Metagenomic mapping of cyanobacteria and potential cyanotoxin producing taxa in large rivers of the United States

Linz, David M.; Sienkiewicz, Nathan; Struewing, Ian; Stelzer, Erin A.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Lu, Jingrang

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29037-6

Metagenomic mapping of cyanobacteria and potential cyanotoxin producing taxa in large rivers of the United States

Journal Article · Thu Feb 16 00:00:00 EST 2023 · Scientific Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29037-6· OSTI ID:1926730

Linz, David M.; Sienkiewicz, Nathan; Struewing, Ian; Stelzer, Erin A.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Lu, Jingrang

Abstract

Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin producing cyanobacterial blooms are a trending focus of current research. Many studies focus on bloom events in lentic environments such as lakes or ponds. Comparatively few studies have explored lotic environments and fewer still have examined the cyanobacterial communities and potential cyanotoxin producers during ambient, non-bloom conditions. Here we used a metagenomics-based approach to profile non-bloom microbial communities and cyanobacteria in 12 major U.S. rivers at multiple time points during the summer months of 2019. Our data show that U.S. rivers possess microbial communities that are taxonomically rich, yet largely consistent across geographic location and time. Within these communities, cyanobacteria often comprise significant portions and frequently include multiple species with known cyanotoxin producing strains. We further characterized these potential cyanotoxin producing taxa by deep sequencing amplicons of the microcystin E ( mcyE ) gene. We found that rivers containing the highest levels of potential cyanotoxin producing cyanobacteria consistently possess taxa with the genetic potential for cyanotoxin production and that, among these taxa, the predominant genus of origin for the mcyE gene is Microcystis . Combined, these data provide a unique perspective on cyanobacteria and potential cyanotoxin producing taxa that exist in large rivers across the U.S. and can be used to better understand the ambient conditions that may precede bloom events in lotic freshwater ecosystems.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0014664

OSTI ID:: 1926730

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2425733

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 13; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Metagenomic mapping of cyanobacteria and potential cyanotoxin producing taxa in large rivers of the United States

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