Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing to Assess Cyanobacterial Community Composition following Coagulation of Cyanobacterial Blooms

• Published in: Toxins Vol. 14; no. 10; p. 688
• Main Authors: Le, Kim Thien Nguyen, Maldonado, Juan Francisco Guerra, Goitom, Eyerusalem, Trigui, Hana, Terrat, Yves, Nguyen, Thanh-Luan, Husk, Barry, Shapiro, B Jesse, Sauvé, Sébastien, Prévost, Michèle, Dorner, Sarah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.10.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Analysis; Biological diversity; Coagulation; Community composition; Community structure; Composition; Contamination; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - genetics; cyanobacterial blooms; cyanobacterial community; cyanotoxins; Dissolved organic carbon; Dissolved organic phosphorus; DNA sequencing; Drinking water; Drinking Water - analysis; Ferric sulfate; Genetic aspects; high-throughput sequencing; Iron sulfates; Laboratories; Lakes - microbiology; Mesocosms; Metagenomics; Methods; Microcystins - analysis; Microcystis; Microcystis - genetics; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - analysis; Nucleotide sequencing; Oxidation; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - analysis; Principal components analysis; Sampling; Sulfates; Surface water; Taxonomy; Toxins; Water bloom; Water supply; Water treatment; Canada; microcystins; cyanobacterial community; shotgun metagenomics; ferric sulfate; cyanotoxins; coagulation; cyanobacterial blooms; high-throughput sequencing; mesocosms
• ISSN: 2072-6651; 2072-6651
• DOI: 10.3390/toxins14100688

The excessive proliferation of cyanobacteria in surface waters is a widespread problem worldwide, leading to the contamination of drinking water sources. Short- and long-term solutions for managing cyanobacterial blooms are needed for drinking water supplies. The goal of this research was to investigate the cyanobacteria community composition using shotgun metagenomics in a short term, in situ mesocosm experiment of two lakes following their coagulation with ferric sulfate (Fe (SO ) ) as an option for source water treatment. Among the nutrient paramenters, dissolved nitrogen was related to in both Missisquoi Bay and Petit Lac St. François, while the presence of was related to total nitrogen, dissolved nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, and dissolved phosphorus. Results from the shotgun metagenomic sequencing showed that and were the dominant genera in all of the mesocosms in the beginning of the sampling period in Missisquoi Bay and Petit Lac St. François, respectively. Potentially toxigenic genera such as were correlated with intracellular microcystin concentrations. A principal component analysis showed that there was a change of the cyanobacterial composition at the genus level in the mesocosms after two days, which varied across the studied sites and sampling time. The cyanobacterial community richness and diversity did not change significantly after its coagulation by Fe (SO ) in all of the mesocosms at either site. The use of Fe (SO ) for an onsite source water treatment should consider its impact on cyanobacterial community structure and the reduction of toxin concentrations.