Culturable and unculturable potential heterotrophic microbiological threats to the oldest pyramids of the Memphis necropolis, Egypt.

ABSTRACT: A large percentage of the world's tangible cultural heritage is made from stone; thus, it deteriorates due to physical, chemical, and/or biological factors. The current study explored the microbial community inhabiting two prehistoric sites with high cultural value in the Memphis necropolis of Egypt (Djoser and Lahun Pyramids) using amplicon-based metabarcoding and culture-dependent isolation methods. Samples were examined by epifluorescent microscopy for biological signs before environmental DNA extraction and in vitro cultivation. The metabarcoding analysis identified 644 bacterial species (452 genera) using the 16S rRNA and 204 fungal species (146 genera) using ITS. In comparison with the isolation approach, an additional 28 bacterial species (13 genera) and 34 fungal species (20

SUBMITTER: Rizk SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10232867 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature