title: Long-Term Oil Contamination Alters the Molecular Ecological Networks of Soil Microbial Functional Genes.
abstract: With knowledge on microbial composition and diversity, investigation of within-community interactions is a further step to elucidate microbial ecological functions, such as the biodegradation of hazardous contaminants. In this work, microbial functional molecular ecological networks were studied in both contaminated and uncontaminated soils to determine the possible influences of oil contamination on microbial interactions and potential functions. Soil samples were obtained from an oil-exploring site located in South China, and the microbial functional genes were analyzed with GeoChip, a high-throughput functional microarray. By building random networks based on null model, we demonstrated that overall network structures and properties were significantly different between contaminated and uncontaminated soils (P < 0.001). Network connectivity, module numbers, and modularity were all reduced with contamination. Moreover, the topological roles of the genes (module hub and connectors) were altered with oil contamination. Subnetworks of genes involved in alkane and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation were also constructed. Negative co-occurrence patterns prevailed among functional genes, thereby indicating probable competition relationships. The potential "keystone" genes, defined as either "hubs" or genes with highest connectivities in the network, were further identified. The network constructed in this study predicted the potential effects of anthropogenic contamination on microbial community co-occurrence interactions.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Nanjing, China.
authors: Yuting
authors: Y
authors: Liang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Nanjing, China.
authors: Huihui
authors: H
authors: Zhao
authors: State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors: Ye
authors: Y
authors: Deng
authors: Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; Department of Botany and Microbiology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, NormanOK, USA.
authors: Jizhong
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors: Guanghe
authors: G
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Nanjing, China.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Sun
keywords: functional genes; hydrocarbon degradation; microbial interaction; molecular ecological network; oil contamination