deposits on hot-spring activity. Andesite, granodiorite and arkosic sediments are locally altered at the land surface to siliceous residues consisting of primary quartz and anatase, plus opal from primary silicates. These siliceous residues commonly exhibit the textural and structural features of their unaltered equivalents. Beneath the siliceous residues, kaolin and alunite replace primary silicates and fill open spaces, forming a blanketlike deposit. Beneath the kaolin-alunite zone, montmorillonite, commonly accompanied by pyrite, replaces the primary silicates. On the ground surface, the same alteration mineral zones can be traced outward from the siliceous residue; however, hematite rather than pyrite accompanies montmorillonite.Chemical analysis indicates that sulfuric acid is the active altering agent. The acid forms from hydrogen sulfide that exsolves from deep thermal water, rises above the water table and is oxidized by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria living near the ground surface. This acid dissolves in precipitation or condensed water vapor and percolates downward destroying most of the primary minerals producing a siliceous residue. Coincidence of the water table with the downward transition from siliceous residue to kaolin-alunite signifies decreasing hydrogen metasomatism because of dilution of descending acid by ground water.In hot-spring areas, beds of siliceous sinter deposited at the surface by hypogene thermal water look, superficially, like areas of surficial acid alteration. Features diagnostic of a surficial alteration are the relict rock structures of a siliceous residue and a kaolin-alunite zone immediately beneath.

  18. Structural studies of cyanobacterial PSII

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Da Fonseca, Paula Cristina Alves

    2001-01-01

    Photosystem II (PSII) is the photosynthetic transmembrane protein-pigment complex which utilises light energy to drive the splitting of water and release of oxygen, a unique reaction in biological systems. The determination of the structure of PSII at high resolution is required in order to understand its mechanisms of reaction. For this reason, methods have been developed to purify highly active PSII complexes from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongate These complexes have been studied by high resolution electron microscopy, using both single particle analysis and electron crystallography. A 30A three-dimensional map of the cyanobacterial PSII complex was obtained by single particle analysis. The comparison of this map with structural data from the spinach PSII core dimer revealed that both complexes share similar overall size and shape. These data also allowed a discussion on the organisation and positioning of the extrinsic lumenal proteins within the cyanobacterial PSII complex. A Synechococcus elongatus PSII projection map, at a resolution of 20A, was determined by image processing of two-dimensional crystals formed by the in vitro reconstitution method. This was the first projection map obtained by electron crystallography of a cyanobacterial highly active PSII complex, with all the extrinsic subunits retained. The analysis of this map and its comparison with a 10A three-dimensional map recently obtained from the spinach PSII core dimer revealed a similar organisation of the main transmembrane subunits. Moreover, at the level of resolution of the present data it is possible to identify differences which can be related to the content and organisation of the small subunits forming the PSII complex from both organisms. Cytochrome b559, an important but incompletely understood PSII subunit, was purified and subjected to crystallisation trials in order to aid the interpretation of intermediate resolution PSII structural data. Small crystals were

  19. Cyanobacterial evolution during the Precambrian

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schirrmeister, Bettina E.; Sanchez-Baracaldo, Patricia; Wacey, David

    2016-07-01

    Life on Earth has existed for at least 3.5 billion years. Yet, relatively little is known of its evolution during the first two billion years, due to the scarceness and generally poor preservation of fossilized biological material. Cyanobacteria, formerly known as blue green algae were among the first crown Eubacteria to evolve and for more than 2.5 billion years they have strongly influenced Earth's biosphere. Being the only organism where oxygenic photosynthesis has originated, they have oxygenated Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere, triggered the evolution of plants -being ancestral to chloroplasts- and enabled the evolution of complex life based on aerobic respiration. Having such a strong impact on early life, one might expect that the evolutionary success of this group may also have triggered further biosphere changes during early Earth history. However, very little is known about the early evolution of this phylum and ongoing debates about cyanobacterial fossils, biomarkers and molecular clock analyses highlight the difficulties in this field of research. Although phylogenomic analyses have provided promising glimpses into the early evolution of cyanobacteria, estimated divergence ages are often very uncertain, because of vague and insufficient tree-calibrations. Results of molecular clock analyses are intrinsically tied to these prior calibration points, hence improving calibrations will enable more precise divergence time estimations. Here we provide a review of previously described Precambrian microfossils, biomarkers and geochemical markers that inform upon the early evolution of cyanobacteria. Future research in micropalaeontology will require novel analyses and imaging techniques to improve taxonomic affiliation of many Precambrian microfossils. Consequently, a better understanding of early cyanobacterial evolution will not only allow for a more specific calibration of cyanobacterial and eubacterial phylogenies, but also provide new dates for the tree

  20. Hydrogeochemical characteristics and sources of salinity of the springs near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Juan; Zhou, Xun; Wang, Lidong; Zhang, Yuqi; Shen, Xiaowei; Zhou, Haiyan; Ye, Shen; Fang, Bin

    2017-12-01

    Natural springs have the potential to provide important information on hydrogeochemical processes within aquifers. This study used traditional and classic technical methods and procedures to determine the characteristics and evolution of springs to gain further knowledge on the differences between hot saline springs and cold fresh springs. In a short river segment near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, southwest China, several natural springs coexist with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from less than 1 to 15 g/L and temperatures from 15 to 40 °C. The springs emanate from the outcropping Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates in the river valley cutting the core of an anticline. The cold springs are of Cl·HCO3-Na·Ca and Cl·SO4-Na types, and the hot saline springs are mainly of Cl-Na type. The chemistry of the springs has undergone some changes with time. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes indicate that the spring waters are of a meteoric origin. The salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The evolution of the springs involves the following mechanisms: the groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, then undergoes deep circulation in the core of the anticline (incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing strata occurs), and emerges in the river valley in the form of hot springs with high TDS. Groundwater also undergoes shallow circulation in the northern and southern flanks of the anticline and appears in the river valley in the form of cold springs with low TDS.

  1. Direct use applications of geothermal resources at Desert Hot Springs, California. Final report, May 23, 1977--July 31, 1978. Volume II: appendixes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Christiansen, C.C.

    1978-07-01

    The following appendixes are included: Desert Hot Springs (DHS) Geothermal Project Advisory Board, Geothermal Citizens Advisory Committee, community needs assessment, geothermal resource characterization, a detailed discussion of the geothermal applications considered for DHS, space/water heating, agricultural operations, detailed analysis of a geothermal aquaculture facility, detailed discussion of proposed energy cascading systems for DHS, regulatory requirements, environmental impact assessment, resource management plan, and geothermal resources property rights and powers of cities to regulate indigenous geothermal resources and to finance construction of facilities for utilization of such resources. (MHR)

  2. Cyanobacterial-algal cenoses in ordinary chernozems under the impact of different phytoameliorants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubovik, I. E.; Suyundukov, Ya. T.; Khasanova, R. F.; Shalygina, R. R.

    2016-04-01

    General ecological and taxonomic characteristics of cyanobacterial-algal cenoses in ordinary chernozems under different ameliorative plants (phytoameliorants) were studied in the Trans-Ural region of the Republic of Bashkortostan. A comparative analysis of the taxa of studied cenoses in the soils under leguminous herbs and grasses was performed. The phytoameliorative effect of different herbs and their relationships with cyanobacterial-algal cenoses were examined. Overall, 134 cyanoprokaryotic and algal species belonging to 70 genera, 36 families, 15 orders, and 9 classes were identified. Cyanobacterial-algal cenoses included the divisions of Chlorophyta, Cyanoprokaryota, Xanthophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Euglenophyta. Representatives of Ch-, X-, CF-, and P-forms were the leading ecobiomorphs in the studied cenoses.

  3. Genome-wide comparative analysis of codon usage bias and codon context patterns among cyanobacterial genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabha, Ratna; Singh, Dhananjaya P; Sinha, Swati; Ahmad, Khurshid; Rai, Anil

    2017-04-01

    With the increasing accumulation of genomic sequence information of prokaryotes, the study of codon usage bias has gained renewed attention. The purpose of this study was to examine codon selection pattern within and across cyanobacterial species belonging to diverse taxonomic orders and habitats. We performed detailed comparative analysis of cyanobacterial genomes with respect to codon bias. Our analysis reflects that in cyanobacterial genomes, A- and/or T-ending codons were used predominantly in the genes whereas G- and/or C-ending codons were largely avoided. Variation in the codon context usage of cyanobacterial genes corresponded to the clustering of cyanobacteria as per their GC content. Analysis of codon adaptation index (CAI) and synonymous codon usage order (SCUO) revealed that majority of genes are associated with low codon bias. Codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes reflected compositional constraints as major influencing factor. It is also identified that although, mutational constraint may play some role in affecting codon usage bias in cyanobacteria, compositional constraint in terms of genomic GC composition coupled with environmental factors affected codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Detection of phosphatase activity in aquatic and terrestrial cyanobacterial strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babić Olivera B.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cyanobacteria, as highly adaptable microorganisms, are characterized by an ability to survive in different environmental conditions, in which a significant role belongs to their enzymes. Phosphatases are enzymes produced by algae in relatively large quantities in response to a low orthophosphate concentration and their activity is significantly correlated with their primary production. The activity of these enzymes was investigated in 11 cyanobacterial strains in order to determine enzyme synthesis depending on taxonomic and ecological group of cyanobacteria. The study was conducted with 4 terrestrial cyanobacterial strains, which belong to Nostoc and Anabaena genera, and 7 filamentous water cyanobacteria of Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Phormidium and Microcystis genera. The obtained results showed that the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases strongly depended on cyanobacterial strain and the environment from which the strain originated. Higher activity of alkaline phosphatases, ranging from 3.64 to 85.14 μmolpNP/s/dm3, was recorded in terrestrial strains compared to the studied water strains (1.11-5.96 μmolpNP/s/dm3. The activity of acid phosphatases was higher in most tested water strains (1.67-6.28 μmolpNP/s/dm3 compared to the activity of alkaline phosphatases (1.11-5.96 μmolpNP/s/dm3. Comparing enzyme activity of nitrogen fixing and non-nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria, it was found that most nitrogen fixing strains had a higher activity of alkaline phosphatases. The data obtained in this work indicate that activity of phosphatases is a strain specific property. The results further suggest that synthesis and activity of phosphatases depended on eco-physiological characteristics of the examined cyanobacterial strains. This can be of great importance for the further study of enzymes and mechanisms of their activity as a part of cyanobacterial survival strategy in environments with extreme conditions. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike

  5. Microbial contributions to coupled arsenic and sulfur cycling in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool, New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hug, Katrin; Maher, William A; Stott, Matthew B; Krikowa, Frank; Foster, Simon; Moreau, John W

    2014-01-01

    Acid-sulfide hot springs are analogs of early Earth geothermal systems where microbial metal(loid) resistance likely first evolved. Arsenic is a metalloid enriched in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool (Waiotapu, New Zealand). Arsenic speciation in Champagne Pool follows reaction paths not yet fully understood with respect to biotic contributions and coupling to biogeochemical sulfur cycling. Here we present quantitative arsenic speciation from Champagne Pool, finding arsenite dominant in the pool, rim and outflow channel (55-75% total arsenic), and dithio- and trithioarsenates ubiquitously present as 18-25% total arsenic. In the outflow channel, dimethylmonothioarsenate comprised ≤9% total arsenic, while on the outflow terrace thioarsenates were present at 55% total arsenic. We also quantified sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfate and elemental sulfur, finding sulfide and sulfate as major species in the pool and outflow terrace, respectively. Elemental sulfur concentration reached a maximum at the terrace. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes from metagenomic sequencing revealed the dominance of Sulfurihydrogenibium at all sites and an increased archaeal population at the rim and outflow channel. Several phylotypes were found closely related to known sulfur- and sulfide-oxidizers, as well as sulfur- and sulfate-reducers. Bioinformatic analysis revealed genes underpinning sulfur redox transformations, consistent with sulfur speciation data, and illustrating a microbial role in sulfur-dependent transformation of arsenite to thioarsenate. Metagenomic analysis also revealed genes encoding for arsenate reductase at all sites, reflecting the ubiquity of thioarsenate and a need for microbial arsenate resistance despite anoxic conditions. Absence of the arsenite oxidase gene, aio, at all sites suggests prioritization of arsenite detoxification over coupling to energy conservation. Finally, detection of methyl arsenic in the outflow channel, in conjunction with

  6. Production and Early Preservation of Lipid Biomarkers in Iron Hot Springs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parenteau, Mary N.; Jahnke, Linda L.; Farmer, Jack D.; Cady, Sherry L.

    2014-06-01

    The bicarbonate-buffered anoxic vent waters at Chocolate Pots hot springs in Yellowstone National Park are 51–54°C, pH 5.5–6.0, and are very high in dissolved Fe(II) at 5.8–5.9 mg/L. The aqueous Fe(II) is oxidized by a combination of biotic and abiotic mechanisms and precipitated as primary siliceous nanophase iron oxyhydroxides (ferrihydrite). Four distinct prokaryotic photosynthetic microbial mat types grow on top of these iron deposits. Lipids were used to characterize the community composition of the microbial mats, link source organisms to geologically significant biomarkers, and investigate how iron mineralization degrades the lipid signature of the community. The phospholipid and glycolipid fatty acid profiles of the highest-temperature mats indicate that they are dominated by cyanobacteria and green nonsulfur filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs (FAPs). Diagnostic lipid biomarkers of the cyanobacteria include midchain branched mono- and dimethylalkanes and, most notably, 2-methylbacteriohopanepolyol. Diagnostic lipid biomarkers of the FAPs (Chloroflexus and Roseiflexus spp.) include wax esters and a long-chain tri-unsaturated alkene. Surprisingly, the lipid biomarkers resisted the earliest stages of microbial degradation and diagenesis to survive in the iron oxides beneath the mats. Understanding the potential of particular sedimentary environments to capture and preserve fossil biosignatures is of vital importance in the selection of the best landing sites for future astrobiological missions to Mars. Finally, this study explores the nature of organic degradation processes in moderately thermal Fe(II)-rich groundwater springs—environmental conditions that have been previously identified as highly relevant for Mars exploration.

  7. Distribution of ether lipids and composition of the archaeal community in terrestrial geothermal springs: impact of environmental variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Wei; Zhang, Chuanlun L; Wang, Jinxiang; Chen, Yufei; Zhu, Yuanqing; de la Torre, José R; Dong, Hailiang; Hartnett, Hilairy E; Hedlund, Brian P; Klotz, Martin G

    2015-05-01

    Archaea can respond to changes in the environment by altering the composition of their membrane lipids, for example, by modification of the abundance and composition of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs). Here, we investigated the abundance and proportions of polar GDGTs (P-GDGTs) and core GDGTs (C-GDGTs) sampled in different seasons from Tengchong hot springs (Yunnan, China), which encompassed a pH range of 2.5-10.1 and a temperature range of 43.7-93.6°C. The phylogenetic composition of the archaeal community (reanalysed from published work) divided the Archaea in spring sediment samples into three major groups that corresponded with spring pH: acidic, circumneutral and alkaline. Cluster analysis showed correlation between spring pH and the composition of P- and C-GDGTs and archaeal 16S rRNA genes, indicating an intimate link between resident Archaea and the distribution of P- and C-GDGTs in Tengchong hot springs. The distribution of GDGTs in Tengchong springs was also significantly affected by temperature; however, the relationship was weaker than with pH. Analysis of published datasets including samples from Tibet, Yellowstone and the US Great Basin hot springs revealed a similar relationship between pH and GDGT content. Specifically, low pH springs had higher concentrations of GDGTs with high numbers of cyclopentyl rings than neutral and alkaline springs, which is consistent with the predominance of high cyclopentyl ring-characterized Sulfolobales and Thermoplasmatales present in some of the low pH springs. Our study suggests that the resident Archaea in these hot springs are acclimated if not adapted to low pH by their genetic capacity to effect the packing density of their membranes by increasing cyclopentyl rings in GDGTs at the rank of community. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Update on Production Chemistry of the Roosevelt Hot Springs Reservoir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simmons, Stuart; Kirby, Stefan; Allis, Rick; Moore, Joe; Fischer, Tobias

    2018-02-12

    Analyses of production fluids from the Roosevelt Hot Springs reservoir were acquired from well sampling campaigns in 2015 and 2016. The resulting data have been recalculated to reservoir conditions by correcting for effects of steam loss, and the values are compared to legacy data from earlier reports to quantify changes with time in response to fluid production. The reservoir composition is similar to that at the start of reservoir exploitation, having near neutral pH, total dissolved solids of 7000-10,000 mg/kg, and ionic ratios of Cl/HCO3 ~50-100, Cl/SO4 ~50-100, and Na/K ~4-5. Cation, gas and silica geothermometers indicate a range of equilibration temperatures between 240 and 300 °C, but quartz-silica values are most closely consistent with measured reservoir temperatures and well enthalpies. The largest change in fluid composition is observed in well 54-3. The fluid has evolved from being fed by a single phase liquid to a twophase mixture of steam and liquid due to pressure draw down. The fluid also shows a 25% increase in reservoir chloride and a ~20° C decrement of cooling related to mixing with injected brine. The other production wells also show increase in chloride and decrease in temperature, but these changes diminish in magnitude with distance from injection well 14-2. Stable isotope compositions indicate that the reservoir water is largely meteoric in origin, having been modified by hydrothermal waterrock interaction. The water has also become progressively enriched in isotopic values in response to steam loss and mixing of injectate. N2-Ar-He and helium isotope ratios indicate a deep magmatic source region that probably supplies the heat for the hydrothermal system, consistent with recent Quaternary volcanism in the Mineral Mountains.

  9. Proteomic Analysis of Hepatic Tissue of Cyprinus carpio L. Exposed to Cyanobacterial Blooms in Lake Taihu, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jinlin; Wang, Xiaorong; Shan, Zhengjun; Yang, Liuyan; Zhou, Junying; Bu, Yuanqin

    2014-01-01

    With the rapid development of industry and agriculture and associated pollution, the cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu have become a major threat to aquatic wildlife and human health. In this study, the ecotoxicological effects of cyanobacterial blooms on cage-cultured carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu were investigated. Microcystins (MCs), major cyanobacterial toxins, have been detected in carp cultured at different experimental sites of Meiliang Bay. We observed that the accumulation of MCs in carp was closely associated with several environmental factors, including temperature, pH value, and density of cyanobacterial blooms. The proteomic profile of carp liver exposed to cyanobacterial blooms was analyzed using two-dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and mass spectrometry. The toxic effects of cyanobacterial blooms on carp liver were similar to changes caused by MCs. MCs were transported into liver cells and induced the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). MCs and ROS inhibited protein phosphatase and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), directly or indirectly resulting in oxidative stress and disruption of the cytoskeleton. These effects further interfered with metabolic pathways in the liver through the regulation of series of related proteins. The results of this study indicated that cyanobacterial blooms pose a major threat to aquatic wildlife in Meiliang Bay in Lake Taihu. These results provided evidence of the molecular mechanisms underlying liver damage in carp exposed to cyanobacterial blooms. PMID:24558380

  10. Artificially accelerating the reversal of desertification: cyanobacterial inoculation facilitates the succession of vegetation communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lan, Shubin; Zhang, Qingyi; Wu, Li; Liu, Yongding; Zhang, Delu; Hu, Chunxiang

    2014-01-01

    Desertification has been recognized as a global environmental problem, and one region experiencing ongoing desertification is the eastern edge of Qubqi Desert (Inner Mongolia). To investigate the facilitating effects of cyanobacterial inoculation technology on the desertification control along this steppe-desert transition region, artificial cyanobacterial crusts were constructed with two filamentous cyanobacteria 3 and 8 years ago combined with Salix planting. The results showed that no crusts formed after 3 years of fixation only with Salix planting, whereas after cyanobacterial inoculation, the crusts formed quickly and gradually succeed to moss crusts. During that course, topsoil environments were gradually improved, providing the necessary material basis for the regeneration of vascular plants. In this investigation, total 27 species of vascular plants had regenerated in the experimental region, mainly belonging to Asteraceae, Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Leguminosae. Using space time substitution, the dominant species along with the application of cyanobacterial inoculation technology succeeded from Agriophyllum squarrosum ultimately to Leymus chinensis. In addition, it was found that the shady side of the dunes is more conducive to crust development and succession of vegetation communities. Conclusively, our results indicate artificial cyanobacterial inoculation technology is an effective and desirable path for desertification control.

  11. Regulation of nif gene expression and the energetics of N2 fixation over the diel cycle in a hot spring microbial mat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steunou, Anne-Soisig; Jensen, Sheila I; Brecht, Eric

    2008-01-01

    Nitrogen fixation, a prokaryotic, O(2)-inhibited process that reduces N(2) gas to biomass, is of paramount importance in biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. We analyzed the levels of nif transcripts of Synechococcus ecotypes, NifH subunit and nitrogenase activity over the diel cycle...... in the microbial mat of an alkaline hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. The results showed a rise in nif transcripts in the evening, with a subsequent decline over the course of the night. In contrast, immunological data demonstrated that the level of the NifH polypeptide remained stable during the night...

  12. Importance of climate change-physical forcing on the increase of cyanobacterial blooms in a small, stratified lake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolores Planas

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The community structure of planktonic cyanobacteria was studied in a dimictic lake in which recurrent summer surface algal blooms have frequently occurred since the beginning of this millennium. In eutrophic-hypereutrophic lakes, epilimnetic cyanobacterial blooms are promoted by increased ambient temperatures and water column thermal stability, which favour the vertical migration of buoyancy-regulating cyanobacteria. Here we propose that intensified external energy (wind that alters thermocline stability could explain the occurence of heavy blooms in the surface of lakes with low external nutrient loading. Specifically, we hypothesized that: i in small stratified lakes with low external nutrient sources, cyanobacterial growth primarily occurs near the lake bottom, where phosphorus is more abundant and light is available; ii we additionally hypothesized that turbulence induced by strong winds increases the amplitude and energy of metalimnetic internal waves and entrains meta- and hypolimnetic water,  rich in nutrients and cyanobacteria, into the epilimnion. The study was done in a small lake (45 Ha, maximum and mean depth 7.2 m and 4.3 m, respectively with mean epilimnetic dissolved phosphorus concentrations ≈ 4 μg L-1 and chlorophyll α ≈ 8 μg L-1.  Vertical temperature profiles during the open season were continuously registered using thermistors.  Weekly vertical profiles of light transmission, phytoplankton distribution and water chemistry were also taken. On one occasion, these variables were measured throughout a continuous 24 h cycle. Results demonstrated that summer cyanobacterial blooms were dominated by Plankthotrix spp., which began their cycle in late spring at the bottom of the lake, and grew to form dense metalimnetic biomass peaks. Time series analysis of isotherms and the Lake number indicated that internal metalimnetic waves (seiches were present through the summer. During the diel sampling cycle, we found that medium to

  13. Potential use of cyanobacterial species in bioremediation of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Potential use of cyanobacterial species in bioremediation of industrial effluents. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... Abstract. This study investigated the potential degradation of industrial effluents by environmental species of cyanobacteria.

  14. Genotoxicity and potential carcinogenicity of cyanobacterial toxins - a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zegura, Bojana; Straser, Alja; Filipič, Metka

    2011-01-01

    The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms has increased significantly in many regions of the world in the last century due to water eutrophication. These blooms are hazardous to humans, animals, and plants due to the production of cyanotoxins, which can be classified in five different groups: hepatotoxins, neurotoxins, cytotoxins, dermatotoxins, and irritant toxins (lipopolysaccharides). There is evidence that certain cyanobacterial toxins are genotoxic and carcinogenic; however, the mechanisms of their potential carcinogenicity are not well understood. The most frequently occurring and widespread cyanotoxins in brackish and freshwater blooms are the cyclic heptapeptides, i.e., microcystins (MCs), and the pentapeptides, i.e., nodularins (NODs). The main mechanism associated with potential carcinogenic activity of MCs and NOD is the inhibition of protein phosphatases, which leads to the hyperphosphorylation of cellular proteins, which is considered to be associated with their tumor-promoting activity. Apart from this, MCs and NOD induce increased formation of reactive oxygen species and, consequently, oxidative DNA damage. There is also evidence that MCs and NOD induce micronuclei, and NOD was shown to have aneugenic activity. Both cyanotoxins interfere with DNA damage repair pathways, which, along with DNA damage, is an important factor involved in the carcinogenicity of these agents. Furthermore, these toxins increase the expression of TNF-α and early-response genes, including proto-oncogenes, genes involved in the response to DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Rodent studies indicate that MCs and NOD are tumor promotors, whereas NOD is thought to have also tumor-initiating activity. Another cyanobacterial toxin, cylindrospermopsin (CYN), which has been neglected for a long time, is lately being increasingly found in the freshwater environment. The principal mechanism of its toxicity is the irreversible inhibition of protein synthesis. It is pro

  15. Production and Characterization of an Extracellular Acid Protease from Thermophilic Brevibacillus sp. OA30 Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomri, Mohamed Amine; Rico-Díaz, Agustín; Escuder-Rodríguez, Juan-José; El Moulouk Khaldi, Tedj; González-Siso, María-Isabel; Kharroub, Karima

    2018-04-12

    Proteases have numerous biotechnological applications and the bioprospection for newly-thermostable proteases from the great biodiversity of thermophilic microorganisms inhabiting hot environments, such as geothermal sources, aims to discover more effective enzymes for processes at higher temperatures. We report in this paper the production and the characterization of a purified acid protease from strain OA30, a moderate thermophilic bacterium isolated from an Algerian hot spring. Phenotypic and genotypic study of strain OA30 was followed by the production of the extracellular protease in a physiologically-optimized medium. Strain OA30 showed multiple extracellular proteolytic enzymes and protease 32-F38 was purified by chromatographic methods and its biochemical characteristics were studied. Strain OA30 was affiliated with Brevibacillus thermoruber species. Protease 32-F38 had an estimated molecular weight of 64.6 kDa and was optimally active at 50 °C. It showed a great thermostability after 240 min and its optimum pH was 6.0. Protease 32-F38 was highly stable in the presence of different detergents and solvents and was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors. The results of this work suggest that protease 32-F38 might have interesting biotechnological applications.

  16. Production and Characterization of an Extracellular Acid Protease from Thermophilic Brevibacillus sp. OA30 Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Amine Gomri

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Proteases have numerous biotechnological applications and the bioprospection for newly-thermostable proteases from the great biodiversity of thermophilic microorganisms inhabiting hot environments, such as geothermal sources, aims to discover more effective enzymes for processes at higher temperatures. We report in this paper the production and the characterization of a purified acid protease from strain OA30, a moderate thermophilic bacterium isolated from an Algerian hot spring. Phenotypic and genotypic study of strain OA30 was followed by the production of the extracellular protease in a physiologically-optimized medium. Strain OA30 showed multiple extracellular proteolytic enzymes and protease 32-F38 was purified by chromatographic methods and its biochemical characteristics were studied. Strain OA30 was affiliated with Brevibacillus thermoruber species. Protease 32-F38 had an estimated molecular weight of 64.6 kDa and was optimally active at 50 °C. It showed a great thermostability after 240 min and its optimum pH was 6.0. Protease 32-F38 was highly stable in the presence of different detergents and solvents and was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors. The results of this work suggest that protease 32-F38 might have interesting biotechnological applications.

  17. Complete Genome Sequence of Paenibacillus strain Y4.12MC10, a Novel Paenibacillus lautus strain Isolated from Obsidian Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, David A; Lucas, Susan; Copeland, Alex; Lapidus, Alla; Cheng, Jan-Feng; Bruce, David C; Goodwin, Lynne A; Pitluck, Sam; Chertkov, Olga; Zhang, Xiaojing; Detter, John C; Han, Cliff S; Tapia, Roxanne; Land, Miriam; Hauser, Loren J; Chang, Yun-Juan; Kyrpides, Nikos C; Ivanova, Natalia N; Ovchinnikova, Galina; Woyke, Tanja; Brumm, Catherine; Hochstein, Rebecca; Schoenfeld, Thomas; Brumm, Phillip

    2012-07-30

    Paenibacillus sp.Y412MC10 was one of a number of organisms isolated from Obsidian Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Montana, USA under permit from the National Park Service. The isolate was initially classified as a Geobacillus sp. Y412MC10 based on its isolation conditions and similarity to other organisms isolated from hot springs at Yellowstone National Park. Comparison of 16 S rRNA sequences within the Bacillales indicated that Geobacillus sp.Y412MC10 clustered with Paenibacillus species, and the organism was most closely related to Paenibacillus lautus. Lucigen Corp. prepared genomic DNA and the genome was sequenced, assembled, and annotated by the DOE Joint Genome Institute. The genome sequence was deposited at the NCBI in October 2009 (NC_013406). The genome of Paenibacillus sp. Y412MC10 consists of one circular chromosome of 7,121,665 bp with an average G+C content of 51.2%. Comparison to other Paenibacillus species shows the organism lacks nitrogen fixation, antibiotic production and social interaction genes reported in other paenibacilli. The Y412MC10 genome shows a high level of synteny and homology to the draft sequence of Paenibacillus sp. HGF5, an organism from the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) Reference Genomes. This, combined with genomic CAZyme analysis, suggests an intestinal, rather than environmental origin for Y412MC10.

  18. Radiation education using local environment. Educational experiment using Misasa spring water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Mariko; Esaka, Takao; Kamata, Masahiro

    2005-01-01

    Hoping that use of natural radioactivity as teaching materials helps learners to understand the existence of radiation in nature, the authors developed several kinds of safe and inexpensive experiments for elementary and junior high school education using hot spring water taken from Misasa, situated in Tottori prefecture, Japan. Here, they report the details of experimental procedure to observe the radioactive equilibrium between Rn 222 released from the hot spring water and its daughters as well as the decay after isolation from Rn 222. The experiment needs no hazardous chemicals nor Bunsen burners, and can be carried out in normal classrooms without any special apparatus. (S. Ohno)

  19. Small Scale Biodiversity of an Alkaline Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, K.; Oiler, J.; Meyer-Dombard, D. R.

    2012-12-01

    To date, many phylogenetic diversity studies have been conducted in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) [1-7] focusing on the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and "metagenomic" datasets. However, few reports focus on diversity at small scales. Here, we report on a small scale biodiversity study of sediment and biofilm communities within a confined area of a YNP hot spring, compare and contrast these communities to other sediment and biofilm communities from previous studies [1-7], and with other sediment and biofilm communities in the same system. Sediment and biofilm samples were collected, using a 30 x 50 cm sampling grid divided in 5 x 5 cm squares, which was placed in the outflow channel of "Bat Pool", an alkaline (pH 7.9) hot spring in YNP. Accompanying geochemical data included a full range of spectrophotometry measurements along with major ions, trace elements, and DIC/DOC. In addition, in situ temperature and conductivity arrays were placed within the grid location. The temperature array closest to the source varied between 83-88°C, while the temperature array 40 cm downstream varied between ~83.5-86.5°C. The two conductivity arrays yielded measurements of 5632 μS and 5710 μS showing little variation within the sampling area. Within the grid space, DO ranged from 0.5-1.33 mg/L, with relatively similar, but slightly lower values down the outflow channel. Sulfide values within the grid ranged from 1020-1671 μg/L, while sulfide values outside of the grid region fluctuated, but generally followed the trend of decreasing from source down the outflow. Despite the relative heterogeneity of chemical and physical parameters in the grid space, there was biological diversity in sediments and biofilms at the 5 cm scale. Small scale biodiversity was analyzed by selecting a representative number of samples from within the grid. DNA was extracted and variable regions V3 and V6 (Archaea and Bacteria, respectively) were sequenced with 454 pyrosequencing. The datasets

  20. Computational prediction of cAMP receptor protein (CRP binding sites in cyanobacterial genomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su Zhengchang

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP, also known as catabolite gene activator protein (CAP, is an important transcriptional regulator widely distributed in many bacteria. The biological processes under the regulation of CRP are highly diverse among different groups of bacterial species. Elucidation of CRP regulons in cyanobacteria will further our understanding of the physiology and ecology of this important group of microorganisms. Previously, CRP has been experimentally studied in only two cyanobacterial strains: Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Anabaena sp. PCC 7120; therefore, a systematic genome-scale study of the potential CRP target genes and binding sites in cyanobacterial genomes is urgently needed. Results We have predicted and analyzed the CRP binding sites and regulons in 12 sequenced cyanobacterial genomes using a highly effective cis-regulatory binding site scanning algorithm. Our results show that cyanobacterial CRP binding sites are very similar to those in E. coli; however, the regulons are very different from that of E. coli. Furthermore, CRP regulons in different cyanobacterial species/ecotypes are also highly diversified, ranging from photosynthesis, carbon fixation and nitrogen assimilation, to chemotaxis and signal transduction. In addition, our prediction indicates that crp genes in modern cyanobacteria are likely inherited from a common ancestral gene in their last common ancestor, and have adapted various cellular functions in different environments, while some cyanobacteria lost their crp genes as well as CRP binding sites during the course of evolution. Conclusion The CRP regulons in cyanobacteria are highly diversified, probably as a result of divergent evolution to adapt to various ecological niches. Cyanobacterial CRPs may function as lineage-specific regulators participating in various cellular processes, and are important in some lineages. However, they are dispensable in some other lineages. The

  1. Cyanobacterial nitrogenases: phylogenetic diversity, regulation and functional predictions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto A. Esteves-Ferreira

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cyanobacteria is a remarkable group of prokaryotic photosynthetic microorganisms, with several genera capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N2 and presenting a wide range of morphologies. Although the nitrogenase complex is not present in all cyanobacterial taxa, it is spread across several cyanobacterial strains. The nitrogenase complex has also a high theoretical potential for biofuel production, since H2 is a by-product produced during N2 fixation. In this review we discuss the significance of a relatively wide variety of cell morphologies and metabolic strategies that allow spatial and temporal separation of N2 fixation from photosynthesis in cyanobacteria. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on 16S rRNA and nifD gene sequences shed light on the evolutionary history of the two genes. Our results demonstrated that (i sequences of genes involved in nitrogen fixation (nifD from several morphologically distinct strains of cyanobacteria are grouped in similarity with their morphology classification and phylogeny, and (ii nifD genes from heterocytous strains share a common ancestor. By using this data we also discuss the evolutionary importance of processes such as horizontal gene transfer and genetic duplication for nitrogenase evolution and diversification. Finally, we discuss the importance of H2 synthesis in cyanobacteria, as well as strategies and challenges to improve cyanobacterial H2 production.

  2. Thioarsenate Formation Coupled with Anaerobic Arsenite Oxidation by a Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Isolated from a Hot Spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geng Wu

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Thioarsenates are common arsenic species in sulfidic geothermal waters, yet little is known about their biogeochemical traits. In the present study, a novel sulfate-reducing bacterial strain Desulfotomaculum TC-1 was isolated from a sulfidic hot spring in Tengchong geothermal area, Yunnan Province, China. The arxA gene, encoding anaerobic arsenite oxidase, was successfully amplified from the genome of strain TC-1, indicating it has a potential ability to oxidize arsenite under anaerobic condition. In anaerobic arsenite oxidation experiments inoculated with strain TC-1, a small amount of arsenate was detected in the beginning but became undetectable over longer time. Thioarsenates (AsO4-xSx2- with x = 1–4 formed with mono-, di- and tri-thioarsenates being dominant forms. Tetrathioarsenate was only detectable at the end of the experiment. These results suggest that thermophilic microbes might be involved in the formation of thioarsenates and provide a possible explanation for the widespread distribution of thioarsenates in terrestrial geothermal environments.

