MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN AN EXTREME ANAEROBIC SEDIMENT FROM GEOTHERMAL CAVIAHUE?COPAHUE SYSTEM, NEUQUÉN, ARGENTINA

WILLIS PORATTI GRACIANA; DONATI EDGARDO

Mar del Plata

Congreso; X Congreso Argentino de Microbiología General (SAMIGE); 2014

The geothermal Copahue system is an extreme environment located in the north-west of Neuquén province, Argentina, at the foot of Copahue volcano. The area is characterized by awide range of temperatures and pH values and the presence of heavy metals. Copahue is receiving an increasing amount of research within different areas like biogeochemistry, biotechnology (including bioleaching and bioremediation processes) and microbiology. Most work has been focused on aerobic, acidophilic sulfur- and iron-oxidizing bacteria and archaea.Relatively few studies have investigated the anaerobic zones of this environment. In this work we have examined the bacterial diversity focused on anaerobic prokaryotes in a sample taken in February 2012 in the hot spring sediment placed in Las Maquinitas (LMi) using a combination of molecular and cultivation techniques. Physicochemical parameters of Las Maquinitas samplewere measured in situ: 90°C, pH 5, and a redox potential (EH ) of -126 mV.