TY - JOUR

T1 - Architecture and spatial organization in a triple-species bacterial biofilm synergistically degrading the phenylurea herbicide linuron

AU - Breugelmans, Philip

AU - Barken, Kim Bundvig

AU - Tolker-Nielsen, Tim

AU - Hofkens, Johan

AU - Dejonghe, Winnie

AU - Springael, Dirk

PY - 2008/5

Y1 - 2008/5

N2 - Members of a triple-species 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methyl urea (linuron)-mineralizing consortium, i.e. the linuron- and 3,4-dichloroaniline-degrading Variovorax sp. WDL1, the 3,4-dichloroaniline-degrading Comamonas testosteroni WDL7 and the N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine-degrading Hyphomicrobium sulfonivorans WDL6, were cultivated as mono- or multi-species biofilms in flow cells irrigated with selective or nonselective media, and examined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. In contrast to mono-species biofilms of Variovorax sp. WDL1, the triple-species consortium biofilm degraded linuron completely through apparent synergistic interactions. The triple-species linuron-fed consortium biofilm displayed a heterogeneous structure with an irregular surface topography that most resembled the topography of linuron-fed mono-species WDL1 biofilms, indicating that WDL1 had a dominating influence on the triple-species biofilm architecture. This architecture was dependent on the carbon source supplied, as the biofilm architecture of WDL1 growing on alternative carbon sources was different from that observed under linuron-fed conditions. Linuron-fed triple-species consortium biofilms consisted of mounds composed of closely associated WDL1, WDL7 and WDL6 cells, while this association was lost when the consortium was grown on a nonselective carbon source. In addition, under linuron-fed conditions, microcolonies displaying associated growth developed rapidly after inoculation. These observations indicate that the spatial organization in the linuron-fed consortium biofilm reflected the metabolic interactions within the consortium.

AB - Members of a triple-species 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methyl urea (linuron)-mineralizing consortium, i.e. the linuron- and 3,4-dichloroaniline-degrading Variovorax sp. WDL1, the 3,4-dichloroaniline-degrading Comamonas testosteroni WDL7 and the N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine-degrading Hyphomicrobium sulfonivorans WDL6, were cultivated as mono- or multi-species biofilms in flow cells irrigated with selective or nonselective media, and examined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. In contrast to mono-species biofilms of Variovorax sp. WDL1, the triple-species consortium biofilm degraded linuron completely through apparent synergistic interactions. The triple-species linuron-fed consortium biofilm displayed a heterogeneous structure with an irregular surface topography that most resembled the topography of linuron-fed mono-species WDL1 biofilms, indicating that WDL1 had a dominating influence on the triple-species biofilm architecture. This architecture was dependent on the carbon source supplied, as the biofilm architecture of WDL1 growing on alternative carbon sources was different from that observed under linuron-fed conditions. Linuron-fed triple-species consortium biofilms consisted of mounds composed of closely associated WDL1, WDL7 and WDL6 cells, while this association was lost when the consortium was grown on a nonselective carbon source. In addition, under linuron-fed conditions, microcolonies displaying associated growth developed rapidly after inoculation. These observations indicate that the spatial organization in the linuron-fed consortium biofilm reflected the metabolic interactions within the consortium.

KW - Aniline Compounds

KW - Biofilms

KW - Comamonadaceae

KW - Dimethylamines

KW - Ecosystem

KW - Herbicides

KW - Hyphomicrobium

KW - Linuron

KW - Microscopy, Confocal

U2 - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2008.00470.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2008.00470.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18373685

VL - 64

SP - 271

EP - 282

JO - F E M S Microbiology Ecology

JF - F E M S Microbiology Ecology

SN - 0168-6496

IS - 2

ER -