Phylogenetic analysis of a biofilm bacterial population in a water pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico

• Published in: FEMS microbiology ecology 2006-10, Vol.58 (1), p.145-154
• Main Authors: López, Miguel A., Díaz de la Serna, F. Javier Zavala, Jan-Roblero, Janet, Romero, Juan M., Hernández-Rodríguez, César
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 16S rRNA gene library; Bacilli; Bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - growth & development; Bacterial corrosion; Bacteriology; Biofilms; Biofilms - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; corrosion; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Ecology; Electrophoresis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gel electrophoresis; Heterotrophic bacteria; marine biofilm; marine pipelines; Mexico; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular Sequence Data; Nucleotide sequence; Oil reservoirs; Phylogeny; Pipelines; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Recovering; Relative abundance; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Species diversity; Sulfate reduction; Sulfate-reducing bacteria; Water injection; Water Microbiology; Water pipelines
• ISSN: 0168-6496; 1574-6941
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00137.x

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the bacterial diversity associated with a corrosive biofilm in a steel pipeline from the Gulf of Mexico used to inject marine water into the oil reservoir. Several aerobic and heterotrophic bacteria were isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Metagenomic DNA was also extracted to perform a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of ribosomal genes and to construct a 16S rRNA gene metagenomic library. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles and ribosomal libraries exhibited a limited bacterial diversity. Most of the species detected in the ribosomal library or isolated from the pipeline were assigned to Proteobacteria (Halomonas spp., Idiomarina spp., Marinobacter aquaeolei, Thalassospira sp., Silicibacter sp. and Chromohalobacter sp.) and Bacilli (Bacillus spp. and Exiguobacterium spp.). This is the first report that associates some of these bacteria with a corrosive biofilm. It is relevant that no sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated or detected by a PCR-based method. The diversity and relative abundance of bacteria from water pipeline biofilms may contribute to an understanding of the complexity and mechanisms of metal corrosion during marine water injection in oil secondary recovery.