  3. Thioarsenate Formation Coupled with Anaerobic Arsenite Oxidation by a Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Isolated from a Hot Spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Geng; Huang, Liuqin; Jiang, Hongchen; Peng, Yue'e; Guo, Wei; Chen, Ziyu; She, Weiyu; Guo, Qinghai; Dong, Hailiang

    2017-01-01

    Thioarsenates are common arsenic species in sulfidic geothermal waters, yet little is known about their biogeochemical traits. In the present study, a novel sulfate-reducing bacterial strain Desulfotomaculum TC-1 was isolated from a sulfidic hot spring in Tengchong geothermal area, Yunnan Province, China. The arxA gene, encoding anaerobic arsenite oxidase, was successfully amplified from the genome of strain TC-1, indicating it has a potential ability to oxidize arsenite under anaerobic condition. In anaerobic arsenite oxidation experiments inoculated with strain TC-1, a small amount of arsenate was detected in the beginning but became undetectable over longer time. Thioarsenates (AsO 4-x S x 2- with x = 1-4) formed with mono-, di- and tri-thioarsenates being dominant forms. Tetrathioarsenate was only detectable at the end of the experiment. These results suggest that thermophilic microbes might be involved in the formation of thioarsenates and provide a possible explanation for the widespread distribution of thioarsenates in terrestrial geothermal environments.

  4. Influence of Cyanobacterial Bloom on Freshwater Biocoenosis. Use of Bioassays for Cyanobacterial Microcystins Toxicity Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piontek, Marlena; Czyżewska, Wanda

    2017-03-01

    The issues presented in this study concern a very important problem of the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms in surface water used for water supply purposes. The objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence of cyanotoxic risk in the catchment area of the Obrzyca River (including Sławskie lake which is the beginning of the river), which is a source of drinking water for the inhabitants of Zielona Góra. In order to evaluate toxicity of cyanobacterial bloom it was conducted toxicological testing using aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia magna, Dugesia tigrina) and heterotrophic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas fluorescens). Test samples were collected from May to October, 2012. The most toxic was a sample collected from Lake Sławskie on 20th October when cyanobacteria bloom with a predominance of Microcystis aeruginosa occurred and the amount of microcystins was the largest. The methanol extract of the sample was toxic only above a concentration of 6·103 mg·dm-3. The lethal concentration (48-h LC 50) for Daphnia magna was 3.09·103 and for Dugesia tigrina (240-h LC 50) 1.51·103 mg·dm-3 of microcystins (MC-LR, MC-YR and MC-RR). The same extract stimulated growth of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis cells.

  5. Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantzouki, Evanthia; Lürling, Miquel; Fastner, Jutta; de Senerpont Domis, Lisette; Wilk-Woźniak, Elżbieta; Koreivienė, Judita; Seelen, Laura; Teurlincx, Sven; Verstijnen, Yvon; Krztoń, Wojciech; Walusiak, Edward; Karosienė, Jūratė; Kasperovičienė, Jūratė; Savadova, Ksenija; Vitonytė, Irma; Cillero-Castro, Carmen; Budzyńska, Agnieszka; Goldyn, Ryszard; Kozak, Anna; Rosińska, Joanna; Szeląg-Wasielewska, Elżbieta; Domek, Piotr; Jakubowska-Krepska, Natalia; Kwasizur, Kinga; Messyasz, Beata; Pełechaty, Aleksandra; Pełechaty, Mariusz; Kokocinski, Mikolaj; García-Murcia, Ana; Real, Monserrat; Romans, Elvira; Noguero-Ribes, Jordi; Duque, David Parreño; Fernández-Morán, Elísabeth; Karakaya, Nusret; Häggqvist, Kerstin; Demir, Nilsun; Beklioğlu, Meryem; Filiz, Nur; Levi, Eti E.; Iskin, Uğur; Bezirci, Gizem; Tavşanoğlu, Ülkü Nihan; Özhan, Koray; Gkelis, Spyros; Panou, Manthos; Fakioglu, Özden; Avagianos, Christos; Kaloudis, Triantafyllos; Çelik, Kemal; Yilmaz, Mete; Marcé, Rafael; Catalán, Nuria; Bravo, Andrea G.; Buck, Moritz; Colom-Montero, William; Mustonen, Kristiina; Pierson, Don; Yang, Yang; Raposeiro, Pedro M.; Gonçalves, Vítor; Antoniou, Maria G.; Tsiarta, Nikoletta; McCarthy, Valerie; Perello, Victor C.; Feldmann, Tõnu; Laas, Alo; Panksep, Kristel; Tuvikene, Lea; Gagala, Ilona; Mankiewicz-Boczek, Joana; Yağcı, Meral Apaydın; Çınar, Şakir; Çapkın, Kadir; Yağcı, Abdulkadir; Cesur, Mehmet; Bilgin, Fuat; Bulut, Cafer; Uysal, Rahmi; Obertegger, Ulrike; Boscaini, Adriano; Flaim, Giovanna; Salmaso, Nico; Cerasino, Leonardo; Richardson, Jessica; Visser, Petra M.; Verspagen, Jolanda M. H.; Karan, Tünay; Soylu, Elif Neyran; Maraşlıoğlu, Faruk; Napiórkowska-Krzebietke, Agnieszka; Ochocka, Agnieszka; Pasztaleniec, Agnieszka; Antão-Geraldes, Ana M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Morais, João; Vale, Micaela; Köker, Latife; Akçaalan, Reyhan; Albay, Meriç; Špoljarić Maronić, Dubravka; Stević, Filip; Žuna Pfeiffer, Tanja; Fonvielle, Jeremy; Straile, Dietmar; Rothhaupt, Karl-Otto; Hansson, Lars-Anders; Urrutia-Cordero, Pablo; Bláha, Luděk; Geriš, Rodan; Fránková, Markéta; Koçer, Mehmet Ali Turan; Alp, Mehmet Tahir; Remec-Rekar, Spela; Elersek, Tina; Triantis, Theodoros; Zervou, Sevasti-Kiriaki; Hiskia, Anastasia; Haande, Sigrid; Skjelbred, Birger; Madrecka, Beata; Nemova, Hana; Drastichova, Iveta; Chomova, Lucia; Edwards, Christine; Sevindik, Tuğba Ongun; Tunca, Hatice; Önem, Burçin; Aleksovski, Boris; Krstić, Svetislav; Vucelić, Itana Bokan; Nawrocka, Lidia; Salmi, Pauliina; Machado-Vieira, Danielle; de Oliveira, Alinne Gurjão; Delgado-Martín, Jordi; García, David; Cereijo, Jose Luís; Gomà, Joan; Trapote, Mari Carmen; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, Teresa; Obrador, Biel; Grabowska, Magdalena; Karpowicz, Maciej; Chmura, Damian; Úbeda, Bárbara; Gálvez, José Ángel; Özen, Arda; Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern; Warming, Trine Perlt; Kobos, Justyna; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Pérez-Martínez, Carmen; Ramos-Rodríguez, Eloísa; Arvola, Lauri; Alcaraz-Párraga, Pablo; Toporowska, Magdalena; Pawlik-Skowronska, Barbara; Niedźwiecki, Michał; Pęczuła, Wojciech; Leira, Manel; Hernández, Armand; Moreno-Ostos, Enrique; Blanco, José María; Rodríguez, Valeriano; Montes-Pérez, Jorge Juan; Palomino, Roberto L.; Rodríguez-Pérez, Estela; Carballeira, Rafael; Camacho, Antonio; Picazo, Antonio; Rochera, Carlos; Santamans, Anna C.; Ferriol, Carmen; Romo, Susana; Soria, Juan Miguel; Dunalska, Julita; Sieńska, Justyna; Szymański, Daniel; Kruk, Marek; Kostrzewska-Szlakowska, Iwona; Jasser, Iwona; Žutinić, Petar; Gligora Udovič, Marija; Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka; Frąk, Magdalena; Bańkowska-Sobczak, Agnieszka; Wasilewicz, Michał; Özkan, Korhan; Maliaka, Valentini; Kangro, Kersti; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Paerl, Hans W.; Carey, Cayelan C.; Ibelings, Bas W.

    2018-04-13

    Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI) increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains.

  6. Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evanthia Mantzouki

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins. Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains.

  7. Accumulation of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater "seafood" and its consequences for public health: A review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ibelings, B.W.; Chorus, I.

    2007-01-01

    This review summarizes and discusses the current understanding of human exposure to cyanobacterial toxins in “seafood” collected from freshwater and coastal areas. The review consists of three parts: (a) the existing literature on concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins in seafood is reviewed, and

  8. Geophysical investigations of the geologic and hydrothermal framework of the Pilgrim Springs Geothermal Area, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glen, Jonathan; McPhee, Darcy K.; Bedrosian, Paul A.

    2014-01-01

    Pilgrim Hot Springs, located on the Seward Peninsula in west-central Alaska, is characterized by hot springs, surrounding thawed regions, and elevated lake temperatures. The area is of interest because of its potential for providing renewable energy for Nome and nearby rural communities. We performed ground and airborne geophysical investigations of the Pilgrim Springs geothermal area to identify areas indicative of high heat flow and saline geothermal fluids, and to map key structures controlling hydrothermal fluid flow. Studies included ground gravity and magnetic measurements, as well as an airborne magnetic and frequency-domain electromagnetic (EM) survey. The structural and conceptual framework developed from this study provides critical information for future development of this resource and is relevant more generally to our understanding of geothermal systems in active extensional basins. Potential field data reveal the Pilgrim area displays a complex geophysical fabric reflecting a network of intersecting fault and fracture sets ranging from inherited basement structures to Tertiary faults. Resistivity models derived from the airborne EM data reveal resistivity anomalies in the upper 100 m of the subsurface that suggest elevated temperatures and the presence of saline fluids. A northwest trending fabric across the northeastern portion of the survey area parallels structures to the east that may be related to accommodation between the two major mountain ranges south (Kigluaik) and east (Bendeleben) of Pilgrim Springs. The area from the springs southward to the range front, however, is characterized by east-west trending, range-front-parallel anomalies likely caused by late Cenozoic structures associated with north-south extension that formed the basin. The area around the springs (~10 km2 ) is coincident with a circular magnetic high punctuated by several east-west trending magnetic lows, the most prominent occurring directly over the springs. These features

  9. The Geographic Distribution of Liver Cancer in Canada Does Not Associate with Cyanobacterial Toxin Exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meaghan A. Labine

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: The incidence of liver cancer has been increasing in Canada over the past decade, as has cyanobacterial contamination of Canadian freshwater lakes and drinking water sources. Cyanotoxins released by cyanobacteria have been implicated in the pathogenesis of liver cancer. Objective: To determine whether a geographic association exists between liver cancer and surrogate markers of cyanobacterial contamination of freshwater lakes in Canada. Methods: A negative binomial regression model was employed based on previously identified risk factors for liver cancer. Results: No association existed between the geographic distribution of liver cancer and surrogate markers of cyanobacterial contamination. As predicted, significant associations existed in areas with a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection, large immigrant populations and urban residences. Discussion and Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that cyanobacterial contamination of freshwater lakes does not play an important role in the increasing incidence of liver cancer in Canada.

  10. A novel earth observation based ecological indicator for cyanobacterial blooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anttila, Saku; Fleming-Lehtinen, Vivi; Attila, Jenni; Junttila, Sofia; Alasalmi, Hanna; Hällfors, Heidi; Kervinen, Mikko; Koponen, Sampsa

    2018-02-01

    Cyanobacteria form spectacular mass occurrences almost annually in the Baltic Sea. These harmful algal blooms are the most visible consequences of marine eutrophication, driven by a surplus of nutrients from anthropogenic sources and internal processes of the ecosystem. We present a novel Cyanobacterial Bloom Indicator (CyaBI) targeted for the ecosystem assessment of eutrophication in marine areas. The method measures the current cyanobacterial bloom situation (an average condition of recent 5 years) and compares this to the estimated target level for 'good environmental status' (GES). The current status is derived with an index combining indicative bloom event variables. As such we used seasonal information from the duration, volume and severity of algal blooms derived from earth observation (EO) data. The target level for GES was set by using a remote sensing based data set named Fraction with Cyanobacterial Accumulations (FCA; Kahru & Elmgren, 2014) covering years 1979-2014. Here a shift-detection algorithm for time series was applied to detect time-periods in the FCA data where the level of blooms remained low several consecutive years. The average conditions from these time periods were transformed into respective CyaBI target values to represent target level for GES. The indicator is shown to pass the three critical factors set for marine indicator development, namely it measures the current status accurately, the target setting can be scientifically proven and it can be connected to the ecosystem management goal. An advantage of the CyaBI method is that it's not restricted to the data used in the development work, but can be complemented, or fully applied, by using different types of data sources providing information on cyanobacterial accumulations.

  11. Isolation and characterization of a radiation resistant thermophilic bacterium from radon hot spring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liang Xinle; Yang Long; Zhang Hong; Zhang Lei

    2011-01-01

    A radiation resistant and thermophilic bacterium strain R4-33 was isolated from radon hot spring water samples, pretreated with 60 Co γ-rays and UV irradiation. Tests on morphological, physiological and biochemical characters, fatty acid compositions, (G + C) mol% contents, and 16S rDNA sequencing were conducted. The results showed that strain R4-33 was of rod-shape, Gram-negative, atrichous, and endospore-forming. The optimum growth temperature and pH were 60 ℃ and 7.5, respectively. The strain utilized glucose, maltose and trehalose as carbon sources, and hydrolyzed casein and starch. Its catalase positive. The strain was sensitive to penicillin, neomycin, erythromycin, vancomycin, streptomycin, gentamycin, amikacin and ampicillin. The major cellular fatty acids were C 14:1 (48.8%) and C 15:1 (15.2%). The (G + C) mol% content of DNA was 58.2%. Phylogenetic tree based on 16S rDNA sequence showed R4-33 shared highly similarity to those of species in genus Anoxybacillus, especially to that of Anoxybacillus gonensis (99.5%). Based on the above, the strain R4-33 was proposed to the evolution branch of Anoxybacillus and designated as Anoxybacillu sp. R4-33. The UV and γ-radiation tests showed that the strain R4-33 had an ability of resistance to UV of 396 J/m 2 and 60 Co γ-rays irradiation of 14.0 kGy, indicating that the strain was a radiation resistant and thermophilic bacterium. (authors)

  12. An integrated method for removal of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic lakes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Zhicong; Li Dunhai; Qin Hongjie; Li Yinxia

    2012-01-01

    As the eutrophication of lakes becomes an increasingly widespread phenomenon, cyanobacterial blooms are occurring in many countries. Although some research has been reported, there is currently no good method for bloom removal. We propose here a new two-step integrated approach to resolve this problem. The first step is the inactivation of the cyanobacteria via the addition of H 2 O 2 . We found 60 mg/L was the lowest effective dose for a cyanobacterial concentration corresponding to 100 μg/L chlorophyll-a. The second step is the flocculation and sedimentation of the inactivated cyanobacteria. We found the addition of lake sediment clay (2 g/L) plus polymeric ferric sulfate (20 mg/L) effectively deposited them on the lake bottom. Since algaecides and flocculants had been used separately in previous reports, we innovatively combined these two types of reagents to remove blooms from the lake surface and to improve the dissolved oxygen content of lake sediments. - Graphical abstract: The mechanism for the removal of cyanobacterial blooms by using H 2 O 2 , polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS) and lake sediment clay. Display Omitted Highlights: ► We combined algaecide and flocculants together to control cyanobacterial blooms. ► H 2 O 2 was used to irreversibly inactivate the photosynthesis of cyanobacteria. ► Lake sediment clay and polymeric ferric sulfate were used to deposit cyanobacteria. ► Removal rate was very high and re-suspension rate was very low under disturbance. ► The inactivated cyanobacteria could not serve as a seed source for the next bloom. - Inactivation by H 2 O 2 and sedimentation using polymeric ferric sulfate and sediment clay demonstrated high integrated efficiency in removal of cyanobacterial blooms.

  13. Carotenoids assist in cyanobacterial Photosystem II assembly and function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomas eZakar

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Carotenoids (carotenes and xanthophylls are ubiquitous constituents of living organisms. They are protective agents against oxidative stresses and serve as modulators of membrane microviscosity. As antioxidants they can protect photosynthetic organisms from free radicals like reactive oxygen species that originate from water splitting, the first step of photosynthesis. We summarize the structural and functional roles of carotenoids in connection with cyanobacterial Photosystem II. Although carotenoids are hydrophobic molecules, their complexes with proteins also allow cytoplasmic localization. In cyanobacterial cells such complexes are called orange carotenoid proteins, and they protect Photosystem II and Photosystem I by preventing their overexcitation through phycobilisomes. Recently it has been observed that carotenoids are not only required for the proper functioning, but also for the structural stability of phycobilisomes.

  14. Spatial Characteristics of Geothermal Spring Temperatures and Discharge Rates in the Tatun Volcanic Area, Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, C. S.; Liu, C. W.

    2014-12-01

    The Tatun volcanic area is the only potential volcanic geothermal region in the Taiwan island, and abundant in hot spring resources owing to stream water mixing with fumarolic gases. According to the Meinzer's classification, spring temperatures and discharge rates are the most important properties for characterizing spring classifications. This study attempted to spatially characterize spring temperatures and discharge rates in the Tatun volcanic area, Taiwanusing indicator kriging (IK). First, data on spring temperatures and discharge rates, which were collected from surveyed data of the Taipei City Government, were divided into high, moderate and low categories according to spring classification criteria, and the various categories were regarded as estimation thresholds. Then, IK was adopted to model occurrence probabilities of specified temperatures and discharge rates in springs, and to determine their classifications based on estimated probabilities. Finally, nine combinations were obtained from the classifications of temperatures and discharge rates in springs. Moreover, the combinations and features of spring water were spatially quantified according to seven sub-zones of spring utilization. A suitable and sustainable development strategy of the spring area was proposed in each sub-zone based on probability-based combinations and features of spring water.The research results reveal that the probability-based classifications using IK provide an excellent insight in exploring the uncertainty of spatial features in springs, and can provide Taiwanese government administrators with detailed information on sustainable spring utilization and conservation in the overexploited spring tourism areas. The sub-zones BT (Beitou), RXY (Rd. Xingyi), ZSL (Zhongshanlou) and LSK (Lengshuikeng) with high or moderate discharge rates are suitable to supply spring water for tourism hotels.Local natural hot springs should be planned in the sub-zones DBT (Dingbeitou), ZSL, XYK

  15. Biomarkers and taphonomic processes in fresh and fossil biosignatures from Hot Spring silica deposits in El Tatio Chile, as a Mars Analogue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrizo, D.; Sánchez-García, L.; Parro, V.; Cady, S. L.; Cabrol, N. A.

    2017-09-01

    Biomarkers characterization and taphonomic process of recent and fossil biosignatures in extreme environments with analogies to Mars is essential to understanding how life could develop and survive in this conditions. Siliceous sinter deposits on Mars where similar to those found in the hydrothermal hot springs and geysers from El Tatio, Chile. Organic preservation have been shown in this study. Many different labile functional groups (i.e., carboxylic acids, alcohols, aldehydes, etc.) were found in both "age" samples. A shift in congener pattern for the different lipids families were found and discuss. This results give insight in taphonomic processes actin in this extreme environment, which could be used as a baseline in Mars exploration.

  16. Molecular Diffusion through Cyanobacterial Septal Junctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieves-Morión, Mercedes; Mullineaux, Conrad W; Flores, Enrique

    2017-01-03

    Heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria grow as filaments in which intercellular molecular exchange takes place. During the differentiation of N 2 -fixing heterocysts, regulators are transferred between cells. In the diazotrophic filament, vegetative cells that fix CO 2 through oxygenic photosynthesis provide the heterocysts with reduced carbon and heterocysts provide the vegetative cells with fixed nitrogen. Intercellular molecular transfer has been traced with fluorescent markers, including calcein, 5-carboxyfluorescein, and the sucrose analogue esculin, which are observed to move down their concentration gradient. In this work, we used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays in the model heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 to measure the temperature dependence of intercellular transfer of fluorescent markers. We find that the transfer rate constants are directly proportional to the absolute temperature. This indicates that the "septal junctions" (formerly known as "microplasmodesmata") linking the cells in the filament allow molecular exchange by simple diffusion, without any activated intermediate state. This constitutes a novel mechanism for molecular transfer across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, in addition to previously characterized mechanisms for active transport and facilitated diffusion. Cyanobacterial septal junctions are functionally analogous to the gap junctions of metazoans. Although bacteria are frequently considered just as unicellular organisms, there are bacteria that behave as true multicellular organisms. The heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria grow as filaments in which cells communicate. Intercellular molecular exchange is thought to be mediated by septal junctions. Here, we show that intercellular transfer of fluorescent markers in the cyanobacterial filament has the physical properties of simple diffusion. Thus, cyanobacterial septal junctions are functionally analogous to metazoan gap junctions

  17. Seasonal patterns in microbial communities inhabiting the hot springs of Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briggs, Brandon R; Brodie, Eoin L; Tom, Lauren M; Dong, Hailiang; Jiang, Hongchen; Huang, Qiuyuan; Wang, Shang; Hou, Weiguo; Wu, Geng; Huang, Liuquin; Hedlund, Brian P; Zhang, Chuanlun; Dijkstra, Paul; Hungate, Bruce A

    2014-06-01

    Studies focusing on seasonal dynamics of microbial communities in terrestrial and marine environments are common; however, little is known about seasonal dynamics in high-temperature environments. Thus, our objective was to document the seasonal dynamics of both the physicochemical conditions and the microbial communities inhabiting hot springs in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, China. The PhyloChip microarray detected 4882 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within 79 bacterial phylum-level groups and 113 OTUs within 20 archaeal phylum-level groups, which are additional 54 bacterial phyla and 11 archaeal phyla to those that were previously described using pyrosequencing. Monsoon samples (June 2011) showed increased concentrations of potassium, total organic carbon, ammonium, calcium, sodium and total nitrogen, and decreased ferrous iron relative to the dry season (January 2011). At the same time, the highly ordered microbial communities present in January gave way to poorly ordered communities in June, characterized by higher richness of Bacteria, including microbes related to mesophiles. These seasonal changes in geochemistry and community structure are likely due to high rainfall influx during the monsoon season and indicate that seasonal dynamics occurs in high-temperature environments experiencing significant changes in seasonal recharge. Thus, geothermal environments are not isolated from the surrounding environment and seasonality affects microbial ecology. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Characterization of Thermophilic Halotolerant Aeribacillus pallidus TD1 from Tao Dam Hot Spring, Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somchai Santiwatanakul

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The bacterial strain TD1 was isolated from Tao Dam hot spring in Thailand. Strain TD1 was Gram positive, rod-shaped, aerobic, motile, and endospore forming. The cell was 2.0–40 mm in length and about 0.4 mm in diameter. The optimum growth occurred at 55–60 °C and at pH 7–8. Strain TD1 was able to grow on medium containing up to 10% NaCl. The DNA G+C content was 38.9 mol%. The cellular fatty acid content was mainly C16:0, which comprised 25.04% of the total amount of cellular fatty acid. 16S rDNA showed 99% identity to Aeribacillus pallidus DSM 3670T. Bayesian tree analysis strongly supported the idea that strain TD1 is affiliated with genus Aeribacillus, as Aeribacillus pallidus strain TD1. Although the 16S rDNA of A. pallidus strain TD1 is similar to that of A. pallidus DSM 3670T, some physiological properties and the cellular fatty acid profiles differ significantly. A. pallidus strain TD1 can produce extracellular pectate lyase, which has not been reported elsewhere for other bacterial strains in the genus Aeribacillus. A. pallidus strain TD1 may be a good candidate as a pectate lyase producer, which may have useful industrial applications.

  19. Characterization of thermophilic halotolerant Aeribacillus pallidus TD1 from Tao Dam Hot Spring, Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasawong, Montri; Areekit, Supatra; Pakpitchareon, Arda; Santiwatanakul, Somchai; Chansiri, Kosum

    2011-01-01

    The bacterial strain TD1 was isolated from Tao Dam hot spring in Thailand. Strain TD1 was Gram positive, rod-shaped, aerobic, motile, and endospore forming. The cell was 2.0-40 μm in length and about 0.4 μm in diameter. The optimum growth occurred at 55-60 °C and at pH 7-8. Strain TD1 was able to grow on medium containing up to 10% NaCl. The DNA G+C content was 38.9 mol%. The cellular fatty acid content was mainly C(16:0), which comprised 25.04% of the total amount of cellular fatty acid. 16S rDNA showed 99% identity to Aeribacillus pallidus DSM 3670(T). Bayesian tree analysis strongly supported the idea that strain TD1 is affiliated with genus Aeribacillus, as Aeribacillus pallidus strain TD1. Although the 16S rDNA of A. pallidus strain TD1 is similar to that of A. pallidus DSM 3670(T), some physiological properties and the cellular fatty acid profiles differ significantly. A. pallidus strain TD1 can produce extracellular pectate lyase, which has not been reported elsewhere for other bacterial strains in the genus Aeribacillus. A. pallidus strain TD1 may be a good candidate as a pectate lyase producer, which may have useful industrial applications.

  20. Cyanobacterial composition and spatial distribution based on pyrosequencing data in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Northwestern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bingchang; Li, Renhui; Xiao, Peng; Su, Yangui; Zhang, Yuanming

    2016-03-01

    Cyanobacteria are the primary colonizers and form a dominant component of soil photosynthetic communities in biological soil crusts. They are crucial in improving soil environments, namely accumulating soil carbon and nitrogen. Many classical studies have examined cyanobacterial diversity in desert crusts, but relatively few comprehensive molecular surveys have been conducted. We used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA to investigate cyanobacterial composition and distribution on regional scales in the Gurbantunggut Desert. The relationship between cyanobacterial distribution and environmental factors was also explored. A total of 24,973 cyanobacteria partial 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained, and 507OTUs were selected, as most OTUs had very few reads. Among these, 347 OTU sequences were of cyanobacteria origin, belonging to Oscillatoriales, Nostocales, Chroococcales, and uncultured cyanobacterium clone, respectively. Microcoleus vaginatus, Chroococcidiopsis spp. and M. steenstrupii were the dominant species in most areas of the Gurbantunggut Desert. Compared with other desert, the Gurbantunggut Desert differed in the prominence of Chroococcidiopsis spp. and lack of Pseudanabaenales. Species composition and abundance of cyanobacteria also showed distinct variations. Soil texture, precipitation, and nutrients and salt levels affected cyanobacterial distribution. Increased precipitation was helpful in improving cyanobacterial diversity. A higher content of coarse sand promoted the colonization and growth of Oscillatoriales and some phylotypes of Chroococcales. The fine-textured soil with higher nutrients and salts supported more varied populations of cyanobacteria, namely some heterocystous cyanobacteria. The results suggested that the Gurbantunggut Desert was rich in cyanobacteria and that precipitation was a primary regulating factor for cyanobacterial composition on a regional scale. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Influence of Cyanobacterial Bloom on Freshwater Biocoenosis. Use of Bioassays for Cyanobacterial Microcystins Toxicity Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piontek Marlena

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The issues presented in this study concern a very important problem of the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms in surface water used for water supply purposes. The objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence of cyanotoxic risk in the catchment area of the Obrzyca River (including Sławskie lake which is the beginning of the river, which is a source of drinking water for the inhabitants of Zielona Góra. In order to evaluate toxicity of cyanobacterial bloom it was conducted toxicological testing using aquatic invertebrates (Daphnia magna, Dugesia tigrina and heterotrophic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas fluorescens. Test samples were collected from May to October, 2012. The most toxic was a sample collected from Lake Sławskie on 20th October when cyanobacteria bloom with a predominance of Microcystis aeruginosa occurred and the amount of microcystins was the largest. The methanol extract of the sample was toxic only above a concentration of 6·103 mg·dm-3. The lethal concentration (48-h LC 50 for Daphnia magna was 3.09·103 and for Dugesia tigrina (240-h LC 50 1.51·103 mg·dm-3 of microcystins (MC-LR, MC-YR and MC-RR. The same extract stimulated growth of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis cells.

  2. Thermo-aerobic bacteria from geothermal springs in Saudi Arabia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fifteen isolates of thermo-aerobic bacteria were found. Bacillus cereus, B. licheniformis, B. thermoamylovorans, Pseudomonas sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter sp. were dominant in hot springs. Genetic relatedness indicated that eleven Bacillus spp. grouped together formed several clusters within one main ...

  3. Effect of ozonation on the removal of cyanobacterial toxins during drinking water treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoeger, Stefan J; Dietrich, Daniel R; Hitzfeld, Bettina C

    2002-01-01

    Water treatment plants faced with toxic cyanobacteria have to be able to remove cyanotoxins from raw water. In this study we investigated the efficacy of ozonation coupled with various filtration steps under different cyanobacterial bloom conditions. Cyanobacteria were ozonated in a laboratory-scale batch reactor modeled on a system used by a modern waterworks, with subsequent activated carbon and sand filtration steps. The presence of cyanobacterial toxins (microcystins) was determined using the protein phosphatase inhibition assay. We found that ozone concentrations of at least 1.5 mg/L were required to provide enough oxidation potential to destroy the toxin present in 5 X 10(5 )Microcystis aeruginosa cells/mL [total organic carbon (TOC), 1.56 mg/L]. High raw water TOC was shown to reduce the efficiency of free toxin oxidation and destruction. In addition, ozonation of raw waters containing high cyanobacteria cell densities will result in cell lysis and liberation of intracellular toxins. Thus, we emphasize that only regular and simultaneous monitoring of TOC/dissolved organic carbon and cyanobacterial cell densities, in conjunction with online residual O(3) concentration determination and efficient filtration steps, can ensure the provision of safe drinking water from surface waters contaminated with toxic cyanobacterial blooms. PMID:12417484

  4. Discovery and characterizaton of a novel lipase with transesterification activity from hot spring metagenomic library

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Yan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A new gene encoding a lipase (designated as Lip-1 was identified from a metagenomic bacterial artificial chromosome(BAC library prepared from a concentrated water sample collected from a hot spring field in Niujie, Eryuan of Yunnan province in China. The open reading frame of this gene encoded 622 amino acid residues. It was cloned, fused with the oleosin gene and over expressed in Escherichia coli to prepare immobilized lipase artificial oil body AOB-sole-lip-1. The monomeric Sole-lip-1 fusion protein presented a molecular mass of 102.4 kDa. Enzyme assays using olive oil and methanol as the substrates in petroleum ether confirmed its transesterification activity. Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, 8,11-Octadecadienoic acid methyl ester, 8-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester, and Octadecanoic acid methyl ester were detected. It showed favorable transesterification activity with optimal temperature 45 °C. Besides, the maximal biodiesel yield was obtained when the petroleum ether system as the organic solvent and the substrate methanol in 350 mmol/L (at a molar ratio of methanol of 10.5:1 and the water content was 1%. In light of these advantages, this lipase presents a promising resource for biodiesel production.

  5. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of cyanobacterial photosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilde, Annegret; Hihara, Yukako

    2016-03-01

    Cyanobacteria are well established model organisms for the study of oxygenic photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, toxin biosynthesis, and salt acclimation. However, in comparison to other model bacteria little is known about regulatory networks, which allow cyanobacteria to acclimate to changing environmental conditions. The current work has begun to illuminate how transcription factors modulate expression of different photosynthetic regulons. During the past few years, the research on other regulatory principles like RNA-based regulation showed the importance of non-protein regulators for bacterial lifestyle. Investigations on modulation of photosynthetic components should elucidate the contributions of all factors within the context of a larger regulatory network. Here, we focus on regulation of photosynthetic processes including transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms, citing examples from a limited number of cyanobacterial species. Though, the general idea holds true for most species, important differences exist between various organisms, illustrating diversity of acclimation strategies in the very heterogeneous cyanobacterial clade. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organization and dynamics of bioenergetic systems in bacteria, edited by Prof Conrad Mullineaux. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Microbial Communities of Terrestrial Springs in Extensional Settings of the Western U.S.A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takacs-Vesbach, C.; Hall, J.; Crossey, L. J.; Karlstrom, K. E.; Fischer, T.; Cron, B.

    2008-12-01

    Gas and water chemistry from hot springs, gas vents, travertine-bearing cool springs, and high-pCO2 groundwaters of the western U.S. indicate a regionally extensive flux of deeply sourced volatiles through spring vents. We use the term "continental smokers" to emphasize and test analogs to mid-ocean vent systems, and are currently concentrating on vents in the Rocky Mountain/Colorado Plateau region as part of the Colorado Rockies and Experiment and Seismic transects (CREST). Measurable mantle-derived helium components (3He/4He = 0.10 to 2.1 RA) occur in nearly all springs in Colorado and New Mexico suggesting direct fast fluid pathways from the mantle to the surface hydrologic system. Important components of the CO2 are also derived from the mantle. We surveyed the geochemistry and microbial diversity of more than forty deeply sourced terrestrial springs that ranged in temperatures from 9° to 70°C. We hypothesize that degassing in continental extensional settings supports microbial assemblages that are analogous to chemolithotrophic communities at mid-ocean ridges and continental volcanic hydrothermal systems. Geochemical characteristics of the fluids and gases structure and sustain distinctive geomicrobiological communities as indicated by the widespread presence of archaea and thermophilic organisms in cool as well as hot springs.

  7. Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis subsp. asaccharedens subsp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in Batman.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gul-Guven, Reyhan; Guven, Kemal; Poli, Annarita; Nicolaus, Barbara

    2008-12-01

    A new thermophilic spore-forming strain KG8(T) was isolated from the mud of Taslidere hot spring in Batman. Strain KG8(T) was aerobe, Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile, occurring in pairs or filamentous. Growth was observed from 35-65 degrees C (optimum 55 degrees C) and at pH 5.5-9.5 (optimum pH 7.5). It was capable of utilizing starch, growth was observed until 3% NaCl (w/v) and it was positive for nitrate reduction. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain KG8(T) was shown to be related most closely to Anoxybacillus species. Chemotaxonomic data (major isoprenoid quinone-menaquinone-7; major fatty acid-iso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0) supported the affiliation of strain KG8(T) to the genus Anoxybacillus. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization, physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain KG8(T). Based on these results we propose assigning a novel subspecies of Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis, to be named Anoxybacillus kamchatkensis subsp. asaccharedens subsp. nov. with the type strain KG8(T) (DSM 18475(T)=CIP 109280(T)).

  8. A curated database of cyanobacterial strains relevant for modern taxonomy and phylogenetic studies

    OpenAIRE

    Ramos, Vitor; Morais, Jo?o; Vasconcelos, Vitor M.

    2017-01-01

    The dataset herein described lays the groundwork for an online database of relevant cyanobacterial strains, named CyanoType (http://lege.ciimar.up.pt/cyanotype). It is a database that includes categorized cyanobacterial strains useful for taxonomic, phylogenetic or genomic purposes, with associated information obtained by means of a literature-based curation. The dataset lists 371 strains and represents the first version of the database (CyanoType v.1). Information for each strain includes st...

  9. Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation during short-term hydrodynamic fluctuation in a large shallow, eutrophic, and wind-exposed Lake Taihu, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Tingfeng; Qin, Boqiang; Zhu, Guangwei; Luo, Liancong; Ding, Yanqing; Bian, Geya

    2013-12-01

    Short-term hydrodynamic fluctuations caused by extreme weather events are expected to increase worldwide because of global climate change, and such fluctuations can strongly influence cyanobacterial blooms. In this study, the cyanobacterial bloom disappearance and reappearance in Lake Taihu, China, in response to short-term hydrodynamic fluctuations, was investigated by field sampling, long-term ecological records, high-frequency sensors and MODIS satellite images. The horizontal drift caused by the dominant easterly wind during the phytoplankton growth season was mainly responsible for cyanobacterial biomass accumulation in the western and northern regions of the lake and subsequent bloom formation over relatively long time scales. The cyanobacterial bloom changed slowly under calm or gentle wind conditions. In contrast, the short-term bloom events within a day were mainly caused by entrainment and disentrainment of cyanobacterial colonies by wind-induced hydrodynamics. Observation of a westerly event in Lake Taihu revealed that when the 30 min mean wind speed (flow speed) exceeded the threshold value of 6 m/s (5.7 cm/s), cyanobacteria in colonies were entrained by the wind-induced hydrodynamics. Subsequently, the vertical migration of cyanobacterial colonies was controlled by hydrodynamics, resulting in thorough mixing of algal biomass throughout the water depth and the eventual disappearance of surface blooms. Moreover, the intense mixing can also increase the chance for forming larger and more cyanobacterial colonies, namely, aggregation. Subsequently, when the hydrodynamics became weak, the cyanobacterial colonies continuously float upward without effective buoyancy regulation, and cause cyanobacterial bloom explosive expansion after the westerly. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that the strong wind happening frequently during April and October can be an important cause of the formation and expansion of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu.

