Prokaryotic and eukaryotic diversity in wastewater treatment: Phenotypic characterization, molecular techniques and bioprospecting

REGALDO, L; MAQUEZ V; LATORRE RAPELA M.G; RENO U; GAGNETEN AM

Wastewater treatment-cutting edge molecular tools, techniques and applied aspects.

Elsevier

Lugar: Ankleshwar; Año: 2021; p. 343 - 365

Microbiota structure changes throughout the treatment of wastewater according to the prevailing physicochemical characteristics. Under optimal conditions, prokaryotic and eukaryotic assemblages participate in the coordinated sequential elimination of contaminants. The relevance of the identification and quantification of the prevailing microorganisms in treatment plants is based on the fact that they play key roles as biological indicators of plant performance and wastewater quality.In this chapter we focus on molecular and phenotypic methods as complementary strategies to understand microbial composition and metabolic activities in wastewater. Molecular methods, such as sequencing and phylogenetic analysis with molecular markers (i.e., 16 or 18S rRNA genes), FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridization) and metagenomics, are addressed to identify and quantify prokaryotic and eukaryotic groups of organisms. The data obtained by using these techniques are complemented with phenotypic methods such as micromorphological analysis and by grouping the identified organisms into prokaryotic metabolic groups. Examples of application of these techniques in urban solid waste leachates are discussed.Additionally, we propose out both approaches as useful tools for providing information for the bioprospecting of microorganisms with potential for biotechnological applications such as bioremediation and production of valuable commercial products, e.g., bioplastics and biofuels.