Novel and unusual genes for nitrogen and metal cycling in Planctomycetota- and KSB1-affiliated metagenome-assembled genomes reconstructed from a marine subsea tunnel
Journal article, 2023

The Oslofjord subsea road tunnel is a unique environment in which the typically anoxic marine deep subsurface is exposed to oxygen. Concrete biodeterioration and steel corrosion in the tunnel have been linked to the growth of iron- and manganese-oxidizing biofilms in areas of saline water seepage. Surprisingly, previous 16S rRNA gene surveys of biofilm samples revealed microbial communities dominated by sequences affiliated with nitrogen-cycling microorganisms. This study aimed to identify microbial genomes with metabolic potential for novel nitrogen- and metal-cycling reactions, representing biofilm microorganisms that could link these cycles and play a role in concrete biodeterioration. We reconstructed 33 abundant, novel metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated with the phylum Planctomycetota and the candidate phylum KSB1. We identified novel and unusual genes and gene clusters in these MAGs related to anaerobic ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, and other nitrogen-cycling reactions. Additionally, 26 of 33 MAGs also had the potential for iron, manganese, and arsenite cycling, suggesting that bacteria represented by these genomes might couple these reactions. Our results expand the diversity of microorganisms putatively involved in nitrogen and metal cycling, and contribute to our understanding of potential biofilm impacts on built infrastructure.

Planctomycetota

metal cycling

KSB1 phylum

nitrogen cycling

nitrite oxidizers

anammox bacteria

Author

Carolina Suarez

Lund University

Thomas Hackl

University of Groningen

Britt-Marie Wilen

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology

Frank Persson

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology

Per Hagelia

Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA)

Mike S M Jetten

Radboud University

Paula Dalcin Martins

University of Groningen

FEMS microbiology letters

03781097 (ISSN) 15746968 (eISSN)

Vol. 370 fnad049

The role of microbiol. biofilm communities for degradation of sprayed concr. in subsea tunnels

Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) (2011 067932), 2014-10-14 -- 2018-12-31.

Subject Categories

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Microbiology

Roots

Basic sciences

DOI

10.1093/femsle/fnad049

More information

Latest update

4/24/2024