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Mercury-methylating genes dsrB and hgcA in soils/sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir

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Abstract

Previous research found that the water-level fluctuating zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) was an Hg-sensitive area. However, little research has been conducted on the distribution of Hg-methylating microorganisms in this area. The goal of this research was to provide an initial description of the distribution of the dsrB (for sulfate-reducing bacteria) and hgcA (one gene confirmed for Hg methylation) genes. Different types of soil were selected to analyze the abundance of the dsrB and hgcA in different periods, in inundated soil (SI, ≤155 m, which becomes sediment during the wet period, SS) and in non-inundated soil (≥175 m, SN) from Shibao, a typical WLFZ of the TGR. A significant positive correlation was observed between dsrB and hgcA abundance and MeHg concentrations, suggesting that microorganisms with these genes contribute to Hg methylation. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that dsrB diversity was highest in SI, followed by SS; SS had the highest diversity of hcgA. Six phylogenetic trees were constructed and showed that more strains were present in SI than in SS. HgcA sequences in SS were confined to three evolutionarily distant clades, δ-Proteobacteria, a methanogen group, and a Clostridia group, which was relatively rare among most clades.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB430004), Natural Science Foundation of China (41603098, 41573105), Thousand Talent Program for Foreign Experts (WQ20125500073), and Projects of Scientific Platform and Base Construction (key laboratory) (cstc2014pt-sy0017).

Authors’ contributions

Ma M and Sun T collected the soil samples and measured the THg, MeHg, and environmental factors. Du H performed the diversity-related experiments, wrote the main manuscript text, and constructed all the figures. Dai X, Yang C, and Du H performed the diversity analysis. Luo F, Wang D, and Igarashi Y designed the research. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, People’s Republic of China

    Hongxia Du, Ming Ma, Tao Sun, Xianzhu Dai, Caiyun Yang, Feng Luo, Dingyong Wang & Yasuo Igarashi

  2. Research Center of Bioenergy and Bioremediation, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Hongxia Du, Xianzhu Dai, Caiyun Yang, Feng Luo & Yasuo Igarashi

  3. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Ming Ma, Tao Sun & Dingyong Wang

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  1. Hongxia Du
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Correspondence to Dingyong Wang or Yasuo Igarashi.

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Du, H., Ma, M., Sun, T. et al. Mercury-methylating genes dsrB and hgcA in soils/sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 5001–5011 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8213-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8213-9

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