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Angius F, Cremers G, Frank J, Witkowski C, Pol A, van Alen TA, Jetten MSM, Op den Camp HJM, Berben T. Gene-centered metagenome analysis of Vulcano Island soil (Aeolian archipelago, Italy) reveals diverse microbial key players in methane, hydrogen and sulfur cycles. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2024; 117:94. [PMID: 38954064 PMCID: PMC11219375 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-024-01995-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The Aeolian archipelago is known worldwide for its volcanic activity and hydrothermal emissions, of mainly carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide are minor components of these emissions which together can feed large quantities of bacteria and archaea that do contribute to the removal of these notorious greenhouse gases. Here we analyzed the metagenome of samples taken from the Levante bay on Vulcano Island, Italy. Using a gene-centric approach, the hydrothermal vent community appeared to be dominated by Proteobacteria, and Sulfurimonas was the most abundant genus. Metabolic reconstructions highlight a prominent role of formaldehyde oxidation and the reverse TCA cycle in carbon fixation. [NiFe]-hydrogenases seemed to constitute the preferred strategy to oxidize H2, indicating that besides H2S, H2 could be an essential electron donor in this system. Moreover, the sulfur cycle analysis showed a high abundance and diversity of sulfate reduction genes underpinning the H2S production. This study covers the diversity and metabolic potential of the microbial soil community in Levante bay and adds to our understanding of the biogeochemistry of volcanic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Angius
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Cremers
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Frank
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Caitlyn Witkowski
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- School of Earth Sciences, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol, Queens Road, Clifton, BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Arjan Pol
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Theo A van Alen
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Huub J M Op den Camp
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tom Berben
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Wang Y, Zou Q. Deciphering Microbial Adaptation in the Rhizosphere: Insights into Niche Preference, Functional Profiles, and Cross-Kingdom Co-occurrences. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:74. [PMID: 38771320 PMCID: PMC11108897 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02390-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Rhizosphere microbial communities are to be as critical factors for plant growth and vitality, and their adaptive differentiation strategies have received increasing amounts of attention but are poorly understood. In this study, we obtained bacterial and fungal amplicon sequences from the rhizosphere and bulk soils of various ecosystems to investigate the potential mechanisms of microbial adaptation to the rhizosphere environment. Our focus encompasses three aspects: niche preference, functional profiles, and cross-kingdom co-occurrence patterns. Our findings revealed a correlation between niche similarity and nucleotide distance, suggesting that niche adaptation explains nucleotide variation among some closely related amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Furthermore, biological macromolecule metabolism and communication among abundant bacteria increase in the rhizosphere conditions, suggesting that bacterial function is trait-mediated in terms of fitness in new habitats. Additionally, our analysis of cross-kingdom networks revealed that fungi act as intermediaries that facilitate connections between bacteria, indicating that microbes can modify their cooperative relationships to adapt. Overall, the evidence for rhizosphere microbial community adaptation, via differences in gene and functional and co-occurrence patterns, elucidates the adaptive benefits of genetic and functional flexibility of the rhizosphere microbiota through niche shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yansu Wang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Quan Zou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China.
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3
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Bains W, Petkowski JJ, Seager S. Venus' Atmospheric Chemistry and Cloud Characteristics Are Compatible with Venusian Life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:371-385. [PMID: 37306952 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Venus is Earth's sister planet, with similar mass and density but an uninhabitably hot surface, an atmosphere with a water activity 50-100 times lower than anywhere on Earths' surface, and clouds believed to be made of concentrated sulfuric acid. These features have been taken to imply that the chances of finding life on Venus are vanishingly small, with several authors describing Venus' clouds as "uninhabitable," and that apparent signs of life there must therefore be abiotic, or artefactual. In this article, we argue that although many features of Venus can rule out the possibility that Earth life could live there, none rule out the possibility of all life based on what we know of the physical principle of life on Earth. Specifically, there is abundant energy, the energy requirements for retaining water and capturing hydrogen atoms to build biomass are not excessive, defenses against sulfuric acid are conceivable and have terrestrial precedent, and the speculative possibility that life uses concentrated sulfuric acid as a solvent instead of water remains. Metals are likely to be available in limited supply, and the radiation environment is benign. The clouds can support a biomass that could readily be detectable by future astrobiology-focused space missions from its impact on the atmosphere. Although we consider the prospects for finding life on Venus to be speculative, they are not absent. The scientific reward from finding life in such an un-Earthlike environment justifies considering how observations and missions should be designed to be capable of detecting life if it is there.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- JJ Scientific, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Rempfert KR, Kraus EA, Nothaft DB, Dildar N, Spear JR, Sepúlveda J, Templeton AS. Intact polar lipidome and membrane adaptations of microbial communities inhabiting serpentinite-hosted fluids. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1198786. [PMID: 38029177 PMCID: PMC10667739 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1198786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of hydrogen and reduced carbon compounds during serpentinization provides sustained energy for microorganisms on Earth, and possibly on other extraterrestrial bodies (e.g., Mars, icy satellites). However, the geochemical conditions that arise from water-rock reaction also challenge the known limits of microbial physiology, such as hyperalkaline pH, limited electron acceptors and inorganic carbon. Because cell membranes act as a primary barrier between a cell and its environment, lipids are a vital component in microbial acclimation to challenging physicochemical conditions. To probe the diversity of cell membrane lipids produced in serpentinizing settings and identify membrane adaptations to this environment, we conducted the first comprehensive intact polar lipid (IPL) biomarker survey of microbial communities inhabiting the subsurface at a terrestrial site of serpentinization. We used an expansive, custom environmental lipid database that expands the application of targeted and untargeted lipodomics in the study of microbial and biogeochemical processes. IPLs extracted from serpentinite-hosted fluid communities were comprised of >90% isoprenoidal and non-isoprenoidal diether glycolipids likely produced by archaeal methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Phospholipids only constituted ~1% of the intact polar lipidome. In addition to abundant diether glycolipids, betaine and trimethylated-ornithine aminolipids and glycosphingolipids were also detected, indicating pervasive membrane modifications in response to phosphate limitation. The carbon oxidation state of IPL backbones was positively correlated with the reduction potential of fluids, which may signify an energy conservation strategy for lipid synthesis. Together, these data suggest microorganisms inhabiting serpentinites possess a unique combination of membrane adaptations that allow for their survival in polyextreme environments. The persistence of IPLs in fluids beyond the presence of their source organisms, as indicated by 16S rRNA genes and transcripts, is promising for the detection of extinct life in serpentinizing settings through lipid biomarker signatures. These data contribute new insights into the complexity of lipid structures generated in actively serpentinizing environments and provide valuable context to aid in the reconstruction of past microbial activity from fossil lipid records of terrestrial serpentinites and the search for biosignatures elsewhere in our solar system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin R. Rempfert
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Emily A. Kraus
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Daniel B. Nothaft
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Nadia Dildar
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - John R. Spear
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
- Department of Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Julio Sepúlveda
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Alexis S. Templeton
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
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Wang W, Xia J, Wang Z, Shao Z. Bacterial cell sensing and signaling pathway for external polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). iScience 2023; 26:107912. [PMID: 37841585 PMCID: PMC10570129 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanism by which a bacterial cell senses external nutrients remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified a bacterial cell sensing system for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a common marine PAH-using bacterium, Cycloclasticus. It consists of an outer membrane receptor (PahS) and a periplasmic protein (PahP) in combination with a two-component sensing system (TCS) that ensures a rapid response to PAH occurrence by directly controlling serial reactions including chemotactic sensing and movement, PAH uptake and intracellular PAH metabolism. PahS protrudes from the cell and acts as a PAH sensor, transducing the PAH signal across the outer membrane to its periplasmic partner PahP, which in turn transduces the PAH signal across the periplasm to a specialized TCS. This sensing system plays a critical role in sensing and promoting the metabolism of PAHs, which can be scavenged by various hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanpeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen, China
| | - Jingyu Xia
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Zining Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen, China
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6
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Chu M, Bao R, Strasser M, Ikehara K, Everest J, Maeda L, Hochmuth K, Xu L, McNichol A, Bellanova P, Rasbury T, Kölling M, Riedinger N, Johnson J, Luo M, März C, Straub S, Jitsuno K, Brunet M, Cai Z, Cattaneo A, Hsiung K, Ishizawa T, Itaki T, Kanamatsu T, Keep M, Kioka A, McHugh C, Micallef A, Pandey D, Proust JN, Satoguchi Y, Sawyer D, Seibert C, Silver M, Virtasalo J, Wang Y, Wu TW, Zellers S. Earthquake-enhanced dissolved carbon cycles in ultra-deep ocean sediments. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5427. [PMID: 37696798 PMCID: PMC10495447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41116-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hadal trenches are unique geological and ecological systems located along subduction zones. Earthquake-triggered turbidites act as efficient transport pathways of organic carbon (OC), yet remineralization and transformation of OC in these systems are not comprehensively understood. Here we measure concentrations and stable- and radiocarbon isotope signatures of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC, DIC) in the subsurface sediment interstitial water along the Japan Trench axis collected during the IODP Expedition 386. We find accumulation and aging of DOC and DIC in the subsurface sediments, which we interpret as enhanced production of labile dissolved carbon owing to earthquake-triggered turbidites, which supports intensive microbial methanogenesis in the trench sediments. The residual dissolved carbon accumulates in deep subsurface sediments and may continue to fuel the deep biosphere. Tectonic events can therefore enhance carbon accumulation and stimulate carbon transformation in plate convergent trench systems, which may accelerate carbon export into the subduction zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengfan Chu
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Rui Bao
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China.
