Abstract
Heritage monument surfaces are being deteriorated by diverse microbiota. This study used culture-dependent and culture-independent strategies to investigate the bacterial inhabitants colonizing India's two different heritage sites, namely Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai and Ajanta Caves (AJC), Aurangabad. The culturable approach showed the presence of common environmental bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus. However, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the composite samples revealed rich bacterial diversity in the AJC metagenome compared to CSMT, which is comparatively well maintained. The functional profile of metagenomes revealed abundant hits for sulfate reducers (15.4%; 29.8%) and nitrate reducers (36.3%; 25.1%), respectively, in CSMT and AJC. Biofilm-associated genes (alg1 and pelA) were detected in metagenomic DNA and cultivated bacterial genomic DNA to envisage the presence of biofilm formers dwelling on the heritage surfaces. The study suggests the possibility of tracking the biofilm bacteria inhabiting the deteriorated surfaces of heritage sites through an integrated approach that would provide risk assessment toward management and conservation strategies.
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