The Egyptian Red Sea coastal microbiome: A study revealing differential microbial responses to diverse anthropogenic pollutants * Ghada A. Mustafa a , Amr Abd-Elgawad b , Amged Ouf a , Rania Siam a, * a Biology Department, Biotechnology Graduate Program and YJ-Science and Technology Research Center, American University in Cairo, New Cairo Campus, AUC Avenue, PO Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt b Tourism Development Authority, Ministry of Tourism, Cairo, Egypt article info Article history: Received 8 October 2015 Received in revised form 1 April 2016 Accepted 1 April 2016 Keywords: 16S rRNA Geochemistry Hydrocarbon degrading bacteria Pollution Red Sea Egypt abstract The Red Sea is considered one of the youngest oceanic systems, with unique physical, geochemical and biological characteristics. Tourism, industrialization, extensive fishing, oil processing and shipping are extensive sources of pollution in the Red Sea. We analyzed the geochemical characteristics and microbial community of sediments along the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea. Our sites mainly included 1) four ports used for shipping aluminum, ilmenite and phosphate; 2) a site previously reported to have suffered extensive oil spills; and 3) a site impacted by tourism. Two major datasets for the sediment of ten Red Sea coastal sites were generated; i) a chemical dataset included measurements of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur, metals and selected semi-volatile oil; and ii) a 16S rRNA Pyrotags bacterial metagenomic dataset. Based on the taxonomic assignments of the 16S rRNA Pyrotags to major bacterial groups, we report 30 taxa constituting an Egyptian Red Sea Coastal Microbiome. Bacteria that degrade hydrocarbons were predominant in the majority of the sites, particularly in two ports where they reached up to 76% of the total identified genera. In contrast, sulfate-reducing and sulfate-oxidizing bacteria dominated two lakes at the expense of other hydrocarbon metabolizers. Despite the reported “Egyptian Red Sea Coastal Microbiome,” sites with similar anthropogenic pollutants showed unique microbial community abun- dances. This suggests that the abundance of a specific bacterial community is an evolutionary mecha- nism induced in response to selected anthropogenic pollutants. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The Red Sea is exposed to different sources of pollution attrib- uted mainly to tourism, industrialization, extensive fishing, oil processing and shipping pollution. Reports have addressed signif- icant damage and serious environmental hazards in the Red Sea because of the extensive oil exploration and numerous tourist at- tractions on the coast, in addition to being a marine water body with one of the highest levels of oil traffic in the world (El- Sheshtawy et al., 2014); 7% of the world seaborne trade is through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (2001)). Several bordering countries have reported repetitive pollution outbreaks in the Red Sea (reviewed in (Mustafa et al., 2014)), including Egypt (El-Sorogy et al., 2012; Riegl and Velimirov, 1991), Israel (Abelson et al., 2005; Loya, 2004; Loya and Rinkevich, 1980; Riegl and Velimirov, 1991), Yemen (Alkershi and Menon, 2011), Saudi Arabia (Ali et al., 2011; Badr et al., 2009; Hanna and Muir, 1990), Jordan (Al-Najjar et al., 2011), Sudan (Idris et al., 2007) and Eritrea (Idris et al., 2007). Several studies addressed “the anthro- pogenic impacts” of pollutants on the Egyptian (Gladstone et al., 2013; Mansour et al., 2011) and non-Egyptian coast of the Red Sea (Furby et al., 2014; Gladstone et al., 2013; PERSGA/GEF, 2004). The adverse consequences were evident and reported in birds (Clark and Gorney, 1987), fish (Ali et al., 2014), mussels (El Nemr et al., 2004b; Khaled et al., 2004) and corals (El-Sikaily et al., 2003; El Nemr et al., 2004a). The rich and diverse coral reefs, fish and mammals in the warm and clear water have contributed to the extensive tourism in Egyptian Red Sea; in 2010 43% of the tourism in the Red Sea was in Egypt (Gladstone et al., 2013). Adverse environmental impacts have been documented on the corals deteriorating health (Gladstone et al., 2013; Naumann et al., 2015). Metal deposition in the Red * This paper has been recommended for acceptance by Maria Cristina Fossi. * Corresponding author. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Environmental Pollution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/envpol http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.04.009 0269-7491/© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Environmental Pollution 214 (2016) 892e902