  10. Fatty Acid Composition of Six Freshwater Wild Cyanobacterial Species

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Řezanka, Tomáš; Dor, I.; Prell, Aleš; Dembitský, V. M.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 48, č. 1 (2003), s. 71-75 ISSN 0015-5632 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5020903 Keywords : cyanobacterial spcies * freshwater wild Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 0.857, year: 2003

  11. The Purification and Characterization of Superoxide Dismutase from Chloroflexus aurantiacus and the Effects of UV Radiation on the Activity of SOD and Catalase in Hydrothermal Mats of Yellowstone National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancaster, Vanessa; Blankenship, Robert E.; Rothschild, Lynn

    2001-01-01

    Chloroflexus aurantiacus is a thermotolerant anoxygenic green phototrophic bacterium that is prominent in alkaline hot springs at temperatures between 52 and 60 C. This species often grows in the hyperoxic environment beneath cyanobacterial mats at higher temperatures up to 70 - 72 C. Cf. aurantiacus is an evolutionarily important organism since it is in the earliest branch of the eubacteria that are capable of photosynthesis and many of its characteristics can be found in other diverse groups of phototrophic bacteria. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  12. Mitigating cyanobacterial blooms: how effective are 'effective microorganisms'?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lürling, M.F.L.L.W.; Tolman, Y.; Euwe, M.

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the effects of 'Effective Microorganisms (EM)' on the growth of cyanobacteria, and their ability to terminate cyanobacterial blooms. The EM was tested in the form of 'mudballs' or 'Bokashi-balls', and as a suspension (EM-A) in laboratory experiments. No growth inhibition was

  13. Cyanobacterial Community Structure In Lithifying Mats of A Yellowstone Hotspring-Implications for Precambrian Stromatolite Biocomplexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Evan; Nash, C. Z.; Vogler, D. R.; Cullings, K.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences was used to investigate the molecular biodiversity of cyanobacterial communities inhabiting various lithified morpho-structures in two hotsprings of Yellowstone National Park. These morpho-structures - flat-topped columns, columnar cones, and ridged cones - resemble ancient stromatolites, which are possibly biogenic in origin. The top, middle and bottom sections of these lithified morpho-structures, as well as surrounding non-lithified mats were analyzed to determine the vertical and spatial distribution of cyanobacterial communities. Results from DGGE indicate that the cyanobacterial community composition of lithified morpho-structures (flat-topped columns, columnar cones, and ridged cones) were largely similar in vertical distribution as well as among the morpho-structures being studied. Preliminary results indicate that the cyanobacterial communities in these lithified morpho-structures were significantly different from communities in surrounding non-lithified mats. These results provide additional support to the theory that certain Phormidium/Leptolyngbya species are involved in the morphogenesis of lithifying morpho-structures in hotsprings and may have played a role in the formation of ancient stromatolites.

  14. Aerosolization of cyanobacterial cells across ecosystem boundaries in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trout-Haney, J.; Heindel, R. C.; Virginia, R. A.

    2017-12-01

    Cyanobacteria play a major ecological role in polar freshwaters, occurring predominately as small single cells in the water column, i.e., picocyanobacteria, or large multicellular colonies and mats that reside on the lake bottom. Cyanobacteria are also present in terrestrial polar habitats, including within soils, soil crusts, rocks, and glacial ice. Despite their predominance in polar ecosystems, the extent to which cyanobacteria move between terrestrial and aquatic landscape units remains poorly understood. In polar deserts such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys, aeolian processes influence terrestrial landscape morphology and drive the transport of sediments and other particles. Water surfaces can also act as a source of aerosolized particles, such as the production of sea spray aerosols through wave breaking in marine environments. However, aerosolization from freshwater bodies has been far less studied, especially in polar regions. We conducted a field-study to examine the transport of aerosolized cyanobacterial cells from ponds and soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. We used highly portable aerosol collection devices fitted with GF/F filters combusted at 500°C (0.3 µm) to collect small particles, such as picocyanobacteria (0.2 - 2 µm), from near-shore water and adjacent soil. We used epifluorescence microscopy to quantify aerosolized cells, with excitation filters for chlorophyll a (435 nm) and phycobilin pigments (572 nm), to distinguish cyanobacterial cells. We detected aerosolized picocyanobacterial cells from all ponds and soils sampled, indicating that these cells may be quite mobile and transported across ecosystem boundaries. We observed cyanobacterial cells individually, clustered, and associated with other organic material, suggesting multiple modes of cell transport. Further, we investigated the potential for aerosolization of toxin-producing cyanobacterial taxa (or unbound cyanotoxins), and the ecological and ecosystem-scale implications of

  15. Hydrochemical Characteristics and Formation of the Saline or Salty Springs in Eastern Sichuan Basin of China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, X.

    2017-12-01

    Saline or salty springs provide important information on the hydrogeochemical processes and hydrology within subsurface aquifers. More than 20 saline and salty springs occur in the core of anticlines in the eastern Sichuan Basin in southwestern China where the Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates outcrop. Water samples of 8 saline and salty springs (including one saline hot spring) were collected for analyses of the major and minor constituents, trace elements and stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. The TDS of the springs range from 4 to 83 g/L, and they are mainly of Cl-Na type. Sr, Ba and Li are the predominant trace elements. The δ2H and δ18O of the water samples indicate that they are of meteoric origin. The source of salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals in the carbonates, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The formation mechanism of the springs is that groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, undergoes shallow or deep circulation in the core of the anticline and incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing carbonates occurs, and emerges in the river valley in the form of springs with relatively high TDS. The 8 springs can be classified into 4 springs of shallow groundwater circulation and 4 springs of deep groundwater circulation according to the depth of groundwater circulation, 7 springs of normal temperature and 1 hot spring according to temperature. There are also 2 up-flow springs: the carbonate aquifers are overlain by relatively impervious sandstone and shale, groundwater may flows up to the ground surface through the local portion of the overlying aquiclude where fractures were relatively well developed, and emerges as an up-flow spring. Knowledge of the hydrochemical characteristics and the geneses of the saline and salty springs are of important significance for the utilization and preservation of the springs.

  16. Cyanobacterial diversity and halotolerance in a variable hypersaline environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkwood, Andrea E; Buchheim, Julie A; Buchheim, Mark A; Henley, William J

    2008-04-01

    The Great Salt Plains (GSP) in north-central Oklahoma, USA is an expansive salt flat (approximately 65 km(2)) that is part of the federally protected Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. The GSP serves as an ideal environment to study the microbial diversity of a terrestrial, hypersaline system that experiences wide fluctuations in freshwater influx and diel temperature. Our study assessed cyanobacterial diversity at the GSP by focusing on the taxonomic and physiological diversity of GSP isolates, and the 16S rRNA phylogenetic diversity of isolates and environmental clones from three sites (north, central, and south). Taxonomic diversity of isolates was limited to a few genera (mostly Phormidium and Geitlerinema), but physiological diversity based on halotolerance ranges was strikingly more diverse, even between strains of the same phylotype. The phylogenetic tree revealed diversity that spanned a number of cyanobacterial lineages, although diversity at each site was dominated by only a few phylotypes. Unlike other hypersaline systems, a number of environmental clones from the GSP were members of the heterocystous lineage. Although a number of cyanobacterial isolates were close matches with prevalent environmental clones, it is not certain if these clones reflect the same halotolerance ranges of their matching isolates. This caveat is based on the notable disparities we found between strains of the same phylotype and their inherent halotolerance. Our findings support the hypothesis that variable or poikilotrophic environments promote diversification, and in particular, select for variation in ecotype more than phylotype.

  17. Nutrient control of cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stal, L.J.; Staal, M.J.; Villbrandt, M.

    1999-01-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea were investigated with respect to growth Limitation and nitrogen fixation. The community was composed predominantly of Synechococcus spp., and large, heterocystous, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (Aphanizomenon spp, and Nodularia spp.), that usually formed

  18. Systematic variations in sinter mineralogy, microtexture and diagenesis in modern siliceous hot springs: Clues for interpreting depositional conditions in ancient deposits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, V. W.; Farmer, J. D.; Ruff, S. W.; Nunez, J.; Jahnke, L. L.

    2011-12-01

    The deposits of siliceous hydrothermal springs are known to capture and preserve a wide range of microbial fossil information. The recent discovery of hydrothermal silica at Home Plate, Columbia Hills, Mars has once again raised interest in the potential importance of ancient spring sinters as targets for future astrobiological mission to Mars. To create additional context information to support future in situ missions to Mars, we have documented systematic changes in the mineralogy and microtexture of modern siliceous hot spring deposits, observed along gradients in temperature, pH and flow velocity. Specific objectives are to: 1) identify chemical and physical factors that promote early diagenetic transformations of amorphous silica (opal-A), to progressively more ordered and crystalline phases (cristobalite, tridymite and quartz); 2) determine the composition and abundance of minor mineral phases, especially clays, in relationship to pH, temperature and paragenesis; and 3) to assess the usefulness of sinter mineralogy and microtexture in reconstructing the paleoenvironmental records preserved in ancient deposits. Study sites for acidic (pH 2-5) sinters included Nymph Creek, located in the Norris Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Active alkaline (pH 7-10) springs included Rabbit Creek, Steep Cone and Mound Spring located in the Lower Geyser Basin, YNP. Field measurements in active springs included pH, temperature and flow velocity, along with general microfacies assignments. To better constrain types and rates of silica diagenesis, the study also sampled older (Holocene-Pleistocene-aged) deposits. Laboratory analyses included X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermal infrared spectroscopy (TIR) and thin section petrography for characterizing sinter microtextures and for placing mineral phases (identified by XRPD and TIR) into a time-ordered diagenetic framework. In analyzing the phyllosilicates present in sinters, we applied clay separation and

  19. The main chemical properties of hot and cold mineral waters in Bayankhongor, Mongolia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Oyuntsetseg

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In the current study, hot and cold mineral springs and sub mineral waters in the Bayankhongor province were examined for their chemical characteristics and identified cold mineral waters classification according to mineral water classification of Mongolia. The hot spring waters belong to Na+-HCO3- and Na+-SO42- types. The cold mineral spring of Lkham belongs to Ca2+-HCO3- type. All sub mineral waters are generally located in the two areas (northern part or mountain forest area and the southern part or Gobi desert area. TDS concentrations of cold springs of the southern part in the study area were higher than northern part’s cold springs. The total dissolved silica content of cold spring was ranged from 4.5mg/L to 26 mg/L which did not correspond to requirements of mineral water standard of Mongolia. Thus, these cold springs are belonging to sub mineral water classification. The sub mineral waters were characterized into four types such as a Ca2+-SO42-, Na+-SO42-, Na+-HCO3 and Ca2+ - HCO3 by their chemical composition in the study area. The values for the quartz, chalcedony geothermometer and the Na/K geothermometer were quite different. The silica-enthalpy mixing model predicts a subsurface reservoir temperature between 124 and 197°C and most of the hot waters have been  probably mixed with cold water. The result shows that an averaged value of calculated temperature ranges from 77°C to 119°C which indicates that studied area has low temperature geothermal resources. DOI: http://doi.dx.org/10.5564/mjc.v15i0.324 Mongolian Journal of Chemistry 15 (41, 2014, p56-62

  20. Cyanobacterial populations in biological soil crusts of the northwest Negev Desert, Israel - effects of local conditions and disturbance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagemann, Martin; Henneberg, Manja; Felde, Vincent J M N L; Berkowicz, Simon M; Raanan, Hagai; Pade, Nadin; Felix-Henningsen, Peter; Kaplan, Aaron

    2016-11-02

    Biological soil crusts (BSCs) fulfill numerous ecological functions in arid and semiarid areas. Cyanobacteria are important BSC organisms, which are responsible for carbon fixation, N 2 -fixation, and binding of soil via extracellular polysaccharides. The cyanobacterial populations were characterized in different sampling plots established in three experimental stations along a rainfall gradient within NW Negev Desert, Israel. Cyanobacterial crust thickness and osmolyte accumulation therein decreased in plots with lower moisture. The cyanobacterial population structure also changed in different plots. We observed an increase of subsection III cyanobacteria such as Microcoleus spp. and Leptolyngbya sp. and a decreasing proportion of strains belonging to subsections I and IV in drier areas on the rainfall gradient. This population shift was also observed in the sampling plots, which were situated at various relief positions within the sand dune experimental sites. We also characterized the cyanobacterial populations within mechanically disturbed plots. After four years, they reached between 80 and 50% of the control populations in the northern-most and southern stations, respectively. Our results suggest that the cyanobacterial population is sensitive not only to macroscale factors but may also be subject to local climate variations and that four years were insufficient for complete recovery of the cyanobacterial population. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Cyanobacterial defense mechanisms against foreign DNA transfer and their impact on genetic engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina Stucken

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cyanobacteria display a large diversity of cellular forms ranging from unicellular to complex multicellular filaments or aggregates. Species in the group present a wide range of metabolic characteristics including the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, resistance to extreme environments, production of hydrogen, secondary metabolites and exopolysaccharides. These characteristics led to the growing interest in cyanobacteria across the fields of ecology, evolution, cell biology and biotechnology. The number of available cyanobacterial genome sequences has increased considerably in recent years, with more than 140 fully sequenced genomes to date. Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria is widely applied to the model unicellular strains Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. However the establishment of transformation protocols in many other cyanobacterial strains is challenging. One obstacle to the development of these novel model organisms is that many species have doubling times of 48 h or more, much longer than the bacterial models E. coli or B. subtilis. Furthermore, cyanobacterial defense mechanisms against foreign DNA pose a physical and biochemical barrier to DNA insertion in most strains. Here we review the various barriers to DNA uptake in the context of lateral gene transfer among microbes and the various mechanisms for DNA acquisition within the prokaryotic domain. Understanding the cyanobacterial defense mechanisms is expected to assist in the development and establishment of novel transformation protocols that are specifically suitable for this group.

  2. Algal and Cyanobacterial communities in two rivers of the province of San Luis (Argentina subjected to anthropogenic influence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorgelina Daruich

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The use of biological indicators of pollution has increased in recent years as an alternative to the monitoring of water quality. Phytoplankton community selectively respond to different anthropogenic disturbances, such as water dams and the increase of nutrients coming from city centers, which leads to the eutrophication of the aquatic environment. The objective of this work was to evaluate the composition and the structure of the algal and Cyanobacterial communities in order to prove human influences by the presence of reservoirs with some degree of eutrophication and the impact of urbanization in two rivers at the Bebedero basin in San Luis province (Argentine. METHODS: Four sites were sampled: two of them were placed before dams and villages (V1 and (P1 and two after them (V2 and (P2. Each site was visited in every season of the year: summer, autumn, winter and spring. Qualitative and semi-quantitative phytoplankton samples were taken, and the frequency of occurrence was determined. Variations between pairs of sampling stations were analyzed through the Jaccard similarity and complementarity indices. RESULTS: Ninety two taxa were identified, of which diatoms were the most frequent. The most affected station was P2 with high abundance, less diversity and equitability, whereas the species more tolerant to the presence of organic matter were Melosira varians, Navicula tripunctata, Oscillatoria limosa, Gomphonema parvulum and Coelastrum microporum, and some species of euglenophytas. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the structure and composition of the algal and Cyanobacterial communities allowed us to identify sections more sensitive to human-induced alterations.

  3. Description, field test and data analysis of a controlled-source EM system (EM-60). [Leach Hot Springs, Grass Valley

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morrison, H.F.; Goldstein, N.E.; Hoversten, M.; Oppliger, G.; Riveros, C.

    1978-10-01

    The three sections describe the transmitter, the receiver, and data interpretations and indicate the advances made toward the development of a large moment electromagnetic (EM) system employing a magnetic dipole source. A brief description is given of the EM-60 transmitter, its general design, and the consideration involved in the selection of a practical coil size and weight for routine field operations. A programmable, multichannel, multi-frequency, phase-sensitive receiver is described. A field test of the EM-60, the data analysis and interpretation procedures, and a comparison between the survey results and the results obtained using other electrical techniques are presented. The Leach Hot Springs area in Grass Valley, Pershing County, Nevada, was chosen for the first field site at which the entire system would be tested. The field tests showed the system capable of obtaining well-defined sounding curves (amplitude and phase of magnetic fields) from 1 kHz down to 0.1 Hz. (MHR)

  4. Caldanaerobacter uzonensis sp. nov., an anaerobic, thermophilic, heterotrophic bacterium isolated from a hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozina, Irina V; Kublanov, Ilya V; Kolganova, Tatyana V; Chernyh, Nikolai A; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2010-06-01

    An anaerobic thermophilic bacterium, strain K67(T), was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring of Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka Peninsula. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the novel isolate belongs to the genus Caldanaerobacter, with 95 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Caldanaerobacter subterraneus subsp. subterraneus SEBR 7858(T), suggesting that it represents a novel species of the genus Caldanaerobacter. Strain K67(T) was characterized as an obligate anaerobe, a thermophile (growth at 50-75 degrees capital ES, Cyrillic; optimum 68-70 degrees C), a neutrophile (growth at pH(25 degrees C) 4.8-8.0; optimum pH(25 degrees C) 6.8) and an obligate organotroph (growth by fermentation of various sugars, peptides and polysaccharides). Major fermentation products were acetate, H2 and CO2; ethanol, lactate and l-alanine were formed in smaller amounts. Thiosulfate stimulated growth and was reduced to hydrogen sulfide. Nitrate, sulfate, sulfite and elemental sulfur were not reduced and did not stimulate growth. Thus, according to the strain's phylogenetic position and phenotypic novelties (lower upper limit of temperature range for growth, the ability to grow on arabinose, the inability to reduce elemental sulfur and the formation of alanine as a minor fermentation product), the novel species Caldanaerobacter uzonensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain K67(T) (=DSM 18923(T) =VKM capital VE, Cyrillic-2408(T)).

  5. Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mantzouki, Evanthia; Lürling, Miquel; Fastner, Jutta; de Senerpont Domis, Lisette; Wilk-Woźniak, Elżbieta; Koreivienė, Judita; Seelen, Laura; Teurlincx, Sven; Verstijnen, Yvon; Krztoń, Wojciech; Walusiak, Edward; Karosienė, Jūratė; Kasperovičienė, Jūratė; Savadova, Ksenija; Vitonytė, Irma; Cillero-Castro, Carmen; Budzyńska, Agnieszka; Goldyn, Ryszard; Kozak, Anna; Rosińska, Joanna; Szeląg-Wasielewska, Elżbieta; Domek, Piotr; Jakubowska-Krepska, Natalia; Kwasizur, Kinga; Messyasz, Beata; Pełechaty, Aleksandra; Pełechaty, Mariusz; Kokocinski, Mikolaj; García-Murcia, Ana; Real, Monserrat; Romans, Elvira; Noguero-Ribes, Jordi; Duque, David Parreño; Fernández-Morán, Elísabeth; Karakaya, Nusret; Häggqvist, Kerstin; Demir, Nilsun; Beklioğlu, Meryem; Filiz, Nur; Levi, Eti E.; Iskin, Uğur; Bezirci, Gizem; Tavşanoğlu, Ülkü Nihan; Özhan, Koray; Gkelis, Spyros; Panou, Manthos; Fakioglu, Özden; Avagianos, Christos; Kaloudis, Triantafyllos; Çelik, Kemal; Yilmaz, Mete; Marcé, Rafael; Catalán, Nuria; Bravo, Andrea G.; Buck, Moritz; Colom-Montero, William; Mustonen, Kristiina; Pierson, Don; Yang, Yang; Raposeiro, Pedro M.; Gonçalves, Vítor; Antoniou, Maria G.; Tsiarta, Nikoletta; McCarthy, Valerie; Perello, Victor C.; Feldmann, Tõnu; Laas, Alo; Panksep, Kristel; Tuvikene, Lea; Gagala, Ilona; Mankiewicz-Boczek, Joana; Yağcı, Meral Apaydın; Çınar, Şakir; Çapkın, Kadir; Yağcı, Abdulkadir; Cesur, Mehmet; Bilgin, Fuat; Bulut, Cafer; Uysal, Rahmi; Obertegger, Ulrike; Boscaini, Adriano; Flaim, Giovanna; Salmaso, Nico; Cerasino, Leonardo; Richardson, Jessica; Visser, Petra M; Verspagen, Jolanda M. H.; Karan, Tünay; Soylu, Elif Neyran; Maraşlıoğlu, Faruk; Napiórkowska-Krzebietke, Agnieszka; Ochocka, Agnieszka; Pasztaleniec, Agnieszka; Antão-Geraldes, Ana M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Morais, João; Vale, Micaela; Köker, Latife; Akçaalan, Reyhan; Albay, Meriç; Špoljarić Maronić, Dubravka; Stević, Filip; Žuna Pfeiffer, Tanja; Fonvielle, Jeremy; Straile, Dietmar; Rothhaupt, Karl-Otto; Hansson, Lars-Anders; Urrutia-Cordero, Pablo; Bláha, Luděk; Geriš, Rodan; Fránková, Markéta; Koçer, Mehmet Ali Turan; Alp, Mehmet Tahir; Remec-Rekar, Spela; Elersek, Tina; Triantis, Theodoros; Zervou, Sevasti-Kiriaki; Hiskia, Anastasia; Haande, Sigrid; Skjelbred, Birger; Madrecka, Beata; Nemova, Hana; Drastichova, Iveta; Chomova, Lucia; Edwards, Christine; Sevindik, Tuğba Ongun; Tunca, Hatice; Önem, Burçin; Aleksovski, Boris; Krstić, Svetislav; Vucelić, Itana Bokan; Nawrocka, Lidia; Salmi, Pauliina; Machado-Vieira, Danielle; de Oliveira, Alinne Gurjão; Delgado-Martín, Jordi; García-García, David; Cereijo, Jose Luís; Gomà, Joan; Trapote, Mari Carmen; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, Teresa; Obrador, Biel; Grabowska, Magdalena; Karpowicz, Maciej; Chmura, Damian; Úbeda, Bárbara; Gálvez, José Ángel; Özen, Arda; Christoffersen, Kirsten Seestern; Warming, Trine Perlt; Kobos, Justyna; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Pérez-Martínez, Carmen; Ramos-Rodríguez, Eloísa; Arvola, Lauri; Alcaraz-Párraga, Pablo; Toporowska, Magdalena; Pawlik-Skowronska, Barbara; Niedźwiecki, Michał; Pęczuła, Wojciech; Leira, Manel; Hernández, Armand; Moreno-Ostos, Enrique; Blanco, José María; Rodríguez, Valeriano; Montes-Pérez, Jorge Juan; Palomino, Roberto L.; Rodríguez-Pérez, Estela; Carballeira, Rafael; Camacho, Antonio; Picazo, Antonio; Rochera, Carlos; Santamans, Anna C.; Ferriol, Carmen; Romo, Susana; Soria, Juan Miguel; Dunalska, Julita; Sieńska, Justyna; Szymański, Daniel; Kruk, Marek; Kostrzewska-Szlakowska, Iwona; Jasser, Iwona; Žutinić, Petar; Gligora Udovič, Marija; Plenković-Moraj, Anđelka; Frąk, Magdalena; Bańkowska-Sobczak, Agnieszka; Wasilewicz, Michał; Özkan, Korhan; Maliaka, Valentini; Kangro, Kersti; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Paerl, Hans W.; Carey, Cayelan C.; Ibelings, Bas W.

    2018-01-01

    Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and

  6. Effect of Environmental Factors on Cyanobacterial Abundance and Cyanotoxins Production in Natural and Drinking Water, Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Affan, Abu; Khomavis, Hisham S; Al-Harbi, Salim Marzoog; Haque, Mahfuzul; Khan, Saleha

    2015-02-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms commonly appear during the summer months in ponds, lakes and reservoirs in Bangladesh. In these areas, fish mortality, odorous water and fish and human skin irritation and eye inflammation have been reported. The influence of physicochemical factors on the occurrence of cyanobacteria and its toxin levels were evaluated in natural and drinking water in Bangladesh. A highly sensitive immunosorbent assay was used to detect microcystins (MCs). Cyanobacteria were found in 22 of 23 samples and the dominant species were Microcystis aeruginosa, followed by Microcystisflosaquae, Anabeana crassa and Aphanizomenon flosaquae. Cyanobacterial abundance varied from 39 to 1315 x 10(3) cells mL(-1) in natural water and 31 to 49 x 10(3) cells mL(-1) in tap water. MC concentrations were 25-82300 pg mL(-1) with the highest value measured in the fish research pond, followed by Ishakha Lake. In tap water, MC concentrations ranged from 30-32 pg mL(-1). The correlation between nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentration and cyanobacterial cell abundance was R2 = 0.62 while that between cyanobacterial abundance and MC concentration was R2 = 0.98. The increased NO3-N from fish feed, organic manure, poultry and dairy farm waste and fertilizer from agricultural land eutrophicated the water bodies and triggered cyanobacterial bloom formation. The increased amount of cyanobacteria produced MCs, subsequently reducing the water quality.

  7. The presence of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin in black band disease of corals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Laurie L; Sekar, Raju; Myers, Jamie L; Gantar, Miroslav; Voss, Joshua D; Kaczmarsky, Longin; Remily, Elizabeth R; Boyer, Gregory L; Zimba, Paul V

    2007-07-01

    Black band disease (BBD) is a migrating, cyanobacterial dominated, sulfide-rich microbial mat that moves across coral colonies lysing coral tissue. While it is known that BBD sulfate-reducing bacteria contribute to BBD pathogenicity by production of sulfide, additional mechanisms of toxicity may be involved. Using HPLC/MS, the cyanotoxin microcystin was detected in 22 field samples of BBD collected from five coral species on nine reefs of the wider Caribbean (Florida Keys and Bahamas). Two cyanobacterial cultures isolated from BBD, Geitlerinema and Leptolyngbya sp. contained microcystin based on HPLC/MS, with toxic activity confirmed using the protein phosphatase inhibition assay. The gene mcyA from the microcystin synthesis complex was detected in two field samples and from both BBD cyanobacterial cultures. Microcystin was not detected in six BBD samples from a different area of the Caribbean (St Croix, USVI) and the Philippines, suggesting regional specificity for BBD microcystin. This is the first report of the presence of microcystin in a coral disease.

  8. Production of anatoxin-a by cyanobacterial strains isolated from Portuguese fresh water systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osswald, Joana; Rellán, Sandra; Gago-Martinez, Ana; Vasconcelos, Vítor

    2009-11-01

    The occurrence of anatoxin-a in several freshwater systems in Portugal and its production by Portuguese cyanobacterial strains, after cultivation in laboratory, were studied. Surface water samples from 9 water bodies, for recreational and human consumption usage, were surveyed for anatoxin-a presence and for obtaining cultures of pure cyanobacterial strains. Anatoxin-a analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD) followed by Mass Spectrometry (MS) confirmation. No anatoxin-a was detected in all the natural water samples (limit of detection (LOD) = 25 ng l(-1)) but among the 22 isolated cyanobacterial strains, 13 could produce anatoxin-a in laboratory conditions (LOD = 3 ng g(-1) dw). This proportion of anatoxin-a producing strains (59.1%) in laboratory is discussed considering the hypothesis that anatoxin-a is a more frequent metabolite in cyanobacteria than it was thought before and making its occurrence in Portuguese freshwaters almost certain. Therefore, health and ecological risks caused by anatoxin-a in Portugal, should be seriously considered.

  9. In situ dynamics of O2, pH and cyanobacterial transcripts associated with CCM, photosynthesis and detoxification of ROS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Sheila I; Steunou, Anne-Soisig; Bhaya, Devaki

    2011-01-01

    The relative abundance of transcripts encoding proteins involved in inorganic carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCM), detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photosynthesis in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus OS-B' was measured in hot spring microbial mats over two diel...

  10. Serratia sp. ZF03: an efficient radium biosorbent isolated from hot-spring waters in high background radiation areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakeri, Farideh; Noghabi, Kambiz Akbari; Sadeghizadeh, Majid; Kardan, Mohammad Reza; Masoomi, Fatemeh; Farshidpour, Mohammad Reza; Atarilar, Ali

    2010-12-01

    The aim of this study is to isolate and characterize (226)Ra biosorbing indigenous bacterial strains from soils and hot-springs containing high concentrations of (226)Ra by using biochemical and molecular approaches. Fifteen bacteria were isolated and their phylogenetic affiliations were determined based on their 16S rRNA gene and the two most relevant hypervariable regions of this gene; V3 and V6 analysis. A pigmented Serratia sp. ZF03 strain isolated from the water with (226)Ra content of 50471 mBq l(-1), caused 70% removal of (226)Ra at a radioactivity level of 50 Bq ml(-1), after 5 min and 75-80% in equilibrium time of 1 h, depending on the particular biosorption system and experimental conditions studied. The biosorption equilibrium was described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Kinetic studies indicated that the biosorption follows pseudo-second-order kinetics. Effect of different physico-chemical parameters on (226)Ra sorption, FTIR, SEM and TEM analysis were also investigated. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Rapid development of cyanobacterial crust in the field for combating desertification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Chan-Ho; Li, Xin Rong; Zhao, Yang; Jia, Rong Liang; Hur, Jae-Seoun

    2017-01-01

    Desertification is currently a major concern, and vast regions have already been devastated in the arid zones of many countries. Combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals is a novel method of restoring desertified areas. Three cyanobacteria, Nostoc sp. Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, Phormidium sp. Kützing ex Gomont and Scytonema arcangeli Bornet ex Flahault were isolated and tested in this study. Tacki-SprayTM (TKS7), which consists of bio-polysaccharides and tackifiers, was used as a soil fixing agent. In addition, superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was applied to the soil as a water-holding material and nutrient supplement. Application of cyanobacteria with superabsorbent polymer and TKS7 (CST) remarkably improved macro-aggregate stability against water and erodibility against wind after 12 months of inoculation when compared to the control soil. The mean weight diameter and threshold friction velocity of the CST treated soil were found to be 75% and 88% of those of the approximately 20-year-old natural cyanobacterial crust (N-BSC), respectively, while these values were 68% and 73% of those of the N-BSC soil after a single treatment of cyanobacteria alone (CY). Interestingly, biological activities of CST were similar to those of CY. Total carbohydrate contents, cyanobacterial biomass, microbial biomass, soil respiration, carbon fixation and effective quantum yield of CST treated soil were enhanced by 50-100% of the N-BSC, while those of control soil were negligible. Our results suggest that combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals can rapidly develop cyanobacterial crust formation in the field within 12 months. The physical properties and biological activities of the inoculated cyanobacterial crust were stable during the study period. The novel method presented herein serves as another approach for combating desertification in arid regions.

  12. Rapid development of cyanobacterial crust in the field for combating desertification.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan-Ho Park

    Full Text Available Desertification is currently a major concern, and vast regions have already been devastated in the arid zones of many countries. Combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals is a novel method of restoring desertified areas. Three cyanobacteria, Nostoc sp. Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, Phormidium sp. Kützing ex Gomont and Scytonema arcangeli Bornet ex Flahault were isolated and tested in this study. Tacki-SprayTM (TKS7, which consists of bio-polysaccharides and tackifiers, was used as a soil fixing agent. In addition, superabsorbent polymer (SAP was applied to the soil as a water-holding material and nutrient supplement. Application of cyanobacteria with superabsorbent polymer and TKS7 (CST remarkably improved macro-aggregate stability against water and erodibility against wind after 12 months of inoculation when compared to the control soil. The mean weight diameter and threshold friction velocity of the CST treated soil were found to be 75% and 88% of those of the approximately 20-year-old natural cyanobacterial crust (N-BSC, respectively, while these values were 68% and 73% of those of the N-BSC soil after a single treatment of cyanobacteria alone (CY. Interestingly, biological activities of CST were similar to those of CY. Total carbohydrate contents, cyanobacterial biomass, microbial biomass, soil respiration, carbon fixation and effective quantum yield of CST treated soil were enhanced by 50-100% of the N-BSC, while those of control soil were negligible. Our results suggest that combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals can rapidly develop cyanobacterial crust formation in the field within 12 months. The physical properties and biological activities of the inoculated cyanobacterial crust were stable during the study period. The novel method presented herein serves as another approach for combating desertification in arid regions.

  13. Analysis of Microcystins in Cyanobacterial Blooms from Freshwater Bodies in England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D. Turner

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater bodies in England are currently monitored reactively, with samples containing more than 20,000 cells/mL of potentially toxin-producing species by light microscopy resulting in action by the water body owner. Whilst significantly reducing the risk of microcystin exposure, there is little data describing the levels of these toxins present in cyanobacterial blooms. This study focused on the quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis of microcystins in freshwater samples, collected across England during 2016 and found to contain potentially toxin-producing cyanobacteria. More than 50% of samples contained quantifiable concentrations of microcystins, with approximately 13% exceeding the WHO medium health threshold of 20 μg/L. Toxic samples were confirmed over a nine-month period, with a clear increase in toxins during late summer, but with no apparent geographical patterns. No statistical relationships were found between total toxin concentrations and environmental parameters. Complex toxin profiles were determined and profile clusters were unrelated to cyanobacterial species, although a dominance of MC-RR was determined in water samples from sites associated with lower rainfall. 100% of samples with toxins above the 20 μg/L limit contained cell densities above 20,000 cells/mL or cyanobacterial scum, showing the current regime is suitable for public health. Conversely, with only 18% of cell density threshold samples having total microcystins above 20 μg/L, there is the potential for reactive water closures to unnecessarily impact upon the socio-economics of the local population. In the future, routine analysis of bloom samples by LC-MS/MS would provide a beneficial confirmatory approach to the current microscopic assessment, aiding both public health and the needs of water users and industry.

  14. Comparative summer dynamics of surface cyanobacterial communities in two connected lakes from the west of Ireland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Touzet, N., E-mail: touzet.nicolas@itsligo.ie [Centre for Environmental Research, Innovation and Sustainability, School of Science, Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Technology Sligo, Sligo (Ireland); McCarthy, D.; Gill, A.; Fleming, G.T.A. [Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway (Ireland)

    2016-05-15

    The eutrophication of lakes is typically associated with high biomass proliferations of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. At a regional level, the sustainable management of water resources necessitates an approach that recognises the interconnectivity of multiple water systems within river catchments. This study examined the dynamics in summer diversity of planktonic cyanobacterial communities and microcystin toxin concentrations in two inter-connected lakes from the west of Ireland prone to nutrient enrichment. DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons of genotype-I cyanobacteria (typically spherical) showed changes in the communities of both Lough Corrib and Ballyquirke Lough throughout the summer, and identified cyanobacterial genotypes both unique and shared to both lakes. Microcystin concentrations, estimated via the protein phosphatase 2A inhibition assay, were greater in August than in July and June in both lakes. This was concomitant to the increased occurrence of Microcystis as evidenced by DGGE band excision and subsequent sequencing and BLAST analysis. RFLP analysis of PCR amplified mcy-A/E genes clustered together the August samples of both lakes, highlighting a potential change in microcystin producers across the two lakes. Finally, the multiple factor analysis of the combined environmental data set for the two lakes highlighted the expected pattern opposing greater water temperature and chlorophyll concentration against macronutrient concentrations, but also indicated a negative relationship between microcystin concentration and cyanobacterial diversity, possibly underlining allelopathic interactions. Despite some element of connectivity, the dissimilarity in the composition of the cyanobacterial assemblages and the timing of community change in the two lakes likely were a reflexion of niche differences determined by meteorologically-forced variation in physico-chemical parameters in the two water bodies. - Highlights: • DGGE highlighted

  15. Comparative summer dynamics of surface cyanobacterial communities in two connected lakes from the west of Ireland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Touzet, N.; McCarthy, D.; Gill, A.; Fleming, G.T.A.

    2016-01-01

    The eutrophication of lakes is typically associated with high biomass proliferations of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. At a regional level, the sustainable management of water resources necessitates an approach that recognises the interconnectivity of multiple water systems within river catchments. This study examined the dynamics in summer diversity of planktonic cyanobacterial communities and microcystin toxin concentrations in two inter-connected lakes from the west of Ireland prone to nutrient enrichment. DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons of genotype-I cyanobacteria (typically spherical) showed changes in the communities of both Lough Corrib and Ballyquirke Lough throughout the summer, and identified cyanobacterial genotypes both unique and shared to both lakes. Microcystin concentrations, estimated via the protein phosphatase 2A inhibition assay, were greater in August than in July and June in both lakes. This was concomitant to the increased occurrence of Microcystis as evidenced by DGGE band excision and subsequent sequencing and BLAST analysis. RFLP analysis of PCR amplified mcy-A/E genes clustered together the August samples of both lakes, highlighting a potential change in microcystin producers across the two lakes. Finally, the multiple factor analysis of the combined environmental data set for the two lakes highlighted the expected pattern opposing greater water temperature and chlorophyll concentration against macronutrient concentrations, but also indicated a negative relationship between microcystin concentration and cyanobacterial diversity, possibly underlining allelopathic interactions. Despite some element of connectivity, the dissimilarity in the composition of the cyanobacterial assemblages and the timing of community change in the two lakes likely were a reflexion of niche differences determined by meteorologically-forced variation in physico-chemical parameters in the two water bodies. - Highlights: • DGGE highlighted

  16. Hot spring microbial community composition, morphology, and carbon fixation: implications for interpreting the ancient rock record

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuler, Caleb G.; Havig, Jeff R.; Hamilton, Trinity L.

    2017-11-01

    Microbial communities in hydrothermal systems exist in a range of macroscopic morphologies including stromatolites, mats, and filaments. The architects of these structures are typically autotrophic, serving as primary producers. Structures attributed to microbial life have been documented in the rock record dating back to the Archean including recent reports of microbially-related structures in terrestrial hot springs that date back as far as 3.5 Ga. Microbial structures exhibit a range of complexity from filaments to more complex mats and stromatolites and the complexity impacts preservation potential. As a result, interpretation of these structures in the rock record relies on isotopic signatures in combination with overall morphology and paleoenvironmental setting. However, the relationships between morphology, microbial community composition, and primary productivity remain poorly constrained. To begin to address this gap, we examined community composition and carbon fixation in filaments, mats, and stromatolites from the Greater Obsidian Pool Area (GOPA) of the Mud Volcano Area, Yellowstone National Park, WY. We targeted morphologies dominated by bacterial phototrophs located in close proximity within the same pool which are exposed to similar geochemistry as well as bacterial mat, algal filament and chemotrophic filaments from nearby springs. Our results indicate i) natural abundance δ13C values of biomass from these features (-11.0 to -24.3 ‰) are similar to those found in the rock record; ii) carbon uptake rates of photoautotrophic communities is greater than chemoautotrophic; iii) oxygenic photosynthesis, anoxygenic photosynthesis, and chemoautotrophy often contribute to carbon fixation within the same morphology; and iv) increasing phototrophic biofilm complexity corresponds to a significant decrease in rates of carbon fixation—filaments had the highest uptake rates whereas carbon fixation by stromatolites was significantly lower. Our data highlight

  17. Hot Spring Microbial Community Composition, Morphology, and Carbon Fixation: Implications for Interpreting the Ancient Rock Record

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caleb G. Schuler

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Microbial communities in hydrothermal systems exist in a range of macroscopic morphologies including stromatolites, mats, and filaments. The architects of these structures are typically autotrophic, serving as primary producers. Structures attributed to microbial life have been documented in the rock record dating back to the Archean including recent reports of microbially-related structures in terrestrial hot springs that date back as far as 3.5 Ga. Microbial structures exhibit a range of complexity from filaments to more complex mats and stromatolites and the complexity impacts preservation potential. As a result, interpretation of these structures in the rock record relies on isotopic signatures in combination with overall morphology and paleoenvironmental setting. However, the relationships between morphology, microbial community composition, and primary productivity remain poorly constrained. To begin to address this gap, we examined community composition and carbon fixation in filaments, mats, and stromatolites from the Greater Obsidian Pool Area (GOPA of the Mud Volcano Area, Yellowstone National Park, WY. We targeted morphologies dominated by bacterial phototrophs located in close proximity within the same pool which are exposed to similar geochemistry as well as bacterial mat, algal filament and chemotrophic filaments from nearby springs. Our results indicate (i natural abundance δ13C values of biomass from these features (−11.0 to −24.3‰ are similar to those found in the rock record; (ii carbon uptake rates of photoautotrophic communities is greater than chemoautotrophic; (iii oxygenic photosynthesis, anoxygenic photosynthesis, and chemoautotrophy often contribute to carbon fixation within the same morphology; and (iv increasing phototrophic biofilm complexity corresponds to a significant decrease in rates of carbon fixation—filaments had the highest uptake rates whereas carbon fixation by stromatolites was significantly lower

  18. Geothermal investment analysis with site-specific applications to Roosevelt Hot Springs and Cove Fort-Sulphurdale, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cassel, T.A.V.; Edelstein, R.H.; Blair, P.D.

    1978-12-01

    The analysis and modeling of investment behavior in the development of hydrothermal electric power facilities are reported. This investment behavior reflects a degree of sensitivity to public policy alternatives concerning taxation and regulation of the resource and its related energy conversion facilities. The objective of the current research is to provide a realistic and theoretically sound means for estimating the impacts of such public policy alternatives. A stochastic simulation model was developed which offers an efficient means for site-specific investment analysis of private sector firms and investors. The results of the first year of work are discussed including the identification, analysis, quantification and modeling of: a decision tree reflecting the sequence of procedures, timing and stochastic elements of hydrothermal resource development projects; investment requirements, expenses and revenues incurred in the exploration, development and utilization of hydrothermal resources for electric power generation; and multiattribute investment decision criteria of the several types of firms in the geothermal industry. An application of the investment model to specific resource sites in the state of Utah is also described. Site specific data for the Known Geothermal Resource Areas of Roosevelt Hot Springs and Cove Fort-Sulphurdale are given together with hypothesized generation capacity growth rates.

  19. Terminal processes in the anaerobic degradation of an algal-bacterial mat in a high-sulfate hot spring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ward, D.M.; Olson, G.J.

    1980-01-01

    The algal-bacterial mat of a high-sulfate hot spring (Bath Lake) provided an environment in which to compare terminal processes involved in anaerobic decomposition. Sulfate reduction was found to dominate methane production, as indicated by comparison of initial electron flow through the two processes, rapid conversion of [2- 14 C]acetate to 14 CO 2 and not to 14 CH 4 , and the lack of rapid reduction of NaH 14 CO 3 to 14 CH 4 . Sulfate reduction was the dominant process at all depth intervals, but a marked decrease of sulfate reduction and sulfate-reducing bacteria was observed with depth. Concurrent methanogenesis was indicated by the presence of viable methanogenic bacteria and very low but detectable rates of methane production. A marked increase in methane production was observed after sulfate depletion despite high concentrations of sulfide (>1.25 mM), indicating that methanogenesis was not inhibited by sulfide in the natural environment. Although a sulfate minimum and sulfide maximum occurred in the region of maximal sulfate reduction, the absence of sulfate depletion in interstitial water suggests that methanogenesis is always severely limited in Bath Lake sediments. Low initial methanogenesis was not due to anaerobic methane oxidation

  20. Chlorophyll f distribution and dynamics in cyanobacterial beachrock biofilms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trampe, Erik; Kühl, Michael

    2016-12-01

    Chlorophyll (Chl) f, the most far-red (720-740 nm) absorbing Chl species, was discovered in cyanobacterial isolates from stromatolites and subsequently in other habitats as well. However, the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of Chl f in a natural habitat have so far not been documented. Here, we report the presence of Chl f in cyanobacterial beachrock biofilms. Hyperspectral imaging on cross-sections of beachrock from Heron Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia), showed a strong and widely distributed signature of Chl f absorption in an endolithic layer below the dense cyanobacterial surface biofilm that could be localized to aggregates of Chroococcidiopsis-like unicellular cyanobacteria packed within a thick common sheath. High-pressure liquid chromatography-based pigment analyses showed in situ ratios of Chl f to Chl a of 5% in brown-pigmented zones of the beachrock, with lower ratios of ~0.5% in the black- and pink-pigmented biofilm zones. Enrichment experiments with black beachrock biofilm showed stimulated synthesis of Chl f and Chl d when grown under near-infrared radiation (NIR; 740 nm), with a Chl f to Chl a ratio increasing 4-fold to 2%, whereas the Chl d to Chl a ratio went from 0% to 0.8%. Enrichments grown under white light (400-700 nm) produced no detectable amounts of either Chl d or Chl f. Beachrock cyanobacteria thus exhibited characteristics of far-red light photoacclimation, enabling Chl f -containing cyanobacteria to thrive in optical niches deprived of visible light when sufficient NIR is prevalent. © 2016 Phycological Society of America.

  1. A single phosphorus treatment doubles growth of cyanobacterial lichen transplants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCune, Bruce; Caldwell, Bruce A

    2009-02-01

    Lichens are reputedly slow growing and become unhealthy or die in response to supplements of the usual limiting resources, such as water and nitrogen. We found, however, that the tripartite cyanobacterial lichen Lobaria pulmonaria doubled in annual biomass growth after a single 20-minute immersion in a phosphorus solution (K2HPO4), as compared to controls receiving no supplemental phosphorus. This stimulation of cyanolichens by phosphorus has direct relevance to community and population ecology of lichens, including improving models of lichen performance in relation to air quality, improving forest management practices affecting old-growth associated cyanolichens, and understanding the distribution and abundance of cyanolichens on the landscape. Phosphorus may be as important a stimulant to cyanobacterial-rich lichen communities as it is to cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems.

  2. Contributions of meteorology to the phenology of cyanobacterial blooms: implications for future climate change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Min; Duan, Hongtao; Shi, Xiaoli; Yu, Yang; Kong, Fanxiang

    2012-02-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms are often a result of eutrophication. Recently, however, their expansion has also been found to be associated with changes in climate. To elucidate the effects of climatic variables on the expansion of cyanobacterial blooms in Taihu, China, we analyzed the relationships between climatic variables and bloom events which were retrieved by satellite images. We then assessed the contribution of each climate variable to the phenology of blooms using multiple regression models. Our study demonstrates that retrieving ecological information from satellite images is meritorious for large-scale and long-term ecological research in freshwater ecosystems. Our results show that the phenological changes of blooms at an inter-annual scale are strongly linked to climate in Taihu during the past 23 yr. Cyanobacterial blooms occur earlier and last longer with the increase of temperature, sunshine hours, and global radiation and the decrease of wind speed. Furthermore, the duration increases when the daily averages of maximum, mean, and minimum temperature each exceed 20.3 °C, 16.7 °C, and 13.7 °C, respectively. Among these factors, sunshine hours and wind speed are the primary contributors to the onset of the blooms, explaining 84.6% of their variability over the past 23 yr. These factors are also good predictors of the variability in the duration of annual blooms and determined 58.9% of the variability in this parameter. Our results indicate that when nutrients are in sufficiently high quantities to sustain the formation of cyanobacterial blooms, climatic variables become crucial in predicting cyanobacterial bloom events. Climate changes should be considered when we evaluate how much the amount of nutrients should be reduced in Taihu for lake management. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Metatranscriptomic analysis of a high-sulfide aquatic spring reveals insights into sulfur cycling and unexpected aerobic metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne M. Spain

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Zodletone spring is a sulfide-rich spring in southwestern Oklahoma characterized by shallow, microoxic, light-exposed spring water overlaying anoxic sediments. Previously, culture-independent 16S rRNA gene based diversity surveys have revealed that Zodletone spring source sediments harbor a highly diverse microbial community, with multiple lineages putatively involved in various sulfur-cycling processes. Here, we conducted a metatranscriptomic survey of microbial populations in Zodletone spring source sediments to characterize the relative prevalence and importance of putative phototrophic, chemolithotrophic, and heterotrophic microorganisms in the sulfur cycle, the identity of lineages actively involved in various sulfur cycling processes, and the interaction between sulfur cycling and other geochemical processes at the spring source. Sediment samples at the spring’s source were taken at three different times within a 24-h period for geochemical analyses and RNA sequencing. In depth mining of datasets for sulfur cycling transcripts revealed major sulfur cycling pathways and taxa involved, including an unexpected potential role of Actinobacteria in sulfide oxidation and thiosulfate transformation. Surprisingly, transcripts coding for the cyanobacterial Photosystem II D1 protein, methane monooxygenase, and terminal cytochrome oxidases were encountered, indicating that genes for oxygen production and aerobic modes of metabolism are actively being transcribed, despite below-detectable levels (<1 µM of oxygen in source sediment. Results highlight transcripts involved in sulfur, methane, and oxygen cycles, propose that oxygenic photosynthesis could support aerobic methane and sulfide oxidation in anoxic sediments exposed to sunlight, and provide a viewpoint of microbial metabolic lifestyles under conditions similar to those seen during late Archaean and Proterozoic eons.

  4. Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Zhou; Li, Ping; Jiang, Dawei; Dai, Xinyue; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Yanhong; Wang, Yanxin

    2016-01-01

    Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73-0.86). Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation), Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation), Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation). Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41-95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.

  5. Chasing after Non-cyanobacterial Nitrogen Fixation in Marine Pelagic Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pia H. Moisander

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, cyanobacterial activity in oceanic photic layers was considered responsible for the marine pelagic dinitrogen (N2 fixation. Other potentially N2-fixing bacteria and archaea have also been detected in the pelagic water column, however, the activity and importance of these non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs (NCDs remain poorly constrained. In this perspective we summarize the N2 fixation rates from recently published studies on photic and aphotic layers that have been attributed to NCD activity via parallel molecular measurements, and discuss the status, challenges, and data gaps in estimating non-cyanobacterial N2 fixation NCNF in the ocean. Rates attributed to NCNF have generally been near the detection limit thus far (<1 nmol N L−1 d−1. Yet, if considering the large volume of the dark ocean, even low rates of NCNF could make a significant contribution to the new nitrogen input to the ocean. The synthesis here shows that nifH transcription data for NCDs have been reported in only a few studies where N2 fixation rates were detected in the absence of diazotrophic cyanobacteria. In addition, high apparent diversity and regional variability in the NCDs complicate investigations of these communities. Future studies should focus on further investigating impacts of environmental drivers including oxygen, dissolved organic matter, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen on NCNF. Describing the ecology of NCDs and accurately measuring NCNF rates, are critical for a future evaluation of the contribution of NCNF to the marine nitrogen budget.

  6. Symbiotic adaptation drives genome streamlining of the cyanobacterial sponge symbiont "Candidatus Synechococcus pongiarum"

    KAUST Repository

    Gao, Zhao-Ming

    2014-04-01

    "Candidatus Synechococcus spongiarum" is a cyanobacterial symbiont widely distributed in sponges, but its functions at the genome level remain unknown. Here, we obtained the draft genome (1.66 Mbp, 90% estimated genome recovery) of "Ca. Synechococcus spongiarum" strain SH4 inhabiting the Red Sea sponge Carteriospongia foliascens. Phylogenomic analysis revealed a high dissimilarity between SH4 and free-living cyanobacterial strains. Essential functions, such as photosynthesis, the citric acid cycle, and DNA replication, were detected in SH4. Eukaryoticlike domains that play important roles in sponge-symbiont interactions were identified exclusively in the symbiont. However, SH4 could not biosynthesize methionine and polyamines and had lost partial genes encoding low-molecular-weight peptides of the photosynthesis complex, antioxidant enzymes, DNA repair enzymes, and proteins involved in resistance to environmental toxins and in biosynthesis of capsular and extracellular polysaccharides. These genetic modifications imply that "Ca. Synechococcus spongiarum" SH4 represents a low-light-adapted cyanobacterial symbiont and has undergone genome streamlining to adapt to the sponge\\'s mild intercellular environment. 2014 Gao et al.

  7. Symbiotic adaptation drives genome streamlining of the cyanobacterial sponge symbiont "Candidatus Synechococcus pongiarum"

    KAUST Repository

    Gao, Zhao-Ming; Wang, Yong; Tian, Ren-Mao; Wong, Yue Him; Batang, Zenon B.; Al-Suwailem, Abdulaziz M.; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Qian, Pei-Yuan

    2014-01-01

    "Candidatus Synechococcus spongiarum" is a cyanobacterial symbiont widely distributed in sponges, but its functions at the genome level remain unknown. Here, we obtained the draft genome (1.66 Mbp, 90% estimated genome recovery) of "Ca. Synechococcus spongiarum" strain SH4 inhabiting the Red Sea sponge Carteriospongia foliascens. Phylogenomic analysis revealed a high dissimilarity between SH4 and free-living cyanobacterial strains. Essential functions, such as photosynthesis, the citric acid cycle, and DNA replication, were detected in SH4. Eukaryoticlike domains that play important roles in sponge-symbiont interactions were identified exclusively in the symbiont. However, SH4 could not biosynthesize methionine and polyamines and had lost partial genes encoding low-molecular-weight peptides of the photosynthesis complex, antioxidant enzymes, DNA repair enzymes, and proteins involved in resistance to environmental toxins and in biosynthesis of capsular and extracellular polysaccharides. These genetic modifications imply that "Ca. Synechococcus spongiarum" SH4 represents a low-light-adapted cyanobacterial symbiont and has undergone genome streamlining to adapt to the sponge's mild intercellular environment. 2014 Gao et al.

  8. Microbial Diversity and Biochemical Potential Encoded by Thermal Spring Metagenomes Derived from the Kamchatka Peninsula

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernd Wemheuer

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Volcanic regions contain a variety of environments suitable for extremophiles. This study was focused on assessing and exploiting the prokaryotic diversity of two microbial communities derived from different Kamchatkian thermal springs by metagenomic approaches. Samples were taken from a thermoacidophilic spring near the Mutnovsky Volcano and from a thermophilic spring in the Uzon Caldera. Environmental DNA for metagenomic analysis was isolated from collected sediment samples by direct cell lysis. The prokaryotic community composition was examined by analysis of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes. A total number of 1235 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained and used for taxonomic classification. Most abundant in the samples were members of Thaumarchaeota, Thermotogae, and Proteobacteria. The Mutnovsky hot spring was dominated by the Terrestrial Hot Spring Group, Kosmotoga, and Acidithiobacillus. The Uzon Caldera was dominated by uncultured members of the Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group and Enterobacteriaceae. The remaining 16S rRNA gene sequences belonged to the Aquificae, Dictyoglomi, Euryarchaeota, Korarchaeota, Thermodesulfobacteria, Firmicutes, and some potential new phyla. In addition, the recovered DNA was used for generation of metagenomic libraries, which were subsequently mined for genes encoding lipolytic and proteolytic enzymes. Three novel genes conferring lipolytic and one gene conferring proteolytic activity were identified.

  9. Limnology and cyanobacterial diversity of high altitude lakes of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Limnological data of four high altitude lakes from the cold desert region of Himachal Pradesh, India, has been correlated with cyanobacterial diversity. Physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient contents of the studied lakes revealed that Sissu Lake is mesotrophic while Chandra Tal, Suraj Tal and Deepak Tal are ...

  10. Biofilm exopolymers control microbialite formation at thermal springs discharging into the alkaline Pyramid Lake, Nevada, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arp, Gernot; Thiel, Volker; Reimer, Andreas; Michaelis, Walter; Reitner, Joachim

    1999-07-01

    Calcium carbonate precipitation and microbialite formation at highly supersaturated mixing zones of thermal spring waters and alkaline lake water have been investigated at Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Without precipitation, pure mixing should lead to a nearly 100-fold supersaturation at 40°C. Physicochemical precipitation is modified or even inhibited by the properties of biofilms, dependent on the extent of biofilm development and the current precipitation rate. Mucus substances (extracellular polymeric substances, EPS, e.g., of cyanobacteria) serve as effective Ca 2+-buffers, thus preventing seed crystal nucleation even in a highly supersaturated macroenvironment. Carbonate is then preferentially precipitated in mucus-free areas such as empty diatom tests or voids. After the buffer capacity of the EPS is surpassed, precipitation is observed at the margins of mucus areas. Hydrocarbon biomarkers extracted from (1) a calcifying Phormidium-biofilm, (2) the stromatolitic carbonate below, and (3) a fossil `tufa' of the Pleistocene pinnacles, indicate that the cyanobacterial primary producers have been subject to significant temporal changes in their species distribution. Accordingly, the species composition of cyanobacterial biofilms does not appear to be relevant for the formation of microbial carbonates in Pyramid Lake. The results demonstrate the crucial influence of mucus substances on carbonate precipitation in highly supersaturated natural environments.

  11. Investigation of a Modern Incipient Stromatolite from Obsidian Pool Prime, Yellowstone National Park: Implications for Early Lithification in the Formation of Light-Dark Stromatolite Laminae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corsetti, F. A.; Berelson, W.; Pepe-Ranney, C. P.; Mata, S. A.; Spear, J. R.

    2016-12-01

    Stromatolites have been defined multiple ways, but the presence of lamination is common to all definitions. Despite this commonality, the origin of the lamination in many ancient stromatolites remains vague. Lamination styles vary, but sub-mm light-dark couplets are common in many ancient stromatolites. Here, we investigate an actively forming incipient stromatolite from Obsidian Pool Prime (OPP), a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, to better understand the formation of light-dark couplets similar to many ancient stromatolites in texture and structure. In the OPP stromatolites, a dense network of layer-parallel bundles of cyanobacterial filaments (a dark layer) is followed by an open network of layer-perpendicular or random filaments (a light layer) that reflect a diurnal cycle in the leading edge of the microbial mat that coats the stromatolite's surface. Silica crust encases the cyanobacterial filaments maintaining the integrity of the lamination. Bubbles formed via oxygenic photosynthesis are commonly trapped within the light layers, indicating that lithification occurs rapidly before the bubbles can collapse. The filamentous, non-heterocystous stromatoite-building cyanobacterium from OPP is most closely related to a stromatolite-building cyanobacterium from a hot spring in Japan. Once built, "tenants" from multiple microbial phyla move into the structure, mixing and mingling to produce a complicated integrated biogeochemical signal that may be difficult to untangle in ancient examples. While the cyanobacterial response to the diurnal cycle has been previously implicated in the formation of light-dark couplets, the OPP example highlights the importance of early lithification in maintaining the fabric. Thus, the presence of light-dark couplets and bubble structures may indicate very early lithification and therefore a certain degree of mineral saturation in the ancient ocean or other aquatic system, and that bubble structures, if present, may be evidence

  12. Effects of nutrients, temperature and their interactions on spring phytoplankton community succession in Lake Taihu, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianming Deng

    Full Text Available We examined the potential effects of environmental variables, and their interaction, on phytoplankton community succession in spring using long-term data from 1992 to 2012 in Lake Taihu, China. Laboratory experiments were additionally performed to test the sensitivity of the phytoplankton community to nutrient concentrations and temperature. A phytoplankton community structure analysis from 1992 to 2012 showed that Cryptomonas (Cryptophyta was the dominant genus in spring during the early 1990s. Dominance then shifted to Ulothrix (Chlorophyta in 1996 and 1997. However, Cryptomonas again dominated in 1999, 2000, and 2002, with Ulothrix regaining dominance from 2003 to 2006. The bloom-forming cyanobacterial genus Microcystis dominated in 1995, 2001 and 2007-2012. The results of ordinations indicated that the nutrient concentration (as indicated by the trophic state index was the most important factor affecting phytoplankton community succession during the past two decades. In the laboratory experiments, shifts in dominance among phytoplankton taxa occurred in all nutrient addition treatments. Results of both long term monitoring and experiment indicated that nutrients exert a stronger control than water temperature on phytoplankton communities during spring. Interactive effect of nutrients and water temperature was the next principal factor. Overall, phytoplankton community composition was mediated by nutrients concentrations, but this effect was strongly enhanced by elevated water temperatures.

  13. Typing of the sausage-shaped bacteria forming A-type sulfur-turf according to cell length distributions of natural populations and physico-chemical conditions of hot spring waters; Saibo chobunpu to seiiku kankyo kara mita A gata io shiba shizen kotaigun ni okeru okamagata saikin no katabetsu ni tsuite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aki, Y. [Iwate University, Iwate (Japan). Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

    1996-01-25

    In order to type the sausage-shaped bacteria forming A-type sulfur-turf, cell length distributions and physics-chemical conditions of hot spring waters were investigated on twelve samples collected from all over Japan. The frequency distributions of the cell length of eight samples were bimodal, while the other four samples were unimodal. In seven samples with bimodal distributions, two types (large and small) of the sausage-shaped bacteria could be differentiated. The cell length of the large-type was between 10.1 and 31.9{mu}m, while that of the small-type ranged 2.2 to 6.6{mu}m. The pH of seven hot spring waters were between 6 and 8, and the two types (large and small) formed together sulfur-turf. In contrast, pH of the three hot springs were over 8, and the two types of the sausage-shaped bacteria could not be detected in the sulfur-turf. Therefore, it is reasonable to set a third type of the sausage-shaped bacteria which prefers high-pH (over 8) and low calcium condition. The cell lengths of the third type were in the range of 5.5 to 8.6{mu}m, which correspond to the sausage-shaped bacteria of medium size. 20 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

  14. Optimization of fermentation conditions for cellulases production by Bacillus licheniformis MVS1 and Bacillus sp. MVS3 isolated from Indian hot spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somen Acharya

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the effect of some nutritional and environmental factors on the production of cellulases, in particular endoglucanase (CMCase and exoglucanases (FPase from Bacillus licheniformis MVS1 and Bacillus sp. MVS3 isolated from an Indian hot spring. The characterization study indicated that the optimum pH and temperature value was 6.5 to 7.0 and 50-55°C, respectively. Maximum cellulases production by both the isolates was detected after 60 h incubation period using wheat and rice straw. The combination of inorganic and organic nitrogen source was suitable for cellulases production. Overall, FPase production was much higher than CMCase production by both of the strains. Between the two thermophiles, the cellulolytic activity was more in B.licheniformis MVS1 than Bacillus sp. MVS3 in varying environmental and nutritional conditions.

  15. Deformation behavior of cell spring of an irradiated spacer grid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Y. G.; Baek, S. J.; Ryu, W. S.; Kim, G. S.; Yoo, B. O.; Kim, D. S.; Ahn, S. B.; Chun, Y. B.; Choo, Y. S.

    2012-01-01

    Mechanical properties of a space grid of a fuel assembly are of great importance for fuel operation reliability in extended fuel burnup and duration of fuel life. The spacer grid with inner and outer straps has cell spring and dimples, which are in contact with the fuel rod. The spacer grids supporting the fuel rods absorb vibration impacts due to the reactor coolant flow and also grid spring force is decreasing under irradiation. This reduction of contact force might cause the grid to rod fretting wear. The fretting failure of the fuel rod is one of the significant issues recently in the nuclear industry from an economical as well as a safety concern. Thus, it is important to understand the characteristics of cell spring behavior for an irradiated spacer grid. In the present study, the stiffness test and dimensional measurement of cell springs were conducted to investigate the deformation behavior of cell springs of an irradiated spacer grid in a hot cell at IMEF (irradiated materials examination facility) of KAERI

  16. On the use of high-throughput sequencing for the study of cyanobacterial diversity in Antarctic aquatic mats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pessi, Igor Stelmach; Maalouf, Pedro De Carvalho; Laughinghouse, Haywood Dail; Baurain, Denis; Wilmotte, Annick

    2016-06-01

    The study of Antarctic cyanobacterial diversity has been mostly limited to morphological identification and traditional molecular techniques. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) allows a much better understanding of microbial distribution in the environment, but its application is hampered by several methodological and analytical challenges. In this work, we explored the use of HTS as a tool for the study of cyanobacterial diversity in Antarctic aquatic mats. Our results highlight the importance of using artificial communities to validate the parameters of the bioinformatics procedure used to analyze natural communities, since pipeline-dependent biases had a strong effect on the observed community structures. Analysis of microbial mats from five Antarctic lakes and an aquatic biofilm from the Sub-Antarctic showed that HTS is a valuable tool for the assessment of cyanobacterial diversity. The majority of the operational taxonomic units retrieved were related to filamentous taxa such as Leptolyngbya and Phormidium, which are common genera in Antarctic lacustrine microbial mats. However, other phylotypes related to different taxa such as Geitlerinema, Pseudanabaena, Synechococcus, Chamaesiphon, Calothrix, and Coleodesmium were also found. Results revealed a much higher diversity than what had been reported using traditional methods and also highlighted remarkable differences between the cyanobacterial communities of the studied lakes. The aquatic biofilm from the Sub-Antarctic had a distinct cyanobacterial community from the Antarctic lakes, which in turn displayed a salinity-dependent community structure at the phylotype level. © 2016 Phycological Society of America.

  17. Characterization Of A Novel Hydrolytic Enzyme Producing Thermophilic Bacterium Isolated From The Hot Spring Of Azad Kashmir-Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sana Zahoor

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT A thermophilic bacterium (TP-2 was isolated from the Tatta Pani hot spring in Azad Kashmir and was characterized using phenotypic and genotypic characters. The strain developed cream colored, round, smooth, flat and slimy colonies while the cells were Gram positive rods that ranged in size from about 2.1-3.6 μm to 0.2-0.3 μm in width. Sequence analysis of its 16S rRNA gene showed that isolate TP-2 had 89% homology with Geobacillus debilis. It grew within pH range of 5.5 to 8.5 with optimum growth at pH 7.0. The isolate showed optimum growth at 65ºC and gave positive results for gelatin hydrolysis (GEL, ortho nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranosidase (ONPG, and nitrate production and produced acid from sucrose, glucose and maltose. It utilized glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, xylan, starch, filter paper and carboxymethylcellulose as sole carbon source. Isolate TP-2 produced significant amount of industrially important enzymes i.e. extracellular α-amylase, CMCase, FPase, Xylanase, Protease and Lipase and intracellular CMCase and FPase.

  18. Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhou Jiang

    Full Text Available Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73-0.86. Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation, Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation, Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation. Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41-95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.

  19. Radioactive mineral spring precipitates, their analytical and statistical data and the uranium connection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cadigan, R.A.; Felmlee, J.K.

    1982-01-01

    Major radioactive mineral springs are probably related to deep zones of active metamorphism in areas of orogenic tectonism. The most common precipitate is travertine, a chemically precipitated rock composed chiefly of calcium carbonate, but also containing other minerals. The mineral springs are surface manifestations of hydrothermal conduit systems which extend downward many kilometers to hot source rocks. Conduits are kept open by fluid pressure exerted by carbon dioxide-charged waters rising to the surface propelled by heat and gas (CO2 and steam) pressure. On reaching the surface, the dissolved carbon dioxide is released from solution, and calcium carbonate is precipitated. Springs also contain sulfur species (for example, H2S and HS-), and radon, helium and methane as entrained or dissolved gases. The HS- ion can react to form hydrogen sulfide gas, sulfate salts, and native sulfur. Chemical salts and native sulfur precipitate at the surface. The sulfur may partly oxidize to produce detectable sulfur dioxide gas. Radioactivity is due to the presence of radium-226, radon-222, radium-228, and radon-220, and other daughter products of uranium-238 and thorium-232. Uranium and thorium are not present in economically significant amounts in most radioactive spring precipitates. Most radium is coprecipitated at the surface with barite. Barite (barium sulfate) forms in the barium-containing spring water as a product of the oxidation of sulfur species to sulfate ions. The relatively insoluble barium sulfate precipitates and removes much of the radium from solution. Radium coprecipitates to a lesser extent with manganese-barium- and iron-oxy hydroxides. R-mode factor analysis of abundances of elements suggests that 65 percent of the variance of the different elements is affected by seven factors interpreted as follows: (1) Silica and silicate contamination and precipitation; (2) Carbonate travertine precipitation; (3) Radium coprecipitation; (4) Evaporite precipitation

  20. Book review: Handbook of cyanobacterial monitoring and cyanotoxin analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Jennifer L.; Loftin, Keith A.

    2018-01-01

    Review of Meriluoto, Jussi, Lisa Spoof, and GeoffreyA. Codd [eds.]. 2017. Handbook of Cyanobacterial Monitoring and Cyanotoxin Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.: Chichester, West Sussex, UK, ISBN 978‐1‐119‐06868‐6 (978‐1‐119‐06876‐1 eBook), DOI 10.1002/9781119068761.

  1. Insights from Cyanobacterial Genomes for the Development of Extraterrestrial Photoautotrophic Biotechnologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, I. I.; Bryant, D. A.; Tringe, S. G.; Malley, K.; Sosa, O.; Sarkisova, S. A.; Garrison, D. H.; McKay, D. S.

    2010-04-01

    Using genomic and metagenomic analysis, Fe-tolerant cyanobacterial species with a large and diverse set of stress-tolerant genes, were identified as prime candidates for in situ resource utilization in a biogeoreactor at extraterrestrial outposts.

  2. MODIS observations of cyanobacterial risks in a eutrophic lake: Implications for long-term safety evaluation in drinking-water source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Hongtao; Tao, Min; Loiselle, Steven Arthur; Zhao, Wei; Cao, Zhigang; Ma, Ronghua; Tang, Xiaoxian

    2017-10-01

    The occurrence and related risks from cyanobacterial blooms have increased world-wide over the past 40 years. Information on the abundance and distribution of cyanobacteria is fundamental to support risk assessment and management activities. In the present study, an approach based on Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was used to estimate the concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chla) and the cyanobacterial biomarker pigment phycocyanin (PC) using data from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in Lake Chaohu (China's fifth largest freshwater lake). The approach was developed and tested using fourteen years (2000-2014) of MODIS images, which showed significant spatial and temporal variability of the PC:Chla ratio, an indicator of cyanobacterial dominance. The results had unbiased RMS uncertainties of MODIS Chla and PC products were then used for cyanobacterial risk mapping with a decision tree classification model. The resulting Water Quality Decision Matrix (WQDM) was designed to assist authorities in the identification of possible intake areas, as well as specific months when higher frequency monitoring and more intense water treatment would be required if the location of the present intake area remained the same. Remote sensing cyanobacterial risk mapping provides a new tool for reservoir and lake management programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Proteomic approaches in research of cyanobacterial photosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battchikova, Natalia; Angeleri, Martina; Aro, Eva-Mari

    2015-10-01

    Oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and plants is carried out by a fabulous pigment-protein machinery that is amazingly complicated in structure and function. Many different approaches have been undertaken to characterize the most important aspects of photosynthesis, and proteomics has become the essential component in this research. Here we describe various methods which have been used in proteomic research of cyanobacteria, and demonstrate how proteomics is implemented into on-going studies of photosynthesis in cyanobacterial cells.

  4. Dual stable isotopes of CH 4 from Yellowstone hot-springs suggest hydrothermal processes involving magmatic CO 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moran, James J.; Whitmore, Laura M.; Jay, Zackary J.; Jennings, Ryan deM.; Beam, Jacob P.; Kreuzer, Helen W.; Inskeep, William P.

    2017-07-01

    Volcanism and post-magmatism contribute both significant annual CH4 fluxes to the atmosphere (on par with other natural sources such as forest fire and wild animal emissions) and have been implicated in past climate-change events. The Yellowstone hot spot is one of the largest volcanic systems on Earth and is known to emit methane in addition to other greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide) but the ultimate source of this methane flux has not been elucidated. Here we use dual stable isotope analysis (δ2H and δ13C) of CH4(g) sampled from ten high-temperature geothermal pools in Yellowstone National Park to show that the predominant flux of CH4(g) is abiotic. The average δ13C and δ2H values of CH4(g) emitted from hot springs (-26.7 (±2.4) and -236.9 (±12.0) ‰, respectively) are not consistent with biotic (microbial or thermogenic) methane sources, but are within previously reported ranges for abiotic methane production. Correlation between δ13CCH4 and δ13C-dissolved inorganic C (DIC) also suggests that CO2 is a parent C source for the observed CH4(g). Moreover, CH4-CO2 isotopic geothermometry was used to estimate CH4(g) formation temperatures ranging from ~ 250 - 350°C, which is just below the temperature estimated for the hydrothermal reservoir and consistent with the hypothesis that subsurface, rock-water interactions are responsible for large methane fluxes from this volcanic system. An understanding of conditions leading to the abiotic production of methane and associated isotopic signatures are central to understanding the evolutionary history of deep carbon sources on Earth.

