Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps)
The warming-induced thawing of permafrost promotes microbial activity, often resulting in enhanced greenhouse gas emissions. The ability of permafrost microorganisms to survive the in situ sub-zero temperatures, their energetic strategies and their metabolic versatility in using soil organic materia...
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Microbiology Society
2021
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Online Access: | https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85664 https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000558 |
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ftunivpretoria:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/85664 2023-05-15T17:55:21+02:00 Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) Perez-Mon, Carla Qi, Weihong Vikram, Surendra Frossard, Aline Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Cowan, Don A. Frey, Beat 2021-04-13 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85664 https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000558 en eng Microbiology Society https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85664 Perez-Mon, C., Qi, W., Vikram, S. et al., Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year-old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps). Microbial Genomics 2021;7:000558, DOI : 10.1099/mgen.0.000558. 2057-5858 doi:10.1099/mgen.0.000558 © 2021 The Authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. CC-BY Alpine Microbial communities Metagenomics Permafrost Soil Warming Article 2021 ftunivpretoria https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000558 2022-05-31T10:47:25Z The warming-induced thawing of permafrost promotes microbial activity, often resulting in enhanced greenhouse gas emissions. The ability of permafrost microorganisms to survive the in situ sub-zero temperatures, their energetic strategies and their metabolic versatility in using soil organic materials determine their growth and functionality upon thawing. Hence, functional characterization of the permafrost microbiome, particularly in the underexplored mid-latitudinal alpine regions, is a crucial first step in predicting its responses to the changing climate, and the consequences for soil–climate feedbacks. In this study, for the first time, the functional potential and metabolic capabilities of a temperate mountain permafrost microbiome from central Europe has been analysed using shotgun metagenomics. Permafrost and active layers from the summit of Muot da Barba Peider (MBP) [Swiss Alps, 2979 m above sea level (a.s.l.)] revealed a strikingly high functional diversity in the permafrost (north-facing soils at a depth of 160 cm). Permafrost metagenomes were enriched in stress-response genes (e.g. cold-shock genes, chaperones), as well as in genes involved in cell defence and competition (e.g. antiviral proteins, antibiotics, motility, nutrient-uptake ABC transporters), compared with active-layer metagenomes. Permafrost also showed a higher potential for the synthesis of carbohydrate-active enzymes, and an overrepresentation of genes involved in fermentation, carbon fixation, denitrification and nitrogen reduction reactions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential capabilities of permafrost microorganisms to thrive in cold and oligotrophic conditions, and highlight their metabolic versatility in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Our study provides a first insight into the high functional gene diversity of the central European mountain permafrost microbiome. Our findings extend our understanding of the microbial ecology of permafrost and represent a baseline for future investigations comparing the ... Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost University of Pretoria: UPSpace Microbial Genomics 7 4 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Pretoria: UPSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpretoria |
language |
English |
topic |
Alpine Microbial communities Metagenomics Permafrost Soil Warming |
spellingShingle |
Alpine Microbial communities Metagenomics Permafrost Soil Warming Perez-Mon, Carla Qi, Weihong Vikram, Surendra Frossard, Aline Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Cowan, Don A. Frey, Beat Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
topic_facet |
Alpine Microbial communities Metagenomics Permafrost Soil Warming |
description |
The warming-induced thawing of permafrost promotes microbial activity, often resulting in enhanced greenhouse gas emissions. The ability of permafrost microorganisms to survive the in situ sub-zero temperatures, their energetic strategies and their metabolic versatility in using soil organic materials determine their growth and functionality upon thawing. Hence, functional characterization of the permafrost microbiome, particularly in the underexplored mid-latitudinal alpine regions, is a crucial first step in predicting its responses to the changing climate, and the consequences for soil–climate feedbacks. In this study, for the first time, the functional potential and metabolic capabilities of a temperate mountain permafrost microbiome from central Europe has been analysed using shotgun metagenomics. Permafrost and active layers from the summit of Muot da Barba Peider (MBP) [Swiss Alps, 2979 m above sea level (a.s.l.)] revealed a strikingly high functional diversity in the permafrost (north-facing soils at a depth of 160 cm). Permafrost metagenomes were enriched in stress-response genes (e.g. cold-shock genes, chaperones), as well as in genes involved in cell defence and competition (e.g. antiviral proteins, antibiotics, motility, nutrient-uptake ABC transporters), compared with active-layer metagenomes. Permafrost also showed a higher potential for the synthesis of carbohydrate-active enzymes, and an overrepresentation of genes involved in fermentation, carbon fixation, denitrification and nitrogen reduction reactions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential capabilities of permafrost microorganisms to thrive in cold and oligotrophic conditions, and highlight their metabolic versatility in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Our study provides a first insight into the high functional gene diversity of the central European mountain permafrost microbiome. Our findings extend our understanding of the microbial ecology of permafrost and represent a baseline for future investigations comparing the ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Perez-Mon, Carla Qi, Weihong Vikram, Surendra Frossard, Aline Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Cowan, Don A. Frey, Beat |
author_facet |
Perez-Mon, Carla Qi, Weihong Vikram, Surendra Frossard, Aline Makhalanyane, Thulani P. Cowan, Don A. Frey, Beat |
author_sort |
Perez-Mon, Carla |
title |
Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
title_short |
Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
title_full |
Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
title_fullStr |
Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps) |
title_sort |
shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year- old permafrost and active layers on muot da barba peider (swiss alps) |
publisher |
Microbiology Society |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85664 https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000558 |
genre |
permafrost |
genre_facet |
permafrost |
op_relation |
https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85664 Perez-Mon, C., Qi, W., Vikram, S. et al., Shotgun metagenomics reveals distinct functional diversity and metabolic capabilities between 12 000-year-old permafrost and active layers on Muot da Barba Peider (Swiss Alps). Microbial Genomics 2021;7:000558, DOI : 10.1099/mgen.0.000558. 2057-5858 doi:10.1099/mgen.0.000558 |
op_rights |
© 2021 The Authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000558 |
container_title |
Microbial Genomics |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
4 |
_version_ |
1766163281631772672 |