Autores
Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
The Iberian Pyrite Belt extends from Portugal to Spain and is one of the most
important pyrite regions in the world. Its aquatic reservoirs display extreme
conditions characterized by low pH and high concentrations of heavy metals. In
this study, the diversity of microeukaryotes was analysed at the abandoned mines
of Sa˜o Domingos (Portugal) and at Rio Tinto (Spain). DNA was extracted from
water samples and a set of eukaryotic universal primers directed to the small
subunit rRNA genes (rDNA) was used. The amplicons were analysed by molecular
cloning and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). In addition, a
fungi-specific primer set was also used in TGGE experiments. The fungi-specific
primers contributed to a substantial increase in the number of fungal taxa found
due, probably, to the relative low density of fungal structures. Several microorganisms,
belonging (or closely related) to the ascomycetous yeast Pichia acaciae, the
basidiomycetous yeasts Cryptococcus humicola and Cystofilobasidium bisporidii, the
green algae Chlamydomonas noctigama and Chlorella protothecoides var. acidicola
and some uncultured microeukaryotes were present at both localities, which
suggests that specific microorganisms are adapted to the peculiar conditions of
the Iberian Pyrite Belt extreme environments. However, in spite of the similarities,
a higher algal richness was observed at S. Domingos, whereas for R. Tinto the
richness of fungi was more prominent.
Descrição
FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Vol. 57, nº 1
Palavras-chave
Iberian pyrite belt Extreme environments Microeukaryotes Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis Molecular cloning
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Editora
Federation of European Microbiological Societies