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Faculty

Research Group Loy

Research Topic

Microbial Ecology of Arctic Marine Ecosystems

Research Interest

We are studying the biogeography and ecosystem function of microorganisms in permanently cold marine sediments and in Arctic wetlands. Particular research interests include the ecology of cold-adapted sulfur-compound-dissimilating microorganisms that are ubiquitous in marine and terrestrial ecosystems and key catalysts of the sulfur and carbon cycles. We further study anaerobic, thermophilic bacteria that rest as dormant spores on the seafloor and appear to derive from hot subsurface environments such as oil/gas deposits. These dormant bacteria hold general clues about dispersal in the ocean and are potentially useful bioindicators in fossil fuel exploration.

Dr. Alexander Loy

Deputy Head of the Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna

Website

Team

  • Stanislava Králová, Ph.D., Postdoc (University of Vienna)

Collaborators

Team

RNDr. Stanislava Králová, Ph.D.

Selected Publications

  • Wasmund K, Pelikan C, Schintlmeister A, Wagner M, Watzka M, Richter A, Bhatnagar S, Noel A, Hubert CRJ, Rattei T, Hofmann T, Hausmann B, Herbold CW, Loy A. (2021) Genomic insights into diverse bacterial taxa that degrade extracellular DNA in marine sediments. PMID: 34127845, PMCID: PMC8289736, DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-00917-9.
  • Flieder M, Buongiorno J, Herbold CW, Hausmann B, Rattei T, Lloyd KG, Loy A, Wasmund K. (2021) Novel taxa of Acidobacteriota implicated in seafloor sulfur cycling. PMID: 33981000, PMCID: PMC8528874, DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00992-0.
  • Pelikan C, Wasmund K, Glombitza C, Hausmann B, Herbold CW, Flieder M, Loy A. (2021) Anaerobic bacterial degradation of protein and lipid macromolecules in subarctic marine sediment. PMID: 33208892, PMCID: PMC8027456, DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00817-6.
  • Buongiorno J, Sipes K, Wasmund K, Loy A, (2020) Woeseiales transcriptional response to shallow burial in Arctic fjord surface sediment. PMID: 32853201, PMCID: PMC7451513 , DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234839.
  • Pelikan C, Jaussi M, Wasmund K, Seidenkrantz M-S, Pearce C, Kuzyk Z Z A, Herbold C W, Røy H, Kjeldsen K U, and Loy A (2019) Glacial Runoff Promotes Deep Burial of Sulfur Cycling-Associated Microorganisms in Marine Sediments.  Frontiers in Microbiology 10. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02558
  • Colangelo-Lillis J, Pelikan C, Herbold C W, Altshuler I, Loy A, and Whyte L G (2019) Diversity decoupled from sulfur isotope fractionation in a sulfate‐reducing microbial community. Gebiology 17(5):660-675. https://doi.org/10.1111/gbi.12356
  • Müller AL, Pelikan C, de Rezende JR, Wasmund K, Putz M, Glombitza C, Kjeldsen KU, Jørgensen BB, and Loy A (2018) Bacterial interactions during sequential degradation of cyanobacterial necromass in a sulfidic arctic marine sediment. Environ Microbiol. 20: 2927–2940. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.14297
  • Robador A, Müller AL, Sawicka JE, Berry D, Hubert C, Loy A, Jørgensen BB, Brüchert V (2016) Activity and community structures of sulfate-reducing microorganisms in polar, temperate and tropical marine sediments. ISME Journal. 10: 796–809. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2015.157
  • Müller AL, de Rezende JR, Hubert C, Kjeldsen KU, Lagkouvardos I, Berry D, Jørgensen BB, and Loy A (2014) Endospores of thermophilic bacteria as tracers of microbial dispersal by ocean currents. ISME Journal. 8: 1153-1165.
  • Hubert C, Arnosti C, Brüchert V, Loy A, Vandieken V, and Jørgensen BB (2010) Thermophilic anaerobes in Arctic marine sediments induced to mineralize complex organic matter at high temperature. Environ Microbiol. 12: 1089-1104.
  • Hubert C, Loy A, Nickel M, Arnosti C, Baranyi C, Brüchert V, Ferdelman T, Finster K, Christensen FM, de Rezende JR, Vandieken V, and Jørgensen BB (2009) A constant flux of diverse thermophilic bacteria into the cold arctic seabed. Science. 325:1541-1544

Projects

  • Establishing defined communities of Antarctic soil bacteria as potential sources of antimicrobials (DEFCOMANT) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship in the EU Horizon 2020 framework programme [2022-2024] fellow Dr. Stanislava Kralova, host Alexander Loy
  • The wetland sulfur microbiome: Intra- and interspecies metabolic interactions. FWF Austrian Science Fund [2019-2011] PI Alexander Loy
  • Missing links in the marine sulfur cycle – identity and functions of microorganisms utilizing sulfur cycle intermediates and organic sulfur molecules in marine sediments. FWF Austrian Science Fund [2016-2019] PI Kenneth Wasmund
  • The cold microbial majority: Ecophysiology, biogeography, and genomics of psychrophilic sulfate-reducing microorganisms in arctic marine sediments. FWF Austrian Science Fund [2013-2018] PI Alexander Loy
  • Diversity and biogeography of thermophilic sporeforming sulfate-reducing microorganisms in cold marine sediments: Bioindicators for fluid flow from the hot subsurface? FWF Austrian Science Fund [2007-2012] PI Alexander Loy