From community approaches to single-cell genomics: the discovery of ubiquitous hyperhalophilic Bacteroidetes generalists

The microbiota of multi-pond solar salterns around the world has been analyzed using a variety of culture-dependent and molecular techniques. However, studies addressing the dynamic nature of these systems are very scarce. Here we have characterized the temporal variation during 1 year of the microbiota of five ponds with increasing salinity (from 18% to >40%), by means of CARD-FISH and DGGE. Microbial community structure was statistically correlated with several environmental parameters, including ionic composition and meteorological factors, indicating that the microbial community was dynamic as specific phylotypes appeared only at certain times of the year. In addition to total salinity, microbial composition was strongly influenced by temperature and specific ionic composition. Remarkably, DGGE analyses unveiled the presence of most phylotypes previously detected in hypersaline systems using metagenomics and other molecular techniques, such as the very abundant Haloquadratum and Salinibacter representatives or the recently described low GC Actinobacteria and Nanohaloarchaeota. In addition, an uncultured group of Bacteroidetes was present along the whole range of salinity. Database searches indicated a previously unrecognized widespread distribution of this phylotype. Single-cell genome analysis of five members of this group suggested a set of metabolic characteristics that could provide competitive advantages in hypersaline environments, such as polymer degradation capabilities, the presence of retinal-binding light-activated proton pumps and arsenate reduction potential. In addition, the fairly high metagenomic fragment recruitment obtained for these single cells in both the intermediate and hypersaline ponds further confirm the DGGE data and point to the generalist lifestyle of this new Bacteroidetes group.

Spherical activated carbon as an enhanced support for TiO2/AC photocatalysts

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles prepared in situ by sol–gel method were supported on a spherical activated carbon to prepare TiO2/AC hybrid photocatalysts for the oxidation of gaseous organic compounds. Additionally, a granular activated carbon was studied for comparison purposes. In both types of TiO2/AC composites the effect of different variables (i.e., the thermal treatment conditions used during the preparation of these materials) and the UV-light wavelength used during photocatalytic oxidation were analyzed. The prepared materials were deeply characterized (by gas adsorption, TGA, XRD, SEM and photocatalytic propene oxidation). The obtained results show that the carbon support has an important effect on the properties of the deposited TiO2 and, therefore, on the photocatalytic activity of the resulting TiO2/AC composites. Thus, the hybrid materials prepared over the spherical activated carbon show better results than those prepared over the granular one; a good TiO2 coverage with a high crystallinity of the deposited titanium dioxide, which just needs an air oxidation treatment at low-moderate temperature (350–375 °C) to present high photoactivity, without the need of additional inert atmosphere treatments. Additionally, these materials are more active at 365 nm than at 257.7 nm UV radiation, opening the possibility of using solar light for this application.