  5. Response of cyanobacterial mats to nutrient and salinity changes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rejmánková, E.; Komárková, Jaroslava

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 83, č. 2 (2005), s. 87-107 ISSN 0304-3770. [INTECOL International Wetlands Conference /7./. Utrecht, 25.07.2004-30.7.2004] Grant - others:NSF(US) 0089211 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60170517 Keywords : cyanobacterial mats * Belize * P-N impact Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.344, year: 2005

  6. Linking cascading effects of fish predation and zooplankton grazing to reduced cyanobacterial biomass and toxin levels following biomanipulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mattias K Ekvall

    Full Text Available Eutrophication has been one of the largest environmental problems in aquatic ecosystems during the past decades, leading to dense, and often toxic, cyanobacterial blooms. In a way to counteract these problems many lakes have been subject to restoration through biomanipulation. Here we combine 13 years of monitoring data with experimental assessment of grazing efficiency of a naturally occurring zooplankton community and a, from a human perspective, desired community of large Daphnia to assess the effects of an altered trophic cascade associated with biomanipulation. Lake monitoring data show that the relative proportion of Daphnia spp. grazers in June has increased following years of biomanipulation and that this increase coincides with a drop in cyanobacterial biomass and lowered microcystin concentrations compared to before the biomanipulation. In June, the proportion of Daphnia spp. (on a biomass basis went from around 3% in 2005 (the first year of biomanipulation up to around 58% in 2012. During months when the proportion of Daphnia spp. remained unchanged (July and August no effect on lower trophic levels was observed. Our field grazing experiment revealed that Daphnia were more efficient in controlling the standing biomass of cyanobacteria, as grazing by the natural zooplankton community never even compensated for the algal growth during the experiment and sometimes even promoted cyanobacterial growth. Furthermore, although the total cyanobacterial toxin levels remained unaffected by both grazer communities in the experimental study, the Daphnia dominated community promoted the transfer of toxins to the extracellular, dissolved phase, likely through feeding on cyanobacteria. Our results show that biomanipulation by fish removal is a useful tool for lake management, leading to a top-down mediated trophic cascade, through alterations in the grazer community, to reduced cyanobacterial biomass and lowered cyanobacterial toxin levels. This

  7. Accumulation of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater 'seafood' and its consequences for public health: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibelings, Bas W.; Chorus, Ingrid

    2007-01-01

    This review summarizes and discusses the current understanding of human exposure to cyanobacterial toxins in 'seafood' collected from freshwater and coastal areas. The review consists of three parts: (a) the existing literature on concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins in seafood is reviewed, and the likelihood of bioaccumulation discussed; (b) we derive cyanotoxin doses likely to occur through seafood consumption and propose guideline values for seafood and compare these to guidelines for drinking water; and (c) we discuss means to assess, control or mitigate the risks of exposure to cyanotoxins through seafood consumption. This is discussed in the context of two specific procedures, the food specific HACCP-approach and the water-specific Water Safety Plan approach by the WHO. Risks of exposure to cyanotoxins in food are sometimes underestimated. Risk assessments should acknowledge this and investigate the partitioning of exposure between drinking-water and food, which may vary depending on local circumstances. - Accumulation of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater 'seafood'

  8. Insights into Brevibacillus borstelensis AK1 through Whole Genome Sequencing: A Thermophilic Bacterium Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia

    KAUST Repository

    Khalil, Amjad B.

    2018-05-24

    Brevibacillus borstelensis AK1 is a thermophile which grows between the temperatures of 45°C and 70°C. The present study is an extended genome report of B. borstelensis AK1 along with the morphological characterization. The strain is isolated from a hot spring in Saudi Arabia (southeast of the city Gazan). It is observed that the strain AK1 is rod-shaped, motile, and strictly aerobic bacterium. The whole genome sequence resulted in 29 contigs with a total length of 5,155,092 bp. In total, 3,946 protein-coding genes and 139 RNA genes were identified. Comparison with the previously submitted strains of B. borstelensis strains illustrates that strain AK1 has a small genome size but high GC content. The strain possesses putative genes for degradation of a wide range of substrates including polyethylene (plastic) and long-chain hydrocarbons. These genomic features may be useful for future environmental/biotechnological applications.

  9. Insights into Brevibacillus borstelensis AK1 through Whole Genome Sequencing: A Thermophilic Bacterium Isolated from a Hot Spring in Saudi Arabia

    KAUST Repository

    Khalil, Amjad B.; Neelamegam, Sivakumar; Arslan, Muhammad; Saleem, Hamna; Alqarawi, Sami

    2018-01-01

    Brevibacillus borstelensis AK1 is a thermophile which grows between the temperatures of 45°C and 70°C. The present study is an extended genome report of B. borstelensis AK1 along with the morphological characterization. The strain is isolated from a hot spring in Saudi Arabia (southeast of the city Gazan). It is observed that the strain AK1 is rod-shaped, motile, and strictly aerobic bacterium. The whole genome sequence resulted in 29 contigs with a total length of 5,155,092 bp. In total, 3,946 protein-coding genes and 139 RNA genes were identified. Comparison with the previously submitted strains of B. borstelensis strains illustrates that strain AK1 has a small genome size but high GC content. The strain possesses putative genes for degradation of a wide range of substrates including polyethylene (plastic) and long-chain hydrocarbons. These genomic features may be useful for future environmental/biotechnological applications.

  10. Metagenomic analysis of bacterial diversity of Siloam hot water ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The bacterial diversity of Siloam hot water spring was determined using 454 pyrosequencing of two 16S rRNA variable regions V1-3 and V4-7. Analysis of the community DNA revealed that the phyla Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and Verrucomicrobia were the most ...

  11. Fervidicoccus fontis gen. nov., sp. nov., an anaerobic, thermophilic crenarchaeote from terrestrial hot springs, and proposal of Fervidicoccaceae fam. nov. and Fervidicoccales ord. nov.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perevalova, Anna A; Bidzhieva, Salima Kh; Kublanov, Ilya V; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Liu, Xiaolei L; Mardanov, Andrey V; Lebedinsky, Alexander V; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2010-09-01

    Two novel thermophilic and slightly acidophilic strains, Kam940(T) and Kam1507b, which shared 99 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, were isolated from terrestrial hot springs of the Uzon caldera on the Kamchatka peninsula. Cells of both strains were non-motile, regular cocci. Growth was observed between 55 and 85 degrees C, with an optimum at 65-70 degrees C (doubling time, 6.1 h), and at pH 4.5-7.5, with optimum growth at pH 5.5-6.0. The isolates were strictly anaerobic organotrophs and grew on a narrow spectrum of energy-rich substrates, such as beef extract, gelatin, peptone, pyruvate, sucrose and yeast extract, with yields above 10(7) cells ml(-1). Sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and nitrate added as potential electron acceptors did not stimulate growth when tested with peptone. H(2) at 100 % in the gas phase inhibited growth on peptone. Glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) with zero to four cyclopentyl rings were present in the lipid fraction of isolate Kam940(T). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain Kam940(T) was 37 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolates were archaea of the phylum Crenarchaeota, only distantly related to the cultured members of the class Thermoprotei (no more than 89 % identity), and formed an independent lineage adjacent to the orders Desulfurococcales and Acidilobales and clustering only with uncultured clones from hot springs of Yellowstone National Park and Iceland as the closest relatives. On the basis of their phylogenetic position and novel phenotypic features, isolates Kam940(T) and Kam1507b are proposed to be assigned to a new genus and species, Fervidicoccus fontis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Fervidicoccus fontis is strain Kam940(T) (=DSM 19380(T) =VKM B-2539(T)). The phylogenetic data as well as phenotypic properties suggest that the novel crenarchaeotes form the basis of a new family, Fervidicoccaceae fam. nov., and order, Fervidicoccales ord. nov

  12. Carotenoids are essential for the assembly of cyanobacterial photosynthetic complexes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tóth, T. N.; Chukhutsina, V.; Knoppová, Jana; Komenda, Josef; Kis, M.; Lenart, Z.; Garab, G.; Kovács, L.; Gombos, Z.; van Amerongen, H.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 1847, č. 10 (2015), s. 1153-1165 ISSN 0005-2728 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP501/12/G055; GA MŠk LO1416 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Carotenoid deficiency * Cyanobacterial photosynthesis * Phycobilisome Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.864, year: 2015

  13. Three-dimensional structure and cyanobacterial activity within a desert biological soil crust.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raanan, Hagai; Felde, Vincent J M N L; Peth, Stephan; Drahorad, Sylvie; Ionescu, Danny; Eshkol, Gil; Treves, Haim; Felix-Henningsen, Peter; Berkowicz, Simon M; Keren, Nir; Horn, Rainer; Hagemann, Martin; Kaplan, Aaron

    2016-02-01

    Desert biological soil crusts (BSCs) are formed by adhesion of soil particles to polysaccharides excreted by filamentous cyanobacteria, the pioneers and main producers in this habitat. Biological soil crust destruction is a central factor leading to land degradation and desertification. We study the effect of BSC structure on cyanobacterial activity. Micro-scale structural analysis using X-ray microtomography revealed a vesiculated layer 1.5-2.5 mm beneath the surface in close proximity to the cyanobacterial location. Light profiles showed attenuation with depth of 1%-5% of surface light within 1 mm but also revealed the presence of 'light pockets', coinciding with the vesiculated layer, where the irradiance was 10-fold higher than adjacent crust parts at the same depth. Maximal photosynthetic activity, examined by O2 concentration profiles, was observed 1 mm beneath the surface and another peak in association with the 'light pockets'. Thus, photosynthetic activity may not be visible to currently used remote sensing techniques, suggesting that BSCs' contribution to terrestrial productivity is underestimated. Exposure to irradiance higher than 10% full sunlight diminished chlorophyll fluorescence, whereas O2 evolution and CO2 uptake rose, indicating that fluorescence did not reflect cyanobacterial photosynthetic activity. Our data also indicate that although resistant to high illumination, the BSC-inhabiting cyanobacteria function as 'low-light adapted' organisms. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. The antibiotic resistome of free-living and particle-attached bacteria under a reservoir cyanobacterial bloom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yunyan; Liu, Min; Liu, Lemian; Liu, Xuan; Chen, Huihuang; Yang, Jun

    2018-05-04

    In freshwater systems, both antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and cyanobacterial blooms attract global public health concern. Cyanobacterial blooms can greatly impact bacterial taxonomic communities, but very little is known about the influence of the blooms on antibiotic resistance functional community. In this study, the ARGs in both free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) bacteria under bloom and non-bloom conditions were simultaneously investigated in a subtropical reservoir using high-throughput approaches. In total, 145 ARGs and 9 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were detected. The most diverse and dominant of which (68.93%) were multidrug resistance genes and efflux pump mechanism. The richness of ARGs in both FL and PA bacteria was significantly lower during the bloom period compared with non-bloom period. The abundance of ARGs in FL bacteria was significantly lower under bloom condition than in the non-bloom period, but the abundance of ARGs in PA bacteria stayed constant. More importantly, the resistant functional community in PA bacteria was more strongly influenced by the cyanobacterial bloom than in the FL bacteria, although >96% ARGs were shared in both FL and PA bacteria or both bloom and non-bloom periods. We also compared the community compositions between taxonomy and function, and found antibiotic resistant communities were highly variable and exhibited lower similarity between bloom and non-bloom periods than seen in the taxonomic composition, with an exception of FL bacteria. Altogether, cyanobacterial blooms appear to have stronger inhibitory effect on ARG abundance in FL bacteria, and stronger influence on antibiotic resistant community composition in PA bacteria. Our results further suggested that both neutral and selective processes interactively affected the ARG composition dynamics of the FL and PA bacteria. However, the antibiotic resistant community of FL bacteria exhibited a higher level of temporal stochasticity following the bloom

  15. Wet season cyanobacterial N enrichment highly correlated with species richness and Nostoc in the northern Australian savannah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Wendy; Büdel, Burkhard; Williams, Stephen

    2018-04-01

    The Boodjamulla National Park research station is situated in the north-western Queensland dry savannah, where the climate is dominated by summer monsoons and virtually dry winters. Under shrub canopies and in between the tussock grasses cyanobacterial crusts almost entirely cover the flood plain soil surfaces. Seasonality drives N fixation, and in the savannah this has a large impact on both plant and soil function. Many cyanobacteria fix dinitrogen that is liberated into the soil in both inorganic and organic N forms. We examined cyanobacterial species richness and bioavailable N spanning 7 months of a typical wet season. Over the wet season cyanobacterial richness ranged from 6 to 19 species. N-fixing Scytonema accounted for seasonal averages between 51 and 93 % of the biocrust. Cyanobacterial richness was highly correlated with N fixation and bioavailable N in 0-1 cm. Key N-fixing species such as Nostoc, Symploca and Gloeocapsa significantly enriched soil N although Nostoc was the most influential. Total seasonal N fixation by cyanobacteria demonstrated the variability in productivity according to the number of wet days as well as the follow-on days where the soil retained adequate moisture. Based on total active days per month we estimated that N soil enrichment via cyanobacteria would be ˜ 5.2 kg ha-1 annually which is comparable to global averages. This is a substantial contribution to the nutrient-deficient savannah soils that are almost entirely reliant on the wet season for microbial turnover of organic matter. Such well-defined seasonal trends and synchronisation in cyanobacterial species richness, N fixation, bioavailable N and C fixation (Büdel et al., 2018) provide important contributions to multifunctional microprocesses and soil fertility.

  16. The current status of cyanobacterial nomenclature under the "prokaryotic" and the "botanical" code.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oren, Aharon; Ventura, Stefano

    2017-10-01

    Cyanobacterial taxonomy developed in the botanical world because Cyanobacteria/Cyanophyta have traditionally been identified as algae. However, they possess a prokaryotic cell structure, and phylogenetically they belong to the Bacteria. This caused nomenclature problems as the provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN; the "Botanical Code") differ from those of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP; the "Prokaryotic Code"). While the ICN recognises names validly published under the ICNP, Article 45(1) of the ICN has not yet been reciprocated in the ICNP. Different solutions have been proposed to solve the current problems. In 2012 a Special Committee on the harmonisation of the nomenclature of Cyanobacteria was appointed, but its activity has been minimal. Two opposing proposals to regulate cyanobacterial nomenclature were recently submitted, one calling for deletion of the cyanobacteria from the groups of organisms whose nomenclature is regulated by the ICNP, the second to consistently apply the rules of the ICNP to all cyanobacteria. Following a general overview of the current status of cyanobacterial nomenclature under the two codes we present five case studies of genera for which nomenclatural aspects have been discussed in recent years: Microcystis, Planktothrix, Halothece, Gloeobacter and Nostoc.

  17. An overview of cyanobacterial bloom occurrences and research in Africa over the last decade.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndlela, L L; Oberholster, P J; Van Wyk, J H; Cheng, P H

    2016-12-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms are a current cause for concern globally, with vital water sources experiencing frequent and increasingly toxic blooms in the past decade. These increases are resultant of both anthropogenic and natural factors, with climate change being the central concern. Of the more affected parts of the world, Africa has been considered particularly vulnerable due to its historical predisposition and lag in social economic development. This review collectively assesses the available information on cyanobacterial blooms in Africa as well as any visible trends associated with reported occurrences over the last decade. Of the 54 countries in Africa, only 21 have notable research information in the area of cyanobacterial blooms within the last decade, although there is substantial reason to attribute these blooms as some of the major water quality threats in Africa collectively. The collected information suggests that civil wars, disease outbreaks and inadequate infrastructure are at the core of Africa's delayed advancement. This is even more so in the area of cyanobacteria related research, with 11 out of 21 countries having recorded toxicity and physicochemical parameters related to cyanobacterial blooms. Compared to the rest of the continent, peripheral countries are at the forefront of research related to cyanobacteria, with countries such as Angola having sufficient rainfall, but poor water quality with limited information on bloom occurrences. An assessment of the reported blooms found nitrogen concentrations to be higher in the water column of more toxic blooms, validating recent global studies and indicating that phosphorous is not the only factor to be monitored in bloom mitigation. Blooms occurred at low TN: TP ratios and at temperatures above 12°C. Nitrogen was linked to toxicity and temperature also had a positive effect on bloom occurrence and toxicity. Microcystis was the most ubiquitous of the cyanobacterial strains reported in Africa and the

  18. Tropical cyanobacterial blooms: a review of prevalence, problem taxa, toxins and influencing environmental factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maxine A.D. Mowe

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a major issue in freshwater systems in many countries. The potentially toxic species and their ecological causes are likely to be different in tropical zones from those in temperate water bodies; however, studies on tropical toxic cyanobacterial blooms are sporadic and currently there is no global synthesis. In this review, we examined published information on tropical cyanobacterial bloom occurrence and toxin production to investigate patterns in their growth and distribution. Microcystis was the most frequently occurring bloom genus throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Central America, while Cylindrospermopsis and Anabaena blooms occurred in various locations in tropical Australia, America and Africa. Microcystis blooms were more prevalent during the wet season while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more prevalent during the dry period. Microcystin was the most encountered toxin throughout the tropics. A meta-analysis of tropical cyanobacterial blooms showed that Microcystis blooms were more associated with higher total nitrogen concentrations, while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more associated with higher maximum temperatures. Meta-analysis also showed a positive linear relationship between levels of microcystin and N:P (nitrate:phosphate ratio. Tropical African Microcystis blooms were found to have the lowest microcystin levels in relation to biomass and N:P (nitrate:phosphate compared to tropical Asian, Australian and American blooms. There was also no significant correlation between microcystin concentration and cell concentration for tropical African blooms as opposed to tropical Asian and American blooms. Our review illustrates that some cyanobacteria and toxins are more prevalent in tropical areas. While some tropical countries have considerable information regarding toxic blooms, others have few or no reported studies. 

  19. Desulfothermobacter acidiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a thermoacidophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a terrestrial hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frolov, E N; Zayulina, K S; Kopitsyn, D S; Kublanov, I V; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, E A; Chernyh, N A

    2018-03-01

    An anaerobic sulfate-reducing micro-organism, strain 3408-1 T , was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring in Kamchatka peninsula (Russia). The cells were spore-forming rods with a Gram-positive type of cell wall. The new isolate was a moderately thermoacidophilic anaerobe able to grow either by sulfate or thiosulfate respiration with H2 or formate as substrates, or by fermenting yeast extract, maltose, sucrose, glucose and pyruvate. The fermentation products were acetate, CO2 and H2. The pH range for growth was 2.9-6.5, with an optimum at 4.5. The temperature range for growth was 42-70 °C, with an optimum at 55 °C. The G+C content of DNA was 58 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that strain 3408-1 T belongs to the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae, order Thermoanaerobacterales and was distantly related to the species of the genus Ammonifex(93-94 % sequence similarity). On the basis of physiological properties and results of phylogenetic analysis, strain 3408-1 T is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Desulfothermobacter acidiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3408-1 T (=DSM 105356 T =VKM B-3183 T ).

  20. A novel acidophilic, thermophilic iron and sulfur-oxidizing archaeon isolated from a hot spring of tengchong, yunnan, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiannan Ding

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel thermoacidophilic iron and sulfur-oxidizing archaeon, strain YN25, was isolated from an in situ enriched acid hot spring sample collected in Yunnan, China. Cells were irregular cocci, about 0.9-1.02 µm×1.0-1.31 µm in the medium containing elemental sulfur and 1.5-2.22 µm×1.8-2.54 µm in ferrous sulfate medium. The ranges of growth and pH were 50-85 (optimum 65 and pH 1.0-6.0 (optimum 1.5-2.5. The acidophile was able to grow heterotrophically on several organic substrates, including various monosaccharides, alcohols and amino acids, though the growth on single substrate required yeast extract as growth factor. Growth occurred under aerobic conditions or via anaerobic respiration using elemental sulfur as terminal electron acceptor. Results of morphology, physiology, fatty acid analysis and analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain YN25 should be grouped in the species Acidianus manzaensis. Bioleaching experiments indicated that this strain had excellent leaching capacity, with a copper yielding ratio up to 79.16% in 24 d. The type strain YN25 was deposited in China Center for Type Culture Collection (=CCTCCZNDX0050.

  1. Spring in the Arab Spring

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borg, G.J.A.

    2011-01-01

    Column Gert Borg | Spring in the Arab Spring door dr. Gert Borg, onderzoeker bij Islam en Arabisch aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen en voormalig directeur van het Nederlands-Vlaams Instituut Caïro Spring If, in Google, you type "Arab Spring" and hit the button, you get more than

  2. The history of cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finni, T; Kononen, K; Olsonen, R; Wallström, K

    2001-08-01

    Long-term information on possible changes in cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea, formed mainly by Nodularia spumigena and Aphanizomenon sp., was sought in published records in historical (years 1887-1938) and modern (years 1974-1998) phytoplankton data sets. Old and new sampling methods and fixatives were tested to improve the comparison of data that had been collected and analyzed in different ways. A hundred years ago, plankton was mainly of interest as a source of fish food; eutrophication problems were only locally reported from the coast, mainly in southern haffs and the receiving waters of larger cities. There were few recordings of open-sea blooms before World War II. Abundances of Nodularia spumigena and Aphanizomenon sp. were low in the old material, and 137 summer samples from 1887-1938 showed no peak abundance. High abundances are common in the new material, and the range of the numbers of both taxa has increased markedly relative to the old material. Since the 1960s, cyanobacterial blooms have been common in the open sea in both the Baltic proper and the Gulf of Finland, indicating high availability of nutrients.

  3. Cyanobacterial bloom in the world largest freshwater lake Baikal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namsaraev, Zorigto; Melnikova, Anna; Ivanov, Vasiliy; Komova, Anastasia; Teslyuk, Anton

    2018-02-01

    Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds 20% of the world’s freshwater reserves. On July 26, 2016, a cyanobacterial bloom of a green colour a few kilometers in size with a bad odor was discovered by local people in the Barguzinsky Bay on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. Our study showed very high concentration of chlorophyll a (41.7 g/m3) in the sample of bloom. We found that the bloom was dominated by a nitrogen-fixing heterocystous cyanobacteria of the genus Dolichospermum. The mass accumulation of cyanobacteria in the lake water with an extremely high chlorophyll a concentration can be explained by a combination of several factors: the discharge of biologicaly-available nutrients, including phosphorus, into the water of Lake Baikal; low wind speed and weak water mixing; buoyant cyanobacterial cells on the lake surface, which drifted towards the eastern coast, where the maximum concentration of chlorophyll a was recorded. In the center of the Barguzinsky Bay and in the open part of Lake Baikal, according to satellite data, the chlorophyll a concentration is several orders of magnitude lower than at the shoreline.

  4. Late Archean mineralised cyanobacterial mats and their modern analogs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazmierczak, J.; Altermann, W.; Kremer, B.; Kempe, S.; Eriksson, P. G.

    2008-09-01

    Abstract Reported are findings of Neoarchean benthic colonial coccoid cyanobacteria preserved as abundant remnants of mineralized capsules and sheaths visible in SEM images as characteristic patterns after etching highly polished carbonate rock platelets. The samples described herein were collected from the Nauga Formation at Prieska (Kaapvaal craton, South Africa). The stratigraphic position of the sampling horizon (Fig. 1) is bracketed by single zircon ages from intercalated tuffs, of 2588±6 Ma and 2549±7Ma [1]. The cyanobacteria-bearing samples are located within sedimentary sequence which begins with Peritidal Member displaying increasingly transgressive character, passing upward into the Chert Member and followed by the Proto-BIF Member and by the Naute Shale Member of the Nauga Formation successively. All three latter members were deposited below the fair weather wave base. As in our previous report [2], the samples are taken from lenses of massive micritic flat pebble conglomerate occurring in otherwise finely laminated siliceous shales intercalating with thin bedded platy limestone. This part of the Nauga Formation is about 30 m thick. The calcareous, cyanobacteria-bearing flat pebble conglomerate and thin intercalations of fine-grained detrital limestones embedded in the clayey sapropel-rich deposits are interpreted as carbonate sediments winnowed during stormy weather from the nearby located peritidal carbonate platform. The mass occurrence and exceptional preservation of mineralised cyanobacterial remains in the micritic carbonate (Mg-calcite) of the redeposited flat pebbles can be explained by their sudden burial in deeper, probably anoxic clay- and sapropel-rich sediments. When examined with standard petrographic optical microscopic technique, the micritic carbonates show rather obscure structure (Fig. 2a), whereas under the SEM, polished and slightly etched platelets of the same samples reveal surprisingly well preserved patterns (Fig. 2b

  5. State of knowledge and concerns on cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merel, Sylvain; Walker, David; Chicana, Ruth; Snyder, Shane; Baurès, Estelle; Thomas, Olivier

    2013-09-01

    Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms considered as important contributors to the formation of Earth's atmosphere and nitrogen fixation. However, they are also frequently associated with toxic blooms. Indeed, the wide range of hepatotoxins, neurotoxins and dermatotoxins synthesized by these bacteria is a growing environmental and public health concern. This paper provides a state of the art on the occurrence and management of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in surface and drinking water, including economic impacts and research needs. Cyanobacterial blooms usually occur according to a combination of environmental factors e.g., nutrient concentration, water temperature, light intensity, salinity, water movement, stagnation and residence time, as well as several other variables. These environmental variables, in turn, have promoted the evolution and biosynthesis of strain-specific, gene-controlled metabolites (cyanotoxins) that are often harmful to aquatic and terrestrial life, including humans. Cyanotoxins are primarily produced intracellularly during the exponential growth phase. Release of toxins into water can occur during cell death or senescence but can also be due to evolutionary-derived or environmentally-mediated circumstances such as allelopathy or relatively sudden nutrient limitation. Consequently, when cyanobacterial blooms occur in drinking water resources, treatment has to remove both cyanobacteria (avoiding cell lysis and subsequent toxin release) and aqueous cyanotoxins previously released. Cells are usually removed with limited lysis by physical processes such as clarification or membrane filtration. However, aqueous toxins are usually removed by both physical retention, through adsorption on activated carbon or reverse osmosis, and chemical oxidation, through ozonation or chlorination. While the efficient oxidation of the more common cyanotoxins (microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin and saxitoxin) has been extensively reported, the chemical

  6. Temperature Effects Explain Continental Scale Distribution of Cyanobacterial Toxins

    OpenAIRE

    Mantzouki, Evanthia; Lürling, Miquel; Fastner, Jutta; de Senerpont Domis, Lisette; Wilk-Woźniak, Elżbieta; Koreivienė, Judita; Seelen, Laura; Teurlincx, Sven; Verstijnen, Yvon; Krztoń, Wojciech; Walusiak, Edward; Karosienė, Jūratė; Kasperovičienė, Jūratė; Savadova, Ksenija; Vitonytė, Irma

    2018-01-01

    Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and li...

  7. Temperature effects explain continental scale distribution of cyanobacterial toxins

    OpenAIRE

    Mantzouki, Evanthia; Lürling, Miquel; Fastner, Jutta; de Senerpont Domis, Lisette; Wilk-Woźniak, Elżbieta; Koreivienė, Judita; Seelen, Laura; Teurlincx, Sven; Verstijnen, Yvon; Krztoń, Wojciech; Walusiak, Edward; Karosienė, Jūratė; Kasperovičienė, Jūratė; Savadova, Ksenija; Vitonytė, Irma

    2018-01-01

    Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and li...

  8. Cyanobacterial biomass as carbohydrate and nutrient feedstock for bioethanol production by yeast fermentation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Möllers, K Benedikt; Canella, D.; Jørgensen, Henning

    2014-01-01

    cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 was fermented using yeast into bioethanol. Results: The cyanobacterium accumulated a total carbohydrate content of about 60% of cell dry weight when cultivated under nitrate limitation. The cyanobacterial cells were harvested by centrifugation and subjected to enzymatic...... cyanobacteria or microalgae. Importantly, as well as fermentable carbohydrates, the cyanobacterial hydrolysate contained additional nutrients that promoted fermentation. This hydrolysate is therefore a promising substitute for the relatively expensive nutrient additives (such as yeast extract) commonly used...... hydrolysis using lysozyme and two alpha-glucanases. This enzymatic hydrolysate was fermented into ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae without further treatment. All enzyme treatments and fermentations were carried out in the residual growth medium of the cyanobacteria with the only modification being that p...

  9. Effects of two different high-fidelity DNA polymerases on genetic analysis of the cyanobacterial community structure in a subtropical deep freshwater reservoir

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhen, Zhuo; Liu, Jingwen; Rensing, Christopher Günther T

    2017-01-01

    and diversity analysis. In this study, two clone libraries were constructed with two different DNA polymerases, Q5 high-fidelity DNA polymerase and exTaq polymerase, to compare the differences in their capability to accurately reflect the cyanobacterial community structure and diversity in a subtropical deep......-fidelity DNA polymerase. It is noteworthy that so far Q5 high-fidelity DNA polymerase was the first time to be employed in the genetic analysis of cyanobacterial community. And it is for the first time that the cyanobacterial community structure in Dongzhen reservoir was analyzed using molecular methods...

  10. Wet season cyanobacterial N enrichment highly correlated with species richness and Nostoc in the northern Australian savannah

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Williams

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Boodjamulla National Park research station is situated in the north-western Queensland dry savannah, where the climate is dominated by summer monsoons and virtually dry winters. Under shrub canopies and in between the tussock grasses cyanobacterial crusts almost entirely cover the flood plain soil surfaces. Seasonality drives N fixation, and in the savannah this has a large impact on both plant and soil function. Many cyanobacteria fix dinitrogen that is liberated into the soil in both inorganic and organic N forms. We examined cyanobacterial species richness and bioavailable N spanning 7 months of a typical wet season. Over the wet season cyanobacterial richness ranged from 6 to 19 species. N-fixing Scytonema accounted for seasonal averages between 51 and 93 % of the biocrust. Cyanobacterial richness was highly correlated with N fixation and bioavailable N in 0–1 cm. Key N-fixing species such as Nostoc, Symploca and Gloeocapsa significantly enriched soil N although Nostoc was the most influential. Total seasonal N fixation by cyanobacteria demonstrated the variability in productivity according to the number of wet days as well as the follow-on days where the soil retained adequate moisture. Based on total active days per month we estimated that N soil enrichment via cyanobacteria would be  ∼  5.2 kg ha−1 annually which is comparable to global averages. This is a substantial contribution to the nutrient-deficient savannah soils that are almost entirely reliant on the wet season for microbial turnover of organic matter. Such well-defined seasonal trends and synchronisation in cyanobacterial species richness, N fixation, bioavailable N and C fixation (Büdel et al., 2018 provide important contributions to multifunctional microprocesses and soil fertility.

  11. Development of immobilized cyanobacterial amendments for reclamation of microbiotic soil crusts

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kubečková, Klára; Johansen, J. R.; Warren, S. D.; Sparks, R.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 148, č. 109 (2003), s. 341-362 ISSN 0342-1120. [Symposium of the International Association for Cyanophyte Research/15./. Barcelona, 03.09.2001-07.09.2001] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK6005114 Keywords : cyanobacteria * cyanobacterial amendments * desert soil Subject RIV: EF - Botanics

  12. Characterization of the cyanobacterial biocenosis of a freshwater reservoir in Italy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mugnai, M. A.; Turicchia, S.; Margheri, M. C.; Sili, C.; Gugger, M.; Tedioli, G.; Komárek, Jiří; Ventura, S.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 148, č. 109 (2003), s. 403-419 ISSN 0342-1120. [Symposium of the International Association for Cyanophyte Research /15./. Barcelona, 03.09.2001-07.09.2001] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK6005114 Keywords : freshwater reservoir * cyanobacterial diversity * morphology Subject RIV: EF - Botanics

  13. Brockia lithotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov., an anaerobic thermophilic bacterium from a terrestrial hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perevalova, Anna A; Kublanov, Ilya V; Baslerov, R V; Zhang, Gengxin; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A

    2013-02-01

    A novel thermophilic bacterium, strain Kam1851(T), was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring of the Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. Cells of strain Kam1851(T) were spore-forming rods with a gram-positive type of cell wall. Growth was observed between 46 and 78 °C, and pH 5.5-8.5. The optimal growth (doubling time, 6.0 h) was at 60-65 °C and pH 6.5. The isolate was an obligate anaerobe growing in pre-reduced medium only. It grew on mineral medium with molecular hydrogen or formate as electron donors, and elemental sulfur, thiosulfate or polysulfide as electron acceptors. The main cellular fatty acids were C(16 : 0) (34.2 %), iso-C(16 : 0) (18 %), C(18 : 0) (12.8 %) and iso-C(17 : 0) (11.1 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain Kam1851(T) was 63 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain Kam1851(T) belonged to the order Thermoanaerobacterales, but it was not closely related to representatives of any genera with validly published names. The most closely related strains, which had no more than 89.2 % sequence similarity, were members of the genera Ammonifex and Caldanaerobacter. On the basis of its phylogenetic position and novel phenotypic features, isolate Kam1851(T) is proposed to represent a novel species in a new genus, Brockia lithotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov.; the type strain of Brockia lithotrophica is Kam1851(T) ( = DSM 22653(T) = VKM B-2685(T)).

  14. Estimates of global cyanobacterial biomass and its distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Pichel, Ferran; Belnap, Jayne; Neuer, Susanne; Schanz, Ferdinand

    2003-01-01

    We estimated global cyanobacterial biomass in the main reservoirs of cyanobacteria on Earth: marine and freshwater plankton, arid land soil crusts, and endoliths. Estimates were based on typical population density values as measured during our research, or as obtained from literature surveys, which were then coupled with data on global geographical area coverage. Among the marine plankton, the global biomass of Prochlorococcus reaches 120 × 1012 grams of carbon (g C), and that of Synechoccus some 43 × 1012 g C. This makes Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, in that order, the most abundant cyanobacteria on Earth. Tropical marine blooms of Trichodesmium account for an additional 10 × 1012 g C worldwide. In terrestrial environments, the mass of cyanobacteria in arid land soil crusts is estimated to reach 54 × 1012 g C and that of arid land endolithic communities an additional 14 × 1012 g C. The global biomass of planktic cyanobacteria in lakes is estimated to be around 3 × 1012 g C. Our conservative estimates, which did not include some potentially significant biomass reservoirs such as polar and subarctic areas, topsoils in subhumid climates, and shallow marine and freshwater benthos, indicate that the total global cyanobacterial biomass is in the order of 3 × 1014 g C, surpassing a thousand million metric tons (1015 g) of wet biomass.

  15. Catchment-fed cyanobacterial blooms in brownified temperate lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senar, O.; Creed, I. F.

    2017-12-01

    One of the most significant impacts of global atmospheric change is the alteration of hydrological regimes and the associated disruption of hydrological connectivity within watersheds. We show how changes in the frequency, magnitude, and duration of hydrological connectivity and disconnectivity is compromising the capacity of forest soils to store organic carbon, and increasing its export to both aquatic and atmospheric systems. Increases in dissolved organic matter (DOM) loads from forested landscapes to aquatic systems and the shift of the DOM pool to a more refractory mixture of organic compounds, a process known as brownification, alters the physical and chemical characteristics of lake environments. Furthermore, by characterizing the stages of brownification (from low to high concentrations of refractory DOM), we show a shift in the limiting factors for phytoplankton growth from macronutrients (nitrogen -N- and phosphorus -P) to micronutrients (iron -Fe) and light availability. This shift is driven by the low concentrations of DOM supplying N and P in early stages of brownification, to the strong Fe-binding capacity of refractory DOM in brownified lakes. As lakes undergo brownification, cyanobacteria adapted to scavenge Fe from DOM-Fe complexes have a competitive advantage leading to the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Our findings provide evidence that brownification is a driving force leading to cyanobacterial blooms in lakes on forested landscapes, with expected cascading consequences to lake food webs.

