Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Enhances Phenanthrene Degradation by Autochthonous Prokaryotic Communities from a Pristine Seawater

Author(s)

Rodrigues, Edmo Montes ^[1] ; Morais, Daniel Kumazawa ^[2] ; Pylro, Victor Satler ^[3] ; Redmile-Gordon, Marc ^[4] ; de Oliveira, Juraci Alves ^[5] ; Wurdig Roesch, Luiz Fernando ^[6] ; Cesar, Dioneia Evangelista ^[7] ; Totola, Marcos Rogerio ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Microbiol, Lab Biotecnol & Biodiversidade Meio Ambiente, Vicosa, MG - Brazil

^[2] Czech Inst Sci CAS, Inst Microbiol, Lab Environm Microbiol, Prague - Czech Republic

^[3] Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Soil Sci, Soil Microbiol Lab, ESALQ USP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Rothamsted Res, Dept Sustainable Soils & Grassland Syst, Harpenden, Herts - England

^[5] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Biol, Lab Biofis Ambiental, Vicosa, MG - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Pampa, Ctr Pesquisa Interdisciplinar Biotecnol, CIP Biotec, Sao Gabriel, RS - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Juiz de Fora, Dept Biol, Lab Ecol & Biol Mol Microrganismos, Juiz De Fora, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; v. 75, n. 3, p. 688-700, APR 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

The microbial diversity and functioning around oceanic islands is poorly described, despite its importance for ecosystem homeostasis. Here, we aimed to verify the occurrence of microbe-driven phenanthrene co-oxidation in the seawater surrounding the Trindade Island (Brazil). We also used Next-Generation Sequencing to evaluate the effects of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on these microbial community assemblies. Microcosms containing seawater from the island enriched with either labelled (9-C-14) or non-labelled phenanthrene together with hexadecane, weathered oil, fluoranthene or pyrene, and combinations of these compounds were incubated. Biodegradation of phenanthrene-9-C-14 was negatively affected in the presence of weathered oil and PAHs but increased in the presence of hexadecane. PAH contamination caused shifts in the seawater microbial community-from a highly diverse one dominated by Alphaproteobacteria to less diverse communities dominated by Gammaproteobacteria. Furthermore, the combination of PAHs exerted a compounded negative influence on the microbial community, reducing its diversity and thus functional capacity of the ecosystem. These results advance our understanding of bacterial community dynamics in response to contrasting qualities of hydrocarbon contamination. This understanding is fundamental in the application and monitoring of bioremediation strategies if accidents involving oil spillages occur near Trindade Island and similar ecosystems. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/02219-8 - A meta-omics approach to examine disturbances in soils of the Brazilian Amazonia
• Grantee: Victor Satler Pylro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral