title: Microbial immigration across the Mediterranean via airborne dust.
abstract: Dust particles lifting and discharge from Africa to Europe is a recurring phenomenon linked to air circulation conditions. The possibility that microorganisms are conveyed across distances entails important consequences in terms of biosafety and pathogens spread. Using culture independent DNA-based analyses via next generation sequencing of the 16 S genes from the airborne metagenome, the atmospheric microbial community was characterized and the hypothesis was tested that shifts in species diversity could be recorded in relation to dust discharge. As sampling ground the island of Sardinia was chosen, being an ideal cornerstone within the Mediterranean and a crossroad of wind circulation amidst Europe and Africa. Samples were collected in two opposite coastal sites and in two different weather conditions comparing dust-conveying winds from Africa with a control situation with winds from Europe. A major conserved core microbiome was evidenced but increases in species richness and presence of specific taxa were nevertheless observed in relation to each wind regime. Taxa which can feature strains with clinical implications were also detected. The approach is reported as a recommended model monitoring procedure for early warning alerts in frameworks of biosafety against natural spread of clinical microbiota across countries as well as to prevent bacteriological warfare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosselli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences-University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiamma
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences-University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deligios
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology-National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pintus
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology-National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellizzaro
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology-National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology-National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), Italy.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duce
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy Animals, Food, Natural Resources and Environment, DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (Padova) Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Squartini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Production Systems in Mediterranean Environments-National Research Council (ISPAAM-CNR), Italy.
authors.forename: Rosella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muresu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences-University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cappuccinelli
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D002980:Climate; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004391:Dust; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D010802:Phylogeny; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S