  16. Effects of a fast-burning spring fire on the ground-dwelling spider ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fire is widely used as a management strategy in grasslands to maintain vegetation structure and improve grazing quality for large herbivores. The impacts of burning on invertebrates in South Africa remain poorly understood. A study was initiated in spring 2005 to determine the impact of a fast hot burn on ground-dwelling ...

  17. Metagenomic analysis of bacterial diversity of Siloam hot water ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    use

    2011-12-07

    Dec 7, 2011 ... 14.40. Bicarbonate (HCO3). 107.36. Table 3. Trace elements composition at Siloam Hot spring. Element. Concentration (μg/L) Element. Concentration (μg/L) Element. Concentration μg/L. Antimony. 0.0. Cobalt. 0.1. Strontium. 20.4. Arsenic. 0.3. Copper. 0.0. Tellurium. 0.0. Barium. 4.2. Iodine. 1.9. Thallium.

  18. Geochemistry and hydrothermal alteration at selected Utah hot springs. Final report: Volume 3 (revised)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parry, W.T.; Benson, N.L.; Miller, C.D.

    1976-07-01

    Application of Na-K-Ca geothermometry to warm springs in Utah indicates several areas with sufficiently high apparent temperatures to be of interest as geothermal exploration targets. A zone of warm springs in the Bonneville Basin show Na-K-Ca temperatures from 150/sup 0/C to 233/sup 0/C. Examination of Great Salt Lake, Bonneville sediment pore water, and Jordan Valley well-water chemistry indicates that mixing a small percent of these fluids with warm spring water can cause substantial errors in Na-K-Ca temperature estimates. Other saline deposits which may influence Na-K-Ca temperature estimates are the Paradox formation in southeastern Utah, the Muddy Creek formation in southwestern Utah, the Arapien shale in central Utah, the Preuss formation in northeastern Utah, and Playa salts in much of western Utah. The Roosevelt KGRA is the most attractive target identified by Na-K-Ca geothermometry. Hydrothermal alteration, heavy metal distribution, and water chemistry provide additional characterization of the Roosevelt system. Chemistry of a cool water seep (25/sup 0/C) shows Na-K-Ca temperature of 241/sup 0/C and SiO/sub 2/ temperature of 125/sup 0/C. A Phillips well flowing from below 1500' (457m) shows Na-K-Ca temperature of 262/sup 0/C, SiO/sub 2/ temperature of 262/sup 0/C, and K of 1.5 times the surface spring value. The near surface alteration assemblage is best explained in terms of a decrease in pH of near surface fluids as sulfide oxidizes. Increasing potassium and pH with depth indicates that a K-feldspar stable zone may be intersected with deeper drilling. Geology and alteration were mapped in the Monroe KGRA. (JGB)

  19. Cyanobacterial pigments as natural anti-hyperglycemic agents: An in vitro study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tonmoy Ghosh

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Traditional medicines for controlling postprandial hyperglycemia includes herbs and plant extracts as well as synthetic drugs like acarbose. Synthetic drug molecules frequently have side effects such as flatulence and diarrhea. Cyanobacterial pigments have excellent anti-oxidant and free radical scavenging properties. Thus, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibiting activities of purified pigments and crude extracts from three cyanobacterial species, Lyngbya, Microcoleus and Synechocystis sp., were investigated. Lyngbya extract had the highest total anti-oxidant activity (TAC before digestion (48.26 ± 0.04 µg AAE ml-1 while purified lycopene had the highest TAC after digestion (154.16 ± 0.96 µg AAE ml-1. The Microcoleus extract had the highest ABTS scavenging activity before digestion (98.23 ± 0.25 % while purified C-phycocyanin (C-PC had the highest ABTS scavenging after digestion (99.69 ±0.04 %. None of the digested or undigested extracts performed better than acarbose in inhibiting α-amylase but the digested Microcoleus extract was able to inhibit its activity by ~35 %. The purified pigments gave inhibitory activities ranging from ~ 8 – 16 %. The Lyngbya extract had the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase both before and after digestion (62.22 ± 0.02 and 97.82 ± 0.03 % respectively. Purified C-phycoerythrin (C-PE, C-PC, lycopene and myxoxanthophyll could inhibit α-glucosidase in a range of ~83 – 96 %. Considering the potent inhibitory activities of purified pigments against both α-amylase and α-glucosidase, cyanobacterial pigments could be used as food additives for their dual advantage of anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic activities.

  20. Anoxybacillus vitaminiphilus sp. nov., a strictly aerobic and moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin-Qi; Zhang, Zhen-Li; Wu, Nan; Zhu, Xu-Fen; Wu, Min

    2013-11-01

    A strictly aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, motile and spore-forming bacterium, strain 3nP4(T), was isolated from the Puge hot spring located in the south-western geothermal area of China. Strain 3nP4(T) grew at 38-66 °C (optimum 57-60 °C), at pH 6.0-9.3 (optimum 7.0-7.5) and with 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0-0.5 %). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, as well as DNA-DNA relatedness values, indicated that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Anoxybacillus, related most closely to Anoxybacillus voinovskiensis DSM 12111(T). Strain 3nP4(T) had diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified phospholipid as major polar lipids and iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 as major fatty acids, which are both typical chemotaxonomic characteristics of the genus Anoxybacillus. The mean DNA G+C content of strain 3nP4(T) was 39.2±0.95 mol% (HPLC). A distinctive characteristic of the novel isolate was its extreme reliance on vitamin mixture or yeast extract for growth. Based on data from this taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach, strain 3nP4(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Anoxybacillus, for which the name Anoxybacillus vitaminiphilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3nP4(T) ( = CGMCC 1.8979(T) = JCM 16594(T)).

  1. Spring performance tester for miniature extension springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salzbrenner, Bradley; Boyce, Brad

    2017-05-16

    A spring performance tester and method of testing a spring are disclosed that has improved accuracy and precision over prior art spring testers. The tester can perform static and cyclic testing. The spring tester can provide validation for product acceptance as well as test for cyclic degradation of springs, such as the change in the spring rate and fatigue failure.

  2. Community phylogenetic analysis of moderately thermophilic cyanobacterial mats from China, the Philippines and Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hongmei, Jing; Aitchison, Jonathan C; Lacap, Donnabella C; Peerapornpisal, Yuwadee; Sompong, Udomluk; Pointing, Stephen B

    2005-08-01

    Most community molecular studies of thermophilic cyanobacterial mats to date have focused on Synechococcus occurring at temperatures of approximately 50-65 degrees C. These reveal that molecular diversity exceeds that indicated by morphology, and that phylogeographic lineages exist. The moderately thermophilic and generally filamentous cyanobacterial mat communities occurring at lower temperatures have not previously been investigated at the community molecular level. Here we report community diversity in mats of 42-53 degrees C recovered from previously unstudied geothermal locations. Separation of 16S rRNA gene-defined genotypes from community DNA was achieved by DGGE. Genotypic diversity was greater than morphotype diversity in all mats sampled, although genotypes generally corresponded to observed morphotypes. Thirty-six sequences were recovered from DGGE bands. Phylogenetic analyses revealed these to form novel thermophilic lineages distinct from their mesophilic counterparts, within Calothrix, Cyanothece, Fischerella, Phormidium, Pleurocapsa, Oscillatoria and Synechococcus. Where filamentous cyanobacterial sequences belonging to the same genus were recovered from the same site, these were generally closely affiliated. Location-specific sequences were observed for some genotypes recovered from geochemically similar yet spatially separated sites, thus providing evidence for phylogeographic lineages that evolve in isolation. Other genotypes were more closely affiliated to geographically remote counterparts from similar habitats suggesting that adaptation to certain niches is also important.

  3. Accumulation of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater 'seafood' and its consequences for public health: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibelings, Bas W. [Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Sciences and Technology, Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum (Switzerland); Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Centre for Limnology, Rijksstraatweg 6, 3631 AC, Nieuwersluis (Netherlands)], E-mail: bas.ibelings@eawag.ch; Chorus, Ingrid [German Federal Environment Agency, Corrensplatz 1, 14195 Berlin (Germany)], E-mail: ingrid.chorus@uba.de

    2007-11-15

    This review summarizes and discusses the current understanding of human exposure to cyanobacterial toxins in 'seafood' collected from freshwater and coastal areas. The review consists of three parts: (a) the existing literature on concentrations of cyanobacterial toxins in seafood is reviewed, and the likelihood of bioaccumulation discussed; (b) we derive cyanotoxin doses likely to occur through seafood consumption and propose guideline values for seafood and compare these to guidelines for drinking water; and (c) we discuss means to assess, control or mitigate the risks of exposure to cyanotoxins through seafood consumption. This is discussed in the context of two specific procedures, the food specific HACCP-approach and the water-specific Water Safety Plan approach by the WHO. Risks of exposure to cyanotoxins in food are sometimes underestimated. Risk assessments should acknowledge this and investigate the partitioning of exposure between drinking-water and food, which may vary depending on local circumstances. - Accumulation of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater 'seafood'.

  4. Review of 130 years of research on cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems in Serbia presented in a Serbian Cyanobacterial Database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zorica Svirčev

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The presence of toxic cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems in the territory of the Republic of Serbia was surveyed over a period of several decades. Increasing attention is being paid to some negative consequences that may be caused by these microorganisms. Information from available literary sources regarding the distribution and frequency of cyanobacteria and their toxins over a period of 130 years, together with the effects on humans and wildlife in aquatic ecosystems, were gathered and incorporated into a Serbian Cyanobacterial Database created for the CYANOCOST Action. This database encompasses information on 65 aquatic ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, irrigation reservoirs, reservoirs used for drinking water supply and reservoirs used for other purposes. Cyanobacterial blooms were found in almost 80% of the investigated aquatic ecosystems. The analysis of the research showed the presence of more than 70 species, including blooms of 24 species from 13 genera. Five species of cyanobacteria: Microcystis aeruginosa, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Planktothrix agardhii, Microcystis flos-aquae and Planktothrix rubescens frequently formed blooms in the investigated waterbodies and cyanotoxins were also detected in some of them, which had certain negative effects. Here, we present an overview of data contained in the Serbian Cyanobacterial Database, concerning cyanobacterial distribution, cyanotoxin production and associated biological effects in different types of water bodies from the Republic of Serbia. Also, recent important and major cases of cyanobacterial blooming in reservoirs used for drinking water supply: at Vrutci and Ćelije, the Aleksandrovac irrigation reservoir, the Ponjavica River and Lake Palić, including systematic research on the Lake Ludoš and few fishponds are further described. It can be concluded that cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins are omnipresent in different water bodies throughout the Republic of Serbia

  5. Observations of volatile organic compounds over the North Atlantic Ocean: relationships to dominant cyanobacterial populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swarthout, R.; Rossell, R.; Sive, B. C.; Zhou, Y.; Reddy, C. M.; Valentine, D. L.; Cox, D.

    2017-12-01

    Marine cyanobacteria are abundant primary producers that can have a major influence on the oceanic biogeochemical cycles. In particular, the prominent cyanobacterial genera Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and Trichodesmium can impact the air-sea flux of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including reactive compounds, such as isoprene, that control the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere and climate-relevant compounds, such as dimethyl sulfide. These groups of cyanobacteria have been estimated to increase in abundance by up to 29% by the end of the century as a result of rising sea surface temperatures and dissolved carbon dioxide concentrations. Given their current and predicted future abundance, understanding the role of different cyanobacterial populations on VOC emissions from the ocean is critical in understanding the future oxidative capacity of the remote atmosphere and climate feedback cycles. During the May 2017 Phosphorus, Hydrocarbons, and Transcriptomics cruise aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong, 160 whole air canister samples were collected along a transect through the North Atlantic from Woods Hole, MA to Bermuda and back with 24-hour stops at nine stations encompassing different nutrient regimes and cyanobacterial populations. At each station, a diurnal time series of samples was collected and higher frequency sampling was conducted during transits of the north wall. Canister samples were analyzed on a five-detector gas chromatography system for over 80 individual VOCs including biogenics, aromatics, chlorinated and brominated compounds, and sulfur containing compounds. Trends in reactive and climate-relevant VOCs will be discussed as a function of the predominant cyanobacterial populations at each sample location. These data provide increased information on the spatial and diurnal variability of trace gases associated with these globally important photosynthetic cyanobacteria.

  6. Screening and characterization of thermo-active enzymes of biotechnological interest produced by thermophilic Bacillus isolated from hot springs in Tunisia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thebti, Wajdi; Riahi, Yosra; Gharsalli, Rawand; Belhadj, Omrane

    2016-01-01

    As part of the contribution to the global efforts in research of thermostable enzymes being of industrial interest, we focus on the isolation of thermophilic bacteria from Tunisian hot springs. Among the collection of 161 strains of thermophilic Bacillus isolated from different samples of thermal water in Tunisia, 20% are capable of growing at 100°C and the rest grow at 70°C or above. Preliminary activity tests on media supplemented with enzyme-substrates confirmed that 35 strains produced amylases, 37 - proteases, 43 - cellulases, 31 - xylanases and 37 - mannanases. The study of the effect of temperature on enzyme activity led to determination of the optimal temperatures of activities that vary between 60 and 100°C. Several enzymes were active at high temperatures (80, 90 and 100°C) and kept their activity even at 110°C. Several isolated strains producing enzymes with high optimal temperatures of activity were described for the first time in this study. Both strains B62 and B120 are producers of amylase, protease, cellulase, xylanase, and mannanase. The sequencing of 16S DNA identified isolated strains as Geobacillus kaustophillus, Aeribacillus pallidus, Geobacillus galactosidasus and Geobacillus toebii.

  7. Engineering Cyanobacterial Cell Morphology for Enhanced Recovery and Processing of Biomass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Adam; Chandler, Jenna; MacCready, Joshua S; Huang, Jingcheng; Osteryoung, Katherine W; Ducat, Daniel C

    2017-05-01

    Cyanobacteria are emerging as alternative crop species for the production of fuels, chemicals, and biomass. Yet, the success of these microbes depends on the development of cost-effective technologies that permit scaled cultivation and cell harvesting. Here, we investigate the feasibility of engineering cell morphology to improve biomass recovery and decrease energetic costs associated with lysing cyanobacterial cells. Specifically, we modify the levels of Min system proteins in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The Min system has established functions in controlling cell division by regulating the assembly of FtsZ, a tubulin-like protein required for defining the bacterial division plane. We show that altering the expression of two FtsZ-regulatory proteins, MinC and Cdv3, enables control over cell morphology by disrupting FtsZ localization and cell division without preventing continued cell growth. By varying the expression of these proteins, we can tune the lengths of cyanobacterial cells across a broad dynamic range, anywhere from an ∼20% increased length (relative to the wild type) to near-millimeter lengths. Highly elongated cells exhibit increased rates of sedimentation under low centrifugal forces or by gravity-assisted settling. Furthermore, hyperelongated cells are also more susceptible to lysis through the application of mild physical stress. Collectively, these results demonstrate a novel approach toward decreasing harvesting and processing costs associated with mass cyanobacterial cultivation by altering morphology at the cellular level. IMPORTANCE We show that the cell length of a model cyanobacterial species can be programmed by rationally manipulating the expression of protein factors that suppress cell division. In some instances, we can increase the size of these cells to near-millimeter lengths with this approach. The resulting elongated cells have favorable properties with regard to cell harvesting and lysis. Furthermore, cells treated in this

  8. Characterizing Volumetric Strain at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada, USA Using Geodetic Data, Numerical Models, and Prior Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinisch, E. C.; Feigl, K. L.; Cardiff, M. A.; Morency, C.; Kreemer, C.; Akerley, J.

    2017-12-01

    Time-dependent deformation has been observed at Brady Hot Springs using data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) [e.g., Ali et al. 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2016.01.008]. We seek to determine the geophysical process governing the observed subsidence. As two end-member hypotheses, we consider thermal contraction and a decrease in pore fluid pressure. A decrease in temperature would cause contraction in the subsurface and subsidence at the surface. A decrease in pore fluid pressure would allow the volume of pores to shrink and also produce subsidence. To simulate these processes, we use a dislocation model that assumes uniform elastic properties in a half space [Okada, 1985]. The parameterization consists of many cubic volume elements (voxels), each of which contracts by closing its three mutually orthogonal bisecting square surfaces. Then we use linear inversion to solve for volumetric strain in each voxel given a measurement of range change. To differentiate between the two possible hypotheses, we use a Bayesian framework with geostatistical prior information. We perform inversion using each prior to decide if one leads to a more geophysically reasonable interpretation than the other. This work is part of a project entitled "Poroelastic Tomography by Adjoint Inverse Modeling of Data from Seismology, Geodesy, and Hydrology" and is supported by the Geothermal Technology Office of the U.S. Department of Energy [DE-EE0006760].

  9. Production and Characterization of Organic Solvent-Tolerant Cellulase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AK9 Isolated from Hot Spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irfan, Muhammad; Tayyab, Ammara; Hasan, Fariha; Khan, Samiullah; Badshah, Malik; Shah, Aamer Ali

    2017-08-01

    A cellulase-producing bacterium, designated as strain AK9, was isolated from a hot spring of Tatta Pani, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens through 16S rRNA sequencing. Cellulase from strain AK9 was able to liberate glucose from soluble cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Enzyme was purified through size exclusion chromatography and a single band of ∼47 kDa was observed on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The enzyme was purified with recovery of 35.5%, 3.6-fold purity with specific activity of 31 U mg -1 . The purified cellulase retained its activity over a wide range of temperature (50-70 °C) and pH (3-7) with maximum stability at 60 °C and pH 5.0. The activity inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), suggested that it was metalloenzyme. Diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) and β-mercaptoethanol significantly inhibited cellulase activity that revealed the essentiality of histidine residues and disulfide bonds for its catalytic function. It was stable in non-ionic surfactants, in the presence of various metal ions, and in water-insoluble organic solvents. Approximately 9.1% of reducing sugar was released after enzymatic saccharification of DAP-pretreated agro-residue, compared to a very low percentage by autohydrolysis treatment. Hence, it is concluded that cellulase from B. amyloliquefaciens AK9 can potentially be used in bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars.

  10. Study on the thorium-based breeder with molten fluoride salt blanket in the Nuclear Hot Spring - 5420

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bing, X.; Yingzhong, L.

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear Hot Spring (NHS) is an innovative reactor type featured by pool-type molten-salt-cooled pebble-bed reactor core with the capability of natural circulation under full power operation. Except for the potential applications in power generation and high temperature process heat, thorium-based breeding is also a promising feature of the NHS. In order to take advantage of both the highly inherent safety and the on-line processing capability of fluid thorium-based fuels, a breeder design of NHS equipped with a blanket of molten salt with thorium fluoride outside the pebble-bed core is proposed in this work. For the purpose of keeping cleanness of the primary loop and blanket loop, both loops are isolated physically from each other, and the rapid on-line extraction of converted 233 Pa and 233 U is employed for the processing of blanket salt. The conversion ratio, defined as the ratio of converted 233 Pa and 233 U to the consumed fissile uranium in seed fuels, is investigated by varying the relevant parameters such as the circulation flux of blanket salt and the discharge burn-up of seed fuels. It is found that breeding can be achieved for the pure 233 U seed scheme with relatively low discharge burn-up and low blanket salt flux. However, the reprocessing for the HTGR fuels with TRISO particles has to be taken into account to ensure the breeding. (authors)

  11. Complete genome sequences of Geobacillus sp. Y412MC52, a xylan-degrading strain isolated from obsidian hot spring in Yellowstone National Park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumm, Phillip; Land, Miriam L; Hauser, Loren J; Jeffries, Cynthia D; Chang, Yun-Juan; Mead, David A

    2015-01-01

    Geobacillus sp. Y412MC52 was isolated from Obsidian Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Montana, USA under permit from the National Park Service. The genome was sequenced, assembled, and annotated by the DOE Joint Genome Institute and deposited at the NCBI in December 2011 (CP002835). Based on 16S rRNA genes and average nucleotide identity, Geobacillus sp. Y412MC52 and the related Geobacillus sp. Y412MC61 appear to be members of a new species of Geobacillus. The genome of Geobacillus sp. Y412MC52 consists of one circular chromosome of 3,628,883 bp, an average G + C content of 52 % and one circular plasmid of 45,057 bp and an average G + C content of 45 %. Y412MC52 possesses arabinan, arabinoglucuronoxylan, and aromatic acid degradation clusters for degradation of hemicellulose from biomass. Transport and utilization clusters are also present for other carbohydrates including starch, cellobiose, and α- and β-galactooligosaccharides.

  12. Big George to Carter Mountain 115-kV transmission line project, Park and Hot Springs Counties, Wyoming. Environmental Assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-02-01

    The Western Area Power Administration (Western) is proposing to rebuild, operate, and maintain a 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Big George and Carter Mountain Substations in northwest Wyoming (Park and Hot Springs Counties). This environmental assessment (EA) was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The existing Big George to Carter Mountain 69-kV transmission line was constructed in 1941 by the US Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, with 1/0 copper conductor on wood-pole H-frame structures without an overhead ground wire. The line should be replaced because of the deteriorated condition of the wood-pole H-frame structures. Because the line lacks an overhead ground wire, it is subject to numerous outages caused by lightning. The line will be 54 years old in 1995, which is the target date for line replacement. The normal service life of a wood-pole line is 45 years. Under the No Action Alternative, no new transmission lines would be built in the project area. The existing 69-kV transmission line would continue to operate with routine maintenance, with no provisions made for replacement.

  13. Hydrothermal alteration at the Roosevelt Hot Springs thermal area, Utah: Petrographic characterization of the alteration to 2 kilometers depth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ballantyne, J.M.; Parry, W.T.

    1978-04-01

    Hydrothermal alteration in drill cuttings from Thermal Power drillhole 14-2, Roosevelt Hot Springs Thermal area, has been studied petrographically. The hole is sited in alluvium approximately 1.6 km southeast of the old Resort and was rotary drilled to a depth of 1866.0 m. The exact hole location is 2310 FNL, 350 FWL, Sec. 2, Twp 27S, Rge 9W, elevation 1908.5 m. Core was extracted from 792.5 to 795.5 m. Thin sections were made from samples at 15.2 m intervals of drill cuttings collected at 1.5 or 3.0 m intervals during drilling. Thin sections were made of 1.5 or 3.0 m intervals from 274.3 to 304.8 m, 487.9 to 581.2 m, and 868.7 to 899.2 m. These intervals were chosen for close spaced sampling on the basis of increases in temperature, porosity, conductivity and acoustic velocity shown in geophysical logs. A total of 153 thin sections of cuttings were made, and an additional 9 sections were made from the core. Depths of thin section samples are listed in the appendix. A visual estimate of the percentage of each rock type was made for each thin section.

  14. Time-series analysis of surface deformation at Brady Hot Springs geothermal field (Nevada) using interferometric synthetic aperture radar

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ali, S. T. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Akerley, J. [Ormat Technologies Inc., Reno, NV (United States); Baluyut, E. C. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Cardiff, M. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Davatzes, N. C. [Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science; Feigl, K. L. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Foxall, W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Fratta, D. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Mellors, R. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Spielman, P. [Ormat Technologies Inc., Reno, NV (United States); Wang, H. F. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Zemach, E. [Ormat Technologies Inc., Reno, NV (United States)

    2016-05-01

    We analyze interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data acquired between 2004 and 2014, by the ERS-2, Envisat, ALOS and TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X satellite missions to measure and characterize time-dependent deformation at the Brady Hot Springs geothermal field in western Nevada due to extraction of fluids. The long axis of the ~4 km by ~1.5 km elliptical subsiding area coincides with the strike of the dominant normal fault system at Brady. Within this bowl of subsidence, the interference pattern shows several smaller features with length scales of the order of ~1 km. This signature occurs consistently in all of the well-correlated interferometric pairs spanning several months. Results from inverse modeling suggest that the deformation is a result of volumetric contraction in shallow units, no deeper than 600 m, likely associated with damaged regions where fault segments mechanically interact. Such damaged zones are expected to extend downward along steeply dipping fault planes, providing a high permeability conduit to the production wells. Using time series analysis, we test the hypothesis that geothermal production drives the observed deformation. We find a good correlation between the observed deformation rate and the rate of production in the shallow wells. We also explore mechanisms that could potentially cause the observed deformation, including thermal contraction of rock, decline in pore pressure and dissolution of minerals over time.

  15. Process improvements for enhanced productivity of PHWR garter springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srinivasula Reddy, S.; Tonpe, Sunil; Saibaba, N.; Jayaraj, R.N.

    2009-01-01

    Full text: In Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), Garter springs are used as spacers between the coolant tube and calandria tube. Garter springs are made from Zirconium alloy containing 2.5 % Niobium and 0.5% copper. The springs are basically manufactured by coiling a wire of cross section 1.7 mm x 1.0 mm, which is produced by series of drawing and swaging operations using hot extruded rods of 19 mm diameter. The manufacturing process also involves heat treatment and chemical cleaning operations at appropriate stages. It is required to ensure that the life of springs against parameters like hydrogen pickup, residual stresses and low stiffness is improved at the manufacturing stage itself by improving manufacturing process. The impact of above problems on spring life and process improvements is briefly discussed. The critical factor affecting the garter spring performance in PHWR Reactor is mainly hydrogen. The life limiting factors for garter springs are the problems arising out of high total hydrogen content, which depends on the hydrogen pickup during reactor operation. This phenomenon can happen during the reactor operation, as springs are prone to pick-up hydrogen in the reactor environment. Hence acceptable hydrogen content for the springs is specified as 25 ppm (max.). Garter spring is susceptible to hydrogen pick-up during various production processes, which make material brittle and difficult for fabrication process such as wire drawing and coiling. By studying and optimizing the process parameters of spring manufacturing, the hydrogen pick-up of springs is brought down from 70 ppm to a level of 20 ppm. Garter springs are provided with a hook at each end to enable its assembly to coolant tube in the reactor. The hook portion is very critical in maintaining the integrity of the spring. It is desirable to have the hook portion relieved of all residual stresses. For this purpose manufacturing process has been modified and solutionising was introduced as

  16. Feasibility study on production of a matrix reference material for cyanobacterial toxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollingdale, Christie; Thomas, Krista; Lewis, Nancy; Békri, Khalida; McCarron, Pearse; Quilliam, Michael A

    2015-07-01

    The worldwide increase in cyanobacterial contamination of freshwater lakes and rivers is of great concern as many cyanobacteria produce potent hepatotoxins and neurotoxins (cyanotoxins). Such toxins pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems, livestock, and drinking water supplies. In addition, dietary supplements prepared from cyanobacteria can pose a risk to consumers if they contain toxins. Analytical monitoring for toxins in the environment and in consumer products is essential for the protection of public health. Reference materials (RMs) are an essential tool for the development and validation of analytical methods and are necessary for ongoing quality control of monitoring operations. Since the availability of appropriate RMs for cyanotoxins has been very limited, the present study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of producing a cyanobacterial matrix RM containing various cyanotoxins. The first step was large-scale culturing of various cyanobacterial cultures that produce anatoxins, microcystins, and cylindrospermopsins. After harvesting, the biomass was lyophilized, blended, homogenized, milled, and bottled. The moisture content and physical characteristics were assessed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the production process. Toxin levels were measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and ultraviolet detection. The reference material was found to be homogeneous for toxin content. Stability studies showed no significant degradation of target toxins over a period of 310 days at temperatures up to +40 °C except for the anatoxin-a, which showed some degradation at +40 °C. These results show that a fit-for-purpose matrix RM for cyanotoxins can be prepared using the processes and techniques applied in this work.

  17. Predicting cyanobacterial abundance, microcystin, and geosmin in a eutrophic drinking-water reservoir using a 14-year dataset

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Ted D.; Graham, Jennifer L.

    2017-01-01

    Cyanobacterial blooms degrade water quality in drinking water supply reservoirs by producing toxic and taste-and-odor causing secondary metabolites, which ultimately cause public health concerns and lead to increased treatment costs for water utilities. There have been numerous attempts to create models that predict cyanobacteria and their secondary metabolites, most using linear models; however, linear models are limited by assumptions about the data and have had limited success as predictive tools. Thus, lake and reservoir managers need improved modeling techniques that can accurately predict large bloom events that have the highest impact on recreational activities and drinking-water treatment processes. In this study, we compared 12 unique linear and nonlinear regression modeling techniques to predict cyanobacterial abundance and the cyanobacterial secondary metabolites microcystin and geosmin using 14 years of physiochemical water quality data collected from Cheney Reservoir, Kansas. Support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), boosted tree (BT), and Cubist modeling techniques were the most predictive of the compared modeling approaches. SVM, RF, and BT modeling techniques were able to successfully predict cyanobacterial abundance, microcystin, and geosmin concentrations <60,000 cells/mL, 2.5 µg/L, and 20 ng/L, respectively. Only Cubist modeling predicted maxima concentrations of cyanobacteria and geosmin; no modeling technique was able to predict maxima microcystin concentrations. Because maxima concentrations are a primary concern for lake and reservoir managers, Cubist modeling may help predict the largest and most noxious concentrations of cyanobacteria and their secondary metabolites.

  18. Organic matter degradation drives benthic cyanobacterial mat abundance on caribbean coral reefs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brocke, Hannah J.; Polerecky, Lubos; De Beer, Dirk; Weber, Miriam; Claudet, Joachim; Nugues, Maggy M.

    2015-01-01

    Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are impacting coral reefs worldwide. However, the factors and mechanisms driving their proliferation are unclear. We conducted a multi-year survey around the Caribbean island of Curaçao, which revealed highest BCM abundance on sheltered reefs close to urbanised

  19. Comparative study on radon effects and thermal effects on humans in radon hot spring therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaoka, K.; Mitsunobu, F.; Hanamoto, K.; Tanizaki, Y.; Sugita, K.; Kohima, S.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: The radon therapy is used radon ( 222 Rn) gas, which mainly emits alpha-rays, and induces a small amount of active oxygen in the body. Because most of the diseases to which the radon therapy as well as the thermal therapy is applied are related to activated oxygen, in this study the effects of the radioactivity of radon and thermal effects were compared under the room or the hot spring condition with the similar chemical component, using as the parameters which are closely involved in the clinical for radon therapy. In the results, the radon and thermal therapy enhanced the antioxidation function, such as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, which inhibit lipid peroxidation and total cholesterol produce in the body. Moreover the therapy enhanced concanavalin A (ConA)-induced mitogen response, and increased the level of CD4, which is the marker of helper T cell, and decreased the level of CD8, which is the common marker of killer T cell and supresser T cell, in the white cell differentiation antigen (CD4/CD8) assay. Furthermore, the therapy increased the levels of alpha atrial natriuretic polypeptide (alpha ANP), beta endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), insulin and glucose-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), and decreased the vasopression level. The results were on the whole larger in the radon group than in the thermal group. The findings suggest that the radon therapy more contributes to the prevention of life style-related diseases related to peroxidation reactions and immune depression than thermal therapy. Moreover these indicate what may be a part of the mechanism for the alleviation of hypertension, osteoarthritis (pain) and diabetes mellitus brought about more radon therapy than thermal therapy

  20. A Metastable Equilibrium Model for the Relative Abundances of Microbial Phyla in a Hot Spring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dick, Jeffrey M.; Shock, Everett L.

    2013-01-01

    Many studies link the compositions of microbial communities to their environments, but the energetics of organism-specific biomass synthesis as a function of geochemical variables have rarely been assessed. We describe a thermodynamic model that integrates geochemical and metagenomic data for biofilms sampled at five sites along a thermal and chemical gradient in the outflow channel of the hot spring known as “Bison Pool” in Yellowstone National Park. The relative abundances of major phyla in individual communities sampled along the outflow channel are modeled by computing metastable equilibrium among model proteins with amino acid compositions derived from metagenomic sequences. Geochemical conditions are represented by temperature and activities of basis species, including pH and oxidation-reduction potential quantified as the activity of dissolved hydrogen. By adjusting the activity of hydrogen, the model can be tuned to closely approximate the relative abundances of the phyla observed in the community profiles generated from BLAST assignments. The findings reveal an inverse relationship between the energy demand to form the proteins at equal thermodynamic activities and the abundance of phyla in the community. The distance from metastable equilibrium of the communities, assessed using an equation derived from energetic considerations that is also consistent with the information-theoretic entropy change, decreases along the outflow channel. Specific divergences from metastable equilibrium, such as an underprediction of the relative abundances of phototrophic organisms at lower temperatures, can be explained by considering additional sources of energy and/or differences in growth efficiency. Although the metabolisms used by many members of these communities are driven by chemical disequilibria, the results support the possibility that higher-level patterns of chemotrophic microbial ecosystems are shaped by metastable equilibrium states that depend on both the

  1. Streptomyces caldifontis sp. nov., isolated from a hot water spring of Tatta Pani, Kotli, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, Arshia; Ahmed, Iftikhar; Khalid, Nauman; Osman, Ghenijan; Khan, Inam Ullah; Xiao, Min; Li, Wen-Jun

    2017-01-01

    A Gram-staining positive, non-motile, rod-shaped, catalase positive and oxidase negative bacterium, designated NCCP-1331 T , was isolated from a hot water spring soil collected from Tatta Pani, Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The isolate grew at a temperature range of 18-40 °C (optimum 30 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 7.0) and with 0-6 % NaCl (optimum 2 % NaCl (w/v)). The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain NCCP-1331 T belonged to the genus Streptomyces and is closely related to Streptomyces brevispora BK160 T with 97.9 % nucleotide similarity, followed by Streptomyces drosdowiczii NRRL B-24297 T with 97.8 % nucleotide similarity. The DNA-DNA relatedness values of strain NCCP-1331 T with S. brevispora KACC 21093 T and S. drosdowiczii CBMAI 0498 T were 42.7 and 34.7 %, respectively. LL-DAP was detected as diagnostic amino acid along with alanine, glycine, leucine and glutamic acid. The isolate contained MK-9(H 8 ) as the predominant menaquinone. Major polar lipids detected in NCCP-1331 T were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and unidentified phospholipids. Major fatty acids were iso-C 16: 0 , summed feature 8 (18:1 ω7c/18:1 ω6c), anteiso-C 15:0 and C 16:0 . The genomic DNA G + C content was 69.8 mol %. On the basis of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analysis, it is concluded that strain NCCP-1331 T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces caldifontis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NCCP-1331 T (=KCTC 39537 T  = CPCC 204147 T ).

  2. Toxic Cyanobacterial Bloom Triggers in Missisquoi Bay, Lake Champlain, as Determined by Next-Generation Sequencing and Quantitative PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathalie Fortin

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Missisquoi Bay (MB is a temperate eutrophic freshwater lake that frequently experiences toxic Microcystis-dominated cyanobacterial blooms. Non-point sources are responsible for the high concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in the bay. This study combined data from environmental parameters, E. coli counts, high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, quantitative PCR (16S rRNA and mcyD genes and toxin analyses to identify the main bloom-promoting factors. In 2009, nutrient concentrations correlated with E. coli counts, abundance of total cyanobacterial cells, Microcystis 16S rRNA and mcyD genes and intracellular microcystin. Total and dissolved phosphorus also correlated significantly with rainfall. The major cyanobacterial taxa were members of the orders Chroococcales and Nostocales. The genus Microcystis was the main mcyD-carrier and main microcystin producer. Our results suggested that increasing nutrient concentrations and total nitrogen:total phosphorus (TN:TP ratios approaching 11:1, coupled with an increase in temperature, promoted Microcystis-dominated toxic blooms. Although the importance of nutrient ratios and absolute concentrations on cyanobacterial and Microcystis dynamics have been documented in other laboratories, an optimum TN:TP ratio for Microcystis dominance has not been previously observed in situ. This observation provides further support that nutrient ratios are an important determinant of species composition in natural phytoplankton assemblages.