| | - Michael Strasser
- University of Innsbruck, Institute of Geology, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ken Ikehara
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Geological Survey of Japan, Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan
| | - Jez Everest
- British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK
| | - Lena Maeda
- Center for Deep Earth Exploration, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Kanagawa, 236-0001, Japan
| | - Katharina Hochmuth
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Sciences, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point TAS, Churchill Ave, 7004, Australia
| | - Li Xu
- NOSAMS Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ann McNichol
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Piero Bellanova
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Neotectonics and Natural Hazards & Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Troy Rasbury
- Stony Brook University, Department of Geosciences, New York, 11794, USA
| | - Martin Kölling
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Science, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28359, Germany
| | - Natascha Riedinger
- Boone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma, 74078, USA
| | - Joel Johnson
- University of New Hampshire, Department of Earth Sciences, New Hampshire, 03824, USA
| | - Min Luo
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Christian März
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Institute for Geosciences, University of Bonn, Nussallee 8, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Straub
- Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Geochemistry Division, New York, 10964, USA
| | - Kana Jitsuno
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-0041, Japan
| | - Morgane Brunet
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Zhirong Cai
- Kyoto University, Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Division of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Antonio Cattaneo
- Geo-Ocean, UMR 6538, Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, Plouzané, F-29280, France
| | - Kanhsi Hsiung
- Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics, JAMSTEC, Marine Geology and Geophysics Research Group, Subduction Dynamics Research Center, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishizawa
- International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-0845, Japan
| | - Takuya Itaki
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Geological Survey of Japan, Institute of Geology and Geoinformation, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan
| | - Toshiya Kanamatsu
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Research Institute of Marine Geodynamics (IMG), Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Myra Keep
- The University of Western Australia, Department School of Earth Sciences, Perth, Australia
| | - Arata Kioka
- Kyushu University, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Cecilia McHugh
- Queens College, City University of New York, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, New York, 11367, USA
| | - Aaron Micallef
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, D-24148, Germany
| | - Dhananjai Pandey
- National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, Goa, 403 804, India
| | - Jean Noël Proust
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000, Rennes, France
| | | | - Derek Sawyer
- The Ohio State University, School of Earth Sciences, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Chloé Seibert
- Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Marine geology and geophysics division, New York, 10964, USA
| | - Maxwell Silver
- Colorado School of Mines, Hydrologic Science and Engineering, Colorado, 80227, USA
| | | | - Yonghong Wang
- Ocean University of China, Department of Marine Geosciences, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Ting-Wei Wu
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Science, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28359, Germany
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah Zellers
- University of Central Missouri, Department of Physical Sciences, Missouri, 64093, USA
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Hidalgo-Arias A, Muñoz-Hisado V, Valles P, Geyer A, Garcia-Lopez E, Cid C. Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13824. [PMID: 37762127 PMCID: PMC10530270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolithic microorganisms, ranging from microeukaryotes to bacteria and archaea, live within the cracks and crevices of rocks. Deception Island in Antarctica constitutes an extreme environment in which endoliths face environmental threats such as intense cold, lack of light in winter, high solar radiation in summer, and heat emitted as the result of volcanic eruptions. In addition, the endolithic biome is considered the harshest one on Earth, since it suffers added threats such as dryness or lack of nutrients. Even so, samples from this hostile environment, collected at various points throughout the island, hosted diverse and numerous microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, diatoms, ciliates, flagellates and unicellular algae. These endoliths were first identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). To understand the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of these endoliths to their environment, genomics techniques were used, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms were identified by metabarcoding, sequencing the V3-V4 and V4-V5 regions of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. Subsequently, the sequences were analyzed by bioinformatic methods that allow their metabolism to be deduced from the taxonomy. The results obtained concluded that some of these microorganisms have activated the biosynthesis routes of pigments such as prodigiosin or flavonoids. These adaptation studies also revealed that microorganisms defend themselves against environmental toxins by activating metabolic pathways for the degradation of compounds such as ethylbenzene, xylene and dioxins and for the biosynthesis of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione. Finally, these Antarctic endolithic microorganisms are of great interest in astrobiology since endolithic settings are environmentally analogous to the primitive Earth or the surfaces of extraterrestrial bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Hidalgo-Arias
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Víctor Muñoz-Hisado
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Pilar Valles
- Materials and Structures Department, National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Adelina Geyer
- Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN), CSIC, Lluís Solé Sabarís s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Eva Garcia-Lopez
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Cristina Cid
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
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Takamiya H, Kouduka M, Furutani H, Mukai H, Nakagawa K, Yamamoto T, Kato S, Kodama Y, Tomioka N, Ito M, Suzuki Y. Copper-Nanocoated Ultra-Small Cells in Grain Boundaries Inside an Extinct Vent Chimney. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864205. [PMID: 35747369 PMCID: PMC9209642 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemosynthetic organisms flourish around deep-sea hydrothermal vents where energy-rich fluids are emitted from metal sulfide chimneys. However, microbial life hosted in mineral assemblages in extinct chimneys lacking fluid venting remains largely unknown. The interior of extinct chimneys remains anoxic where the percolation of oxygenated seawater is limited within tightly packed metal sulfide grains. Given the scarcity of photosynthetic organics in deep seawater, anaerobic microbes might inhabit the grain boundaries energetically depending on substrates derived from rock-water interactions. In this study, we reported ultra-small cells directly visualized in grain boundaries of CuFeS2 inside an extinct metal sulfide chimney from the southern Mariana Trough. Nanoscale solid analyses reveal that ultra-small cells are coated with Cu2O nanocrystals in grain boundaries enriched with C, N, and P. In situ spectroscopic and spectrometric characterizations demonstrate the distribution of organics with amide groups and a large molecular organic compound in the grain boundaries. We inferred that the ultra-small cells are anaerobes because of the fast dissolution of Cu2O nanocrystals in oxygenated solution. This Cu2O property also excludes the possibility of microbial contamination from ambient seawater during sampling. It is shown by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis that the chimney interior is dominated by Pacearchaeota known to have anaerobic metabolisms and ultra-small cells. Our results support the potential existence of photosynthesis-independent microbial ecosystems in grain boundaries in submarine metal sulfides deposits on the early Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hinako Takamiya
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Japan
| | - Mariko Kouduka
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Furutani
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Japan
| | - Hiroki Mukai
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kaoru Nakagawa
- Solutions COE, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takushi Yamamoto
- Solutions COE, Analytical & Measuring Instruments Division, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shingo Kato
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms (JCM), RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Naotaka Tomioka
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Japan
| | - Motoo Ito
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Japan
| | - Yohey Suzuki
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo City, Japan
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Case NT, Song M, Fulford AH, Graham HV, Orphan VJ, Stajich JE, Casadevall A, Mustard J, Heitman J, Lollar BS, Cowen LE. Exploring Space via Astromycology: A Report on the CIFAR Programs Earth 4D and Fungal Kingdom Inaugural Joint Meeting. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:637-640. [PMID: 35196462 PMCID: PMC9233531 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
"Fungi on Mars!": a popular news heading that piques public interest and makes scientists' blood boil. While such a statement is laden with misinformation and light on evidence, the search for past and present extraterrestrial life is an ongoing scientific effort. Moreover, it is one that is increasingly gaining momentum with the recent collection of martian rock cores from Jezero Crater by NASA's Perseverance rover. Despite the increasingly sophisticated approaches guiding the search for microbial life on other planets, fungi remain relatively underexplored compared to their bacterial counterparts, highlighting a gap between the astrobiological and fungal research communities. Through a meeting in April 2021, the CIFAR Earth 4D and Fungal Kingdom research programs worked to bridge this divide by uniting experts in each field. CIFAR is a Canadian-based global research organization that convenes researchers across disciplines to address important questions facing science and humanity. The CIFAR Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration and Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities research programs were launched by CIFAR in July 2019, each made up of approximately two dozen international researchers who are experts in their fields. The Earth 4D program, led by co-directors John Mustard (Brown University, USA) and Barbara Sherwood Lollar (University of Toronto, Canada), aims to understand the complex chemical, physical, and biological interactions that occur within and between Earth's surface and subsurface to explore questions on the evolution of planets and life. The Fungal Kingdom program, led by co-directors Leah Cowen (University of Toronto, Canada) and Joseph Heitman (Duke University, USA), seeks to tackle the most pressing threats fungi pose to human health, agriculture, and biodiversity and to harness their extraordinary potential. The programs met to explore areas for synergy within four major themes: (1) the origins of life; (2) the evolution and diversification of life; (3) life in diverse and extreme environments; and (4) extinction: lessons learned and threats. This report covers the research discussed during the meeting across these four themes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola T. Case
