Analysis of the microbial diversity and genes associated with the degradation of aromatic compounds in Brazilian podzols

• Grant number: 13/09452-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Marcio Rodrigues Lambais
• Grantee: Elisa Rabelo Matos
• Supervisor: Jorge Luiz Mazza Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/23448-1 - Microorganisms and microbial processes related to Spodosols formation, BP.DR

Abstract

Podzols are high occurrence soils in coastal plain of São Paulo State. There are few information related to podzols genesis in tropical regions, however, it is possible that specific microorganisms are involved in the selective degradation of MO during the genesis of Podzols. Although the importance of soil organisms is widely recognized, studies about their functional roles in the formation of these soils are still insufficient. The aims of this work are to elucidate the dynamics of transformation of humic substances (HS) in Podzols on the south side of Ilha Comprida, determine the microbial diversity in different horizons, relate specific microorganisms with geochemical processes involved in the genesis of this soils under different drainage regimes and establishing a relationship between microbial communities and their activities involved in the degradation of humic substances in microenvironments of podzols profiles. Information about microbial diversity in different horizons will be revealed by pyrosequencing- based analysis of 16S rDNA for bacterial community and ITS region for fungi community and to establish relationships between microbial communities and microbial activities involved in the degradation of humic substances, abundance and diversity of five genes encoding catabolic ezymes as alkane monooxygenases, bacterial aromatic dioxygenases and fungal laccases will be determined by qPCR and pyrosequencing. Studies aimed at a better understanding of microbial diversity in different horizons, the association of specific microorganisms in geochemical processes involved in these soils genesis under different drainage regime and the establishment of relationships between microbial communities and microbial activities involved in degradation of humic substances in podzols microenvironments are fundamental to the knowledge and conservation of Podzols. (AU)