Evolution and Ecology Research Centre is equivalent, School of BEES, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
The Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia.
Environ Microbiol. 2019 Jan;21(1):389-401. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.14470. Epub 2018 Dec 13.
Microbially mediated biogeochemical processes are crucial for climate regulation and may be disrupted by anthropogenic contaminants. To better manage contaminants, we need tools that make real-time causal links between stressors and altered microbial functions, and the potential consequences for ecosystem services such as climate regulation. In a manipulative field experiment, we used metatranscriptomics to investigate the impact of excess organic enrichment and metal contamination on the gene expression of nitrogen and sulfur metabolisms in coastal sediments. Our gene expression data suggest that excess organic enrichment results in (i) higher transcript levels of genes involved in the production of toxic ammonia and hydrogen sulfide and (ii) lower transcript levels associated with the degradation of a greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide). However, metal contamination did not have any significant impact on gene expression. We reveal the genetic mechanisms that may lead to altered productivity and greenhouse gas production in coastal sediments due to anthropogenic contaminants. Our data highlight the applicability of metatranscriptomics as a management tool that provides an immense breadth of information and can identify potentially impacted process measurements that need further investigation.
微生物介导的生物地球化学过程对气候调节至关重要，但可能会被人为污染物破坏。为了更好地管理污染物，我们需要能够实时揭示胁迫与微生物功能改变之间因果关系的工具，以及这些改变对气候调节等生态系统服务可能产生的潜在影响。在一项控制性野外实验中，我们使用宏转录组学来研究过量有机富营养化和金属污染对沿海沉积物氮和硫代谢基因表达的影响。我们的基因表达数据表明，过量的有机富营养化导致（i）与有毒氨和硫化氢生成相关的基因转录水平升高，以及（ii）与温室气体（氧化亚氮）降解相关的基因转录水平降低。然而，金属污染对基因表达没有任何显著影响。我们揭示了可能导致沿海沉积物生产力和温室气体产生改变的遗传机制，这些改变是由人为污染物引起的。我们的数据强调了宏转录组学作为一种管理工具的适用性，它提供了广泛的信息，并能够识别需要进一步研究的潜在受影响的过程测量。