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Min Song
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Heather V. Graham
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Victoria J. Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John Mustard
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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10
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Fones EM, Templeton AS, Mogk DW, Boyd ES. Transformation of low molecular weight organic acids by microbial endoliths in subsurface mafic and ultramafic igneous rock. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:4137-4152. [PMID: 35590457 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of work indicates that continental subsurface rocks host a substantial portion of the Earth's biosphere. However, the activities of microbial cells inhabiting pore spaces and microfractures in subsurface rocks remain underexplored. Here, we develop and optimize microcosm assays to detect organic acid transformation activities of cells residing in mafic to ultramafic igneous rocks. Application of this assay to gabbro core from the Stillwater Mine, Montana, USA, revealed maximal methane production from acetate at temperatures approximating that of the mine. Controls show that these activities are not due to contamination introduced during drilling, exhumation, or laboratory processing of the core. The assay was then applied to rocks cored from the Samail Ophiolite, Oman, which is undergoing low temperature serpentinization. Production of i) carbon dioxide from acetate and formate and ii) methane from formate were detected in a dunite/harzburgite rock core interfacing pH 9.6 waters, and estimates of microbial activities were up to three orders of magnitude higher in the rock core pore space than in corresponding waters. The detection of endolithic microbial activities in igneous rocks has implications for life detection on other planetary bodies where similar rock types prevail, such as Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Fones
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717
| | - Alexis S Templeton
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309
| | - David W Mogk
- Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717
| | - Eric S Boyd
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717
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11
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Yun Y, Gui Z, Su T, Tian X, Wang S, Chen Y, Su Z, Fan H, Xie J, Li G, Xia W, Ma T. Deep mining decreases the microbial taxonomic and functional diversity of subsurface oil reservoirs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153564. [PMID: 35101516 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbes in subsurface oil reservoirs play important roles in elemental cycles and biogeochemical processes. However, the community assembly pattern of indigenous microbiome and their succession under long-term human activity remain poorly understood. Here we studied the microbial community assembly in underground sandstone cores from 190 to 2050 m in northeast China and their response to long-term oil recovery (10-50 years). Indigenous microbiome in subsurface petroleum reservoirs were dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, which exhibited a higher contribution of homogenizing dispersal assembly and different taxonomy distinct ecological modules when compared with perturbed samples. Specifically, the long-term oil recovery reduced the bacterial taxonomic- and functional-diversity, and increased the community co-occurrence associations in subsurface oil reservoirs. Moreover, distinguished from the perturbed samples, both variation partition analysis and structural equation model revealed that the contents of quartz, NO3- and Cl- significantly structured the α- and β-diversity in indigenous subsurface bacterial communities. These findings first provide the holistic picture of microbiome in the deep oil reservoirs, which demonstrate the significant impact of human activity on microbiome in deep continental subsurface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ziyu Gui
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tianqi Su
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuefeng Tian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shaojing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaoying Su
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Huiqiang Fan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinxia Xie
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guoqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenjie Xia
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ting Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
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12
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Shu WS, Huang LN. Microbial diversity in extreme environments. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:219-235. [PMID: 34754082 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00648-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A wide array of microorganisms, including many novel, phylogenetically deeply rooted taxa, survive and thrive in extreme environments. These unique and reduced-complexity ecosystems offer a tremendous opportunity for studying the structure, function and evolution of natural microbial communities. Marker gene surveys have resolved patterns and ecological drivers of these extremophile assemblages, revealing a vast uncultured microbial diversity and the often predominance of archaea in the most extreme conditions. New omics studies have uncovered linkages between community function and environmental variables, and have enabled discovery and genomic characterization of major new lineages that substantially expand microbial diversity and change the structure of the tree of life. These efforts have significantly advanced our understanding of the diversity, ecology and evolution of microorganisms populating Earth's extreme environments, and have facilitated the exploration of microbiota and processes in more complex ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Sheng Shu
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Li-Nan Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Wang Y, Li W, Baker BJ, Zhou Y, He L, Danchin A, Li Q, Gao Z. Carbon metabolism and adaptation of hyperalkaliphilic microbes in serpentinizing spring of Manleluag, the Philippines. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 14:308-319. [PMID: 35199456 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reduced substrates produced by the serpentinization reaction under hydration of olivine may have fuelled biological processes on early Earth. To understand the adaptive strategies and carbon metabolism of the microbes in the serpentinizing ecosystems, we reconstructed 18 draft genomes representing dominant species of Omnitrophicaeota, Gammaproteobacteria and Methanobacteria from the Manleluag serpentinizing spring in Zambales, Philippines (hyperalkaline and rich in methane and hydrogen). Phylogenomics revealed that two genomes were affiliated with a candidate phylum NPL-UPA2 and the references of all our genomes were derived from ground waters, hot springs and the deep biosphere. C1 metabolism appears to be widespread as most of the genomes code for methanogenesis, CO oxidation and CO2 fixation. However, likely due to the low CO2 concentration and election acceptors, the biomass in the spring was extremely low (<103 cell/ml). Various Na+ and K+ transporters and Na+ -driving ATPases appear to be encoded by these genomes, suggesting that nutrient acquisition, bioenergetics and normal cytoplasmic pH were dependent on Na+ and K+ pumps. Our results advance our understanding of the metabolic potentials and bioenergetics of serpentinizing springs and provide a framework of the ecology of early Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, P. R. China
| | - Wenli Li
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, 572000, P. R. China
| | - Brett J Baker
- Department of Integrative Biology and Marine Science, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78373, USA
| | - Yingli Zhou
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, 572000, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Lisheng He
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, 572000, P. R. China
| | - Antoine Danchin
- Kodikos Labs, Institut Cochin, 24 rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques, Paris, 75014, France
| | - Qingmei Li
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, 572000, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoming Gao
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, 572000, P. R. China
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14
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Zhou YL, Mara P, Cui GJ, Edgcomb VP, Wang Y. Microbiomes in the Challenger Deep slope and bottom-axis sediments. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1515. [PMID: 35314706 PMCID: PMC8938466 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29144-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hadal trenches are the deepest and most remote regions of the ocean. The 11-kilometer deep Challenger Deep is the least explored due to the technical challenges of sampling hadal depths. It receives organic matter and heavy metals from the overlying water column that accumulate differently across its V-shaped topography. Here, we collected sediments across the slope and bottom-axis of the Challenger Deep that enable insights into its in situ microbial communities. Analyses of 586 metagenome-assembled genomes retrieved from 37 metagenomes show distinct diversity and metabolic capacities between bottom-axis and slope sites. 26% of prokaryotic 16S rDNA reads in metagenomes were novel, with novelty increasing with water and sediment depths. These predominantly heterotrophic microbes can recycle macromolecules and utilize simple and complex hydrocarbons as carbon sources. Metagenome and metatranscriptome data support reduction and biotransformation of arsenate for energy gain in sediments that present a two-fold greater accumulation of arsenic compared to non-hadal sites. Complete pathways for anaerobic ammonia oxidation are predominantly identified in genomes recovered from bottom-axis sediments compared to slope sites. Our results expand knowledge of microbially-mediated elemental cycling in hadal sediments, and reveal differences in distribution of processes involved in nitrogen loss across the trench.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Li Zhou
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Paraskevi Mara
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Guo-Jie Cui
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Virginia P Edgcomb
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Yong Wang
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China.
- Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China.
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15
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Microbial storage and its implications for soil ecology. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:617-629. [PMID: 34593996 PMCID: PMC8857262 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01110-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Organisms throughout the tree of life accumulate chemical resources, in particular forms or compartments, to secure their availability for future use. Here we review microbial storage and its ecological significance by assembling several rich but disconnected lines of research in microbiology, biogeochemistry, and the ecology of macroscopic organisms. Evidence is drawn from various systems, but we pay particular attention to soils, where microorganisms play crucial roles in global element cycles. An assembly of genus-level data demonstrates the likely prevalence of storage traits in soil. We provide a theoretical basis for microbial storage ecology by distinguishing a spectrum of storage strategies ranging from surplus storage (storage of abundant resources that are not immediately required) to reserve storage (storage of limited resources at the cost of other metabolic functions). This distinction highlights that microorganisms can invest in storage at times of surplus and under conditions of scarcity. We then align storage with trait-based microbial life-history strategies, leading to the hypothesis that ruderal species, which are adapted to disturbance, rely less on storage than microorganisms adapted to stress or high competition. We explore the implications of storage for soil biogeochemistry, microbial biomass, and element transformations and present a process-based model of intracellular carbon storage. Our model indicates that storage can mitigate against stoichiometric imbalances, thereby enhancing biomass growth and resource-use efficiency in the face of unbalanced resources. Given the central roles of microbes in biogeochemical cycles, we propose that microbial storage may be influential on macroscopic scales, from carbon cycling to ecosystem stability.
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16
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D’Angelo T, Goordial J, Poulton NJ, Seyler L, Huber JA, Stepanauskas R, Orcutt BN. Oceanic Crustal Fluid Single Cell Genomics Complements Metagenomic and Metatranscriptomic Surveys With Orders of Magnitude Less Sample Volume. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:738231. [PMID: 35140689 PMCID: PMC8819061 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.738231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluids circulating through oceanic crust play important roles in global biogeochemical cycling mediated by their microbial inhabitants, but studying these sites is challenged by sampling logistics and low biomass. Borehole observatories installed at the North Pond study site on the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge have enabled investigation of the microbial biosphere in cold, oxygenated basaltic oceanic crust. Here we test a methodology that applies redox-sensitive fluorescent molecules for flow cytometric sorting of cells for single cell genomic sequencing from small volumes of low biomass (approximately 103 cells ml-1) crustal fluid. We compare the resulting genomic data to a recently published paired metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis from the same site. Even with low coverage genome sequencing, sorting cells from less than one milliliter of crustal fluid results in similar interpretation of dominant taxa and functional profiles as compared to 'omics analysis that typically filter orders of magnitude more fluid volume. The diverse community dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Desulfobacterota, Alphaproteobacteria, and Zetaproteobacteria, had evidence of autotrophy and heterotrophy, a variety of nitrogen and sulfur cycling metabolisms, and motility. Together, results indicate fluorescence activated cell sorting methodology is a powerful addition to the toolbox for the study of low biomass systems or at sites where only small sample volumes are available for analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D’Angelo
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, United States
| | - Jacqueline Goordial
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, United States
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole J. Poulton
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, United States
| | - Lauren Seyler
- School of Natural Science and Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, United States
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Julie A. Huber
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | | | - Beth N. Orcutt
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, United States
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17
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Response to substrate limitation by a marine sulfate-reducing bacterium. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:200-210. [PMID: 34285365 PMCID: PMC8692349 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01061-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) in subsurface sediments live under constant substrate and energy limitation, yet little is known about how they adapt to this mode of life. We combined controlled chemostat cultivation and transcriptomics to examine how the marine sulfate reducer, Desulfobacterium autotrophicum, copes with substrate (sulfate or lactate) limitation. The half-saturation uptake constant (Km) for lactate was 1.2 µM, which is the first value reported for a marine SRM, while the Km for sulfate was 3 µM. The measured residual lactate concentration in our experiments matched values observed in situ in marine sediments, supporting a key role of SRM in the control of lactate concentrations. Lactate limitation resulted in complete lactate oxidation via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and differential overexpression of genes involved in uptake and metabolism of amino acids as an alternative carbon source. D. autotrophicum switched to incomplete lactate oxidation, rerouting carbon metabolism in response to sulfate limitation. The estimated free energy was significantly lower during sulfate limitation (-28 to -33 kJ mol-1 sulfate), suggesting that the observed metabolic switch is under thermodynamic control. Furthermore, we detected the upregulation of putative sulfate transporters involved in either high or low affinity uptake in response to low or high sulfate concentration.
