title: Linking Microbial Community and Catabolic Gene Structures during the Adaptation of Three Contaminated Soils under Continuous Long-Term Pollutant Stress.
abstract: Three types of contaminated soil from three geographically different areas were subjected to a constant supply of benzene or benzene/toluene/ethylbenzene/xylenes (BTEX) for a period of 3 months. Different from the soil from Brazil (BRA) and Switzerland (SUI), the Czech Republic (CZE) soil which was previously subjected to intensive in situ bioremediation displayed only negligible changes in community structure. BRA and SUI soil samples showed a clear succession of phylotypes. A rapid response to benzene stress was observed, whereas the response to BTEX pollution was significantly slower. After extended incubation, actinobacterial phylotypes increased in relative abundance, indicating their superior fitness to pollution stress. Commonalities but also differences in the phylotypes were observed. Catabolic gene surveys confirmed the enrichment of actinobacteria by identifying the increase of actinobacterial genes involved in the degradation of pollutants. Proteobacterial phylotypes increased in relative abundance in SUI microcosms after short-term stress with benzene, and catabolic gene surveys indicated enriched metabolic routes. Interestingly, CZE soil, despite staying constant in community structure, showed a change in the catabolic gene structure. This indicates that a highly adapted community, which had to adjust its gene pool to meet novel challenges, has been enriched.
authors: Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors: Daiana
authors: D
authors: Lima-Morales
authors: Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors: Ruy
authors: R
authors: Jáuregui
authors: Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors: Amelia
authors: A
authors: Camarinha-Silva
authors: Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Geffers
authors: Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany dpi@helmholtz-hzi.de.
authors: Dietmar H
authors: DH
authors: Pieper
authors: Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors: Ramiro
authors: R
authors: Vilchez-Vargas
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001554:Benzene / Q000378:metabolism; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D018153:Czech Republic; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D013557:Switzerland; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism; D014992:Xylenes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014992:Xylenes; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene; C004912:ethylbenzene