Yurgel Svetlana N, Nadeem Muhammad, Cheema Mumtaz
USDA-ARS, Grain Legume Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, Prosser, WA 99350, USA.
School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada.
Microorganisms. 2022 May 16;10(5):1033. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10051033.
Soil microbes play an essential role in the biodegradation of crustacean shells, which is the process of sustainable bioconversion to chitin derivatives ultimately resulting in the promotion of plant growth properties. While a number of microorganisms with chitinolytic properties have been characterized, little is known about the microbial taxa that participate in this process either by active chitin degradation or by facilitation of this activity through nutritional cooperation and composting with the chitinolytic microorganisms. In this study, we evaluated the transformation of the soil microbiome triggered by close approximation to the green crab shell surface. Our data indicate that the microbial community associated with green crab shell matter undergoes significant specialized changes, which was reflected in a decreased fungal and bacterial Shannon diversity and evenness and in a dramatic alteration in the community composition. The relative abundance of several bacterial and fungal genera including bacteria , , , and and fungi , , and were increased with approximation to the shell surface. Association with the shell triggered significant changes in microbial cooperation that incorporate microorganisms that were previously reported to be involved in chitin degradation as well as ones with no reported chitinolytic activity. Our study indicates that the biodegradation of crab shells in soil incorporates a consortium of microorganisms that might provide a more efficient way for bioconversion.
土壤微生物在甲壳类动物外壳的生物降解过程中起着至关重要的作用，这是一个可持续生物转化为几丁质衍生物的过程，最终促进植物生长特性。虽然已经鉴定出许多具有几丁质分解特性的微生物，但对于通过主动降解几丁质或通过与几丁质分解微生物的营养合作和堆肥促进这种活性来参与这一过程的微生物类群却知之甚少。在本研究中，我们评估了接近青蟹壳表面引发的土壤微生物群落的转变。我们的数据表明，与青蟹壳物质相关的微生物群落发生了显著的特异性变化，这反映在真菌和细菌的香农多样性和均匀度降低以及群落组成的显著改变上。包括细菌属、、、和真菌属、、在内的几个细菌和真菌属的相对丰度随着接近壳表面而增加。与壳的关联引发了微生物合作的显著变化，其中纳入了先前报道参与几丁质降解的微生物以及没有报道几丁质分解活性的微生物。我们的研究表明，土壤中青蟹壳的生物降解涉及一个微生物群落，这可能为生物转化提供一种更有效的方式。
