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First Prokaryotic Biodiversity Assessment Using Molecular Techniques of an Acidic River in Neuquén, Argentina

  • Environmental Microbiology
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Abstract

Two acidic hot springs close to the crater of Copahue Volcano (Neuquén, Argentina) are the source of the Río Agrio. The river runs several kilometres before flowing into Caviahue Lake. Along the river, temperature, iron, other metal and proton concentrations decrease gradually with distance downstream. From the source to the lake and depending on the season, pH can rise from 1.0 (or even less) to about 4.0, while temperature values decrease from 70°C to 15°C. Water samples were taken from different stations on the river selected according to their physicochemical parameters. In order to assess prokaryotic biodiversity throughout the water column, different and complementary molecular biology techniques were used, mainly in situ hybridisation and 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing. All microorganisms found are typical of acidic environments. Sulphur-oxidizing bacteria like Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus albertensis were detected in every station. Moderately thermophile iron- and sulphur-oxidizing bacteria like members of Alicyclobacillus and Sulfobacillus genera were also ubiquitous. Strict iron-oxidizing bacteria like Leptospirillum and Ferrimicrobium were present at the source of the river, but disappeared downstream where iron concentrations were much lower. Iron-oxidizing, mesophilic Ferroplasma spp. were the main archaea found. The data presented in this work represent the first molecular assessment of this rare natural acidic environment.

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Acknowledgment

This work was partially supported by grants PIP 0368 (CONICET), PICT 0339 and PICT-2010-0749 (ANPCYT) as well as the CGL2008-02298/BOS (MICIN) Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CINDEFI (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Calle 47 y 115, 1900, La Plata, Argentina

    M. Sofía Urbieta & E. Donati

  2. Centro de Astrobiología, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Carretera de Ajalvir Km. 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850, Madrid, Spain

    E. González Toril & A. Aguilera

  3. IDEPA (CONICET- UNCo), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Buenos Aires 1400, 8300, Neuquén, Argentina

    M. Alejandra Giaveno

  4. calle 50 entre 115 y 116 N° 227, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    M. Sofía Urbieta

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  1. M. Sofía Urbieta
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  2. E. González Toril
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  3. A. Aguilera
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  4. M. Alejandra Giaveno
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  5. E. Donati
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Correspondence to M. Sofía Urbieta.

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Urbieta, M.S., González Toril, E., Aguilera, A. et al. First Prokaryotic Biodiversity Assessment Using Molecular Techniques of an Acidic River in Neuquén, Argentina. Microb Ecol 64, 91–104 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-9997-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-9997-2

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