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Microbial Ecosystems - Prokaryotic diversity in soils

Q: How is a 'species' defined in the context of soil microbial diversity studies?

In soil microbial diversity studies, a 'species' is defined as a 16S rRNA gene sequence that differs from all other sequences by more than 3%.

17 important questions on Microbial Ecosystems - Prokaryotic diversity in soils

How are soil particles examined for microbes, and what staining methods are commonly used?

Soil particles are examined using fluorescence microscopes, and staining methods, including fluorescent gene probes (FISH), are often employed. This enables the direct visualization of microorganisms.

What method is commonly used for sequence analyses to measure bacterial and archaeal diversity in the environment?

Sequence analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are commonly used to measure bacterial and archaeal diversity in the environment.

Why are culture-dependent diversity studies plagued by enrichment bias, and how does the 16S rRNA gene analysis overcome this issue?

Culture-dependent diversity studies suffer from enrichment bias due to the selective growth of certain organisms in laboratory conditions. 16S rRNA gene analysis provides a more unbiased measure of microbial diversity in the environment.

How is a "species" defined in the context of soil microbial diversity studies?

In soil microbial diversity studies, a "species" is defined as a 16S rRNA gene sequence that differs from all other sequences by more than 3%.

What factors contribute to the variation in bacterial diversity in different soils?

Bacterial diversity in soils varies with soil type, geographical location, and human activities. For example, intensive agricultural practices can reduce bacterial diversity.

What is the dominance pattern among Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria in soils?

Proteobacteria are the most abundant bacteria in most soils, followed by Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria.

How does the taxonomic makeup of polluted and unpolluted soils compare, and what shifts are observed in polluted soils?

The taxonomic makeup is similar, with Proteobacteria being the largest fraction in both soil types. Polluted soils show enrichment in Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Euryarchaeota but a reduction in Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, and unclassified Bacteria.

What is the significance of observed shifts in microbial communities in polluted soils, and what does it signal about their nutrient processing capacity?

The shifts suggest differences in the capacity to process carbon and nitrogen in polluted versus unpolluted soils. Despite a lack of a functional connection, shifts indicate measurable changes in community composition.

How do metagenomic analyses contribute to studying the effects of climate and land use changes on soil microbes?

Metagenomic analyses, combined with 16S rRNA surveys, provide insight into the effects of climate and land use changes on microbial diversity and metabolic functions. They reveal shifts in microbial communities in response to environmental changes.

What are the advantages of surface soils for microorganisms compared to the subsurface?

Surface soils offer higher levels of nutrients due to associations with growing plants, periodic inputs from dead plants and animals, and moisture from rain events. In contrast, microbes below the C horizon in the subsurface lack these advantages and face nutrient limitations.

Why is sampling deep subsurface or marine sediments challenging?

Sampling deep subsurface or marine sediments is challenging due to the expense and difficulty of extracting samples from great depths without contamination from upper subsurface zones.

Which bacterial groups generally predominate in the deepest terrestrial environments, and how does their abundance change with depth?

Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes generally predominate in the deepest terrestrial environments. However, their abundances decrease with depth, likely due to decreasing organic carbon availability.

Describe the characteristics of Desulforudis audaxviator and its potential role in the subsurface biosphere.

Desulforudis audaxviator is a H2-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing bacterium found in deep subsurface environments. It is moderately thermophilic and capable of autotrophic growth using H2 as the electron donor for anaerobic respiration and CO2 fixation. It also contains genes encoding nitrogen fixation, allowing it to live in an anoxic environment on a minimal diet.

What are some possible sources of H2 in the subsurface, and how does H2 satisfy the electron donor needs of bacteria in anaerobic respirations?

Possible sources of H2 in the subsurface include the radiolysis of water by uranium, thorium, and other radioactive elements, as well as geochemical processes like the release of H2 from the oxidation of iron silicate minerals in aquifers. H2 can serve as the electron donor for various anaerobic respirations, including sulfate reduction, acetogenesis, ferric iron reduction, and methanogenesis.

What is the significance of DPANN (Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, Nanohaloarchaeota) in the subsurface microbial ecosystem?

DPANN represents a superphylum of extremely small Archaea with diverse metabolic capabilities. It forms a single deep evolutionary divergence within the Archaea and includes phyla like Bathyarchaeota. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the restriction of methanogenesis to a single phylum (Euryarchaeota).

How do bacterial numbers and generation times vary in uncontaminated groundwater in the deep subsurface?

Bacterial numbers in uncontaminated groundwater vary by several orders of magnitude (102–108 per ml), primarily based on dissolved organic carbon content. Generation times for deep subsurface bacteria also vary by orders of magnitude, from days to centuries.

What role do scattered regions of higher organic carbon content play in supporting higher cell numbers in the deep subsurface?

Scattered regions of higher organic carbon content, such as in ancient coal deposits, can support higher cell numbers in the deep subsurface. These regions provide nutrients released from dead cells, sustaining microbial populations.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Brock Biology of Microorganisms, Global Edition | 9781292235103 | Michael T Madigan, et al

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Microbial Ecosystems - Prokaryotic diversity in soils

17 important questions on Microbial Ecosystems - Prokaryotic diversity in soils

How are soil particles examined for microbes, and what staining methods are commonly used?

What method is commonly used for sequence analyses to measure bacterial and archaeal diversity in the environment?

Why are culture-dependent diversity studies plagued by enrichment bias, and how does the 16S rRNA gene analysis overcome this issue?

How is a "species" defined in the context of soil microbial diversity studies?

What factors contribute to the variation in bacterial diversity in different soils?

What is the dominance pattern among Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria in soils?

How does the taxonomic makeup of polluted and unpolluted soils compare, and what shifts are observed in polluted soils?

What is the significance of observed shifts in microbial communities in polluted soils, and what does it signal about their nutrient processing capacity?

How do metagenomic analyses contribute to studying the effects of climate and land use changes on soil microbes?

What are the advantages of surface soils for microorganisms compared to the subsurface?

Why is sampling deep subsurface or marine sediments challenging?

Which bacterial groups generally predominate in the deepest terrestrial environments, and how does their abundance change with depth?

Describe the characteristics of Desulforudis audaxviator and its potential role in the subsurface biosphere.

What are some possible sources of H2 in the subsurface, and how does H2 satisfy the electron donor needs of bacteria in anaerobic respirations?

What is the significance of DPANN (Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, Nanohaloarchaeota) in the subsurface microbial ecosystem?

How do bacterial numbers and generation times vary in uncontaminated groundwater in the deep subsurface?

What role do scattered regions of higher organic carbon content play in supporting higher cell numbers in the deep subsurface?

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