Effect of zinc on Bacterial communities in the Gut of Pontoscolex corethrurus

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Effect of zinc on Bacterial communities in the Gut of Pontoscolex corethrurus

Author Affiliations

¹Department Of Biotechnology, Mount Carmel College, 58, Palace Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore, INDIA
² Life Sciences, School Of Sciences, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, INDIA

Res. J. Recent Sci., Volume 3, Issue (ISC-2013), Pages 380-384, (2014)

Abstract

Microorganisms are known to tolerate and accumulate a wide range of heavy metals which are the common pollutants of soil. The earthworms, being the significant inhabitants of soil, bio-accumulate the heavy metals, detoxify them and improve the quality of soil. The gut micro flora of earthworms has been known to perform important roles like de-nitrification (in nitrogen fixation) and production of degradative enzymes (for decomposition of organic matter). Endogeic earthworms are often exposed to various kinds of stress which in turn could have a profound effect on the micro flora of its gut. Zinc is one of the largest heavy metal pollutants of the soil. In this study, we investigated the effect of zinc stress on the microbial communities of the gut of endogeic earthworms –Pontoscolex corethrurus. The earthworms were subjected to zinc stress at increasing concentrations for a period of 15 days. Zinc had a deleterious effect on growth and development of the earthworms. It was observed that two bacterial species Aeromonas hydrophila and Bacillus cereus were selectively accumulated in the gut of earthworms that were exposed to metal stress when compared to the control earthworms. This study highlights the importance of association between earthworm and microorganisms with respect to bioremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals.

References

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http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/zn.htm#ixzz2pFCnhTGm (2014)
Lavelle P., Melendez G., Pashanasi B. and Schaefer R., Nitrogen mineralization and reorganization in casts of the geophagous tropical earthworm Pontoscolexcorethrurus(glossoscolecidae), Biol. Fertil. Soils., 14, 49-53(1992)
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Cappuccino J. and Sherman N. Microbiology, A Laboratory Manual (7th Edition). Benjamin Cummings, 544 (2004)
Miranda C.D. and Castillo D., Resistance to antibiotic and heavy metals of motile aeromonads from Chilean freshwater, Sci. Total Environ., 224, 167-176 (1998), 380-384 (2014)
Seshadri R., Joseph S.W., Chopra A.K., Sha J., Shaw J., Graf J., Haft D.H., Wu M., Ren Q., Rosovitz M.J., Madupu R., Tallon L., Kim M., Jin S., Vuong H., Stine O.C., Ali A., Horneman A.J. and Heidelberg J.F., Genome sequence of Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966T: Jack of all trades, J. Bacteriol., 188, 8272-8282(2006)
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[ref1] http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/zn.htm#ixzz2pFELZB4i (2014)

[ref2] Nies D.H., Microbial heavy-metal resistance, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.,51 (6), 730-50 (1999)

[ref3] Reilly C., Metal Contamination of Food, London and New York: Elsevier Science Publishers Lt; 2nd ed. (1991)

[ref4] http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/zn.htm#ixzz2pFCnhTGm (2014)

[ref5] Lavelle P., Melendez G., Pashanasi B. and Schaefer R., Nitrogen mineralization and reorganization in casts of the geophagous tropical earthworm Pontoscolexcorethrurus(glossoscolecidae), Biol. Fertil. Soils., 14, 49-53(1992)

[ref6] Sturzenbaum S.R., Kille P. and Morgan A.J., Heavy metal-induced molecular responses in the earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus genetic finger printing by directed differential display, Appl Soil Ecol.,9(3), 495-500 (1999)

[ref7] Spurgeon D.J. and Hopkin S.P., Comparisons of metal accumulation and excretion kinetics in earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to contaminated field and laboratory soils, Appl Soil Ecol., 11, 227-243 (1999)

[ref8] Dai J., Becquer T., Rouiller J.H., Reversat. G., Reversat F.B., Nahmani J. and Lavelle P., Heavy metal accumulation by two earthworm species and its relationship to total and DTPA-extractable metals in soils, Soil Biol. Biochem 36, 91–98 (2004)

[ref9] Nahmani J., Hodson M.E and Black S., A review of studies performed to assess metal uptake by earthworms, Environ. Pollut., 145, 402-424 (2007)

[ref10] Andersen C. and Laursen J., Distribution of heavy metals in Lumbricus terrestris, Aporrectodea longa and A. rosea measured by atomic absorption and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Pedobiologia.,24, 347-356 (1982)

[ref11] Kumar R., Singh B.L., Deepshikha V. and Shwetha., Enzyme activities and microflora of earthworm gut and vermireactors as indicators of the stabilization of waste degradation process, Biorem. J., 14(3), 150-157 (2010)

[ref12] Cappuccino J. and Sherman N. Microbiology, A Laboratory Manual (7th Edition). Benjamin Cummings, 544 (2004)

[ref13] Miranda C.D. and Castillo D., Resistance to antibiotic and heavy metals of motile aeromonads from Chilean freshwater, Sci. Total Environ., 224, 167-176 (1998), 380-384 (2014)

[ref14] Seshadri R., Joseph S.W., Chopra A.K., Sha J., Shaw J., Graf J., Haft D.H., Wu M., Ren Q., Rosovitz M.J., Madupu R., Tallon L., Kim M., Jin S., Vuong H., Stine O.C., Ali A., Horneman A.J. and Heidelberg J.F., Genome sequence of Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966T: Jack of all trades, J. Bacteriol., 188, 8272-8282(2006)

[ref15] Shoeb E., Ahmed N., Warner P.J., Morgan S. and Azim M.K., Identification of a unique mechanism of tolerance against nickel in Bacillus cereus from heavy metals contaminated sites, The Internet journal of microbiology, ISSN 1937-8289., 9(1), (2010)

[ref16] Harvie D.R., Vlchez S., Steggles J.R. and Ellar D.J., Bacillus cereus Fur regulates iron metabolism and is required for full virulence, Microbiology., 151, 569–577(2005)

[ref17] Cobbett C. and Goldsbrough P., Phytochelatins and metallothioneins: roles in heavy metal detoxification and homeostasis, Annu. Rev. Plant Biol., 53,159-182(2002)