  3. Correlations between cyanobacterial density and bacterial transformation to the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in four freshwater water bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Huirong; Shen, Ju; Pan, Gaoshan; Liu, Jing; Li, Jiancheng; Hu, Zhangli

    2015-10-01

    Nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton density and community composition, and the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of heterotrophic bacteria were investigated in three connected reservoirs and a small isolated lake in South China to study the relationship between biotic and abiotic factors and the VBNC state in bacteria. Nutrient concentrations in the reservoirs increased in the direction of water flow, whereas Wenshan Lake was more eutrophic. Cyanobacterial blooms occurred in all four water bodies, with differing seasonal trends and dominant species. In Xili and Tiegang Reservoirs, the VBNC ratio (percent of VBNC state bacteria over total viable bacteria) was high for most of the year and negatively correlated with cyanobacterial density. Laboratory co-culture experiments were performed with four heterotrophic bacterial species isolated from Wenshan Lake (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella peneumoniae, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus) and the dominant cyanobacterial species (Microcystis aeruginosa). For the first three bacterial species, the presence of M. aeruginosa induced the VBNC state and the VBNC ratio was positively correlated with M. aeruginosa density. However, B. cereus inhibited M. aeruginosa growth. These results demonstrate that cyanobacteria could potentially regulate the transformation to the VBNC state of waterborne bacteria, and suggest a role for bacteria in cyanobacterial bloom initiation and termination.

  4. Electrochemical Detection of Circadian Redox Rhythm in Cyanobacterial Cells via Extracellular Electron Transfer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishio, Koichi; Pornpitra, Tunanunkul; Izawa, Seiichiro; Nishiwaki-Ohkawa, Taeko; Kato, Souichiro; Hashimoto, Kazuhito; Nakanishi, Shuji

    2015-06-01

    Recent research on cellular circadian rhythms suggests that the coupling of transcription-translation feedback loops and intracellular redox oscillations is essential for robust circadian timekeeping. For clarification of the molecular mechanism underlying the circadian rhythm, methods that allow for the dynamic and simultaneous detection of transcription/translation and redox oscillations in living cells are needed. Herein, we report that the cyanobacterial circadian redox rhythm can be electrochemically detected based on extracellular electron transfer (EET), a process in which intracellular electrons are exchanged with an extracellular electrode. As the EET-based method is non-destructive, concurrent detection with transcription/translation rhythm using bioluminescent reporter strains becomes possible. An EET pathway that electrochemically connected the intracellular region of cyanobacterial cells with an extracellular electrode was constructed via a newly synthesized electron mediator with cell membrane permeability. In the presence of the mediator, the open circuit potential of the culture medium exhibited temperature-compensated rhythm with approximately 24 h periodicity. Importantly, such circadian rhythm of the open circuit potential was not observed in the absence of the electron mediator, indicating that the EET process conveys the dynamic information regarding the intracellular redox state to the extracellular electrode. These findings represent the first direct demonstration of the intracellular circadian redox rhythm of cyanobacterial cells. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Cyanobacterial Neurotoxin β-N-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA in Shark Fins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Pablo

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Sharks are among the most threatened groups of marine species. Populations are declining globally to support the growing demand for shark fin soup. Sharks are known to bioaccumulate toxins that may pose health risks to consumers of shark products. The feeding habits of sharks are varied, including fish, mammals, crustaceans and plankton. The cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA has been detected in species of free-living marine cyanobacteria and may bioaccumulate in the marine food web. In this study, we sampled fin clips from seven different species of sharks in South Florida to survey the occurrence of BMAA using HPLC-FD and Triple Quadrupole LC/MS/MS methods. BMAA was detected in the fins of all species examined with concentrations ranging from 144 to 1836 ng/mg wet weight. Since BMAA has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, these results may have important relevance to human health. We suggest that consumption of shark fins may increase the risk for human exposure to the cyanobacterial neurotoxin BMAA.

  6. Occurrence and elimination of cyanobacterial toxins in drinking water treatment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoeger, Stefan J.; Hitzfeld, Bettina C.; Dietrich, Daniel R.

    2005-01-01

    Toxin-producing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are abundant in surface waters used as drinking water resources. The toxicity of one group of these toxins, the microcystins, and their presence in surface waters used for drinking water production has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to publish a provisional guideline value of 1.0 μg microcystin (MC)-LR/l drinking water. To verify the efficiency of two different water treatment systems with respect to reduction of cyanobacterial toxins, the concentrations of MC in water samples from surface waters and their associated water treatment plants in Switzerland and Germany were investigated. Toxin concentrations in samples from drinking water treatment plants ranged from below 1.0 μg MC-LR equiv./l to more than 8.0 μg/l in raw water and were distinctly below 1.0 μg/l after treatment. In addition, data to the worldwide occurrence of cyanobacteria in raw and final water of water works and the corresponding guidelines for cyanobacterial toxins in drinking water worldwide are summarized

  7. Draft genome sequence of Lampropedia cohaerens strain CT6(T) isolated from arsenic rich microbial mats of a Himalayan hot water spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tripathi, Charu; Mahato, Nitish K; Rani, Pooja; Singh, Yogendra; Kamra, Komal; Lal, Rup

    2016-01-01

    Lampropedia cohaerens strain CT6(T), a non-motile, aerobic and coccoid strain was isolated from arsenic rich microbial mats (temperature ~45 °C) of a hot water spring located atop the Himalayan ranges at Manikaran, India. The present study reports the first genome sequence of type strain CT6(T) of genus Lampropedia cohaerens. Sequencing data was generated using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform and assembled with ABySS v 1.3.5. The 3,158,922 bp genome was assembled into 41 contigs with a mean GC content of 63.5 % and 2823 coding sequences. Strain CT6(T) was found to harbour genes involved in both the Entner-Duodoroff pathway and non-phosphorylated ED pathway. Strain CT6(T) also contained genes responsible for imparting resistance to arsenic, copper, cobalt, zinc, cadmium and magnesium, providing survival advantages at a thermal location. Additionally, the presence of genes associated with biofilm formation, pyrroloquinoline-quinone production, isoquinoline degradation and mineral phosphate solubilisation in the genome demonstrate the diverse genetic potential for survival at stressed niches.

  8. Microbial Fe(III) Oxide Reduction in Chocolate Pots Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortney, N. W.; Roden, E. E.; Boyd, E. S.; Converse, B. J.

    2014-12-01

    Previous work on dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) has focused on high temperature, low pH environments where soluble Fe(III) is utilized as an electron acceptor for respiration. Much less attention has been paid to DIR in lower temperature, circumneutral pH environments, where solid phase Fe(III) oxides are the dominant forms of Fe(III). This study explored the potential for DIR in the warm (ca. 40-50°C), circumneutral pH Chocolate Pots hot springs (CP) in YNP. Most probable number (MPN) enumerations and enrichment culture studies confirmed the presence of endogenous microbial communities that reduced native CP Fe(III) oxides. Enrichment cultures demonstrated sustained DIR coupled to acetate and lactate oxidation through repeated transfers over ca. 450 days. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes indicated that the dominant organisms in the enrichments were closely affiliated with the well known Fe(III) reducer Geobacter metallireducens. Additional taxa included relatives of sulfate reducing bacterial genera Desulfohalobium and Thermodesulfovibrio; however, amendment of enrichments with molybdate, an inhibitor of sulfate reduction, suggested that sulfate reduction was not a primary metabolic pathway involved in DIR in the cultures. A metagenomic analysis of enrichment cultures is underway in anticipation of identifying genes involved in DIR in the less well-characterized dominant organisms. Current studies are aimed at interrogating the in situ microbial community at CP. Core samples were collected along the flow path (Fig. 1) and subdivided into 1 cm depth intervals for geochemical and microbiological analysis. The presence of significant quantities of Fe(II) in the solids indicated that DIR is active in situ. A parallel study investigated in vitro microbial DIR in sediments collected from three of the coring sites. DNA was extracted from samples from both studies for 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing in order to obtain a

  9. THE TRPV1 RECEPTOR: THE INTERAGENCY, INTERNATION SYMPOSIUM ON CYANOBACTERIAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background and Significance Evidence indicates that the frequency of occurrence of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) is increasing in spatial and temporal extent in the US and worldwide. Cyanotoxins are among the most potent toxins known, causing death through ...

  10. Geochemical survey for hot and mineral springs, related to the 1997 May 11 Sumikawa landslide, Akita prefecture; 1997 nen 5 gatsu 11 nichi ni hasseishita Akitaken Sumikawa onsen jisuberi ni kanrenshita kinkyu onsen kosen suishitsu chosa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahashi, M.; Endo, H. [Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba (Japan)

    1997-07-01

    Landslide and hydrothermal explosions have occurred near the Sumikawa spa in Akita Prefecture in May 1997. Investigations were performed on correlation of fountains, hot and mineral springs and open cracks seen on aerial photographs taken immediately after the events with the present landslide and hydrothermal explosions. Going toward the Sumikawa spa on the mountaineering path along the Sumikawa river from Onuma can find a flow of valley water, which has not appeared suddenly due to the present landslide (the flow has been existing from long time ago, on which bridges have been installed). The sample water quality has low chloride ion concentration and high sulfuric acid and bicarbonate ion concentrations, and is of high-temperature volcanic gas containing a great amount of hydrogen chloride gas. The water quality was determined non-relative to the present hydrothermal explosions. On the other hand, hot springs and well waters distributed around the Akita Yaeyama and Hachimantai areas have low chloride ion concentration and high sulfuric acid ion concentration. The majority is characterized in that their Ca/Na concentration ratio is relatively low. This suggests that the areas have been formed under common geological conditions. However, the water quality is thought to show different properties due to complex influences of transformation zones and exhalation gas (hydrogen sulfide). 6 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

  11. Effect of temperature on the orthodontic clinical applications of niti closed-coil springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinar-Escalona, Eduardo; Llamas-Carreras, José M.; Barrera-Mora, José M.; Abalos-Lasbrucci, Camilo

    2013-01-01

    NiTi spring coils were used to obtain large deformation under a constant force. The device consists on a NiTi coil spring, superelastic at body temperature, in order to have a stress plateau during the austenitic retransformation during the unloading. The temperature variations induced changes in the spring force. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the temperature variations in the spring forces and corrosion behaviour simulating the ingestion hot/cold drinks and food. Study Design: The springs were subjected to a tensile force using universal testing machine MTS-Adamel (100 N load cell). All tests were performed in artificial saliva maintained at different temperatures. The corrosion tests were performed according to the ISO-standard 10993-15:2000. Results: The increase in temperature of 18oC induced an increase in the spring force of 30%. However, when the temperature returns to 37oC the distraction force recovers near the initial level. After cooling down the spring to 15oC, the force decreased by 46%. This investigation show as the temperature increase, the corrosion potential shifts towards negative values and the corrosion density is rising. Conclusions: The changes of the temperatures do not modify the superelastic behaviour of the NiTi closed-coil springs. The corrosion potential of NiTi in artificial saliva is decreasing by the rise of the temperatures. Key words:Superelasticity, NiTi, springs, orthodontic, coils, recovery, temperature. PMID:23722142

  12. Emerging health issues of cyanobacterial blooms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maura Manganelli

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes emerging issue related to cyanobacterial dynamics and toxicity and human health risks. Data show an increasing cyanobacteria expansion and dominance in many environments. However there are still few information on the toxic species fitness, or on the effects of specific drivers on toxin production. Open research fields are related to new exposure scenario (cyanotoxins in water used for haemodialysis and in food supplements; to new patterns of co-exposure between cyanotoxins and algal toxins and/or anthropogenic chemicals; to dynamics affecting toxicity and production of different cyanotoxin variants under environmental stress; to the accumulation of cyanotoxins in the food web. In addition, many data gaps exist in the characterization of the toxicological profiles, especially about long term effects.

  13. Frequency of inhibitors of daphnid trypsin in the widely distributed cyanobacterial genus Planktothrix

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rohrlack, T.; Christoffersen, K.; Friberg-Jensen, U.

    2005-01-01

    on the frequency of such compounds in the widely distributed cyanobacterial genus Planktothrix. Of the 89 Planktothrix strains analysed, about 70% produced inhibitors of daphnid trypsin. The strains tested positive represented three common Planktothrix species and were isolated from diverse localities...

  14. Risk to human health associated with the environmental occurrence of cyanobacterial neurotoxic alkaloids anatoxins and saxitoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Testai, Emanuela; Scardala, Simona; Vichi, Susanna; Buratti, Franca M; Funari, Enzo

    2016-01-01

    Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous photosynthetic micro-organisms forming blooms and scums in surface water; among them some species can produce cyanotoxins giving rise to some concern for human health and animal life. To date, more than 65 cyanobacterial neurotoxins have been described, of which the most studied are the groups of anatoxins and saxitoxins (STXs), comprising many different variants. In freshwaters, the hepatotoxic microcystins represent the most frequently detected cyanotoxin: on this basis, it could appear that neurotoxins are less relevant, but the low frequency of detection may partially reflect an a priori choice of target analytes, the low method sensitivity and the lack of certified standards. Cyanobacterial neurotoxins target cholinergic synapses or voltage-gated ion channels, blocking skeletal and respiratory muscles, thus leading to death by respiratory failure. This review reports and analyzes the available literature data on environmental occurrence of cyanobacterial neurotoxic alkaloids, namely anatoxins and STXs, their biosynthesis, toxicology and epidemiology, derivation of guidance values and action limits. These data are used as the basis to assess the risk posed to human health, identify critical exposure scenarios and highlight the major data gaps and research needs.

  15. Combined exposure of carps (Cyprinus carpio L.) to cyanobacterial biomass and white spot disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palikova, Miroslava; Navratil, Stanislav; Papezikova, Ivana; Ambroz, Petr; Vesely, Tomas; Pokorova, Dagmar; Mares, Jan; Adamovsky, Ondrej; Navratil, Lukas; Kopp, Radovan

    2012-01-01

    Under environmental conditions, fish can be exposed to multiple stressors including natural toxins and infectious agents at the same time. This study brings new knowledge on the effects of controlled exposure to multiple stressors in fish. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that influence of cyanobacterial biomass and an infection agent represented by the white spot disease can combine to enhance the effects on fish. Common carps were divided into four groups, each with 40 specimens for 20 days: control group, cyanobacterial biomass exposed group, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish (Ich) and cyanobacterial biomass-exposed fish + Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish. During the experiment we evaluated the clinical signs, mortality, selected haematological parameters, immune parameters and toxin accumulation. There was no mortality in control fish and cyanobacterial biomass-exposed fish. One specimen died in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish and the combined exposure resulted in the death of 13 specimens. The whole leukocyte counts (WBC) of the control group did not show any significant differences. Cyanobacteria alone caused a significant increase of the WBC on day 13 (p≤0.05) and on day 20 (p≤0.01). Also, I. multifiliis caused a significant elevation of WBC (p≤0.01) on day 20. Co-exposition resulted in WBC increased on day 13 and decrease on day 20, but the changes were not significant. It is evident from the differential leukocyte counts that while the increase of WBC in the group exposed to cyanobacteria was caused by elevation of lymphocytes, the increase in the group infected by I. multifiliis was due to the increase of myeloid cells. It well corresponds with the integral of chemiluminescence in the group infected by I. multifiliis, which is significantly elevated on day 20 in comparison with all other groups. We can confirm additive action of different agents on the immune system of fish. While single agents seemed to

  16. Light Regimes Shape Utilization of Extracellular Organic C and N in a Cyanobacterial Biofilm

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stuart, Rhona K.; Mayali, Xavier; Boaro, Amy A.; Zemla, Adam; Everroad, R. Craig; Nilson, Daniel; Weber, Peter K.; Lipton, Mary; Bebout, Brad M.; Pett-Ridge, Jennifer; Thelen, Michael P.

    2016-06-28

    Although it is becoming clear that many microbial primary producers can also play a role as organic consumers, we know very little about the metabolic regulation of photoautotroph organic matter consumption. Cyanobacteria in phototrophic biofilms can reuse extracellular organic carbon, but the metabolic drivers of extracellular processes are surprisingly complex. We investigated the metabolic foundations of organic matter reuse by comparing exoproteome composition and incorporation of13C-labeled and15N-labeled cyanobacterial extracellular organic matter (EOM) in a unicyanobacterial biofilm incubated using different light regimes. In the light and the dark, cyanobacterial direct organic C assimilation accounted for 32% and 43%, respectively, of all organic C assimilation in the community. Under photosynthesis conditions, we measured increased excretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and proteins involved in micronutrient transport, suggesting that requirements for micronutrients may drive EOM assimilation during daylight hours. This interpretation was supported by photosynthesis inhibition experiments, in which cyanobacteria incorporated N-rich EOM-derived material. In contrast, under dark, C-starved conditions, cyanobacteria incorporated C-rich EOM-derived organic matter, decreased excretion of EPS, and showed an increased abundance of degradative exoproteins, demonstrating the use of the extracellular domain for C storage. Sequence-structure modeling of one of these exoproteins predicted a specific hydrolytic activity that was subsequently detected, confirming increased EOM degradation in the dark. Associated heterotrophic bacteria increased in abundance and upregulated transport proteins under dark relative to light conditions. Taken together, our results indicate that biofilm cyanobacteria are successful competitors for organic C and N and that cyanobacterial nutrient and energy requirements control the use of EOM.

  17. Post irradiation examination of tight fit garter springs from PHWR after 15 HOY of operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubey, J.S.; Shriwastaw, R.S.; Kumar, Ashwini; Shah, Priti Kotak; Rath, B.N.; Kumar, Sunil; Mishra, Prerna; Alur, V.D.; Mallik, G.K.; Anantharaman, S.

    2015-01-01

    Tight fit irradiated garter springs made of Zr-2.5Nb-0.5Cu, belonging to Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which had experienced 15 Hot Operation Years (HOY) of operation were subjected to visual, dimensional, metallographic examination and relevant mechanical tests such as stretch, crush and rolling-fatigue tests. The girdle wires, of these garter springs, made of Zr-2 were subjected to tension and bend tests. Methodology of the tests conducted and results of PIE are presented. Significance of the test results are discussed in view of its continued operation in reactor. (author)

  18. Production and Consumption of Hydrogen in Hot Spring Microbial Mats Dominated by a Filamentous Anoxygenic Photosynthetic Bacterium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otaki, Hiroyo; Everroad, R. Craig; Matsuura, Katsumi; Haruta, Shin

    2012-01-01

    Microbial mats containing the filamentous anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium Chloroflexus aggregans develop at Nakabusa hot spring in Japan. Under anaerobic conditions in these mats, interspecies interaction between sulfate-reducing bacteria as sulfide producers and C. aggregans as a sulfide consumer has been proposed to constitute a sulfur cycle; however, the electron donor utilized for microbial sulfide production at Nakabusa remains to be identified. In order to determine this electron donor and its source, ex situ experimental incubation of mats was explored. In the presence of molybdate, which inhibits biological sulfate reduction, hydrogen gas was released from mat samples, indicating that this hydrogen is normally consumed as an electron donor by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Hydrogen production decreased under illumination, indicating that C. aggregans also functions as a hydrogen consumer. Small amounts of hydrogen may have also been consumed for sulfur reduction. Clone library analysis of 16S rRNA genes amplified from the mats indicated the existence of several species of hydrogen-producing fermentative bacteria. Among them, the most dominant fermenter, Fervidobacterium sp., was successfully isolated. This isolate produced hydrogen through the fermentation of organic carbon. Dispersion of microbial cells in the mats resulted in hydrogen production without the addition of molybdate, suggesting that simultaneous production and consumption of hydrogen in the mats requires dense packing of cells. We propose a cyclic electron flow within the microbial mats, i.e., electron flow occurs through three elements: S (elemental sulfur, sulfide, sulfate), C (carbon dioxide, organic carbon) and H (di-hydrogen, protons). PMID:22446313

  19. State of knowledge and concerns on cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins.

    OpenAIRE

    Merel , Sylvain; Walker , David; Chicana , Ruth; Snyder , Shane; Baurès , Estelle; Thomas , Olivier

    2013-01-01

    International audience; Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms considered as important contributors to the formation of Earth's atmosphere and nitrogen fixation. However, they are also frequently associated with toxic blooms. Indeed, the wide range of hepatotoxins, neurotoxins and dermatotoxins synthesized by these bacteria is a growing environmental and public health concern. This paper provides a state of the art on the occurrence and management of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in surf...

  20. The evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots contributes to speciation in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smagulova, Fatima; Brick, Kevin; Pu, Yongmei; Camerini-Otero, R Daniel; Petukhova, Galina V

    2016-02-01

    Meiotic recombination is required for the segregation of homologous chromosomes and is essential for fertility. In most mammals, the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate meiotic recombination are directed to a subset of genomic loci (hot spots) by sequence-specific binding of the PRDM9 protein. Rapid evolution of the DNA-binding specificity of PRDM9 and gradual erosion of PRDM9-binding sites by gene conversion will alter the recombination landscape over time. To better understand the evolutionary turnover of recombination hot spots and its consequences, we mapped DSB hot spots in four major subspecies of Mus musculus with different Prdm9 alleles and in their F1 hybrids. We found that hot spot erosion governs the preferential usage of some Prdm9 alleles over others in hybrid mice and increases sequence diversity specifically at hot spots that become active in the hybrids. As crossovers are disfavored at such hot spots, we propose that sequence divergence generated by hot spot turnover may create an impediment for recombination in hybrids, potentially leading to reduced fertility and, eventually, speciation. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  1. Epilithic Cyanobacterial Communities of a Marine Tropical Beach Rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef): Diversity and Diazotrophy▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díez, Beatriz; Bauer, Karolina; Bergman, Birgitta

    2007-01-01

    The diversity and nitrogenase activity of epilithic marine microbes in a Holocene beach rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia) with a proposed biological calcification “microbialite” origin were examined. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences from the dominant mat (a coherent and layered pink-pigmented community spread over the beach rock) and biofilms (nonstratified, differently pigmented microbial communities of small shallow depressions) were retrieved using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and a clone library was retrieved from the dominant mat. The 16S rRNA gene sequences and morphological analyses revealed heterogeneity in the cyanobacterial distribution patterns. The nonheterocystous filamentous genus Blennothrix sp., phylogenetically related to Lyngbya, dominated the mat together with unidentified nonheterocystous filaments of members of the Pseudanabaenaceae and the unicellular genus Chroococcidiopsis. The dominance and three-dimensional intertwined distribution of these organisms were confirmed by nonintrusive scanning microscopy. In contrast, the less pronounced biofilms were dominated by the heterocystous cyanobacterial genus Calothrix, two unicellular Entophysalis morphotypes, Lyngbya spp., and members of the Pseudanabaenaceae family. Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides and Alphaproteobacteria phylotypes were also retrieved from the beach rock. The microbial diversity of the dominant mat was accompanied by high nocturnal nitrogenase activities (as determined by in situ acetylene reduction assays). A new DGGE nifH gene optimization approach for cyanobacterial nitrogen fixers showed that the sequences retrieved from the dominant mat were related to nonheterocystous uncultured cyanobacterial phylotypes, only distantly related to sequences of nitrogen-fixing cultured cyanobacteria. These data stress the occurrence and importance of nonheterocystous epilithic cyanobacteria, and it is hypothesized that such epilithic cyanobacteria

  2. Lipid production in association of filamentous fungi with genetically modified cyanobacterial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Ana F; Taha, Mohamed; Wrede, Digby; Morrison, Paul; Ball, Andrew S; Stevenson, Trevor; Mouradov, Aidyn

    2015-01-01

    Numerous strategies have evolved recently for the generation of genetically modified or synthetic microalgae and cyanobacteria designed for production of ethanol, biodiesel and other fuels. In spite of their obvious attractiveness there are still a number of challenges that can affect their economic viability: the high costs associated with (1) harvesting, which can account for up to 50 % of the total biofuel's cost, (2) nutrients supply and (3) oil extraction. Fungal-assisted bio-flocculation of microalgae is gaining increasing attention due to its high efficiency, no need for added chemicals and low energy inputs. The implementation of renewable alternative carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sources from agricultural wastes and wastewaters for growing algae and fungi makes this strategy economically attractive. This work demonstrates that the filamentous fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus can efficiently flocculate the unicellular cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 and its genetically modified derivatives that have been altered to enable secretion of free fatty acids into growth media. Secreted free fatty acids are potentially used by fungal cells as a carbon source for growth and ex-novo production of lipids. For most of genetically modified strains the total lipid yields extracted from the fungal-cyanobacterial pellets were found to be higher than additive yields of lipids and total free fatty acids produced by fungal and Synechocystis components when grown in mono-cultures. The synergistic effect observed in fungal-Synechocystis associations was also found in bioremediation rates when animal husbandry wastewater was used an alternative source of nitrogen and phosphorus. Fungal assisted flocculation can complement and assist in large scale biofuel production from wild-type and genetically modified Synechocystis PCC 6803 strains by (1) efficient harvesting of cyanobacterial cells and (2) producing of high yields of lipids accumulated in fungal-cyanobacterial pellets.

  3. Assessment of Chemical and Physico-Chemical Properties of Cyanobacterial Lipids for Biodiesel Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heizir F. De Castro

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Five non-toxin producing cyanobacterial isolates from the genera Synechococcus, Trichormus, Microcystis, Leptolyngbya and Chlorogloea were examined in terms of quantity and quality as lipid feedstock for biofuel production. Under the conditions used in this study, the biomass productivity ranged from 3.7 to 52.7 mg·L−1·day−1 in relation to dry biomass, while the lipid productivity varied between 0.8 and 14.2 mg·L−1·day−1. All cyanobacterial strains evaluated yielded lipids with similar fatty acid composition to those present in the seed oils successfully used for biodiesel synthesis. However, by combining biomass and lipid productivity parameters, the greatest potential was found for Synechococcus sp. PCC7942, M. aeruginosa NPCD-1 and Trichormus sp. CENA77. The chosen lipid samples were further characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, viscosity and thermogravimetry and used as lipid feedstock for biodiesel synthesis by heterogeneous catalysis.

  4. A curated database of cyanobacterial strains relevant for modern taxonomy and phylogenetic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Vitor; Morais, João; Vasconcelos, Vitor M

    2017-04-25

    The dataset herein described lays the groundwork for an online database of relevant cyanobacterial strains, named CyanoType (http://lege.ciimar.up.pt/cyanotype). It is a database that includes categorized cyanobacterial strains useful for taxonomic, phylogenetic or genomic purposes, with associated information obtained by means of a literature-based curation. The dataset lists 371 strains and represents the first version of the database (CyanoType v.1). Information for each strain includes strain synonymy and/or co-identity, strain categorization, habitat, accession numbers for molecular data, taxonomy and nomenclature notes according to three different classification schemes, hierarchical automatic classification, phylogenetic placement according to a selection of relevant studies (including this), and important bibliographic references. The database will be updated periodically, namely by adding new strains meeting the criteria for inclusion and by revising and adding up-to-date metadata for strains already listed. A global 16S rDNA-based phylogeny is provided in order to assist users when choosing the appropriate strains for their studies.

  5. Chemical and isotopic investigation of warm springs associated with normal faults in Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, David R.

    1983-04-01

    Thermal springs associated with normal faults in Utah have been analyzed for major cations and anions, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. Springs with measured temperatures averaging greater than 40°C are characterized by Na + K- and SO 4 + Cl-rich waters containing 10 3 to 10 4 mg/l of dissolved solids. Lower temperature springs, averaging less than 40°C, are more enriched in Ca + Mg relative to Na + K. Chemical variations monitored through time in selected thermal springs are probably produced by mixing with non-thermal waters. During the summer months at times of maximum flow, selected hot springs exhibit their highest temperatures and maximum enrichments in most chemical constituents. Cation ratios and silica concentrations remain relatively constant through time for selected Utah thermal springs assuring the applicability of the geothermometer calculations regardless of the time of year. Geothermometer calculations utilizing either the quartz (no steam loss), chalcedony or Mg-corrected Na/K/Ca methods indicate that most thermal springs in Utah associated with normal faults have subsurface temperatures in the range of 25 to less than 120°C. This temperature range suggests fluid circulation is restricted to depths less than about three kilometers assuming an average thermal gradient of about 40°C/km. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that most thermal springs are oversaturated with respect to calcite, quartz, pyrophyllite, (Fe, Mg)-montmorillonite, microcline and hematite, and undersaturated with respect to anhydrite, gypsum, fluorite and anorthite. Chalcedony and cristobalite appear to be the only phases consistently at or near saturation in most waters. Theoretical evaluation of mixing on mineral saturation trends indicates that anhydrite and calcite become increasingly more undersaturated as cold, dilute groundwater mixes with a hot (150°C), NaCl-rich fluid. The evolution of these thermal waters issuing from faults appears to be one involving the

  6. Cyanobacterial Diversity in Microbial Mats from the Hypersaline Lagoon System of Araruama, Brazil: An In-depth Polyphasic Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitor M. C. Ramos

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Microbial mats are complex, micro-scale ecosystems that can be found in a wide range of environments. In the top layer of photosynthetic mats from hypersaline environments, a large diversity of cyanobacteria typically predominates. With the aim of strengthening the knowledge on the cyanobacterial diversity present in the coastal lagoon system of Araruama (state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we have characterized three mat samples by means of a polyphasic approach. We have used morphological and molecular data obtained by culture-dependent and -independent methods. Moreover, we have compared different classification methodologies and discussed the outcomes, challenges, and pitfalls of these methods. Overall, we show that Araruama's lagoons harbor a high cyanobacterial diversity. Thirty-six unique morphospecies could be differentiated, which increases by more than 15% the number of morphospecies and genera already reported for the entire Araruama system. Morphology-based data were compared with the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny derived from isolate sequences and environmental sequences obtained by PCR-DGGE and pyrosequencing. Most of the 48 phylotypes could be associated with the observed morphospecies at the order level. More than one third of the sequences demonstrated to be closely affiliated (best BLAST hit results of ≥99% with cyanobacteria from ecologically similar habitats. Some sequences had no close relatives in the public databases, including one from an isolate, being placed as “loner” sequences within different orders. This hints at hidden cyanobacterial diversity in the mats of the Araruama system, while reinforcing the relevance of using complementary approaches to study cyanobacterial diversity.

  7. Cyanobacterial Diversity in Microbial Mats from the Hypersaline Lagoon System of Araruama, Brazil: An In-depth Polyphasic Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Vitor M C; Castelo-Branco, Raquel; Leão, Pedro N; Martins, Joana; Carvalhal-Gomes, Sinda; Sobrinho da Silva, Frederico; Mendonça Filho, João G; Vasconcelos, Vitor M

    2017-01-01

    Microbial mats are complex, micro-scale ecosystems that can be found in a wide range of environments. In the top layer of photosynthetic mats from hypersaline environments, a large diversity of cyanobacteria typically predominates. With the aim of strengthening the knowledge on the cyanobacterial diversity present in the coastal lagoon system of Araruama (state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), we have characterized three mat samples by means of a polyphasic approach. We have used morphological and molecular data obtained by culture-dependent and -independent methods. Moreover, we have compared different classification methodologies and discussed the outcomes, challenges, and pitfalls of these methods. Overall, we show that Araruama's lagoons harbor a high cyanobacterial diversity. Thirty-six unique morphospecies could be differentiated, which increases by more than 15% the number of morphospecies and genera already reported for the entire Araruama system. Morphology-based data were compared with the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny derived from isolate sequences and environmental sequences obtained by PCR-DGGE and pyrosequencing. Most of the 48 phylotypes could be associated with the observed morphospecies at the order level. More than one third of the sequences demonstrated to be closely affiliated (best BLAST hit results of ≥99%) with cyanobacteria from ecologically similar habitats. Some sequences had no close relatives in the public databases, including one from an isolate, being placed as "loner" sequences within different orders. This hints at hidden cyanobacterial diversity in the mats of the Araruama system, while reinforcing the relevance of using complementary approaches to study cyanobacterial diversity.

  8. Rapid reactivation of cyanobacterial photosynthesis and migration upon rehydration of desiccated marine microbial mats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chennu, Arjun; Grinham, Alistair; Polerecky, Lubos; de Beer, Dirk; Al-Najjar, Mohammad A.A.

    2015-01-01

    Desiccated cyanobacterial mats are the dominant biological feature in the Earth's arid zones. While the response of desiccated cyanobacteria to rehydration is well-documented for terrestrial systems, information about the response in marine systems is lacking. We used high temporal resolution

  9. Cyanobacterial crusts linked to soil productivity under different grazing management practices in Northern Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alchin, Bruce; Williams, Wendy

    2015-04-01

    In arid and semi-arid Australia, the central role of healthy soil ecosystems in broad-acre grazing lands may be attributed to the widespread presence of cyanobacterial crusts. In terms of soil nutrient cycling and stability their role is particularly crucial in a climate dominated by annual dry seasons and variable wet seasons. In this study, we aimed to measure the contribution of cyanobacteria to soil nutrient cycling under contrasting levels of disturbance associated with grazing management. Field sampling was carried out on six paired sites (twelve properties) located across an east-west 3,000 km transect that covered different rangeland types on grazing properties in northern Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia). At each location paired sites were established and two different management systems were assessed, cell-paddock rotations (25-400 ha) and continuous grazing (200-2,000 ha). Cyanobacterial soil crusts were recorded from all of the twelve sites and cyanobacteria with the capacity to fix nitrogen were found at ten of the twelve sites. The overall diversity of cyanobacteria varied from three to ten species under any type of grazing system. As field work was conducted in the dry season, it is likely that the diversity may be greater in the wet season than the initial data may indicate. The average cyanobacterial soil crust cover across soil surfaces, between grass tussocks, during the dry season was estimated to be 50.9% and, 42.6% in the early wet season. This reflected longer established crust cover (dry season) versus newly established crusts. There was a high level of variability in the biomass of cyanobacteria however; the grazing system did not have any marked effect on the biomass for any one rangeland type. The grazing system differences did not appear to significantly influence the diversity at any location except on a floodplain in the Pilbara (WA). Biological nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria was recorded at all

  10. An application of cellular organic matter to coagulation of cyanobacterial cells (Merismopedia tenuissima)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Barešová, Magdalena; Pivokonský, Martin; Novotná, Kateřina; Načeradská, Jana; Brányik, T.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 122, October (2017), s. 70-77 ISSN 0043-1354 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : algal cellular organic matter * coagulation * cyanobacterial cells * Merismopedia tenuissima * water treatment Subject RIV: DJ - Water Pollution ; Quality OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 6.942, year: 2016

  11. Biodiversity hot spot on a hot spot: novel extremophile diversity in Hawaiian fumaroles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wall, Kate; Cornell, Jennifer; Bizzoco, Richard W; Kelley, Scott T

    2015-01-06

    Fumaroles (steam vents) are the most common, yet least understood, microbial habitat in terrestrial geothermal settings. Long believed too extreme for life, recent advances in sample collection and DNA extraction methods have found that fumarole deposits and subsurface waters harbor a considerable diversity of viable microbes. In this study, we applied culture-independent molecular methods to explore fumarole deposit microbial assemblages in 15 different fumaroles in four geographic locations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Just over half of the vents yielded sufficient high-quality DNA for the construction of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence clone libraries. The bacterial clone libraries contained sequences belonging to 11 recognized bacterial divisions and seven other division-level phylogenetic groups. Archaeal sequences were less numerous, but similarly diverse. The taxonomic composition among fumarole deposits was highly heterogeneous. Phylogenetic analysis found cloned fumarole sequences were related to microbes identified from a broad array of globally distributed ecotypes, including hot springs, terrestrial soils, and industrial waste sites. Our results suggest that fumarole deposits function as an "extremophile collector" and may be a hot spot of novel extremophile biodiversity. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Remarkable morphological diversity of viruses and virus-like particles in hot terrestrial environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachel, R; Bettstetter, M; Hedlund, B P; Häring, M; Kessler, A; Stetter, K O; Prangishvili, D

    2002-12-01

    Electron microscopic studies of the viruses in two hot springs (85 degrees C, pH 1.5-2.0, and 75-93 degrees C, pH 6.5) in Yellowstone National Park revealed particles with twelve different morphotypes. This diversity encompassed known viruses of hyperthermophilic archaea, filamentous Lipothrixviridae, rod-shaped Rudiviridae, and spindle-shaped Fuselloviridae, and novel morphotypes previously not observed in nature. Two virus types resembled head-and-tail bacteriophages from the families Siphoviridae and Podoviridae, and constituted the first observation of these viruses in a hydrothermal environment. Viral hosts in the acidic spring were members of the hyperthermophilic archaeal genus Acidianus.

