Prof. Dr. Alexander Probst
Research Center One Health Ruhr, University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen
Environmental Metagenomics
Effect of anthropogenic stressors on river microbiomes results in asymmetric response
Stream microbiomes are continuously exposed to anthropogenic stressors, yet their response to and capacity to recover from these stressors remains heavily understudied. Here, we show an asymmetric response of river sediment microbiomes exposed to increased salinity and temperature, reduced flow velocity, and combinations thereof by capitalizing on massively parallelized, river connected mesocosms analyzed with metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. Based on 64 mesocosms with two weeks of stressor application followed by recovery, flow velocity was a key driver for stream microbiomes outcompeting effects of other stressors and resulting in substantially restructured microbiomes. The stability of metagenome-encoded functions was contrasted by short-term stressor adaptations in gene expression, e.g., upregulation of chaperones. We also identified sentinel species specific for a certain stressor and recovered genomes of a highly active and metabolically versatile keystone species, which was able oxidize hydrogen, reduce nitrogen and live off sugars and amino acids. After recovery of the mesocosms from the stressors, some river microbiomes did not return to their unexposed composition highlighting river microbiomes’ high sensitivity to anthropogenic stressors. In conclusion, we recommend maintaining the natural flow of river ecosystems to sustain river microbiome functionality and health.
The lecture will take place on July 23rd at 3 pm at the lecture room H10 of the University Ulm and online offered by the One Health Platform. Registration for participation online via the registration form below.
Host: Dr. Magdalena Meyer, Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, magdalena.meyer@uni-ulm.de