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18
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Takamiya H, Kouduka M, Suzuki Y. The Deep Rocky Biosphere: New Geomicrobiological Insights and Prospects. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:785743. [PMID: 34917063 PMCID: PMC8670094 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.785743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Rocks that react with liquid water are widespread but spatiotemporally limited throughout the solar system, except for Earth. Rock-forming minerals with high iron content and accessory minerals with high amounts of radioactive elements are essential to support rock-hosted microbial life by supplying organics, molecular hydrogen, and/or oxidants. Recent technological advances have broadened our understanding of the rocky biosphere, where microbial inhabitation appears to be difficult without nutrient and energy inputs from minerals. In particular, microbial proliferation in igneous rock basements has been revealed using innovative geomicrobiological techniques. These recent findings have dramatically changed our perspective on the nature and the extent of microbial life in the rocky biosphere, microbial interactions with minerals, and the influence of external factors on habitability. This study aimed to gather information from scientific and/or technological innovations, such as omics-based and single-cell level characterizations, targeting deep rocky habitats of organisms with minimal dependence on photosynthesis. By synthesizing pieces of rock-hosted life, we can explore the evo-phylogeny and ecophysiology of microbial life on Earth and the life’s potential on other planetary bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hinako Takamiya
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Kouduka
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan
| | - Yohey Suzuki
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan
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19
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Ternieten L, Früh‐Green GL, Bernasconi SM. Carbon Geochemistry of the Active Serpentinization Site at the Wadi Tayin Massif: Insights From the ICDP Oman Drilling Project: Phase II. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. SOLID EARTH 2021; 126:e2021JB022712. [PMID: 35859726 PMCID: PMC9285459 DOI: 10.1029/2021jb022712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A large part of the hydrated oceanic lithosphere consists of serpentinites exposed in ophiolites. Serpentinites constitute reactive chemical and thermal systems and potentially represent an effective sink for CO2. Understanding carbonation mechanisms within ophiolites are almost exclusively based on studies of outcrops, which can limit the interpretation of fossil hydrothermal systems. We present stable and radiogenic carbon isotope data that provide insights into the isotopic trends and fluid evolution of peridotite carbonation in ICDP Oman Drilling Project drill holes BA1B (400-m deep) and BA3A (300-m deep). Geochemical investigations of the carbonates in serpentinites indicate formation in the last 50 kyr, implying a distinctly different phase of alteration than the initial oceanic hydration and serpentinization of the Samail Ophiolite. The oldest carbonates (∼31 to >50 kyr) are localized calcite, dolomite, and aragonite veins, formed between 26°C and 43°C and related to focused fluid flow. Subsequent pervasive small amounts of dispersed carbonate precipitated in the last 1,000 years. Macroscopic brecciation and veining of the peridotite indicate that carbonation is influenced by tectonic features allowing infiltration of fluids over extended periods and at different structural levels such as along fracture planes and micro-fractures and grain boundaries, causing large-scale hydration of the ophiolite. The formation of dispersed carbonate is related to percolating fluids with δ 18O lower than modern ground and meteoric water. Our study shows that radiocarbon investigations are an essential tool to interpret the carbonation history and that stable oxygen and carbon isotopes alone can result in ambiguous interpretations.
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20
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Microbial Abundance and Diversity in Subsurface Lower Oceanic Crust at Atlantis Bank, Southwest Indian Ridge. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0151921. [PMID: 34469194 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01519-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 360 drilled Hole U1473A at Atlantis Bank, an oceanic core complex on the Southwest Indian Ridge, with the aim of recovering representative samples of the lower oceanic crust. Recovered cores were primarily gabbro and olivine gabbro. These mineralogies may host serpentinization reactions that have the potential to support microbial life within the recovered rocks or at greater depths beneath Atlantis Bank. We quantified prokaryotic cells and analyzed microbial community composition for rock samples obtained from Hole U1473A and conducted nutrient addition experiments to assess if nutrient supply influences the composition of microbial communities. Microbial abundance was low (≤104 cells cm-3) but positively correlated with the presence of veins in rocks within some depth ranges. Due to the heterogeneous nature of the rocks downhole (alternating stretches of relatively unaltered gabbros and more significantly altered and fractured rocks), the strength of the positive correlations between rock characteristics and microbial abundances was weaker when all depths were considered. Microbial community diversity varied at each depth analyzed. Surprisingly, addition of simple organic acids, ammonium, phosphate, or ammonium plus phosphate in nutrient addition experiments did not affect microbial diversity or methane production in nutrient addition incubation cultures over 60 weeks. The work presented here from Site U1473A, which is representative of basement rock samples at ultraslow spreading ridges and the usually inaccessible lower oceanic crust, increases our understanding of microbial life present in this rarely studied environment and provides an analog for basement below ocean world systems such as Enceladus. IMPORTANCE The lower oceanic crust below the seafloor is one of the most poorly explored habitats on Earth. The rocks from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) are similar to rock environments on other ocean-bearing planets and moons. Studying this environment helps us increase our understanding of life in other subsurface rocky environments in our solar system that we do not yet have the capability to access. During an expedition to the SWIR, we drilled 780 m into lower oceanic crust and collected over 50 rock samples to count the number of resident microbes and determine who they are. We also selected some of these rocks for an experiment where we provided them with different nutrients to explore energy and carbon sources preferred for growth. We found that the number of resident microbes and community structure varied with depth. Additionally, added nutrients did not shape the microbial diversity in a predictable manner.
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21
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Bergsten P, Vannier P, Klonowski AM, Knobloch S, Gudmundsson MT, Jackson MD, Marteinsson VT. Basalt-Hosted Microbial Communities in the Subsurface of the Young Volcanic Island of Surtsey, Iceland. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:728977. [PMID: 34659155 PMCID: PMC8513691 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.728977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The island of Surtsey was formed in 1963–1967 on the offshore Icelandic volcanic rift zone. It offers a unique opportunity to study the subsurface biosphere in newly formed oceanic crust and an associated hydrothermal-seawater system, whose maximum temperature is currently above 120°C at about 100m below surface. Here, we present new insights into the diversity, distribution, and abundance of microorganisms in the subsurface of the island, 50years after its creation. Samples, including basaltic tuff drill cores and associated fluids acquired at successive depths as well as surface fumes from fumaroles, were collected during expedition 5059 of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program specifically designed to collect microbiological samples. Results of this microbial survey are investigated with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and scanning electron microscopy. To distinguish endemic microbial taxa of subsurface rocks from potential contaminants present in the drilling fluid, we use both methodological and computational strategies. Our 16S rRNA gene analysis results expose diverse and distinct microbial communities in the drill cores and the borehole fluid samples, which harbor thermophiles in high abundance. Whereas some taxonomic lineages detected across these habitats remain uncharacterized (e.g., Acetothermiia, Ammonifexales), our results highlight potential residents of the subsurface that could be identified at lower taxonomic rank such as Thermaerobacter, BRH-c8a (Desulfallas-Sporotomaculum), Thioalkalimicrobium, and Sulfurospirillum. Microscopy images reveal possible biotic structures attached to the basaltic substrate. Finally, microbial colonization of the newly formed basaltic crust and the metabolic potential are discussed on the basis of the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Bergsten
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland.,Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Pauline Vannier
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Stephen Knobloch
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Marie Dolores Jackson
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Viggó Thor Marteinsson
- Exploration & Utilization of Genetic Resources, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland.,Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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22
