title: Archaeal and bacterial diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from a geothermal region in Romania.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: NIRDBS Romania, Institute of Biological Research, 48 Republicii Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. cristian.coman@icbcluj.ro
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coman
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drugă
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hegedus
authors.forename: Cosmin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sicora
authors.forename: Nicolae
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dragoş
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044822:Biodiversity; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000382:microbiology*; D059013:Microbial Consortia; D012383:Romania
chemical_list: D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004269:DNA, Bacterial