Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China

IntroductionHot springs were previously believed to be uninhabitable due to their hostile nature. However, recent studies have determined that hot springs not only have a rich microbiota but are also involved in various biogeochemical processes and possess unique characteristics that can be utilized...

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Main Authors: Feng Chen, Min Cheng, Dongyun Rong, Yanyan Wang, Rubing Liang, Muhammad Irfan, Yingqian Kang, Yu Cao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615879/full
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author Feng Chen
Min Cheng
Dongyun Rong
Yanyan Wang
Yanyan Wang
Rubing Liang
Muhammad Irfan
Yingqian Kang
Yu Cao
Yu Cao
author_facet Feng Chen
Min Cheng
Dongyun Rong
Yanyan Wang
Yanyan Wang
Rubing Liang
Muhammad Irfan
Yingqian Kang
Yu Cao
Yu Cao
author_sort Feng Chen
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionHot springs were previously believed to be uninhabitable due to their hostile nature. However, recent studies have determined that hot springs not only have a rich microbiota but are also involved in various biogeochemical processes and possess unique characteristics that can be utilized for several biotechnological applications. This study aimed to determine the bacterial taxonomic diversity and functional profiles of 11 hot springs in the Guizhou Province, China.MethodsIllumina high-throughput sequencing was used to sequence the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from microorganisms in samples collected from these hot springs. Software such as Mothur, the SILVA ribosomal RNA database, and Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) were utilized for taxonomic and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis, while PICRUST2 was employed for functional predictions.ResultsGuizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No.1 (BLDJA) had the highest diversity in terms of species richness, while Jianhe Hot Spring (YAS) had the lowest diversity. At the phylum level, the highest reported phyla included Pseudomonadota, Bacillota, Nitrospirota, Bacteroidota, and Actinomycetota, where Pseudomonadota had the highest abundance (92.094%) in Jianhe Hot Spring (YAS) and the lowest (41.238%) in Guizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No. 2 (BLDJB). Bacillota has the highest abundance (39.178%) in Guizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No. 2 (BLDJB) and the lowest (0.547%) in Jiutian Hot Spring (SNJT). The highest predicted functions were observed for amino acid metabolism, followed by carbohydrates. Predicted pathways for secondary metabolite and vitamin synthesis, along with stress-adaptation genes, underscore the biotechnological value of these habitats.DiscussionThis study presents a preliminary survey of 11 hot springs in Guizhou Province, providing important insights into the origin and evolution of microorganisms. Furthermore, studying these microorganisms is crucial for understanding the adaptive mechanisms of life under extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, and for exploring the potential biotechnological applications of these microbes. An in-depth approach combining functional metagenomics and next-generation culturomics is required to fully understand the microbial flora and its potential biotechnological applications.
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spelling doaj-art-7dfafe0833c443d586089ab60262c8a12025-08-20T03:32:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-06-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16158791615879Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, ChinaFeng Chen0Min Cheng1Dongyun Rong2Yanyan Wang3Yanyan Wang4Rubing Liang5Muhammad Irfan6Yingqian Kang7Yu Cao8Yu Cao9School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education & Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control & School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Nosocomial Infection Management, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaSchool of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education & Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control & School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaSchool of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education & Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control & School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Nosocomial Infection Management, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaASRT, Inc., Atlanta, GA, United StatesSchool of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education & Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control & School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaSchool of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education & Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control & School of Basic Medical Science & Institution of One Health Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, ChinaIntroductionHot springs were previously believed to be uninhabitable due to their hostile nature. However, recent studies have determined that hot springs not only have a rich microbiota but are also involved in various biogeochemical processes and possess unique characteristics that can be utilized for several biotechnological applications. This study aimed to determine the bacterial taxonomic diversity and functional profiles of 11 hot springs in the Guizhou Province, China.MethodsIllumina high-throughput sequencing was used to sequence the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from microorganisms in samples collected from these hot springs. Software such as Mothur, the SILVA ribosomal RNA database, and Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) were utilized for taxonomic and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis, while PICRUST2 was employed for functional predictions.ResultsGuizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No.1 (BLDJA) had the highest diversity in terms of species richness, while Jianhe Hot Spring (YAS) had the lowest diversity. At the phylum level, the highest reported phyla included Pseudomonadota, Bacillota, Nitrospirota, Bacteroidota, and Actinomycetota, where Pseudomonadota had the highest abundance (92.094%) in Jianhe Hot Spring (YAS) and the lowest (41.238%) in Guizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No. 2 (BLDJB). Bacillota has the highest abundance (39.178%) in Guizhou Baili Rhododendron Hot Spring No. 2 (BLDJB) and the lowest (0.547%) in Jiutian Hot Spring (SNJT). The highest predicted functions were observed for amino acid metabolism, followed by carbohydrates. Predicted pathways for secondary metabolite and vitamin synthesis, along with stress-adaptation genes, underscore the biotechnological value of these habitats.DiscussionThis study presents a preliminary survey of 11 hot springs in Guizhou Province, providing important insights into the origin and evolution of microorganisms. Furthermore, studying these microorganisms is crucial for understanding the adaptive mechanisms of life under extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, and for exploring the potential biotechnological applications of these microbes. An in-depth approach combining functional metagenomics and next-generation culturomics is required to fully understand the microbial flora and its potential biotechnological applications.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615879/fullthermophilic microorganismextremophilic diversityhot springsmicrobial functional predictionGuizhou ProvinceChina
spellingShingle Feng Chen
Min Cheng
Dongyun Rong
Yanyan Wang
Yanyan Wang
Rubing Liang
Muhammad Irfan
Yingqian Kang
Yu Cao
Yu Cao
Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
Frontiers in Microbiology
thermophilic microorganism
extremophilic diversity
hot springs
microbial functional prediction
Guizhou Province
China
title Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
title_full Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
title_fullStr Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
title_full_unstemmed Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
title_short Metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in Guizhou Province, China
title_sort metagenomic insights into the microbial communities and functional traits of hot springs in guizhou province china
topic thermophilic microorganism
extremophilic diversity
hot springs
microbial functional prediction
Guizhou Province
China
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615879/full
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