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Seager S, Petkowski JJ, Gao P, Bains W, Bryan NC, Ranjan S, Greaves J. The Venusian Lower Atmosphere Haze as a Depot for Desiccated Microbial Life: A Proposed Life Cycle for Persistence of the Venusian Aerial Biosphere. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1206-1223. [PMID: 32787733 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We revisit the hypothesis that there is life in the venusian clouds to propose a life cycle that resolves the conundrum of how life can persist aloft for hundreds of millions to billions of years. Most discussions of an aerial biosphere in the venusian atmosphere temperate layers never address whether the life-small microbial-type particles-is free floating or confined to the liquid environment inside cloud droplets. We argue that life must reside inside liquid droplets such that it will be protected from a fatal net loss of liquid to the atmosphere, an unavoidable problem for any free-floating microbial life forms. However, the droplet habitat poses a lifetime limitation: Droplets inexorably grow (over a few months) to large enough sizes that are forced by gravity to settle downward to hotter, uninhabitable layers of the venusian atmosphere. (Droplet fragmentation-which would reduce particle size-does not occur in venusian atmosphere conditions.) We propose for the first time that the only way life can survive indefinitely is with a life cycle that involves microbial life drying out as liquid droplets evaporate during settling, with the small desiccated "spores" halting at, and partially populating, the venusian atmosphere stagnant lower haze layer (33-48 km altitude). We, thus, call the venusian lower haze layer a "depot" for desiccated microbial life. The spores eventually return to the cloud layer by upward diffusion caused by mixing induced by gravity waves, act as cloud condensation nuclei, and rehydrate for a continued life cycle. We also review the challenges for life in the extremely harsh conditions of the venusian atmosphere, refuting the notion that the "habitable" cloud layer has an analogy in any terrestrial environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Peter Gao
- Department of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley, California, USA
| | - William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Noelle C Bryan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jane Greaves
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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23
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Kerou M, Ponce-Toledo RI, Zhao R, Abby SS, Hirai M, Nomaki H, Takaki Y, Nunoura T, Jørgensen SL, Schleper C. Genomes of Thaumarchaeota from deep sea sediments reveal specific adaptations of three independently evolved lineages. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:2792-2808. [PMID: 33795828 PMCID: PMC8397731 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00962-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Marine sediments represent a vast habitat for complex microbiomes. Among these, ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are one of the most common, yet little explored, inhabitants, which seem extraordinarily well adapted to the harsh conditions of the subsurface biosphere. We present 11 metagenome-assembled genomes of the most abundant AOA clades from sediment cores obtained from the Atlantic Mid-Ocean ridge flanks and Pacific abyssal plains. Their phylogenomic placement reveals three independently evolved clades within the order Nitrosopumilales, of which no cultured representative is known yet. In addition to the gene sets for ammonia oxidation and carbon fixation known from other AOA, all genomes encode an extended capacity for the conversion of fermentation products that can be channeled into the central carbon metabolism, as well as uptake of amino acids probably for protein maintenance or as an ammonia source. Two lineages encode an additional (V-type) ATPase and a large repertoire of DNA repair systems that may allow to overcome the challenges of high hydrostatic pressure. We suggest that the adaptive radiation of AOA into marine sediments occurred more than once in evolution and resulted in three distinct lineages with particular adaptations to this extremely energy-limiting and high-pressure environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Kerou
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rafael I. Ponce-Toledo
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rui Zhao
- grid.7914.b0000 0004 1936 7443Department of Earth Science, K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway ,grid.33489.350000 0001 0454 4791Present Address: School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE USA
| | - Sophie S. Abby
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria ,grid.463716.10000 0004 4687 1979Present Address: University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, Grenoble, France
| | - Miho Hirai
- grid.410588.00000 0001 2191 0132Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, X-star, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Nomaki
- grid.410588.00000 0001 2191 0132Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, X-star, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- grid.410588.00000 0001 2191 0132Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, X-star, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- grid.410588.00000 0001 2191 0132Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Steffen L. Jørgensen
- grid.7914.b0000 0004 1936 7443Department of Earth Science, K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Christa Schleper
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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24
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Prashanthi R, G K S, S K, L M. Isolation, characterization, and molecular identification of soil bacteria showing antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2021; 19:120. [PMID: 34406527 PMCID: PMC8374016 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-021-00219-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study dealt with the screening of soil bacteria with antibacterial activity from different locations in Bangalore, India. Antibiotics play the role of self-defense mechanism for the bacteria and are produced as secondary metabolites to protect themselves from other competitive microorganisms. The need for new antibiotics arose as the pathogenic bacteria acquire resistance to various antibiotics meant for treating human diseases. Given the importance of antibiotics of bacterial origin, standard techniques have been used to isolate and characterize the soil bacteria which showed antibacterial activity. RESULTS The isolated bacteria were tested against human pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae by primary and secondary screening methods. The isolates PR1, PR2, and PR3 were confirmed to have antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae by both methods. Studies on the effect of filter sterilization, autoclaving, and proteinase K treatment on culture filtrates showed filter sterilization as the best method. The effect of different carbon and nitrogen sources on the antibacterial activity showed that preference by each isolate differed for carbon and nitrogen requirements. The isolates PR1, PR2, and PR3 were identified as Bacillus aryabhattai strain PR-D07, Arthrobacter humicola strain PR-F07, and Neomicrococcus lactis strain PR-F11 through 16S rRNA sequencing. CONCLUSION Findings from this research work are encouraging and could proceed further to applied aspects. Only 3 bacterial isolates out of 263 isolates from soil samples displayed antibacterial activity against human pathogens S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. They were identified as B. aryabhattai, A. humicola, and N. lactis by 16S rRNA studies and all of them are Gram-positive. Each isolate preferred different carbon and nitrogen sources for their enhanced antibacterial activity. Efficacy of the culture filtrates of these isolates was tested by filter sterilization, autoclaving, and proteinase K treatment. Filter-sterilized culture filtrates showed higher antibacterial activity than other treatments. A comparison of the antibacterial activity of culture filtrates and antibiotic streptomycin produced an inhibition zone of 18.5 mm and 15.5 mm respectively. This is the first report on the antibacterial activity of all the 3 bacterial strains (B. aryabhattai strain PR-D07, A. humicola strain PR-F07, and N. lactis strain PR-F11), against all the human pathogens, mentioned earlier. It is also found that the antibiotic factor is proteinaceous as proteinase K considerably reduced the antibacterial activity of the culture filtrates. With the above significant results, these 3 bacteria are considered to be promising candidates for the isolation of new antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Prashanthi
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Karnataka, 560054, Bengaluru, India.
| | - Shreevatsa G K
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Karnataka, 560054, Bengaluru, India
| | - Krupalini S
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Karnataka, 560054, Bengaluru, India
| | - Manoj L
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Karnataka, 560054, Bengaluru, India
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Microbial Diversity and Function in Shallow Subsurface Sediment and Oceanic Lithosphere of the Atlantis Massif. mBio 2021; 12:e0049021. [PMID: 34340550 PMCID: PMC8406227 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00490-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The marine lithospheric subsurface is one of the largest biospheres on Earth; however, little is known about the identity and ecological function of microorganisms found in low abundance in this habitat, though these organisms impact global-scale biogeochemical cycling. Here, we describe the diversity and metabolic potential of sediment and endolithic (within rock) microbial communities found in ultrasmall amounts (101 to 104 cells cm−3) in the subsurface of the Atlantis Massif, an oceanic core complex on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that was sampled on International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 357. This study used fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to enable the first amplicon, metagenomic, and single-cell genomic study of the shallow (<20 m below seafloor) subsurface of an actively serpentinizing marine system. The shallow subsurface biosphere of the Atlantis Massif was found to be distinct from communities observed in the nearby Lost City alkaline hydrothermal fluids and chimneys, yet similar to other low-temperature, aerobic subsurface settings. Genes associated with autotrophy were rare, although heterotrophy and aerobic carbon monoxide and formate cycling metabolisms were identified. Overall, this study reveals that the shallow subsurface of an oceanic core complex hosts a biosphere that is not fueled by active serpentinization reactions and by-products.
