Metagenomic analysis of the microbial communities and associated network of nitrogen metabolism genes in the Ryukyu limestone aquifer.

ABSTRACT: While microbial biogeochemical activities such as those involving denitrification and sulfate reduction have been considered to play important roles in material cycling in various aquatic ecosystems, our current understanding of the microbial community in groundwater ecosystems is remarkably insufficient. To assess the groundwater in the Ryukyu limestone aquifer of Okinawa Island, which is located in the southernmost region of Japan, we performed metagenomic analysis on the microbial communities at the three sites and screened for functional genes associated with nitrogen metabolism. 16S rRNA amplicon analysis showed that bacteria accounted for 94-98% of the microbial communities, which included archaea at all three sites. The bacterial communities associated with nitrogen metabolism shift

SUBMITTER: Maruyama R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10883930 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature