Influence of light and natural microbiota of the Butrón river on E. coli survival

The survival of an E. coli strain in water samples from the Butrón river has been studied. The input of E. coli cells in the aquatic system breaks down the established balance among the components of the natural microbiota: E. coli becomes the object of the active protozoal predation whereas the autochtonous heterotrophic community become alternative preys. As a result of this new situation, the natural microbiota increases but returns to the initial values once the E. coli cells have been removed from the system. The effect of the temperature of incubation on the survival is exerted through the effect of this parameter on the predatory activity of the protozoa. Light has a lethal and direct action on the E. coli cells, the effect of this parameter is even superior to that of predation.

[1]  M. Alexander,et al.  Protozoan Density and the Coexistence of Protozoan Predators and Bacterial Prey , 1978 .

[2]  S. W. Watson,et al.  ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MARINE WATERS.1 I. MACROMOLECULAR NATURE OF ANTISTAPI-IYLOCOCCAL FACTOR , 1963 .

[3]  M. Starr,et al.  Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus gen. et sp. n., a predatory, ectoparasitic, and bacteriolytic microorganism , 2005, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

[4]  I. Anderson,et al.  Seasonal variation in survival of Escherichia coli exposed in situ in membrane diffusion chambers containing filtered and nonfiltered estuarine water , 1983, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[5]  T. McMeekin,et al.  Relative effects of bacterial and protozoan predators on survival of Escherichia coli in estuarine water samples , 1980, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[6]  J. Costerton,et al.  Native Aquatic Bacteria: Enumeration, Activity, and Ecology , 1979 .

[7]  J. Sieburth,et al.  Anticoliform activity of sea water associated with the termination of Skeletonema costatum blooms. , 1962, Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[8]  M. Alexander,et al.  Regulation of predation by prey density: the protozoan-Rhizobium relationship. , 1975, Applied microbiology.

[9]  M. Lechevallier,et al.  Interactions between heterotrophic plate count bacteria and coliform organisms , 1985, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[10]  G A McFeters,et al.  Survival of coliform bacteria in natural waters: field and laboratory studies with membrane-filter chambers. , 1972, Applied microbiology.

[11]  E. Sparrow,et al.  Fecal indicator bacteria persistence under natural conditions in an ice-covered river , 1976, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[12]  R. C. Cooper,et al.  Role of bacteria and protozoa in the removal of Escherichia coli from estuarine waters , 1976, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[13]  P. Grigsby,et al.  THE INACTIVATION OF A NATURAL POPULATION OF COLIFORM BACTERIA BY SUNLIGHT , 1980 .

[14]  T. McMeekin,et al.  Protozoan predation ofEscherichia coli in estuarine waters , 1979 .

[15]  D. Mackay.  Investigations of sewage discharges to some British coastal waters: WRC Technical Report TR 222 chapter 8, Bacterial Mortality, Part 2. A. L. H. Gameson and D. J. Gould. Water Research Centre, Medmenham. 1985. 72 pp. Price £6.00, free to Members , 1986 .

[16]  T. McMeekin,et al.  Effect of solar radiation and predacious microorganisms on survival of fecal and other bacteria , 1981, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[17]  Willy Verstraete,et al.  Comparative study of E. coli survival in two aquatic ecosystems , 1976 .

[18]  H. Jannasch.  Competitive elimination of Enterobacteriaceae from seawater. , 1968, Applied microbiology.

[19]  R. Mitchell,et al.  Solar radiation induces sublethal injury in Escherichia coli in seawater , 1981, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[20]  William D. Taylor,et al.  Growth responses of ciliate protozoa to the abundance of their bacterial prey , 1977, Microbial Ecology.