Bacterial diversity in the freshwater sponges of Sundarban and their potential role in biomonitoring toxic element pollution
Bhattacharya, D.; Jiya, N.; Mondal, S.; Acharya, A.; Chatterjee, A.; Bakshi, U.; Sharma, A.; Ghosh, A. (2025). Bacterial diversity in the freshwater sponges of Sundarban and their potential role in biomonitoring toxic element pollution. J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. 13(10): 1-21. https://dx.doi.org/10 10.1128/spectrum.02149-25
In: Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management . National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP): Port Harcourt. ISSN 2659-1502; e-ISSN 2659-1499, more
|   |
| Author keywords |
freshwater sponges, microbiome, Sundarban, potentially toxic elements (PTE), metataxonomic |
| Authors | | Top |
- Bhattacharya, D.
- Jiya, N.
- Mondal, S.
- Acharya, A.
|
- Chatterjee, A.
- Bakshi, U.
- Sharma, A.
- Ghosh, A.
|
|
| Abstract |
Sponges serve as the natural cleaner in diverse aquatic ecosystems, harboring diverse microbial communities and forming a highly specialized holobiont. The present study provides the first insights into the bacterial communities associated with freshwater sponges of Sundarban, highlighting their distinct microbial community composition compared to the surrounding water using 16S rRNA gene-based meta taxonomic analyses. The analysis encompassing six sponge species collected from Sagar Island and Ghoramara revealed distinct variations in microbial abundance and diversity compared to their ambient water, suggesting selective bacterial associations with the sponges. The sponge species displayed a varied abundance of bacterial taxa across different species and locations. Furthermore, significantly greater concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were observed in sponges when compared with corresponding water samples, thereby suggesting the bioaccumulation capability of these sponges. Functional profiling of bacterial communities in sponge and water samples revealed enrichment of various metabolic pathways linked to metal ion transport and resistance, as well as antimicrobial resistance in the sponges, suggesting an adaptive response to environmental stressors. The abundance of diverse metal ion regulators and transporters underscores the ecologically significant function of sponge-associated bacterial communities in metal ion resistance, placing the sponges as promising bioindicators for monitoring polluted aquatic ecosystems. |
|
