State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Apr 12;119(15):e2121141119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2121141119. Epub 2022 Mar 28.
SignificanceThe conservation of historical relics against microbial biodeterioration is critical to preserving cultural heritages. One major challenge is our limited understanding of microorganisms' dispersal, colonization, and persistence on relics after excavation and opening to external environments. Here, we investigate the ecological and physiological profiles of the microbiome within and outside the Dahuting Han Dynasty Tomb with a 1,800-y history. Actinobacteria dominate the microbiome in this tomb. Via interkingdom signaling mutualism, springtails carry Actinobacteria as one possible source into the tomb from surrounding environments. Subsequently, Actinobacteria produce cellulases combined with antimicrobial substances, which helps them to colonize and thrive in the tomb via intrakingdom competition. Our findings unravel the ecology of the microbiomes colonizing historical relics and provide help for conservation practices.
意义
保护历史文物免受微生物生物降解的影响对于保护文化遗产至关重要。一个主要的挑战是，我们对挖掘和暴露于外部环境后微生物在文物上的传播、定殖和持续存在的了解有限。在这里，我们研究了具有 1800 年历史的大亭汉墓内外微生物组的生态和生理特征。
放线菌在这座墓中占据主导地位。通过种间信号共生关系，跳虫将放线菌作为一种可能的来源从周围环境中带入墓内。随后，放线菌产生纤维素酶和抗菌物质，这有助于它们通过种内竞争在墓内定殖和茁壮成长。
我们的研究结果揭示了定殖历史文物的微生物组的生态学，并为保护实践提供了帮助。
