title: Bacterial population and biodegradation potential in chronically crude oil-contaminated marine sediments are strongly linked to temperature.
abstract: Two of the largest crude oil-polluted areas in the world are the semi-enclosed Mediterranean and Red Seas, but the effect of chronic pollution remains incompletely understood on a large scale. We compared the influence of environmental and geographical constraints and anthropogenic forces (hydrocarbon input) on bacterial communities in eight geographically separated oil-polluted sites along the coastlines of the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The differences in community compositions and their biodegradation potential were primarily associated (P < 0.05) with both temperature and chemical diversity. Furthermore, we observed a link between temperature and chemical and biological diversity that was stronger in chronically polluted sites than in pristine ones where accidental oil spills occurred. We propose that low temperature increases bacterial richness while decreasing catabolic diversity and that chronic pollution promotes catabolic diversification. Our results further suggest that the bacterial populations in chronically polluted sites may respond more promptly in degrading petroleum after accidental oil spills.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Catalysis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bargiela
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mapelli
authors.affiliation: Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rojo
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Bessem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chouaia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Catalysis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tornés
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borin
authors.affiliation: Ribocon GmbH, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Catalysis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Del Pozo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cappello
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gertler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Denaro
authors.affiliation: Institute of Catalysis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Martínez
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Engineering, TU-Crete, Chania, Greece.
authors.forename: Stilianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fodelianakis
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biotechnology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research &Technology Applications, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ranya A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.affiliation: EcoTechSystems Ltd., Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bigazzi
authors.affiliation: BGI Tech Solutions Co., Ltd, Main Building, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Xifang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: BGI Tech Solutions Co., Ltd, Main Building, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Tatyana N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Chernikova
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Olga V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Golyshina
authors.affiliation: LR Biotechnology and Bio-Geo Resources Valorization (LR11ES31), Higher Institute for Biotechnology - University of Manouba, Biotechpole of Sidi Thabet, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahjoubi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Atef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaouanil
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Environment, University Hassan II - Ain Chock, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benzha
authors.affiliation: EcoTechSystems Ltd., Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magagnini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Marine Sciences, The University of Jordan-Aqaba, Jordan.
authors.forename: Fuad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al-Horani
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microorganisms and Active Biomolecules, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ameur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherif
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Environment, University Hassan II - Ain Chock, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blaghen
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Development Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research &Technology Applications, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Yasser R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Abdel-Fattah
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Engineering, TU-Crete, Chania, Greece.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalogerakis
authors.affiliation: Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbas
authors.affiliation: Hamdan Bin Mohammad Smart University, Academic City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Hanan I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Malkawi
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Golyshin
authors.affiliation: Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Michail M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yakimov
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy [2] King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, BESE Division, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daffonchio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Catalysis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrer
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics; D010578:Petroleum / Q000382:microbiology*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S