Biogeochemical Cycling in Globally Distributed Hypersaline Environments

Studying extremophiles allows the characterisation of the boundaries of life on Earth and the identification of metabolic processes that fuel biogeochemical cycling under extreme conditions. Here we present an analysis of the microbiomes of globally distributed hypersaline environments. We screened published metagenomes produced from a range of hypersaline environments (Marine salterns in Spain, hypersaline lakes in Chile and Antarctica, and soda lakes in Egypt and Mongolia [1–5]) for the presence, diversity, and abundance of shared functional genes that encode for the enzymes relevant to biogeochemical cycling. The study was expanded by generating metagenomes from DNA extracted from the salt and water of an Ethiopian hypersaline lake in the Dallol Depression. Analysis was performed to compare the functional gene profiles between the hypersaline environments. The microbial community within the Ethiopian Lake was comprised of Cyanobacteria, Candidate Phyla, and halophilic bacteria and archaea. Screening of the metagenomes identified that phototrophs in hypersaline environments typically possessed the majority of the genes relating to carbon dioxide and nitrogen fixation, indicating that they play a major role in driving both the carbon and nitrogen cycles [6-7]. High abundances of genes involved in denitrification, methylamine utilisation, and carbon monoxide oxidation classified as Halobacterial were also identified in all the metagenomes, indicating that these taxa are also key players in biogeochemical cycling in hypersaline environments [8-9]. Cultivation efforts are required to further define the interactions between the distinct functional clades identified in the hypersaline environments. References: 1. Zhao D, Zhang S, Xue Q, Chen J, Zhou J, Cheng F, et al. Front Microbiol. 2020;11(July):1–17. 2. Hagagy N, Hamedo H, Elshafi N, Selim S. Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing of Extremophilic Community from Soda Lake, Ga’ar Lake, in Wadi Al-Natrun, Egyt. Egypt. J. Exp. Biol. (Bot.). 2021;1. 3. Fernandez AB, Ghai R, Martin-Cuadrado AB, Sanchez-Porro C, Rodriguez-Valera F, Ventosa A. Genome Announc. 2013;1(6). 4. Yau S, Lauro FM, Williams TJ, Demaere MZ, Brown M v., Rich J, et al. ISME Journal. 2013;7(10):1944–61. 5. Kurth D, Elias D, Rasuk MC, Contreras M, Farias ME. PLoS One. 2021;16:1–21. 6. Lay CY, Mykytczuk NCS, Yergeau É, Lamarche-Gagnon G, Greer CW, et al. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013;79:3637–3648. 7. Mehda S, Ángeles Muñoz-Martín M, Oustani M, Hamdi-Aïssa B, Perona E, et al. Microorganisms 2021;9:1–27. 8. Sorokin DY, Merkel AY, Messina E, Tugui C, Pabst M, et al. ISME J 2022;1–13. 9. King GM. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2003;51:278–291. Acknowledgements to the Europlanet Society, Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Research England Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund for funding the research

Draft genome sequence of <i>Bacillus</i> sp. strain X and <i>Salarachaeum</i> sp. strain III isolated from Lake Karum, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of strains of Bacillus and Salarachaeum that were isolated from hypersaline water samples collected from Lake Karum, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia. The sequences pave the way for more targeted studies into the potential biological activities and secondary metabolite synthesis of these organisms

Combined assessment of tuberculosis case notification rate and infection control at health facilities of Dale districts, Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is the deadliest disease that claims millions of deaths globally. Ethiopia is among the countries heavily hit by the disaster. Despite the effective directly observed treatment and TB infection control (TBIC) measures provided by the world health organization (WHO), the rate of new cases increased daily throughout the country. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at highest risk serving without having the necessary facility in place while overcrowding of patients exacerbated TB transmission. The study aimed to assess TBIC implementation and analyze case notification rate (CNR) of smear-positive pulmonary TB in the selected health facilities at Dale district, Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods Seven health care facilities have been visited in the study area and smear-positive pulmonary TB notification rate was determined retrospectively during the years 2012 to 2014. Data on smear positive test results and demographic characteristics were collected from the TB unit registries. A structured questionnaire, facility survey, and observation checklists were used to assess the presence of TBIC plans at the health care facilities. Results The overall case notification rate of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis was 5.3% among all 7696 TB suspected patients. The odds of being diagnosed with smear-positive TB were 24% more in males than in females (adj OR = 1.24, 95% CI: (1.22, 1.55). Moreover, in the study area, only 28% of the facilities have been practiced TB infection control and 71% of the facilities assigned a focal person for the TBIC plan. The implementation of environmental control measures in the facilities was ranged between 16–83%. N95 particulate respirators were found only in 14% of the facilities. Conclusion TB CNR in Dale district was low. Moreover, implementations of TBIC in Dale district health facilities were poor when the survey was done. Hence, urgent measures should be taken to reverse the burden of TB

Mining the Microbiome of Lake Afdera to Gain Insights into Microbial Diversity and Biosynthetic Potential

Microorganisms inhabiting hypersaline environments have received significant attention due to their ability to thrive under poly-extreme conditions, including high salinity, elevated temperatures and heavy metal stress. They are believed to possess biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that encode secondary metabolites as survival strategy and offer potential biotechnological applications. In this study, we mined BGCs in shotgun metagenomic sequences generated from Lake Afdera, a hypersaline lake in the Afar Depression, Ethiopia. The microbiome of Lake Afdera is predominantly bacterial, with Acinetobacter (18.6%) and Pseudomonas (11.8%) being ubiquitously detected. A total of 94 distinct BGCs were identified in the metagenomic data. These BGCs are found to encode secondary metabolites with two main categories of functions: (i) potential pharmaceutical applications (nonribosomal peptide synthase NRPs, polyketide synthase, others) and (ii) miscellaneous roles conferring adaptation to extreme environment (bacteriocins, ectoine, others). Notably, NRPs (20.6%) and bacteriocins (10.6%) were the most abundant. Furthermore, our metagenomic analysis predicted gene clusters that enable microbes to defend against a wide range of toxic metals, oxidative stress and osmotic stress. These findings suggest that Lake Afdera is a rich biological reservoir, with the predicted BGCs playing critical role in the survival and adaptation of extremophiles

High burden of hypertension across the age groups among residents of Gondar city in Ethiopia: a population based cross sectional study

Abstract Background According to a report on the worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015, mean blood pressure is increasing in low and middle income countries while it is either decreasing or stabilizing in high income countries. Few studies have been published on the prevalence of hypertension in Ethiopia demonstrating an increased trend; however, these studies had small sample size and were limited to participants older than 35 years; which left the burden among adolescents and young adults unaddressed. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and associated factors in Gondar city. Method A population based cross-sectional study was conducted among 3227 individuals in Gondar city. A multistage cluster random sampling was used. The Kish method from World Health Organization (WHO) STEPS instrument of random sampling method was used for selecting one individual older than or equal to 18 years from each household. WHO and International Diabetic Association (IDA) criterion was used to classify HTN. Result The overall prevalence of HTN was 27. 4% [95% CI: (25. 8–28.9)]. The prevalence for participants in the age group of ≥35 years was 36. 1%. It consistently increased from 9.5% in the age group of 18–25 years to 46.3% in the age group of ≥65 years (P-value < 0. 001). Only 47% of the participants had ever had any kind of blood pressure measurement. Being elderly (AOR = 5. 56; 95% CI: 3. 71–8. 35), obese (AOR =2. 62; 95%CI: 1. 70–4. 03), widowed (AOR = 1. 87; 95%CI: 1. 27–2. 75), separated (AOR = 1. 87; 95%CI: 1. 27–2. 75), daily alcohol user (AOR = 1. 51; 95%CI: 1. 02–2. 23), male gender (AOR = 1. 42; 95%CI: 1. 18–1. 72) and born in urban area (AOR = 1. 31; 95%CI: 1. 10–1. 56) were found to be independently associated with HTN. Conclusion There is a high prevalence of hypertension in Gondar city and is showing increasing trend compared to previous reports. Interventions to raise awareness and to improve both capacity and accessibility of facilities for screening hypertension are highly recommended

Ethical considerations for analogue fieldwork in extreme environments

Recent movements towards decolonizing the university and promoting racial justice and equality in social relations have highlighted and challenged the colonial influences on contemporary science and scientific knowledge production. These colonial legacies have a direct bearing on power relations between the Global North and the Global South, as well as collaborations and partnerships with local scholars and local communities. Astrobiology is one scholarly discipline that often makes use of remote sites in the Global South. Here we examine the ethical implications of carrying out fieldwork that involves accessing and sampling these extreme environments. Experiences of local and international collaborations in these sites have highlighted the importance of co-learning when engaging with diverse communities of scientists and right holders living on and around field sites. We argue that adopting an ethical approach to research in these environments is relevant also to research on other celestial bodies and to the future of space exploration. We propose that understanding space and Earth as interconnected domains, mutually shaped by scientific theories and practices, calls for a new terminology: ‘planetary ethics’, which places attention on this interconnection