Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41351056›Full record

ArticleMicrobiome2025

Conserved environmental adaptations of stream microbiomes in the hyporheic zone across North America.

Tom L Stach, Jörn Starke, Feriel Bouderka, Till L V Bornemann, André R Soares, Michael J Wilkins, Amy E Goldman, James C Stegen, Mikayla A Borton, Alexander J Probst

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbiome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Tom L StachEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Jörn StarkeEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Feriel BouderkaEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Till L V BornemannEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
André R SoaresEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Michael J WilkinsDepartment of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Amy E GoldmanEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
James C StegenEarth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Mikayla A BortonDepartment of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Alexander J ProbstEnvironmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. alexander.probst@uni-due.de.

Funding

DOE DE-AC02-05CH11231DOE DE-AC05-76RL01830
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStream hyporheic zones represent a unique ecosystem at the interface of stream water and surrounding sediments, characterized by high heterogeneity and accelerated biogeochemical activity. These zones-represented by the top sediment layer in this study-are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic stressors and environmental changes at a global scale, directly altering their microbiomes. Despite their importance, the current body of literature lacks a systematic understanding of active nitrogen and sulfur cycling across stream sediment and surface water microbiomes, particularly across geographic locations and in response to environmental factors.

resultsBased on previously published and unpublished datasets, 363 stream metagenomes were combined to build a comprehensive MAG and gene database from stream sediments and surface water including a full-factorial mesocosm experiment which had been deployed to unravel microbial stress response. Metatranscriptomic data from 23 hyporheic sediment samples collected across North America revealed that microbial activity in sediments was distinct from the activity in surface water, contrasting similarly encoded metabolic potential across the two compartments. The expressed energy metabolism of the hyporheic zone was characterized by increased cycling of sulfur and nitrogen compounds, governed by Nitrospirota and Desulfobacterota lineages. While core metabolic functions like energy conservation were conserved across sediments, temperature and stream order change resulted in differential expression of stress response genes previously observed in mesocosm studies.

conclusionsThe hyporheic zone is a microbial hotspot in stream ecosystems, surpassing the activity of overlaying riverine surface waters. Metabolic activity in the form of sulfur and nitrogen cycling in hyporheic sediments is governed by multiple taxa interacting through metabolic handoffs. Despite the spatial heterogeneity of streams, the hyporheic sediment microbiome encodes and expresses conserved stress responses to anthropogenic stressors, e.g., temperature, in streams of separate continents. The high number of uncharacterized differentially expressed genes as a response to tested stressors is a call-to-action to deepen the study of stream systems. Video Abstract.

Indexed as

BacteriaGeologic SedimentsMicrobiotaRiversAdaptation, PhysiologicalEcosystemMetagenomeMetagenomicsNitrogenNitrogen CycleNorth AmericaSulfurNitrogenSulfurAnthropogenic stressClimate changeHyporheic zoneMicrobial activityMicrobiomeStreamTemperature

Identifiers

PMID41351056
PMCPMC12690816

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.