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Abundance, Diversity, and Dynamics of Viruses on Microorganisms in Activated Sludge Processes

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Abstract

We examined the abundance of viruses on microorganisms in activated sludge and the dynamics of their community structure. Direct counting with epifluorescence microscopy and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were applied to 20 samples from 14 full-scale wastewater treatment plants (wwtps) treating municipal, industrial, or animal wastewater. Furthermore, to observe the dynamics of viral community structure over time, a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor was operated for 58 days. The concentrations of virus particles in the wwtps, as quantified by epifluorescence microscopy, ranged from 4.2 × 107 to 3.0 × 109 mL−1. PFGE, improved by the introduction of a higher concentration of Tris–EDTA buffer in the DNA extraction step, was successfully used to profile DNA viruses in the activated sludge. Most of the samples from different wwtps commonly had bands in the 40–70 kb range. In the monitoring of viral DNA size distribution in the laboratory-scale reactor, some bands were observed stably throughout the experimental period, some emerged during the operation, and others disappeared. Rapid emergence and disappearance of two intense bands within 6 days was observed. Our data suggest that viruses—especially those associated with microorganisms—are abundant and show dynamic behavior in activated sludge.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Yutaka Nakai (Tohoku University), Yasuhiko Oba (Miyagi Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station), Eisuke Kawamura (Kanagawa Prefectural Livestock Industry Research Institute), and Futoshi Koyama (Fukuoka Agricultural Research Center) for their assistance in activated sludge sampling. We thank Associate Professor Hideaki Nojiri and Kengo Inoue (graduate student) of the Biotechnology Research Center at The University of Tokyo for their technical assistance and helpful discussions.

This work was financially supported by the Kurita Water and Environment Foundation. It was also partly supported by the 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) research program “Elucidation of Language Structure and Semantics behind Genome and Life System” (JSPS2004-K07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Studies, School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Room 670, Environment Building, Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8563, Japan

    Kenichi Otawa, Sang Hyon Lee, Hiroyasu Satoh & Takashi Mino

  2. Research Center for Water Environment Technology, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan

    Atsushi Yamazoe

  3. Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science, University of Tokyo, Room 784, Environment Building, Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8563, Japan

    Motoharu Onuki

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  1. Kenichi Otawa
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  2. Sang Hyon Lee
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Correspondence to Hiroyasu Satoh.

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Otawa, K., Lee, S.H., Yamazoe, A. et al. Abundance, Diversity, and Dynamics of Viruses on Microorganisms in Activated Sludge Processes. Microb Ecol 53, 143–152 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9150-9

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