Identification of Sulfur-Cycle Prokaryotes in a Low-Sulfate Lake (Lake Pavin) Using aprA and 16S rRNA Gene Markers

• Published in: Microbial ecology 2011-02, Vol.61 (2), p.313-327
• Main Authors: Biderre-Petit, Corinne, Boucher, Delphine, Kuever, Jan, Alberic, Patrick, Jézéquel, Didier, Chebance, Brigitte, Borrel, Guillaume, Fonty, Gérard, Peyret, Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Archaeoglobus; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crater lakes; DNA Primers - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Ecology; ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY; Environmental Sciences; Epsilonproteobacteria - classification; Epsilonproteobacteria - enzymology; Epsilonproteobacteria - genetics; France; Fresh Water - chemistry; Fresh Water - microbiology; Freshwater; Freshwater lakes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Geologic Sediments - microbiology; Lakes; Libraries; Life Sciences; Methanogenesis; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Molecular Sequence Data; Nature Conservation; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Prokaryotes; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA genes; Sediments; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sulfate reduction; Sulfates; Sulfates - metabolism; Sulfur; Sulfur cycle; Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria - classification; Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria - enzymology; Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria - genetics; Vertical distribution; Water Microbiology; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0095-3628; 1432-184X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00248-010-9769-4

Geochemical researches at Lake Pavin, a lowsulfate-containing freshwater lake, suggest that the dominant biogeochemical processes are iron and sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. Although the sulfur cycle is one of the main active element cycles in this lake, little is known about the sulfate-reducer and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The aim of this study was to assess the vertical distribution of these microbes and their diversities and to test the hypothesis suggesting that only few SRP populations are involved in dissimilatory sulfate reduction and that Epsilonproteobacteria are the likely key players in the oxidative phase of sulfur cycle by using a PCR aprA gene-based approach in comparison with a 16S rRNA gene-based analysis. The results support this hypothesis. Finally, this preliminary work points strongly the likelihood of novel metabolic processes upon the availability of sulfate and other electron acceptors.