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Thermophilic bacteria in cool temperate soils: are they metabolically active or continually added by global atmospheric transport?

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
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Abstract

Thermophilic soil geobacilli isolated from cool temperate geographical zone environments have been shown to be metabolically inactive under aerobic conditions at ambient temperatures (−5 to 25°C). It is now confirmed that a similar situation exists for their anaerobic denitrification activity. It is necessary therefore to determine the mechanisms that sustain the observed significant viable populations in these soils. Population analysis of thermophiles in rainwater and air samples has shown different species compositions which support the view that long distance global transport and deposition in rainwater is a possible source of replenishment of the soil thermophile populations. Survival experiments using a representative Geobacillus isolate have indicated that while cells lose viability rapidly at most temperatures, populations can increase only when the temperature allows growth to take place at a rate which exceeds death rate. Long term (9-month) experiments at 4°C show population increases which can be accounted for by very slow growth rates complemented by negligible death rates. These results are interpreted in the context of current hypotheses on the biogeography patterns of bacteria.

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Acknowledgements

Andrea Franzetti gratefully acknowledges the award of a FEMS fellowship which supported his work on this project. This work was also partially funded by the C.E.C. EU Structural Funds, Building Sustainable Prosperity Measure 5.1 ‘Sustainable Management of the Environment and Promotion of the Natural and Built Heritage (BSP7473)’, Environment and Heritage Service, N. Ireland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County, Londonderry, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK

    Roger Marchant, Isabel Erdbrűgger & Ibrahim M. Banat

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e del Territorio (DISAT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Bicocca Piazza della Scienza, 1-20126, Milano, Italy

    Andrea Franzetti

  3. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332-0512, USA

    Spyros G. Pavlostathis & Didem Okutman Tas

  4. Department of Environmental Engineering, Mersin University, Ciftlikköy Campus, 33343, Mersin, Turkey

    Ali Űnyayar & Mehmet A. Mazmanci

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  1. Roger Marchant
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  2. Andrea Franzetti
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  3. Spyros G. Pavlostathis
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  4. Didem Okutman Tas
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  5. Isabel Erdbrűgger
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  8. Ibrahim M. Banat
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Correspondence to Ibrahim M. Banat.

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Marchant, R., Franzetti, A., Pavlostathis, S.G. et al. Thermophilic bacteria in cool temperate soils: are they metabolically active or continually added by global atmospheric transport?. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 78, 841–852 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-008-1372-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-008-1372-y

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