Portillo M Carmen, Gonzalez Juan M
Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, Seville, Spain.
Naturwissenschaften. 2008 Apr;95(4):307-15. doi: 10.1007/s00114-007-0330-3. Epub 2007 Dec 11.
Volcanic eruptions originated the Canary Islands (Spain), and today, different landscapes clearly show that active volcanism. The microbial communities present in these volcanic environments, both at high (above 70 degrees C) and moderate (25-35 degrees C) temperatures, were analyzed. Rock samples were processed using molecular techniques based on both DNA and RNA and complemented with the culture of microorganisms at a wide range of temperatures. Microorganisms detected through RNA-based molecular surveys were mostly related to mesophilic microorganisms, while representatives of hyperthermophiles were not detected. RNA decay curves at 80 degrees C resulted in half-life estimates of less than 2 min for mesophilic microorganisms, supporting a recent and continuous arrival of microorganisms to the high temperature sampled sites. This study constitutes a unique experimental approach showing a great natural potential of microorganisms to spread out to different natural environments. The implications are of great interest for the biogeography, dispersal, and potential distribution of microorganisms, and their genetic information, in natural environments.
火山喷发造就了加那利群岛（西班牙），如今，不同的地貌清晰地展现了活跃的火山活动。对这些火山环境中存在的微生物群落进行了分析，这些环境包括高温（70摄氏度以上）和中温（25 - 35摄氏度）环境。岩石样本采用基于DNA和RNA的分子技术进行处理，并辅以不同温度下微生物的培养。通过基于RNA的分子调查检测到的微生物大多与嗜温微生物有关，而未检测到嗜热微生物的代表。80摄氏度下的RNA衰变曲线显示，嗜温微生物的半衰期估计不到2分钟，这支持了微生物近期持续抵达高温采样点的观点。这项研究构成了一种独特的实验方法，显示出微生物向不同自然环境扩散的巨大自然潜力。这对于自然环境中微生物及其遗传信息的生物地理学、扩散和潜在分布具有重大意义。
