Employing Next-Generation Sequencing and Mass Spectrometry to Explore the Seasonal Dynamics and Complex Interactions Between Microbial Communities and Water ChemistryInnovations in Microbiology
Poster Presentation
Prepared by M. Khabir1, N. Alam2, J. Jhumur2, M. Saleem2
1 - Alabama State University, 2600 Vaughn Lakes Apartments, Apartment #1522, Montgomery, Alabama, 36117, United States
2 - Alabama State University, , , United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 334-647-3540
ABSTRACT
Water ecosystems are susceptible to changing climatic factors and human activities. So, there is a need to understand the composition and diversity of water-inhabiting microbial communities in relation to water chemical properties, metabolome composition(1).In this research, first, we hypothesized that the abundance of microbial taxa would change with different seasons at Montgomery (Alabama) river. Second,we also hypothesized that the seasonal variations in microbiome communities will be linked with water chemistry. Third, it is also hypothesized that microbial communities would show interactions with various metabolites and contaminants across different sampling points.To perform this research, we have sampled the Alabama River water from Montgomery at the downtown locationfor one year We extracted microbial DNA ,using the DNeasyPower Water Kit and amplified the bacterial 16S rRNA genes (V3–V4 regions) to profile microbial communities. Unless otherwise stated, I have four replicates for each month and a total of 48 samples for metagenomics, metabolomics, and water chemistry analyses for performing statistical tests. We used multiresidue liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses to detect and measure the anthropogenic compounds in the filtered water samples(2). We found a significant impact of seasonal variation on microbial communities across various seasons using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. The changes in the microbial communities were observed at various taxonomic and compositional levels whereas the enrichment and depletion of various microbial taxa was observed. Meanwhile, we also tried to investigate the microbial networks in Alabama River which indicated complex interactions among microbial taxa and metabolites which release in different months.
Ref:
1. Malmqvist, Björn et, al 2002. "Threats to the running water ecosystems of the world." Environmental conservation 29.2 (2002): 134-153.
2. Majzoub ME et, al 2024.” Refining microbial community metabolic models derived from metagenomics using reference-based taxonomic profiling. mSystems”.PMID: 39136455; PMCID: PMC11406951.
