Geochemical and metagenomics study of a metal-rich, green-turquoise-coloured stream in the southern Swiss Alps.

ABSTRACT: The Swiss Alpine environments are poorly described from a microbiological perspective. Near the Greina plateau in the Camadra valley in Ticino (southern Swiss Alps), a green-turquoise-coloured water spring streams off the mountain cliffs. Geochemical profiling revealed naturally elevated concentrations of heavy metals such as copper, lithium, zinc and cadmium, which are highly unusual for the geomorphology of the region. Of particular interest, was the presence of a thick biofilm, that was revealed by microscopic analysis to be mainly composed of Cyanobacteria. A metagenome was further assembled to detail the genes found in this environment. A multitude of genes for resistance/tolerance to high heavy metal concentrations were indeed found, such as, various transport systems, and genes invo

SUBMITTER: Buetti-Dinh A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8009434 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature