Microbial Community Composition during a Bloom of Purple Bacteria in Intertidal Sediments in Vigo (Northwest Spain).

ABSTRACT: In summer 2019, a large, bright pink microbial mat was visible on top of macroalgal deposits in muddy sediments of an urban beach (Playa do Adro, Vigo). In order to characterize the dominant organisms in these colored mats, results from microscopic observations, photosynthetic pigments, and molecular analysis were gathered. Light microscopy examination revealed pinkish microbial aggregates with minor contributions of larger protists and cyanobacteria. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pigment analysis documented the dominance of bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids whose spectra were compatible with those described in photosynthetic purple bacteria. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing confirmed that the vast majority of reads belonged to Proteobacteria (73.5%), and

SUBMITTER: Frojan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8549741 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature