Administrative Information
‫المعلومات االدارية‬
Project Title - ‫عنوان المشروع‬
Microbial Biodiversity of Lebanese Mineralized Aquatic Habitats
‫دراسة التنوع الحيوي الميكروبي لمواطن مائية متمعدنة في لبنان‬
Principal Investigator - ‫الباحث الرئيسي‬
‫رقم الهاتف‬
Telephone
++ 961-1-374
374 ext 3887
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
‫العنوان‬
e-mail
Address
cs10@aub.edu.lb Department
of Biology
American
University of
Beirut
‫الوظيفية‬
Post
PO Box 110236
Riad El
Solh, 1107
2020
Beirut,
Lebanon
‫المؤسسة‬
‫االسم‬
Institution
Name
American
Colin A.
University of Smith
Beirut
Co-Workers - ‫الباحثون المشاركون‬
‫العنوان االلكتروني‬
e-mail
eliasbay@aub.edu.lb
1 January 2010-31 December 2011
‫المؤسسة‬
‫االسم‬
Institution
Name
American
Elias Baydoun
University of
Beirut
: Duration -‫المدة التعاقدية للمشروع‬
Scientific Information
‫العلمية‬
‫المعلومات‬
ّ
Objectives - ‫الهدف‬
This project aims to describe, to the characterize ecological roles of, and to exploit the
microbial biodiversity resident in four diverse Lebanese mineralized aquatic habitats, namely,
geothermal wells, mountainous karst springs, coastal karst ground waters, and vermetid
gastropod reefs.
Achievements -‫أالنجازات المحققة‬
The metagenomic approach has been successfully tested and applied to survey three distinct
Lebanese aquatic mineralized habits: (Jeita Grotto, Al-Sammakieh geothermal well, an
interesting new habitat, dirty rain (‫)مطر قذر‬. Total environmental DNA from these and several
other Lebanese habitats was isolated, eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences were amplified by PCR
with universal primers, amplified sequences were separated and prepared for sequencing by
cloning into a plasmid, and individual sequences were analyzed. Data has been collected on
three important Lebanese habitats, and two habitats deemed of too little significance to pursue
(Hostler in-shore well, Nahr Ibrahim). One habitat has yielded no data as yet (vermetid reefs),
and samples have not be collected from two incompletely documented habitats (geothermal
well near Tibneen, marine hot spring near Tyre). Results from the project have been presented
three times at local venues. A significant amount of the project is published in the AUB MS
Biology thesis of Myriam El Khawand (http://ulib.aub.edu.lb/thesis/t-5423.pdf).
Perspectives - ‫آفاق البحث‬
The description of Jeita Grotto microbial diversity will help illuminate the carbon and water
cycles, the health of Lebanese water supplies, and what needs to be done to preserve an
important touristic site. The investigation of Al-Sammakieh geothermal well will reveal its
geology and may yield valuable technology. Studies of dirty rain may have significance in
many areas, including human health, agriculture, and climate change. The identification of
species involved in mineralization and demineralization will help predict the consequences of
increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, which also causes climate change including global
warming.
Publications & Communications - ‫المنشورات والمساهمات في المؤتمرات‬
El Khawand M.A.*, Baydoun E.A., & Smith C.A. (2010) “The Microbial Biodiversity of Jeita
Grotto: A Unique Lebanese Habitat.” Poster at the International Biodiversity Day at AUB,
Beirut, 21 May 2010.
El Khawand M.A.*, Baydoun E.A., & Smith C.A. (2010) “The Microbial Biodiversity of Jeita
Grotto: A Unique Lebanese Habitat.” Talk at the First Kamal A. Shair Central Research Science
Laboratory, 17 June 2010.
Myriam El Khawand (2010) “Microbial Diversity of Mineralized Aquatic Habitats.” MS
Biology thesis, October 2010, American University of Beirut.
Maya El Eid, (2011) “Microbial Biodiversity of the Al-Sammakieh Geothermal Well” Seminar
in Biology Department, 9 September, 2011, American University of Beirut.
El Khawand MK, Tawk CS, Baydoun EA, Smith CA. (2012). Microbial Biodiversity of Jeita
Grotto, a Karst cave in Lebanon. draft manuscript.
Abstract - ‫موجز عن نتائج البحث‬
‫ ( طامجل يتفجاو يتكجلا دجو‬.‫طريب يتفللجاةن دأ مب نرتا إدجاوس طراةفنوب اأ دأ مدجا نا يألاجن طيفك يف قي و دجاجو قتج)جو‬
‫ ( د عض يت كريتا غ جا يت عنفة و ط ح لرك ع لى م نت ننت ا جو‬.‫ة عطأ د لاة عا يت ر ضع يت ف ج اأ ت لكرتا‬
‫ ة ك ل لك ت ف نن يت عبة ب نا يت كريتا يت كك جزة يت لأ ت م ط ن لج ين زة كنت ذيت ياك جو‬.‫د أ يت ل رنن و يت ح جرة و‬
‫ط لم د عب فقي سو يت ل نرع يت ك ج لا د أ د جهن ط ش لكب اذه يت كريتا ع لى يت ك جنه يت جرد جو يت ج ف ل جو‬
‫ ( يت رن سم يت ك ش لاك ت هذه يت كريتا‬.‫يآلد نق يت )نا ل جو يآلد نق يت حايقة و يت ش عنب يت كاينن جو ت لاخرة نت‬
‫ ة عاض م ب نرتا ي س ا لو ع لك جو ارل يت كنت جو ار ير‬.‫ف يت حجا يت ج جاك يت كيت ف نا م اد رن نت يت لنت ) جرم‬
‫ف ق يت ك ج لا د نت د أ نعبن و اذه يت كريتا ي (زيت و يت ك عبن و ن نهنب يت لأ ط ح لنج (ت ى ط ر ص جف يت ف ج انت‬
‫ ة هبف اذي يت فحث (ت ى فقي سو يت ل نرع يت ك ج لا د أ د أ يقد عو نريتا ت ف ننن جو‬.‫يت ك ج لا د جو ت هذه يت كريتا‬
:‫س اأ‬1‫ةكقيقحلي تيمكز (لل لمتحم قفصمك قيكع ةقت م كف كقيقح كزي تقي قئب إ‬. ‫س‬2‫ عكبي ك إ‬karst
‫س د اا سنا لأ‬3‫ إ‬.‫س يت ش عنب –م ك صنفق ت ك جنه يت شاب‬4‫ إ‬.‫ة لاي ح د جا ق ل جب يت ك لراو شبة بان‬
‫ س ل ع لكب اذه يت بقي سو ع لى‬.‫يت كاينن جو ت لاخرة نت يت لأ ة ك لنز د هن يت )ناب يت شاق أ ت ل فحا يت ك لر سط‬
‫س ت لج نل يت لح جز يت شبة ب يت ذك ط عط جه يت بقي سنت يت ل ر ل جبة و يت م‬cimonegatem‫ن هج يت ك ج لني ج نرنأ إ‬
AND‫س د أ‬gnicneuqes‫ ( فقي سو ط اط جل يت رريعبإ‬.‫يت ك ع لكبة ع لى زقيعو يت لنت ننت يت ح جو يت بق ج رو‬
‫ س جيفك (ت ى يت ل عاف ع لى يت ل نرع يت ك ج لا د أب د خن صو‬citenegolyhp‫ط ح ل جب ط طرق يت ) الالت إإ‬
‫ يال ص ننف‬.‫ ت ألابيف يت ك لخ ص صو ت لب نرتا‬RCP ‫ س ج لم ي س لخبيم ط ر ن جو‬.‫ذيت يألاك جو‬
‫يت ل نرع يت ح جرك إيت ف جرت ريأسب يت ل رنن و يت ح جرة وب يت ف جرت ري جن يت جزة ا جوب‬: ‫م لكنت يت ك ف لنح‬
‫يت ك ج لني ج نرنأب يت ف ج او يت ك ج لا د جو‬
Bacteria have been found in almost every habitat examined and often play dominant ecological
roles. The composition of the microbial ecology reveals the environmental status of the habitat.
Some unusual habitats host organisms expressing enzymes useful in biotechnology. Lebanon
possesses several distinctive habitats whose microbial biodiversity is unexamined, including
mountainous aquifers, coastal wells, a geothermal well, and vermetid gastropod reefs. One
commonality to these aquatic habitats is the mineral calcium carbonate (limestone). Each
habitat presents important scientific questions on the role of microbes in mineralization and
demineralization that require characterization of their microbial ecologies. The microbial
biodiversity of four types of Lebanese habitats are to be examined: 1) a geothermal well in the
Akkar region – a possible source of thermophilic enzymes; 2) karst springs – sources of
drinking water; 3) a coastal well – cycling between low and high salinity; 4) gastropod reefs –
a shoreline feature unique to the Eastern Mediterranean. A metagenomic approach will be used
to avoid the extreme bias imparted by traditional approaches examining only culturable
organisms. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis will reveal biodiversity and species of
interest, and taxon- and gene-specific PCR will be used for aims specific to each habitat.