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Substrate uptake in extremely halophilic microbial communities revealed by microautoradiography and fluorescence in situ hybridization

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Abstract

The combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization and microautoradiography (FISH-MAR approach) was applied to brine samples of a solar saltern crystallizer pond from Mallorca (Spain) where the simultaneous occurrence of Salinibacter spp. and the conspicuous square Archaea had been detected. Radioactively labeled bicarbonate, acetate, glycerol, and an amino acid mixture were tested as substrates for the microbial populations inhabiting such brines. The results indicated that hitherto uncultured 'square Archaea' do actively incorporate amino acids and acetate. However, Salinibacter spp. only showed amino acid incorporation in pure culture, but no evidence of such activity in their natural environment could be demonstrated. No glycerol incorporation was observed for any component of the microbial community.

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Fig. 1A–D.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the Zaforteza-Dezcallar family for allowing access to the S'Avall salterns, and to Annatina Zarda, who encouraged us to undergo this study. This work was supported by the following institutions' research projects: the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology with grants BOS2000-1123C02-01 and BOS2000-1123C02-02 (to R.R.M. and J.A.). R.R.M. acknowledges the grant of a Marina Bueno Fellowship (CSIC-DFG), which covered travel expenses to perform the current project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grup d'Oceanografia Interdisciplinar, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marqués 21, 07190, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Ramon Rosselló-Mora

  2. Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität München, Am Hochanger 4, 85350, Munich, Germany

    Natuschka Lee

  3. División de Microbiología, Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Apto 99, 03080, San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain

    Josefa Antón

  4. Department of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Vienna University, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Michael Wagner

Authors
  1. Ramon Rosselló-Mora
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  2. Natuschka Lee
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  3. Josefa Antón
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  4. Michael Wagner
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Correspondence to Ramon Rosselló-Mora.

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Communicated by W.D. Grant

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Rosselló-Mora, R., Lee, N., Antón, J. et al. Substrate uptake in extremely halophilic microbial communities revealed by microautoradiography and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Extremophiles 7, 409–413 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-003-0336-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-003-0336-5

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