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26
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Keeler E, Burgaud G, Teske A, Beaudoin D, Mehiri M, Dayras M, Cassand J, Edgcomb V. Deep-sea hydrothermal vent sediments reveal diverse fungi with antibacterial activities. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6318858. [PMID: 34245561 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Relatively little is known about the diversity of fungi in deep-sea, hydrothermal sediments. Less thoroughly explored environments are likely untapped reservoirs of unique biodiversity with the potential to augment our current arsenal of microbial compounds with biomedical and/or industrial applications. In this study, we applied traditional culture-based methods to examine a subset of the morphological and phylogenetic diversity of filamentous fungi and yeasts present in 11 hydrothermally influenced sediment samples collected from eight sites on the seafloor of Guaymas Basin, Mexico. A total of 12 unique isolates affiliating with Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were obtained and taxonomically identified on the basis of morphological features and analyses of marker genes including actin, β-tubulin, small subunit ribosomal DNA (18S rRNA), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit ribosomal DNA (26S rRNA) D1/D2 domain sequences (depending on taxon). A total of 11 isolates possess congeners previously detected in, or recovered from, deep-sea environments. A total of seven isolates exhibited antibacterial activity against human bacterial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-35556 and/or Escherichia coli ATCC-25922. This first investigation suggests that hydrothermal environments may serve as promising reservoirs of much greater fungal diversity, some of which may produce biomedically useful metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Keeler
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 220 McLean, Mail Stop 08, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Gaëtan Burgaud
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, ESIAB, Université de Brest, EA 3882, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
| | - Andreas Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Murray Hall 3117B, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - David Beaudoin
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 220 McLean, Mail Stop 08, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Mohamed Mehiri
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Marine Natural Products Team, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Marie Dayras
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Marine Natural Products Team, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Jacquelin Cassand
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Marine Natural Products Team, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 220 McLean, Mail Stop 08, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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27
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Bergo NM, Bendia AG, Ferreira JCN, Murton BJ, Brandini FP, Pellizari VH. Microbial Diversity of Deep-Sea Ferromanganese Crust Field in the Rio Grande Rise, Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 82:344-355. [PMID: 33452896 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01670-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Seamounts are often covered with Fe and Mn oxides, known as ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts. Future mining of these crusts is predicted to have significant effects on biodiversity in mined areas. Although microorganisms have been reported on Fe-Mn crusts, little is known about the role of crusts in shaping microbial communities. Here, we investigated microbial communities based on 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from Fe-Mn crusts, coral skeleton, calcarenite, and biofilm at crusts of the Rio Grande Rise (RGR). RGR is a prominent topographic feature in the deep southwestern Atlantic Ocean with Fe-Mn crusts. Our results revealed that crust field of the RGR harbors a usual deep-sea microbiome. No differences were observed on microbial community diversity among Fe-Mn substrates. Bacterial and archaeal groups related to oxidation of nitrogen compounds, such as Nitrospirae, Nitrospinae phyla, Candidatus Nitrosopumilus within Thaumarchaeota group, were present on those substrates. Additionally, we detected abundant assemblages belonging to methane oxidation, i.e., Methylomirabilales (NC10) and SAR324 (Deltaproteobacteria). The chemolithoautotrophs associated with ammonia-oxidizing archaea and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria potentially play an important role as primary producers in the Fe-Mn substrates from RGR. These results provide the first insights into the microbial diversity and potential ecological processes in Fe-Mn substrates from the Atlantic Ocean. This may also support draft regulations for deep-sea mining in the region.
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28
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Quemener M, Dayras M, Frotté N, Debaets S, Le Meur C, Barbier G, Edgcomb V, Mehiri M, Burgaud G. Highlighting the Biotechnological Potential of Deep Oceanic Crust Fungi through the Prism of Their Antimicrobial Activity. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19080411. [PMID: 34436250 PMCID: PMC8399467 DOI: 10.3390/md19080411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the different tools to address the antibiotic resistance crisis, bioprospecting in complex uncharted habitats to detect novel microorganisms putatively producing original antimicrobial compounds can definitely increase the current therapeutic arsenal of antibiotics. Fungi from numerous habitats have been widely screened for their ability to express specific biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) involved in the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds. Here, a collection of unique 75 deep oceanic crust fungi was screened to evaluate their biotechnological potential through the prism of their antimicrobial activity using a polyphasic approach. After a first genetic screening to detect specific BGCs, a second step consisted of an antimicrobial screening that tested the most promising isolates against 11 microbial targets. Here, 12 fungal isolates showed at least one antibacterial and/or antifungal activity (static or lytic) against human pathogens. This analysis also revealed that Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Enterococcus faecalis CIP A 186 were the most impacted, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. A specific focus on three fungal isolates allowed us to detect interesting activity of crude extracts against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, complementary mass spectrometry (MS)-based molecular networking analyses were performed to putatively assign the fungal metabolites and raise hypotheses to link them to the observed antimicrobial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Quemener
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
| | - Marie Dayras
- Marine Natural Products Team, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, 06108 Nice, France; (M.D.); (M.M.)
| | - Nicolas Frotté
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
| | - Stella Debaets
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
| | - Christophe Le Meur
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
| | - Georges Barbier
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Departments of Geology and Geophysics and Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA;
| | - Mohamed Mehiri
- Marine Natural Products Team, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, 06108 Nice, France; (M.D.); (M.M.)
| | - Gaëtan Burgaud
- Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Écologie Microbienne, Université de Brest, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (M.Q.); (N.F.); (S.D.); (C.L.M.); (G.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-290915148
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29
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Possibilities for an Aerial Biosphere in Temperate Sub Neptune-Sized Exoplanet Atmospheres. UNIVERSE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/universe7060172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The search for signs of life through the detection of exoplanet atmosphere biosignature gases is gaining momentum. Yet, only a handful of rocky exoplanet atmospheres are suitable for observation with planned next-generation telescopes. To broaden prospects, we describe the possibilities for an aerial, liquid water cloud-based biosphere in the atmospheres of sub Neptune-sized temperate exoplanets, those receiving Earth-like irradiation from their host stars. One such planet is known (K2-18b) and other candidates are being followed up. Sub Neptunes are common and easier to study observationally than rocky exoplanets because of their larger sizes, lower densities, and extended atmospheres or envelopes. Yet, sub Neptunes lack any solid surface as we know it, so it is worthwhile considering whether their atmospheres can support an aerial biosphere. We review, synthesize, and build upon existing research. Passive microbial-like life particles must persist aloft in a region with liquid water clouds for long enough to metabolize, reproduce, and spread before downward transport to lower altitudes that may be too hot for life of any kind to survive. Dynamical studies are needed to flesh out quantitative details of life particle residence times. A sub Neptune would need to be a part of a planetary system with an unstable asteroid belt in order for meteoritic material to provide nutrients, though life would also need to efficiently reuse and recycle metals. The origin of life may be the most severe limiting challenge. Regardless of the uncertainties, we can keep an open mind to the search for biosignature gases as a part of general observational studies of sub Neptune exoplanets.
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30
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Seyler LM, Trembath-Reichert E, Tully BJ, Huber JA. Time-series transcriptomics from cold, oxic subseafloor crustal fluids reveals a motile, mixotrophic microbial community. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:1192-1206. [PMID: 33273721 PMCID: PMC8115675 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00843-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The oceanic crustal aquifer is one of the largest habitable volumes on Earth, and it harbors a reservoir of microbial life that influences global-scale biogeochemical cycles. Here, we use time series metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data from a low-temperature, ridge flank environment representative of the majority of global hydrothermal fluid circulation in the ocean to reconstruct microbial metabolic potential, transcript abundance, and community dynamics. We also present metagenome-assembled genomes from recently collected fluids that are furthest removed from drilling disturbances. Our results suggest that the microbial community in the North Pond aquifer plays an important role in the oxidation of organic carbon within the crust. This community is motile and metabolically flexible, with the ability to use both autotrophic and organotrophic pathways, as well as function under low oxygen conditions by using alternative electron acceptors such as nitrate and thiosulfate. Anaerobic processes are most abundant in subseafloor horizons deepest in the aquifer, furthest from connectivity with the deep ocean, and there was little overlap in the active microbial populations between sampling horizons. This work highlights the heterogeneity of microbial life in the subseafloor aquifer and provides new insights into biogeochemical cycling in ocean crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Seyler
- School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, USA.
