Étude de la biodiversité microbienne associée aux champignons mycorhiziens arbusculaires dans des sites hautement contaminés par des hydrocarbures pétroliers

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are an important soil fungal group that belongs to the phylum Glomeromycota. AMF form symbiosic associations known as arbuscular mycorrhiza with more than 80% of vascular plants on earth. Once AMF colonize plant roots, they promote nutrient uptake, in particular phosphorus and nitrogen, and protect plants against soil-borne pathogens. In turn, plants provide AMF with carbon resources and habitat. Furthermore, more recent studies demonstrated that AMF may also play key roles in phytoremediation of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants (PHP) and trace elements. Though, in natural ecosystems, AMF undergo tripartite associations with host plants and micoorganisms (Bacteria and Fungi) living in rhizosphere (the narrow region of soil surounding the plant roots), endosphere (inside roots) and mycosphere (on the surface AMF mycelia), which some of them play a key role on translocation, immobilization and/or degradation of organic and inorganic pollutants. Consequently, the diversity and community structures of AMF and their associated microorganisms are influenced by the composition and concentration of pollutants and exudates released by the three partners (AMF, bacteria and plant roots). However, little is known about the diversity of AMF and their associated microorganisms in polluted soils and the interaction between AMF and these microorganisms remains poorly understood both in natural and contaminated areas. In this context, the objectives of my thesis were to: i) study the diversity of AMF and their associated microorganisms in PHP contaminated soils, ii) study the variation in diversity and community structures of AMF and their associated microorganisms across plant species identity and PHP concentrations, iii) study the correlations (covariations) between AMF species and their associated microorganisms and iv) compare microbial community structures of PHP contaminated soils and roots with those associated with AMF spores in order to determine if the microbial communities shaped on the surface of AMF spores and mycelia are different from those identified in soil and roots. To do so, AMF spores and/or their intraradical propagules were harvested from rhizospheric soil and roots of three plant species growing spontaneously in three distinct waste decantation basins of a former petrochemical plant located on the south shore of the St-Lawrence River, near Montreal. The harvested spores and propagules, as well as samples of soils and roots were subjected to PCR (we target 16S rRNA genes for bacteria, 18S rRNA genes for AMF and ITS regions for the other fungi), cloning, Sanger sequencing or 454 high throughput sequencing. Then, bioinformatics and statistics were performed to evaluate the effects of biotic and abiotic driving forces on AMF and their associated microbial communities. My results showed high fungal and bacterial diversity associated with AMF spores and propagules in PHP contaminated soils. I also observed that the microbial community structures associated with AMF spores were significantly affected by plant species identity and PHP concentrations. Furthermore, I observed positive and negative correlations between some AMF species and some AMF-associated microorganisms, suggesting that in addition to PHP concentrations and plant species identity, AMF species may also play a key role in shaping the microbial community surrounding their spores. Comparisons between the AMF spore-associated microbiome and the whole microbiome found in rhizospheric soil and roots showed that AMF spores recruit a microbiome differing from those found in the surrounding soil and roots. Overall, my PhD project brings a new level of knowledge on AMF diversity on extremely polluted environment and demonstrates that interaction of AMF and their associated microbes is much complex that we though previously. Further investigations are needed to better understand how AMF select and reward their associated microbes in different environments.

Keyphrases: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), Petroleum hydrocarbons pollutants (PHP), AMF-associated microorganisms, Bacteria, Fungi, 454 high throughput sequencing, Cloning, Sanger sequencing