Towards determining the microbial diversity associated to spheroidal particles in a travertine system in La Puna Argentina

MLEWSKY, E.C.; MORS, R.A.; GOMEZ, F.J.; ASTINI R.A.

Congreso; 1er congreso ISME America Latina; 2019

Termas Los Hornos (TLH, Puna-Argentina) is a hydrothermal system at 3500 masl where extreme environmental conditions yields an extensive microbialitic system. Both physical and chemical processes influence carbonate precipitation. However, the microorganisms found over all the system could also have important implications.This work focuses in the diversity of microorganism associated to spheroidal mm-cm size particles found within shallow low-flow regime active travertine pools and their preserved biosignals. Bacterial and archaeal diversity was analyzed by16S rDNA IlluminaMiseq sequencing plus SEM and confocal microscopy observation of embedded samples. The carbonate microtextures were also analyzed.