microbials in antimony contaminated rice paddies Raw sequence reads. microbials in antimony contaminated rice paddies

Mining activities typically result in severe environmental contamination. Antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) are mined in southwest China, resulting in severe environmental contamination. These contaminants accumulate in rice and thus threaten the health of local residents, who consume Sb and As enriched rice grains. Microorganisms play a critical role in the transformation and transportation of Sb and As in paddy soil. Thus, an understanding of the microbiology of contaminated sites would promote the production of safe agricultural products. In this study, six Sb and As contaminated rice fields near an active Sb mining area were investigated. The Sb and As concentrations of all samples were elevated compared to the background level in China. Nitrate, total As, total Sb, and Fe(III) were the major determinants of the microbial community structure. Seven bacterial taxa (Bradyrhizobium, Bryobacter, Candidatus Solibacter, Geobacter, Gemmatimonas, Halingium, and Sphingomonas) were members of the core microbiome, and therefore also key microbial populations. These taxa were strongly correlated with the As and Sb contaminant fractions and likely metabolize As and Sb. This implies that acquisition of resistance promotes bacterial survival at contaminated sites.