Conversion of Uric Acid into Ammonium in Oil-Degrading Marine Microbial Communities: a Possible Role of Halomonads.
Uric acid is a promising hydrophobic nitrogen source for biostimulation of microbial activities in oil-impacted marine environments. This study investigated metabolic processes and microbial community changes in a series of microcosms using sediment from the Mediterranean and the Red Sea amended with ammonium and uric acid. Respiration, emulsification, ammonium and protein concentration measurements suggested a rapid production of ammonium from uric acid accompanied by the development of microbial communities containing hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria after 3 weeks of incubation. About 80 % of uric acid was converted to ammonium within the first few days of the experiment. Microbial population dynamics were investigated by Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis and Illumina sequencing as well as by culture-based techniques. Resulting data indicated that strains related to Halomonas spp. converted uric acid into ammonium, which stimulated growth of microbial consortia dominated by Alcanivorax spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Several strains of Halomonas spp. were isolated on uric acid as the sole carbon source showed location specificity. These results point towards a possible role of halomonads in the conversion of uric acid to ammonium utilized by hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria.
School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University, LL57 2UW, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK. christoph.gertler@fli.bund.de.|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut - Federal research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany. christoph.gertler@fli.bund.de.
Christoph
C
Gertler
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Institute of Catalysis, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
Rafael
R
Bargiela
Department of Food, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy.|BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Francesca
F
Mapelli
BGI Tech Solutions Co., Ltd, Main Building, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen, 518083, China.
Xifang
X
Han
BGI Tech Solutions Co., Ltd, Main Building, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen, 518083, China.
Jianwei
J
Chen
School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University, LL57 2UW, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK.
Tran
T
Hai
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research & Technology Applications, Alexandria, Egypt.
Ranya A
RA
Amer
Highe Higher Institute for Biotechnology, Biotechpole of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, LR11ES31, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Ariana, Tunisia.
Mouna
M
Mahjoubi
Deanship of Research & Doctoral Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Hanan
H
Malkawi
EcoTechSystems Ltd., Ancona, Italy.
Mirko
M
Magagnini
Highe Higher Institute for Biotechnology, Biotechpole of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, LR11ES31, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Ariana, Tunisia.
Ameur
A
Cherif
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research & Technology Applications, Alexandria, Egypt.
Yasser R
YR
Abdel-Fattah
School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece.
Nicolas
N
Kalogerakis
Department of Food, Environment and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy.|BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Daniele
D
Daffonchio
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Institute of Catalysis, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
Manuel
M
Ferrer
School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University, LL57 2UW, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK.
Peter N
PN
Golyshin
D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007597:Jordan; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010578:Petroleum; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014527:Uric Acid
Alcanivorax; Bioremediation; Crude oil degradation