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | | | - Benjamin J Tully
- Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julie A Huber
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
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31
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Trembath-Reichert E, Shah Walter SR, Ortiz MAF, Carter PD, Girguis PR, Huber JA. Multiple carbon incorporation strategies support microbial survival in cold subseafloor crustal fluids. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/18/eabg0153. [PMID: 33910898 PMCID: PMC8081358 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Biogeochemical processes occurring in fluids that permeate oceanic crust make measurable contributions to the marine carbon cycle, but quantitative assessments of microbial impacts on this vast, subsurface carbon pool are lacking. We provide bulk and single-cell estimates of microbial biomass production from carbon and nitrogen substrates in cool, oxic basement fluids from the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The wide range in carbon and nitrogen incorporation rates indicates a microbial community well poised for dynamic conditions, potentially anabolizing carbon and nitrogen at rates ranging from those observed in subsurface sediments to those found in on-axis hydrothermal vent environments. Bicarbonate incorporation rates were highest where fluids are most isolated from recharging bottom seawater, suggesting that anabolism of inorganic carbon may be a potential strategy for supplementing the ancient and recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon that is prevalent in the globally distributed subseafloor crustal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sunita R Shah Walter
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE 19958, USA
| | | | - Patrick D Carter
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Peter R Girguis
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Applied Ocean Engineering and Physics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Julie A Huber
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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32
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Xiao X, Zhang Y, Wang F. Hydrostatic pressure is the universal key driver of microbial evolution in the deep ocean and beyond. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:68-72. [PMID: 33398931 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Rd., Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Fengping Wang
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Rd., Shanghai, 200030, China
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33
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Orcutt BN, D'Angelo T, Wheat CG, Trembath‐Reichert E. Microbe‐mineral biogeography from multi‐year incubations in oceanic crust at North Pond,
Mid‐Atlantic
Ridge. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:3923-3936. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Beth N. Orcutt
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences East Boothbay ME 04544 USA
- Hanse‐Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst Germany
| | - Timothy D'Angelo
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences East Boothbay ME 04544 USA
| | - C. Geoff Wheat
- Institute of Marine Sciences, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Moss Landing CA 95039 USA
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Peng W, Ma NL, Zhang D, Zhou Q, Yue X, Khoo SC, Yang H, Guan R, Chen H, Zhang X, Wang Y, Wei Z, Suo C, Peng Y, Yang Y, Lam SS, Sonne C. A review of historical and recent locust outbreaks: Links to global warming, food security and mitigation strategies. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110046. [PMID: 32841638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Locusts differ from ordinary grasshoppers in their ability to swarm over long distances and are among the oldest migratory pests. The ecology and biology of locusts make them among the most devastating pests worldwide and hence the calls for actions to prevent the next outbreaks. The most destructive of all locust species is the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria). Here, we review the current locust epidemic 2020 outbreak and its causes and prevention including the green technologies that may provide a reference for future directions of locust control and food security. Massive locust outbreaks threaten the terrestrial environments and crop production in around 100 countries of which Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are the most affected. Six large locust outbreaks are reported for the period from 1912 to 1989 all being closely related to long-term droughts and warm winters coupled with occurrence of high precipitation in spring and summer. The outbreaks in East Africa, India and Pakistan are the most pronounced with locusts migrating more than 150 km/day during which the locusts consume food equivalent to their own body weight on a daily basis. The plague heavily affects the agricultural sectors, which is the foundation of national economies and social stability. Global warming is likely the main cause of locust plague outbreak in recent decades driving egg spawning of up to 2-400,000 eggs per square meter. Biological control techniques such as microorganisms, insects and birds help to reduce the outbreaks while reducing ecosystem and agricultural impacts. In addition, green technologies such as light and sound stimulation seem to work, however, these are challenging and need further technological development incorporating remote sensing and modelling before they are applicable on large-scales. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the 2020 locust outbreak is the worst in 70 years probably triggered by climate change, hurricanes and heavy rain and has affected a total of 70,000 ha in Somalia and Ethiopia. There is a need for shifting towards soybean, rape, and watermelon which seems to help to prevent locust outbreaks and obtain food security. Furthermore, locusts have a very high protein content and is an excellent protein source for meat production and as an alternative human protein source, which should be used to mitigate food security. In addition, forestation of arable land improves local climate conditions towards less precipitation and lower temperatures while simultaneously attracting a larger number of birds thereby increasing the locust predation rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanxi Peng
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Nyuk Ling Ma
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Dangquan Zhang
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Quan Zhou
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Xiaochen Yue
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Shing Ching Khoo
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Han Yang
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Ruirui Guan
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Huiling Chen
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Xiaofan Zhang
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Yacheng Wang
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Zihan Wei
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Chaofan Suo
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Yuhao Peng
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Yafeng Yang
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Henan Province International Collaboration Lab of Forest Resources Utilization, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
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Quemener M, Mara P, Schubotz F, Beaudoin D, Li W, Pachiadaki M, Sehein TR, Sylvan JB, Li J, Barbier G, Edgcomb V, Burgaud G. Meta-omics highlights the diversity, activity and adaptations of fungi in deep oceanic crust. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3950-3967. [PMID: 32743889 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The lithified oceanic crust, lower crust gabbros in particular, has remained largely unexplored by microbiologists. Recently, evidence for heterogeneously distributed viable and transcriptionally active autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial populations within low-biomass communities was found down to 750 m below the seafloor at the Atlantis Bank Gabbro Massif, Indian Ocean. Here, we report on the diversity, activity and adaptations of fungal communities in the deep oceanic crust from ~10 to 780 mbsf by combining metabarcoding analyses with mid/high-throughput culturing approaches. Metabarcoding along with culturing indicate a low diversity of viable fungi, mostly affiliated to ubiquitous (terrestrial and aquatic environments) taxa. Ecophysiological analyses coupled with metatranscriptomics point to viable and transcriptionally active fungal populations engaged in cell division, translation, protein modifications and other vital cellular processes. Transcript data suggest possible adaptations for surviving in the nutrient-poor, lithified deep biosphere that include the recycling of organic matter. These active communities appear strongly influenced by the presence of cracks and veins in the rocks where fluids and resulting rock alteration create micro-niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Quemener
- Université de Brest, EA 3882 Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Microbienne, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
| | - Paraskevi Mara
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.,Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Florence Schubotz
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, Bremen, 28359, Germany
| | - David Beaudoin
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.,Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Wei Li
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Maria Pachiadaki
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.,Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Taylor R Sehein
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.,Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Jason B Sylvan
- Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77845, USA
| | - Jiangtao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Georges Barbier
- Université de Brest, EA 3882 Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Microbienne, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.,Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Gaëtan Burgaud
- Université de Brest, EA 3882 Laboratoire Universitaire de Biodiversité et Ecologie Microbienne, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
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Abiotic hydrogen (H 2) sources and sinks near the Mid-Ocean Ridge (MOR) with implications for the subseafloor biosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13283-13293. [PMID: 32482880 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002619117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Free hydrogen (H2) is a basal energy source underlying chemosynthetic activity within igneous ocean crust. In an attempt to systematically account for all H2 within young oceanic lithosphere (<10 Ma) near the Mid-Ocean Ridge (MOR), we construct a box model of this environment. Within this control volume, we assess abiotic H2 sources (∼6 × 1012 mol H2/y) and sinks (∼4 × 1012 mol H2/y) and then attribute the net difference (∼2 × 1012 mol H2/y) to microbial consumption in order to balance the H2 budget. Despite poorly constrained details and large uncertainties, our analytical framework allows us to synthesize a vast body of pertinent but currently disparate information in order to propose an initial global estimate for microbial H2 consumption within young ocean crust that is tractable and can be iteratively improved upon as new data and studies become available. Our preliminary investigation suggests that microbes beneath the MOR may be consuming a sizeable portion (at least ∼30%) of all produced H2, supporting the widely held notion that subseafloor microbes voraciously consume H2 and play a fundamental role in the geochemistry of Earth's ocean-atmosphere system.
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Brouillette M. These microbial communities have learned to live at Earth's most extreme reaches. Nature 2020:10.1038/d41586-020-00697-y. [PMID: 32203352 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-020-00697-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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