Phylum ‐level diversity of the microbiome of the extremophilic basidiomycete fungus Pisolithus arhizus (Scop.) Rauschert: An island of biodiversity in a thermal soil desert

This work describes the microbiome of the thermophilic fungusPisolithus arhizus.Pisolithusarhizus creates an energy ‐rich island refugium habitat in a thermal soil desert that harbors microbial community that is distinct from parent soils and includes deeply diverging novel lineages. The results demonstrate thatP.  arhizus provides for interesting hypotheses regarding the evolution, origins, and functions of symbioses and novel microbes. AbstractWe used high ‐throughput DNA sequencing methods combined with bio‐geochemical profiles to characterize the internal environment and community structure of the microbiome of the basidiomycete fungusPisolithus arhizus (Scop.) Rauschert from soils within a geothermal feature of Yellowstone National Park.Pisolithus arhizus is unique in that it forms closed fruiting bodies that sequester visible sulfur within. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis demonstrates that theP.  arhizus fruiting body also concentrates copper, manganese, nickel, and zinc and contains pure granular silica. Gas chromatography ‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analysis indicates an environment rich in hydrocarbons. Oxygen probe analysis reveals that zones of up to 4× atmospheric oxygen exist within nanometers of zones of near anoxia. Analysis of microbial community structure using high‐throughput DNA sequencing methods sh ows that the fruiting body supports a microbiome that reflects the physiochemical environment of the fruiting body. Diver...
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research