Formation of Multilayered Photosynthetic Biofilms in an Alkaline Thermal Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Abstract

In this study, glass rods suspended at the air-water interface in the runoff channel of Fairy Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, WY, were used as a substratum to promote the development of biofilms that resembled multilayered mat communities in the splash zone at the geyser's source. This approach enabled the establishment of the temporal relationship between the appearance of Cyanobacteria, which ultimately formed the outer green layer, and the development of a red underlayer containing Roseiflexus-like Chloroflexi. This is the first study to define time-dependent successional events involved in the development of differently colored layers within microbial mats associated with many thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. Initial (1-month) biofilms were localized below the air-water interface (60 to 70°C), and the majority of retrieved bacterial sequence types were similar to Synechococcus and Thermus isolates. Biofilms then shifted, becoming established at and above the air-water interface after 3 months. During winter sampling (6 to 8 months), distinct reddish orange microcolonies were observed, consistent with the appearance of Roseiflexus-like sequences and bacteriochlorophyll a pigment signatures. Additionally, populations of Cyanobacteria diversified to include both unicellular and filamentous cell and sequence types. Distinct green and red layers were observed at 13 months. Planctomycetes-like sequences were also retrieved in high abundance from final biofilm layers and winter samples. Finally, biomass associated with geyser vent water contained Roseiflexus-like sequence types, in addition to other high-abundance sequence types retrieved from biofilm samples, supporting the idea that geothermal water serves as an inoculum for these habitats.

Microbial Community Structures of Novel Icelandic Hot Spring Systems Revealed by PhyloChip G3 Analysis

“…Therefore, with the exception of P0, hot springs sampled with temperatures above 60°C showed greater percentages of Aquificae OTUs in our study. These observations are in agreement with earlier studies that suggested that chemolithotrophic organisms, belonging to the order Aquificales, dominate the bacterial communities in hot spring geothermal waters (Flores et al, 2008;Boomer et al, 2009).…”

Characterization Of A Novel Hydrolytic Enzyme Producing Thermophilic Bacterium Isolated From The Hot Spring Of Azad Kashmir-Pakistan

“…In recent times, molecular phylogenetic methods utilizing the small-subunit rRNA gene have been used to study the bacterial diversity of varied hot springs (Reysenbach et al 2000). Thermophilic bacteria have been characterized by phenotypic and genotypic means from numerous geothermal regions of the World, comprising Italy (Maugeri et al 2001), Turkey (Gul-Guven et al 2008), Bulgaria (Derekova et al 2008), Iceland (Marteinsson et al 2001), Yellowstone National Park (Boomer et al 2009), China (Lau et al 2009), India (Sharma et al 2009) and Greece (Sievert et al 2000). Tatta Pani hot spring located in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan has not been explored yet from the microbiological aspects.…”

Filamentous anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria from cyanobacterial mats of Alla hot springs (Barguzin Valley, Russia)

“…RS-2 (Van der Meer et al 2010). Roseiflexus-like bacteria form a red layer in thermophilic cyanobacterial mats, described as red layer containing mat (Boomer et al 2000(Boomer et al , 2002(Boomer et al , 2009. Red layer mats are typical for hot springs in Japan, Yellowstone (North America) and China ), but are yet to be discovered in BRZ hydrotherms.…”