AUTHOR=Dixit Sangita , Gaur Mahendra , Subudhi Enketeswara , Sahoo Rajesh Kumar , Dey Suchanda , Mahapatra Lakshmi Datta , Mandal Surajit De , Senthil Kumar Nachimuthu , Anirudh Hardik 

TITLE=Bacterial Diversity and CAZyme Potential Revealed in Pandanus Rich Thermal Spring Cluster of India: A Non-cultivable 16S rRNA Sequencing Approach

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.760573

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.760573

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=In the present study, we explored four different geothermal spots of the Deulajhari spring cluster at a proximity of 10-20 meters with temperatures of 43°C to 65°C to unravel their genesis, bacterial diversity and CAZyme potential. However, minor variations in physicochemical properties; TOC, sodium, chloride, zinc and nitrate were observed, including the pH of the spring openings. Illumina based amplicon sequencing revealed Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi as the major bacterial phylum with higher abundance in the DJ04 sample. Alpha diversity of all the springs was almost the same, whereas beta diversity revealed variations in the degree of uniqueness of OTUs at different temperatures. Statistical analysis established a positive correlation between sulphur content with Heliobacterium, Thermodesulfovibrio, Thermodesulfobacterium, and Herpetosipho as well as TOC and HCO3 with Thermoanaerobacter, Desulfovibrio, Candidatus solibacter and Dehalogenimona. The major hydrocarbon family genes and Carbohydrate Active Enzyme pathways were predicted to be highest in DJ04 with elevated concentrations of HCO3 and TOC. Higher homogeneity in geo-physicochemical and microbial features direct the possibility of the common origin of these springs through plumbing systems. But, minor variations in diversity and functionality were due to variations in temperature in spring openings through the mixing of subsurface water contaminated with carbohydrates from the leaf biomass litter. Functional characterization of the thermophilic bacteria this spring will serve as an essential scope for further industrial applications. Biogeochemical reasons hypothesized behind the genesis of a unique multiple openings in the cluster would attract the attention of the conservation scientists for taking measures towards laying down necessary laws and regulations so that these springs can be preserved.