  13. Efficient assimilation of cyanobacterial nitrogen by water hyacinth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Hongjie; Zhang, Zhiyong; Liu, Minhui; Wang, Yan; Wen, Xuezheng; Yan, Shaohua; Zhang, Yingying; Liu, Haiqin

    2017-10-01

    A 15 N labeling technique was used to study nitrogen transfer from cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to water hyacinth. 15 N atom abundance in M. aeruginosa peaked (15.52%) after cultivation in 15 N-labeled medium for 3weeks. Over 87% of algal nitrogen was transferred into water hyacinth after the 4-week co-cultivation period. The nitrogen quickly super-accumulated in the water hyacinth roots, and the labeled nitrogen was re-distributed to different organs (i.e., roots, stalks, and leaves). This study provides a new strategy for further research on cyanobacterial bloom control, nitrogen migration, and nitrogen cycle in eutrophic waters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Numerical simulation of temperature field, microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of HSS during hot stamping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Dongyong; Liu, Wenquan; Ying, Liang; Hu, Ping; Shen, Guozhe

    2013-01-01

    The hot stamping of boron steels is widely used to produce ultra high strength automobile components without any spring back. The ultra high strength of final products is attributed to the fully martensitic microstructure that is obtained through the simultaneous forming and quenching of the hot blanks after austenization. In the present study, a mathematical model incorporating both heat transfer and the transformation of austenite is presented. A FORTRAN program based on finite element technique has been developed which permits the temperature distribution and microstructure evolution of high strength steel during hot stamping process. Two empirical diffusion-dependent transformation models under isothermal conditions were employed respectively, and the prediction capability on mechanical properties of the models were compared with the hot stamping experiment of an automobile B-pillar part

  15. Critical review of actually available chemical compounds for prevention and management of cyanobacterial blooms

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jančula, Daniel; Maršálek, Blahoslav

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 85, č. 9 (2011), s. 1415-1422 ISSN 0045-6535 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0571 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : algicide * bloom management * cyanobacterial blooms Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.206, year: 2011

  16. Transgenic tobacco plants with improved cyanobacterial Rubisco expression but no extra assembly factors grow at near wild-type rates if provided with elevated CO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Occhialini, Alessandro; Lin, Myat T; Andralojc, P John; Hanson, Maureen R; Parry, Martin A J

    2016-01-01

    Introducing a carbon-concentrating mechanism and a faster Rubisco enzyme from cyanobacteria into higher plant chloroplasts may improve photosynthetic performance by increasing the rate of CO2 fixation while decreasing losses caused by photorespiration. We previously demonstrated that tobacco plants grow photoautotrophically using Rubisco from Synechococcus elongatus, although the plants exhibited considerably slower growth than wild-type and required supplementary CO2 . Because of concerns that vascular plant assembly factors may not be adequate for assembly of a cyanobacterial Rubisco, prior transgenic plants included the cyanobacterial chaperone RbcX or the carboxysomal protein CcmM35. Here we show that neither RbcX nor CcmM35 is needed for assembly of active cyanobacterial Rubisco. Furthermore, by altering the gene regulatory sequences on the Rubisco transgenes, cyanobacterial Rubisco expression was enhanced and the transgenic plants grew at near wild-type growth rates, although still requiring elevated CO2 . We performed detailed kinetic characterization of the enzymes produced with and without the RbcX and CcmM35 cyanobacterial proteins. These transgenic plants exhibit photosynthetic characteristics that confirm the predicted benefits of introduction of non-native forms of Rubisco with higher carboxylation rate constants in vascular plants and the potential nitrogen-use efficiency that may be achieved provided that adequate CO2 is available near the enzyme. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Phosphonate degradation by Spirulina strains: cyanobacterial biofilters for the removal of anticorrosive polyphosphonates from wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forlani, Giuseppe; Prearo, Valentina; Wieczorek, Dorota; Kafarski, Paweł; Lipok, Jacek

    2011-03-07

    The ability of Spirulina spp. to metabolize the recalcitrant xenobiotic Dequest 2054(®) [hexamethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(methylphosphonic acid)], a CaSO(4) inhibitor used for boiler treatment and reverse osmosis desalination, was investigated. The compound served as sole source of phosphorus, but not of nitrogen, for cyanobacterial growth. In vivo utilization was followed by (31)P NMR analysis. The disappearance of the polyphosphonate proceeded only with actively dividing cells, and no release of inorganic phosphate was evident. However, no difference was found between P-starved and P-fed cultures. Maximal utilization reached 1.0 ± 0.2 mmoll(-1), corresponding to 0.56 ± 0.11 mmol g(-1) dry biomass, thus residual amounts were still present in the exhausted medium when the compound was supplied at higher initial concentrations. At low substrate levels metabolism rates were lower, suggesting that a concentration-driven uptake may represent a limiting step during the biodegradation process. The compound was not retained by biocolumns made with immobilized cyanobacterial cells, either alive or dead. A lab-scale pilot plant, consisting of a series of sequentially connected vessels containing an actively proliferating algal culture, was built and tested for wastewater treatment. Results showed 50% removal of the polyphosphonate added to an initial concentration of 2.5mM. Although further optimization will be required, data strengthen the possibility of using cyanobacterial strains for bioremediation purposes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Inhibition of gap-junctional intercellular communication and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by cyanobacterial extracts--indications of novel tumor-promoting cyanotoxins?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bláha, Ludĕk; Babica, Pavel; Hilscherová, Klára; Upham, Brad L

    2010-01-01

    Toxicity and liver tumor promotion of cyanotoxins microcystins have been extensively studied. However, recent studies document that other metabolites present in the complex cyanobacterial water blooms may also have adverse health effects. In this study we used rat liver epithelial stem-like cells (WB-F344) to examine the effects of cyanobacterial extracts on two established markers of tumor promotion, inhibition of gap-junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) - ERK1/2. Extracts of cyanobacteria (laboratory cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and water blooms dominated by these species) inhibited GJIC and activated MAPKs in a dose-dependent manner (effective concentrations ranging 0.5-5mgd.w./mL). Effects were independent of the microcystin content and the strongest responses were elicited by the extracts of Aphanizomenon sp. Neither pure microcystin-LR nor cylindrospermopsin inhibited GJIC or activated MAPKs. Modulations of GJIC and MAPKs appeared to be specific to cyanobacterial extracts since extracts from green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, heterotrophic bacterium Klebsiella terrigena, and isolated bacterial lipopolysaccharides had no comparable effects. Our study provides the first evidence on the existence of unknown cyanobacterial toxic metabolites that affect in vitro biomarkers of tumor promotion, i.e. inhibition of GJIC and activation of MAPKs.

  19. Growth kinetic and fuel quality parameters as selective criterion for screening biodiesel producing cyanobacterial strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gayathri, Manickam; Shunmugam, Sumathy; Mugasundari, Arumugam Vanmathi; Rahman, Pattanathu K S M; Muralitharan, Gangatharan

    2018-01-01

    The efficiency of cyanobacterial strains as biodiesel feedstock varies with the dwelling habitat. Fourteen indigenous heterocystous cyanobacterial strains from rice field ecosystem were screened based on growth kinetic and fuel parameters. The highest biomass productivity was obtained in Nostoc punctiforme MBDU 621 (19.22mg/L/day) followed by Calothrix sp. MBDU 701 (13.43mg/L/day). While lipid productivity and lipid content was highest in Nostoc spongiaeforme MBDU 704 (4.45mg/L/day and 22.5%dwt) followed by Calothrix sp. MBDU 701 (1.54mg/L/day and 10.75%dwt). Among the tested strains, Nostoc spongiaeforme MBDU 704 and Nostoc punctiforme MBDU 621 were selected as promising strains for good quality biodiesel production by Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) and Graphical Analysis for Interactive Assistance (GAIA) analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. A coagulation-powdered activated carbon-ultrafiltration - Multiple barrier approach for removing toxins from two Australian cyanobacterial blooms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dixon, Mike B.; Richard, Yann; Ho, Lionel; Chow, Christopher W.K.; O'Neill, Brian K.; Newcombe, Gayle

    2011-01-01

    Cyanobacteria are a major problem for the world wide water industry as they can produce metabolites toxic to humans in addition to taste and odour compounds that make drinking water aesthetically displeasing. Removal of cyanobacterial toxins from drinking water is important to avoid serious illness in consumers. This objective can be confidently achieved through the application of the multiple barrier approach to drinking water quality and safety. In this study the use of a multiple barrier approach incorporating coagulation, powdered activated carbon (PAC) and ultrafiltration (UF) was investigated for the removal of intracellular and extracellular cyanobacterial toxins from two naturally occurring blooms in South Australia. Also investigated was the impact of these treatments on the UF flux. In this multibarrier approach, coagulation was used to remove the cells and thus the intracellular toxin while PAC was used for extracellular toxin adsorption and finally the UF was used for floc, PAC and cell removal. Cyanobacterial cells were completely removed using the UF membrane alone and when used in conjunction with coagulation. Extracellular toxins were removed to varying degrees by PAC addition. UF flux deteriorated dramatically during a trial with a very high cell concentration; however, the flux was improved by coagulation and PAC addition.

  1. Linear magnetic spring and spring/motor combination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patt, Paul J. (Inventor); Stolfi, Fred R. (Inventor)

    1991-01-01

    A magnetic spring, or a spring and motor combination, providing a linear spring force characteristic in each direction from a neutral position, in which the spring action may occur for any desired coordinate of a typical orthogonal coordinate system. A set of magnets are disposed, preferably symmetrically about a coordinate axis, poled orthogonally to the desired force direction. A second set of magnets, respectively poled opposite the first set, are arranged on the sprung article. The magnets of one of the sets are spaced a greater distance apart than those of the other, such that an end magnet from each set forms a pair having preferably planar faces parallel to the direction of spring force, the faces being offset so that in a neutral position the outer edge of the closer spaced magnet set is aligned with the inner edge of the greater spaced magnet set. For use as a motor, a coil can be arranged with conductors orthogonal to both the magnet pole directions and the direction of desired spring force, located across from the magnets of one set and fixed with respect to the magnets of the other set. In a cylindrical coordinate system having axial spring force, the magnets are radially poled and motor coils are concentric with the cylinder axis.

  2. Diversification of DnaA dependency for DNA replication in cyanobacterial evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohbayashi, Ryudo; Watanabe, Satoru; Ehira, Shigeki; Kanesaki, Yu; Chibazakura, Taku; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi

    2016-05-01

    Regulating DNA replication is essential for all living cells. The DNA replication initiation factor DnaA is highly conserved in prokaryotes and is required for accurate initiation of chromosomal replication at oriC. DnaA-independent free-living bacteria have not been identified. The dnaA gene is absent in plastids and some symbiotic bacteria, although it is not known when or how DnaA-independent mechanisms were acquired. Here, we show that the degree of dependency of DNA replication on DnaA varies among cyanobacterial species. Deletion of the dnaA gene in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 shifted DNA replication from oriC to a different site as a result of the integration of an episomal plasmid. Moreover, viability during the stationary phase was higher in dnaA disruptants than in wild-type cells. Deletion of dnaA did not affect DNA replication or cell growth in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 or Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, indicating that functional dependency on DnaA was already lost in some nonsymbiotic cyanobacterial lineages during diversification. Therefore, we proposed that cyanobacteria acquired DnaA-independent replication mechanisms before symbiosis and such an ancestral cyanobacterium was the sole primary endosymbiont to form a plastid precursor.

  3. Association of a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototrophic bacterium inside bundles of Microcoleus chthonoplastes in hypersaline cyanobacterial mats

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Amelio, E. D.; Cohen, Y.; Des Marais, D. J.

    1987-01-01

    An unidentified filamentous purple bacterium, probably belonging to a new genus or even a new family, is found in close association with the filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes in a hypersaline pond at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and in Solar Lake, Sinai, Egypt. This organism is a gliding, segmented trichome, 0.8-0.9 micrometer wide. It contains intracytoplasmic stacked lamellae which are perpendicular and obliquely oriented to the cell wall, similar to those described for the purple sulfur bacteria Ectothiorhodospira. These bacteria are found inside the cyanobacterial bundle, enclosed by the cyanobacterial sheath. Detailed transmission electron microscopical analyses carried out in horizontal sections of the upper 1.5 mm of the cyanobacterial mat show this cyanobacterial-purple bacterial association at depths of 300-1200 micrometers, corresponding to the zone below that of maximal oxygenic photosynthesis. Sharp gradients of oxygen and sulfide are established during the day at this microzone in the two cyanobacterial mats studied. The close association, the distribution pattern of this association and preliminary physiological experiments suggest a co-metabolism of sulfur by the two-membered community. This probable new genus of purple bacteria may also grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by the cyanobacterium. Since the chemical gradients in the entire photic zone fluctuate widely in a diurnal cycle, both types of metabolism probably take place. During the morning and afternoon, sulfide migrates up to the photic zone allowing photoautotrophic metabolism with sulfide as the electron donor. During the day the photic zone is highly oxygenated and the purple bacteria may either use oxidized species of sulfur such as elemental sulfur and thiosulfate in the photoautotrophic mode or grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by M. chthonoplastes. The new type of filamentous purple sulfur

  4. Computational identification of binding energy hot spots in protein-RNA complexes using an ensemble approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yuliang; Wang, Zixiang; Zhan, Weihua; Deng, Lei

    2018-05-01

    Identifying RNA-binding residues, especially energetically favored hot spots, can provide valuable clues for understanding the mechanisms and functional importance of protein-RNA interactions. Yet, limited availability of experimentally recognized energy hot spots in protein-RNA crystal structures leads to the difficulties in developing empirical identification approaches. Computational prediction of RNA-binding hot spot residues is still in its infant stage. Here, we describe a computational method, PrabHot (Prediction of protein-RNA binding hot spots), that can effectively detect hot spot residues on protein-RNA binding interfaces using an ensemble of conceptually different machine learning classifiers. Residue interaction network features and new solvent exposure characteristics are combined together and selected for classification with the Boruta algorithm. In particular, two new reference datasets (benchmark and independent) have been generated containing 107 hot spots from 47 known protein-RNA complex structures. In 10-fold cross-validation on the training dataset, PrabHot achieves promising performances with an AUC score of 0.86 and a sensitivity of 0.78, which are significantly better than that of the pioneer RNA-binding hot spot prediction method HotSPRing. We also demonstrate the capability of our proposed method on the independent test dataset and gain a competitive advantage as a result. The PrabHot webserver is freely available at http://denglab.org/PrabHot/. leideng@csu.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  5. Complete genome sequence of Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius C56-YS93, a novel biomass degrader isolated from obsidian hot spring in Yellowstone National Park.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumm, Phillip J; Land, Miriam L; Mead, David A

    2015-01-01

    Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius C56-YS93 was one of several thermophilic organisms isolated from Obsidian Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Montana, USA under permit from the National Park Service. Comparison of 16 S rRNA sequences confirmed the classification of the strain as a G. thermoglucosidasius species. The genome was sequenced, assembled, and annotated by the DOE Joint Genome Institute and deposited at the NCBI in December 2011 (CP002835). The genome of G. thermoglucosidasius C56-YS93 consists of one circular chromosome of 3,893,306 bp and two circular plasmids of 80,849 and 19,638 bp and an average G + C content of 43.93 %. G. thermoglucosidasius C56-YS93 possesses a xylan degradation cluster not found in the other G. thermoglucosidasius sequenced strains. This cluster appears to be related to the xylan degradation cluster found in G. stearothermophilus. G. thermoglucosidasius C56-YS93 possesses two plasmids not found in the other two strains. One plasmid contains a novel gene cluster coding for proteins involved in proline degradation and metabolism, the other contains a collection of mostly hypothetical proteins.

  6. Fontibacter flavus gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family 'Cyclobacteriaceae', isolated from a hot spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kämpfer, Peter; Young, Chiu-Chung; Chen, Wen-Ming; Rekha, P D; Fallschissel, Kerstin; Lodders, Nicole; Chou, Jui-Hsing; Shen, Fo-Ting; Frischmann, Alexa; Busse, Hans-Jürgen; Arun, A B

    2010-09-01

    The taxonomic position of a bright orange-pigmented bacterial strain, designated CC-GZM-130(T), isolated from a water sample of the Guan-zing-ling hot spring, southern Taiwan, was studied. The strain was able to grow on nutrient agar at 25-40 degrees C and in the presence of 1-3 % (w/v) NaCl. Comparative analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the isolate was grouped in the vicinity of the genus Aquiflexum with the highest sequence similarity of 92.1 % to the type strain of Aquiflexum balticum, followed by sequence similarities of 92.0, 91.6 and 91.5 % to the type strains of Algoriphagus ornithinivorans, Algoriphagus hitonicola and Belliella baltica, respectively. The polyamine pattern showed that the major compound was sym-homospermidine. The quinone system was menaquinone MK-7. The polar lipid profile was composed predominantly of phosphatidylethanolamine, three polar lipids and one aminolipid. Minor amounts of other lipids were also detectable. The main characteristics of the fatty acid profiles of strain CC-GZM-130(T), B. baltica and Aquiflexum balticum were similar, with iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(17 : 1)ω 9c and iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH as the major fatty acids, but some qualitative and quantitative differences were observed. The DNA G+C content of the novel strain was 53.2 mol%. The isolate clearly differed genotypically and phenotypically from representatives of the most closely related genera. On the basis of these differences, a novel species in a new genus, Fontibacter flavus gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed with CC-GZM-130(T) (=CCUG 57694(T)=CCM 7650(T)) as the type strain of the type species.

  7. Controlling internal phosphorus loading in lakes by physical methods to reduce cyanobacterial blooms: a review

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bormans, M.; Maršálek, Blahoslav; Jančula, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 50, č. 3 (2016), s. 407-422 ISSN 1386-2588 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : internal P loading * cyanobacterial control * physical in-lake restoration methods * adverse impacts on biota Subject RIV: DJ - Water Pollution ; Quality Impact factor: 1.500, year: 2016

  8. Satellite monitoring of cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom frequency in recreational waters and drinking water sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) cause extensive problems in lakes worldwide, including human and ecological health risks, anoxia and fish kills, and taste and odor problems. CyanoHABs are a particular concern because of their dense biomass and the risk of expos...

  9. The Holocene sedimentary record of cyanobacterial glycolipids in the Baltic Sea: an evaluation of their application as tracers of past nitrogen fixation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Sollai

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Heterocyst glycolipids (HGs are lipids exclusively produced by heterocystous dinitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. The Baltic Sea is an ideal environment to study the distribution of HGs and test their potential as biomarkers because of its recurring summer phytoplankton blooms, dominated by a few heterocystous cyanobacterial species of the genera Nodularia and Aphanizomenon. A multi-core and a gravity core from the Gotland Basin were analyzed to determine the abundance and distribution of a suite of selected HGs at a high resolution to investigate the changes in past cyanobacterial communities during the Holocene. The HG distribution of the sediments deposited during the Modern Warm Period (MoWP was compared with those of cultivated heterocystous cyanobacteria, including those isolated from Baltic Sea waters, revealing high similarity. However, the abundance of HGs dropped substantially with depth, and this may be caused by either a decrease in the occurrence of the cyanobacterial blooms or diagenesis, resulting in partial destruction of the HGs. The record also shows that the HG distribution has remained stable since the Baltic turned into a brackish semi-enclosed basin ∼ 7200 cal. yr BP. This suggests that the heterocystous cyanobacterial species composition remained relatively stable as well. During the earlier freshwater phase of the Baltic (i.e., the Ancylus Lake and Yoldia Sea phases, the distribution of the HGs varied much more than in the subsequent brackish phase, and the absolute abundance of HGs was much lower than during the brackish phase. This suggests that the cyanobacterial community adjusted to the different environmental conditions in the basin. Our results confirm the potential of HGs as a specific biomarker of heterocystous cyanobacteria in paleo-environmental studies.

  10. Effect of segregations on mechanical properties and crack propagation in spring steel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Žužek

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Considerable efforts have been made over the last decades to improve performance of spring steels, which would increase the service time of springs and also allow vehicles weight reduction. There are different possibilities of improving properties of spring steels, from modifying the chemical composition of steels to optimizing the deformation process and changing the heat treatment parameters. Another way of improving steel properties is through refining the microstructure and reducing amount of inclusions. Therefore, the focus of the current investigation was to determine the effect of more uniform and cleaner microstructure obtained through electro-slag remelting (ESR of steel on the mechanical and dynamic properties of spring steel, with special focus on the resistance to fatigue crack propagation. Effect of the microstructure refinement was evaluated in terms of tensile strength, elongation, fracture and impact toughness, and fatigue resistance under bending and tensile loading. After the mechanical tests the fracture surfaces of samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM and the influence of microstructure properties on the crack propagation and crack propagation resistance was studied. Investigation was performed on hot rolled, soft annealed and vacuum heat treated 51CrV4 spring steel produced by conventional continuous casting and compared with steel additional refined through ESR. Results shows that elimination of segregations and microstructure refinement using additional ESR process gives some improvement in terms of better repeatability and reduced scattering, but on the other hand it has negative effect on crack propagation resistance and fatigue properties of the spring steel.

  11. Impacts of microcystin, a cyanobacterial toxin, on laboratory rodents in vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Ziková

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Cyanobacterial water blooms became a global problem/issue because beside a dramatic deterioration of water quality parameters they also produce cyanobacterial toxins being harmful for animals and humans. Cyanotoxins especially the most prominent one, microcystin-LR (MC-LR, are of major concern and they have been reported to cause even death of mammals following ingestion or ingurgitation due to hepatotoxic modes of action. The aim of the recent study is to summarize briefly the impacts of microcystin on laboratory rodents, mice and rats, being used as models for other mammals including human beings. Most experimental approaches used intraperitoneal rather than oral and intratracheal application of microcystins, especially MC-LR, being the most efficient way to induce adverse impacts on different target organs. However, no matter how the exposure of rodents was performed, microcystins induced severe harmful impacts on the different target organs, preferentially the liver, for instances hemorrhages and apoptosis in liver, liver tumours, adverse effects on gut, kidney, testis and epididymis including spermatogenesis, on lung, on serum parameters and on progeny. In addition to these histological findings, microcystin was found to affect specifically biochemical parameters of target organs such as enzymes e.g. GST, CAT, GR, GPX, SOD, AST, ALT, γ-GT, protein phosphatases, SDH, SoDH and LDH or stress proteins such as HSP-70 and further parameters such as hepatic sulfhydryl content, GSH depletion, total bilirubin, urea nitrogen, and creatinine. Gene array analyses revealed that microcystin affects genes related to actin organization, cell cycle, apoptosis, cellular redox potential, cell signalling, albumin metabolism, glucose homeostasis pathway and organic anion transport polypeptide system. In combination with a further proteomics approach the proteomic analyses indicate that liver apoptosis induced by microcystin can be induced by two pathways: the

  12. Identification and characterization of an anaerobic ethanol-producing cellulolytic bacterial consortium from Great Basin hot springs with agricultural residues and energy crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Chao; Deng, Yunjin; Wang, Xingna; Li, Qiuzhe; Huang, Yifan; Liu, Bin

    2014-09-01

    In order to obtain the cellulolytic bacterial consortia, sediments from Great Basin hot springs (Nevada, USA) were sampled and enriched with cellulosic biomass as the sole carbon source. The bacterial composition of the resulting anaerobic ethanol-producing celluloytic bacterial consortium, named SV79, was analyzed. With methods of the full-length 16S rRNA librarybased analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 21 bacteria belonging to eight genera were detected from this consortium. Clones with closest relation to the genera Acetivibrio, Clostridium, Cellulosilyticum, Ruminococcus, and Sporomusa were predominant. The cellulase activities and ethanol productions of consortium SV79 using different agricultural residues (sugarcane bagasse and spent mushroom substrate) and energy crops (Spartina anglica, Miscanthus floridulus, and Pennisetum sinese Roxb) were studied. During cultivation, consortium SV79 produced the maximum filter paper activity (FPase, 9.41 U/ml), carboxymethylcellulase activity (CMCase, 6.35 U/ml), and xylanase activity (4.28 U/ml) with sugarcane bagasse, spent mushroom substrate, and S. anglica, respectively. The ethanol production using M. floridulus as substrate was up to 2.63 mM ethanol/g using gas chromatography analysis. It has high potential to be a new candidate for producing ethanol with cellulosic biomass under anoxic conditions in natural environments.

  13. A census of nuclear cyanobacterial recruits in the plant kingdom.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szabolcs Makai

    Full Text Available The plastids and mitochondria of the eukaryotic cell are of endosymbiotic origin. These events occurred ~2 billion years ago and produced significant changes in the genomes of the host and the endosymbiont. Previous studies demonstrated that the invasion of land affected plastids and mitochondria differently and that the paths of mitochondrial integration differed between animals and plants. Other studies examined the reasons why a set of proteins remained encoded in the organelles and were not transferred to the nuclear genome. However, our understanding of the functional relations of the transferred genes is insufficient. In this paper, we report a high-throughput phylogenetic analysis to identify genes of cyanobacterial origin for plants of different levels of complexity: Arabidopsis thaliana, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Physcomitrella patens, Populus trichocarpa, Selaginella moellendorffii, Sorghum bicolor, Oryza sativa, and Ostreococcus tauri. Thus, a census of cyanobacterial gene recruits and a study of their function are presented to better understand the functional aspects of plastid symbiogenesis. From algae to angiosperms, the GO terms demonstrated a gradual expansion over functionally related genes in the nuclear genome, beginning with genes related to thylakoids and photosynthesis, followed by genes involved in metabolism, and finally with regulation-related genes, primarily in angiosperms. The results demonstrate that DNA is supplied to the nuclear genome on a permanent basis with no regard to function, and only what is needed is kept, which thereby expands on the GO space along the related genes.

  14. Experimental additions of aluminum sulfate and ammonium nitrate to in situ mesocosms to reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Ted D.; Wilhelm, Frank M.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Loftin, Keith A.

    2014-01-01

    Recent studies suggest that nitrogen additions to increase the total nitrogen:total phosphorus (TN:TP) ratio may reduce cyanobacterial biovolume and microcystin concentration in reservoirs. In systems where TP is >100 μg/L, however, nitrogen additions to increase the TN:TP ratio could cause ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite toxicity to terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Reducing phosphorus via aluminum sulfate (alum) may be needed prior to nitrogen additions aimed at increasing the TN:TP ratio. We experimentally tested this sequential management approach in large in situ mesocosms (70.7 m3) to examine effects on cyanobacteria and microcystin concentration. Because alum removes nutrients and most seston from the water column, alum treatment reduced both TN and TP, leaving post-treatment TN:TP ratios similar to pre-treatment ratios. Cyanobacterial biovolume was reduced after alum addition, but the percent composition (i.e., relative) cyanobacterial abundance remained unchanged. A single ammonium nitrate (nitrogen) addition increased the TN:TP ratio 7-fold. After the TN:TP ratio was >50 (by weight), cyanobacterial biovolume and abundance were reduced, and chrysophyte and cryptophyte biovolume and abundance increased compared to the alum treatment. Microcystin was not detectable until the TN:TP ratio was <50. Although both treatments reduced cyanobacteria, only the nitrogen treatment seemed to stimulate energy flow from primary producers to zooplankton, which suggests that combining alum and nitrogen treatments may be a viable in-lake management strategy to reduce cyanobacteria and possibly microcystin concentrations in high-phosphorus systems. Additional studies are needed to define best management practices before combined alum and nitrogen additions are implemented as a reservoir management strategy.

  15. High dietary quality of non-toxic cyanobacteria for a benthic grazer and its implications for the control of cyanobacterial biofilms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groendahl, Sophie; Fink, Patrick

    2017-05-18

    Mass occurrences of cyanobacteria frequently cause detrimental effects to the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, attempts haven been made to control cyanobacterial blooms through naturally co-occurring herbivores. Control of cyanobacteria through herbivores often appears to be constrained by their low dietary quality, rather than by the possession of toxins, as also non-toxic cyanobacteria are hardly consumed by many herbivores. It was thus hypothesized that the consumption of non-toxic cyanobacteria may be improved when complemented with other high quality prey. We conducted a laboratory experiment in which we fed the herbivorous freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis single non-toxic cyanobacterial and unialgal diets or a mixed diet to test if diet-mixing may enable these herbivores to control non-toxic cyanobacterial mass abundances. The treatments where L. stagnalis were fed non-toxic cyanobacteria and a mixed diet provided a significantly higher shell and soft-body growth rate than the average of all single algal, but not the non-toxic cyanobacterial diets. However, the increase in growth provided by the non-toxic cyanobacteria diets could not be related to typical determinants of dietary quality such as toxicity, nutrient stoichiometry or essential fatty acid content. These results strongly contradict previous research which describes non-toxic cyanobacteria as a low quality food resource for freshwater herbivores in general. Our findings thus have strong implications to gastropod-cyanobacteria relationships and suggest that freshwater gastropods may be able to control mass occurrences of benthic non-toxic cyanobacteria, frequently observed in eutrophied water bodies worldwide.

  16. Modification of cyanobacterial bloom-derived biomass using potassium permanganate enhanced the removal of microcystins and adsorption capacity toward cadmium (II)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shao, Jihai; Gu, Ji-Dong; Peng, Liang; Luo, Si; Luo, Huili; Yan, Zhiyong; Wu, Genyi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Potassium permanganate removed microcystins in the cyanobacterial bloom-derived biomass (CBDB). • Potassium permanganate oxidation caused the transformation of hydroxyl to carboxyl on the CBDB. • Manganese dioxide was formed on the surface of CBDB. • Potassium permanganate oxidation process increased the adsorption capacity of CBDB toward Cd(II). - Abstract: Cyanobacterial biomass shows high adsorption capacity toward heavy metal ions. However, the cyanotoxins in the cyanobacterial biomass inhibit its application in heavy metals removal. In order to safely and effectively remove Cd(II) from water using cyanobacterial bloom-derived biomass (CBDB), KMnO 4 was used to modify CBDB. The results indicated that the microcystins in the CBDB were successfully removed by KMnO 4 . Potassium permanganate oxidation caused the transformation of hydroxyl to carboxyl on the CBDB, and formed manganese dioxide on the surface of CBDB. The oxidized CBDB showed higher adsorption capacity toward Cd(II) than that of unoxidized treatment. The optimal KMnO 4 concentration for increasing the adsorption capacity of CBDB toward Cd(II) was 0.2 g/L. The adsorption isotherm of Cd(II) by oxidized- or unoxidized-CBDB was well fitted by Langmuir model, indicating that the adsorption of Cd(II) by CBDB was monolayer adsorption. The desorption ratio of Cd(II) from oxidized CBDB was higher than that from unoxidized CBDB in the desorption process using NH 4 NO 3 and EDTA as desorbent. The results presented in this study suggest that KMnO 4 modified CBDB may be used as a safe and high efficient adsorbent in Cd(II) removal from water

  17. Groundwater flow cycling between a submarine spring and an inland fresh water spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, J Hal; Verdi, Richard

    2014-01-01

    Spring Creek Springs and Wakulla Springs are large first magnitude springs that derive water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer. The submarine Spring Creek Springs are located in a marine estuary and Wakulla Springs are located 18 km inland. Wakulla Springs has had a consistent increase in flow from the 1930s to the present. This increase is probably due to the rising sea level, which puts additional pressure head on the submarine Spring Creek Springs, reducing its fresh water flow and increasing flows in Wakulla Springs. To improve understanding of the complex relations between these springs, flow and salinity data were collected from June 25, 2007 to June 30, 2010. The flow in Spring Creek Springs was most sensitive to rainfall and salt water intrusion, and the flow in Wakulla Springs was most sensitive to rainfall and the flow in Spring Creek Springs. Flows from the springs were found to be connected, and composed of three repeating phases in a karst spring flow cycle: Phase 1 occurred during low rainfall periods and was characterized by salt water backflow into the Spring Creek Springs caves. The higher density salt water blocked fresh water flow and resulted in a higher equivalent fresh water head in Spring Creek Springs than in Wakulla Springs. The blocked fresh water was diverted to Wakulla Springs, approximately doubling its flow. Phase 2 occurred when heavy rainfall resulted in temporarily high creek flows to nearby sinkholes that purged the salt water from the Spring Creek Springs caves. Phase 3 occurred after streams returned to base flow. The Spring Creek Springs caves retained a lower equivalent fresh water head than Wakulla Springs, causing them to flow large amounts of fresh water while Wakulla Springs flow was reduced by about half. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  18. Intertidal geothermal hot springs as a source of trace elements to the coastal zone: A case study from Bahía Concepción, Gulf of California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leal-Acosta, María Luisa; Shumilin, Evgueni; Mirlean, Nicolai; Baturina, Elena Lounejeva; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Ignacio; Delgadillo-Hinojosa, Francisco; Borges-Souza, José

    2018-03-01

    We investigated the influence of the intertidal geothermal hot spring (GHS) on the biogeochemistry of trace elements in Santispac Bight, Bahía Concepción (Gulf of California). The geothermal fluids were enriched in As and Hg mainly in ionic form. The suspended particulate matter of the GHS had elevated enrichment factor (EF) >1 of As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, U and Zn. The sediment core from GHS1 had high concentration of As, Hg, C org , S, V, Mo, and U and the extremely high EF of these elements at 8cm of the core. The maximum bioaccumulation of As and Hg was in seaweeds Sargassum sinicola collected near the GHS2. The results confirm the input of trace elements to the coastal zone in Bahía Concepción from geothermal fluids and the evident modification of the chemical composition of the adjacent marine environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Spring Tire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asnani, Vivake M.; Benzing, Jim; Kish, Jim C.

    2011-01-01

    The spring tire is made from helical springs, requires no air or rubber, and consumes nearly zero energy. The tire design provides greater traction in sandy and/or rocky soil, can operate in microgravity and under harsh conditions (vastly varying temperatures), and is non-pneumatic. Like any tire, the spring tire is approximately a toroidal-shaped object intended to be mounted on a transportation wheel. Its basic function is also similar to a traditional tire, in that the spring tire contours to the surface on which it is driven to facilitate traction, and to reduce the transmission of vibration to the vehicle. The essential difference between other tires and the spring tire is the use of helical springs to support and/or distribute load. They are coiled wires that deform elastically under load with little energy loss.

  20. Assessment of the mutagenic potential of cyanobacterial extracts and pure cyanotoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sieroslawska, Anna

    2013-11-01

    The aim of the study was to assess the mutagenic potential of extracts obtained from the cyanobacterial bloom-forming cells harvested from the water body located in Lubelszczyzna region of southeastern Poland. Three cyanotoxins, microcystin-LR, cylindrospermopsin and anatoxin-a were detected in some of the studied samples in different concentrations. All extracts were assessed for their potential mutagenic effects with the use of a short-term bacterial assay, the Ames test. Mutagenic activity was observed in four of all ten studied extracts, mainly toward the Salmonella typhimurium TA100 strain. On the contrary, the cyanotoxins in purified forms occurred not to be mutagenic or cytotoxic towards S. typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA and WP2 [pKM101] up to a concentration of 10 μg/ml. Similarly, there were no effects after bacteria exposure to the mixture of purified toxins. It has been also detected that after fractionation, genotoxic impact of previously mutagenic extracts was weaker and the highest potency in revertant induction possessed fractions containing very hydrophilic compounds. The results indicate, that while tested cyanotoxins were not directly responsible for the observed mutagenicity of the extracts analysed, some synergistic interactions with other unidentified cyanobacterial-derived factors involved in the process are possible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.