Phylogenetic Diversity of Prokaryotes in Microbial Communities Inhabiting Rock Surfaces of Shulgan-Tash (Kapova) Cave, Southern Urals

A groundbreaking metagenomic analysis of microbial colonies on the rock surfaces of Shulgan-Tash Cave revealed significant phylogenetic diversity among prokaryotes. The study found that Eubacteria dominate these communities (90%), with Archaea comprising 0.06-0.19%. Proteobacteria were the most abundant phylum (46.5-80.7%), followed by Actinobacteria (14-17.17%). Notably, non-culturable annamox bacteria, specifically Candidatus 'Scalindua brodae,' were identified in two samples near paleolithic drawings, indicating potential threats to the preservation of these ancient artworks. Additionally, three isolates of Pseudomonas mandelii were confirmed through 16S rRNA gene analysis. The findings highlight the advanced adaptation of these microbial communities to extreme cave conditions and underscore the need for continuous monitoring to protect the prehistoric paintings.

Galimzianova, N. F., Gilvanova, E. A., Ryabova, A. S., Guvatova, Z. G., Kudryavtseva, A. V., Melentiev, A. I.,. (2020). PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY OF PROKARYOTES IN MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES INHABITING ROCK SURFACES OF SHULGAN-TASH (KAPOVA) CAVE, SOUTHERN URALS. Èkobioteh, 3(3), 298–304. https://doi.org/10.31163/2618-964x-2020-3-3-298-304