title: Response of sulfate-reducing bacteria to an artificial oil-spill in a coastal marine sediment.
abstract: In situ mesocosm experiments using a calcareous sand flat from a coastal area of the island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea were performed in order to study the response of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) to controlled crude oil contamination, or heavy contamination with naphthalene. Changes in the microbial community caused by the contamination were monitored by a combination of comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes, fluorescence in situ hybridization, cultivation approaches and metabolic activity rates. Our results showed that crude oil and naphthalene negatively influenced the total microbial community as the natural increase in cell numbers due to the seasonal dynamics was attenuated. However, both contaminants enhanced the sulfate reduction rates, as well as the culturability of SRB. Our results suggested the presence of autochthonous deltaproteobacterial SRBs that were able to degrade crude oil or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene in anaerobic sediment layers.
authors.affiliation: Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA-UIB), E-07190, Esporles, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suárez-Suárez
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-López
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tovar-Sánchez
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yarza
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orfila
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Terrados
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnds
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marqués
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niemann
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmitt-Kopplin
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosselló-Móra
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D055884:Chemical Hazard Release; D020564:Deltaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000378:metabolism; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016999:Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009281:Naphthalenes; D010578:Petroleum; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C031721:naphthalene