Deciphering the biosynthetic landscape of biofilms in glacier-fed streams

Geers, Aileen Ute ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9162-9423; Michoud, Grégoire ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1071-9900; Busi, Susheel Bhanu ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7559-3400; Peter, Hannes ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9021-3082; Kohler, Tyler J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5137-4844; Ezzat, Leïla ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4317-6458; Battin, Tom J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5361-2033. 2024 Deciphering the biosynthetic landscape of biofilms in glacier-fed streams. mSystems, e01137-24. 21, pp. 10.1128/msystems.01137-24

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text geers-et-al-2024-deciphering-the-biosynthetic-landscape-of-biofilms-in-glacier-fed-streams.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

Glacier-fed streams are permanently cold, ultra-oligotrophic, and physically unstable environments, yet microbial life thrives in benthic biofilm communities. Within biofilms, microorganisms rely on secondary metabolites for communication and competition. However, the diversity and genetic potential of secondary metabolites in glacier-fed stream biofilms remain poorly understood. In this study, we present the first large-scale exploration of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) from benthic glacier-fed stream biofilms sampled by the Vanishing Glaciers project from the world’s major mountain ranges. We found a remarkable diversity of BGCs, with more than 8,000 of them identified within 2,868 prokaryotic metagenome-assembled genomes, some of them potentially conferring ecological advantages, such as UV protection and quorum sensing. The BGCs were distinct from those sourced from other aquatic microbiomes, with over 40% of them being novel. The glacier-fed stream BGCs exhibited the highest similarity to BGCs from glacier microbiomes. BGC composition displayed geographic patterns and correlated with prokaryotic alpha diversity. We also found that BGC diversity was positively associated with benthic chlorophyll a and prokaryotic diversity, indicative of more biotic interactions in more extensive biofilms. Our study provides new insights into a hitherto poorly explored microbial ecosystem, which is now changing at a rapid pace as glaciers are shrinking due to climate change.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1128/msystems.01137-24
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Environmental Pressures and Responses (2025-)
ISSN:	2379-5077
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	secondary metabolites, microbiomes, glacier-fed streams, biofilms
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	07 Jan 2025 13:02 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538641

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...