Abstract
Many members of the genus Psychrobacter are endemic in extremely cold and saline environments and the genus has been described as only marginally successful in warmer habitats. In a previous study the Psychrobacter genus was, unexpectedly, the most frequently isolated bacterial genus from the sea-surface microlayer (SML) and the underlying water (UW) of a temperate estuary (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Here we analysed the diversity in Psychrobacter populations inhabiting this estuary. Samples were collected at three dates and three locations from sea-SML and UW. Isolated Psychrobacter strains were well-adapted to temperatures and salt concentrations above the ones described as optimal for most members of this genus. Hydrocarbon-degrading potential was not confirmed for these strains. We developed and optimized a reliable and specific denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)-based method for the analysis of Psychrobacter populations in aquatic systems. DGGE profiles inferred that Psychrobacter populations were very stable in the estuary, a strong indication for the presence of well-adapted phylotypes. The analysis of genus-specific clone libraries revealed a surprisingly high diversity among Psychrobacter in Ria de Aveiro. Results indicated that novel species were probably cultivated. Significant differences between sea-SML and UW Psychrobacter communities were revealed. Observed diversity trends may be related to environmental factors such as salinity and/or anthropogenic pressures such as contamination with hydrocarbons.
© 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
DNA, Bacterial / genetics
-
DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
-
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
-
Ecosystem
-
Estuaries*
-
Genes, rRNA
-
Hydrocarbons / metabolism
-
Molecular Sequence Data
-
Phylogeny
-
Portugal
-
Psychrobacter / classification
-
Psychrobacter / genetics*
-
Psychrobacter / isolation & purification
-
Psychrobacter / physiology*
-
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
-
Salinity
-
Temperature
-
Water Microbiology*
Substances
-
DNA, Bacterial
-
DNA, Ribosomal
-
Hydrocarbons
-
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Associated data
-
GENBANK/JQ072080
-
GENBANK/JX897712
-
GENBANK/JX897713
-
GENBANK/JX897714
-
GENBANK/JX897715
-
GENBANK/JX897716
-
GENBANK/JX897717
-
GENBANK/JX897718
-
GENBANK/JX897719
-
GENBANK/JX897720
-
GENBANK/JX897721
-
GENBANK/JX897722
-
GENBANK/JX897723
-
GENBANK/JX897724
-
GENBANK/JX897725
-
GENBANK/JX897726
-
GENBANK/JX897727
-
GENBANK/JX897728
-
GENBANK/JX897729
-
GENBANK/JX897730
-
GENBANK/JX897731
-
GENBANK/JX897732
-
GENBANK/JX897733
-
GENBANK/JX897734
-
GENBANK/JX897735
-
GENBANK/JX897736
-
GENBANK/JX897737
-
GENBANK/JX897738
-
GENBANK/JX897739
-
GENBANK/JX897740
-
GENBANK/JX897741
-
GENBANK/JX897742
-
GENBANK/JX897743
-
GENBANK/JX897744
-
GENBANK/JX897745
-
GENBANK/JX897746
-
GENBANK/JX897747
-
GENBANK/JX897748
-
GENBANK/JX897749
-
GENBANK/JX897750
-
GENBANK/JX897751
-
GENBANK/JX897752
-
GENBANK/JX897753
-
GENBANK/JX897754
-
GENBANK/JX897755
-
GENBANK/JX897756
-
GENBANK/JX897757
-
GENBANK/JX897758
-
GENBANK/JX897759
-
GENBANK/JX897760
-
GENBANK/JX897761
-
GENBANK/JX897762
-
GENBANK/JX897763
-
GENBANK/JX897764
-
GENBANK/JX897765
-
GENBANK/JX897766
-
GENBANK/JX897767
-
GENBANK/JX897768
-
GENBANK/JX897769
-
GENBANK/JX897770
-
GENBANK/JX897771
-
GENBANK/JX897772
-
GENBANK/JX897773
-
GENBANK/JX897774
-
GENBANK/JX897775
-
GENBANK/JX897776
-
GENBANK/JX897777
-
GENBANK/JX897778
-
GENBANK/JX897779
-
GENBANK/JX897780
-
GENBANK/JX897781
-
GENBANK/JX897782
-
GENBANK/JX897783
-
GENBANK/JX897784
-
GENBANK/JX897785
-
GENBANK/JX897786
-
GENBANK/JX897787
-
GENBANK/JX897788
-
GENBANK/JX897789
-
GENBANK/JX897790
-
GENBANK/JX897791
-
GENBANK/JX897792
-
GENBANK/JX897793
-
GENBANK/JX897794
-
GENBANK/JX897795
-
GENBANK/JX897796
-
GENBANK/JX897797