Genomic and metagenomic insights into the microbial community of a thermal spring.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Water springs provide important ecosystem services including drinking water supply, recreation, and balneotherapy, but their microbial communities remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the spring water microbiome of Comano Terme (Italy) at four sampling points of the thermal spa, including natural (spring and well) and human-built (storage tank, bathtubs) environments. We integrated large-scale culturing and metagenomic approaches, with the aim of comprehensively determining the spring water taxonomic composition and functional potential.

Results

The groundwater feeding the spring hosted the most atypical microbiome, including many taxa known to be recalcitrant to cultivation. The core microbiome included the orders Sphingomonadales, Rhizobiales,

SUBMITTER: Pedron R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6343286 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature