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Hart R, Cardace D. Mineral Indicators of Geologically Recent Past Habitability on Mars. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2349. [PMID: 38137950 PMCID: PMC10744562 DOI: 10.3390/life13122349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We provide new support for habitable microenvironments in the near-subsurface of Mars, hosted in Fe- and Mg-rich rock units, and present a list of minerals that can serve as indicators of specific water-rock reactions in recent geologic paleohabitats for follow-on study. We modeled, using a thermodynamic basis without selective phase suppression, the reactions of published Martian meteorites and Jezero Crater igneous rock compositions and reasonable planetary waters (saline, alkaline waters) using Geochemist's Workbench Ver. 12.0. Solid-phase inputs were meteorite compositions for ALH 77005, Nakhla, and Chassigny, and two rock units from the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover sites, Máaz and Séítah. Six plausible Martian groundwater types [NaClO4, Mg(ClO4)2, Ca(ClO4)2, Mg-Na2(ClO4)2, Ca-Na2(ClO4)2, Mg-Ca(ClO4)2] and a unique Mars soil-water analog solution (dilute saline solution) named "Rosy Red", related to the Phoenix Lander mission, were the aqueous-phase inputs. Geophysical conditions were tuned to near-subsurface Mars (100 °C or 373.15 K, associated with residual heat from a magmatic system, impact event, or a concentration of radionuclides, and 101.3 kPa, similar to <10 m depth). Mineral products were dominated by phyllosilicates such as serpentine-group minerals in most reaction paths, but differed in some important indicator minerals. Modeled products varied in physicochemical properties (pH, Eh, conductivity), major ion activities, and related gas fugacities, with different ecological implications. The microbial habitability of pore spaces in subsurface groundwater percolation systems was interrogated at equilibrium in a thermodynamic framework, based on Gibbs Free Energy Minimization. Models run with the Chassigny meteorite produced the overall highest H2 fugacity. Models reliant on the Rosy Red soil-water analog produced the highest sustained CH4 fugacity (maximum values observed for reactant ALH 77005). In general, Chassigny meteorite protoliths produced the best yield regarding Gibbs Free Energy, from an astrobiological perspective. Occurrences of serpentine and saponite across models are key: these minerals have been observed using CRISM spectral data, and their formation via serpentinization would be consistent with geologically recent-past H2 and CH4 production and sustained energy sources for microbial life. We list index minerals to be used as diagnostic for paleo water-rock models that could have supported geologically recent-past microbial activity, and suggest their application as criteria for future astrobiology study-site selections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Hart
- Department of Physics and Engineering, Community College of Rhode Island, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
| | - Dawn Cardace
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
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2
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Popall RM, Postec A, Lecoeuvre A, Quéméneur M, Erauso G. Metabolic challenges and key players in serpentinite-hosted microbial ecosystems. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1197823. [PMID: 37555067 PMCID: PMC10404738 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1197823] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Serpentinite-hosted systems are amongst the most challenging environments for life on Earth. Serpentinization, a geochemical alteration of exposed ultramafic rock, produces hydrothermal fluids enriched in abiotically derived hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), and small organic molecules. The hyperalkaline pH of these fluids poses a great challenge for metabolic energy and nutrient acquisition, curbing the cellular membrane potential and limiting electron acceptor, carbon, and phosphorous availability. Nevertheless, serpentinization supports the growth of diverse microbial communities whose metabolic make-up might shed light on the beginning of life on Earth and potentially elsewhere. Here, we outline current hypotheses on metabolic energy production, carbon fixation, and nutrient acquisition in serpentinizing environments. A taxonomic survey is performed for each important metabolic function, highlighting potential key players such as H2 and CH4 cycling Serpentinimonas, Hydrogenophaga, Methanobacteriales, Methanosarcinales, and novel candidate phyla. Methodological biases of the available data and future approaches are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Univ Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
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3
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Meyer-Dombard DR, Malas J. Advances in Defining Ecosystem Functions of the Terrestrial Subsurface Biosphere. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:891528. [PMID: 35722320 PMCID: PMC9201636 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.891528] [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: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The subsurface is one of the last remaining 'uncharted territories' of Earth and is now accepted as a biosphere in its own right, at least as critical to Earth systems as the surface biosphere. The terrestrial deep biosphere is connected through a thin veneer of Earth's crust to the surface biosphere, and many subsurface biosphere ecosystems are impacted by surface topography, climate, and near surface groundwater movement and represent a transition zone (at least ephemerally). Delving below this transition zone, we can examine how microbial metabolic functions define a deep terrestrial subsurface. This review provides a survey of the most recent advances in discovering the functional and genomic diversity of the terrestrial subsurface biosphere, how microbes interact with minerals and obtain energy and carbon in the subsurface, and considers adaptations to the presented environmental extremes. We highlight the deepest subsurface studies in deep mines, deep laboratories, and boreholes in crystalline and altered host rock lithologies, with a focus on advances in understanding ecosystem functions in a holistic manner.
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4
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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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5
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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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6
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Chen RW, He YQ, Cui LQ, Li C, Shi SB, Long LJ, Tian XP. Diversity and Distribution of Uncultured and Cultured Gaiellales and Rubrobacterales in South China Sea Sediments. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:657072. [PMID: 34220745 PMCID: PMC8248818 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.657072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Actinobacteria are ubiquitous in marine ecosystems, and they are regarded as an important, underexplored, potential pharmaceutical resource. The orders Gaiellales and Rubrobacterales are deep taxonomic lineages of the phylum Actinobacteria, both are represented by a single genus and contain only a few species. Although they have been detected frequently by high-throughput sequencing, their functions and characteristics in marine habitats remain unknown due to the lack of indigenous phenotypes. Here, we investigated the status of the orders in South China Sea (SCS) sediments using culture-independent and culture-dependent methods. Gaiellales is the second-most abundant order of Actinobacteria and was widely distributed in SCS sediments at water depths of 42-4,280 m, and four novel marine representatives in this group were successfully cultured. Rubrobacterales was present at low abundance in energy-limited marine habitats. An isolation strategy for Rubrobacterales from marine samples was proposed, and a total of 138 mesophilic Rubrobacterales strains were isolated under conditions of light and culture time combined with high-salinity or low-nutrient media. Marine representatives recovered in this study formed branches with a complex evolutionary history in the phylogenetic tree. Overall, the data indicate that both Gaiellales and Rubrobacterales can adapt to and survive in extreme deep-sea environments. This study lays the groundwork for further analysis of the distribution and diversity of the orders Gaiellales and Rubrobacterales in the ocean and provides a specific culture strategy for each group. The results open a window for further research on the ecological roles of the two orders in marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rou-Wen Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan-Qiu He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin-Qing Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cun Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Song-Biao Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Juan Long
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Peng Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
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7
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Veneranda M, Lopez-Reyes G, Pascual Sanchez E, Krzesińska AM, Manrique-Martinez JA, Sanz-Arranz A, Lantz C, Lalla E, Moral A, Medina J, Poulet F, Dypvik H, Werner SC, Vago JL, Rull F. ExoMars Raman Laser Spectrometer: A Tool to Semiquantify the Serpentinization Degree of Olivine-Rich Rocks on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:307-322. [PMID: 33252242 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the effectiveness of the ExoMars Raman laser spectrometer (RLS) to determine the degree of serpentinization of olivine-rich units on Mars. We selected terrestrial analogs of martian ultramafic rocks from the Leka Ophiolite Complex (LOC) and analyzed them with both laboratory and flight-like analytical instruments. We first studied the mineralogical composition of the samples (mostly olivine and serpentine) with state-of-the-art diffractometric (X-ray diffractometry [XRD]) and spectroscopic (Raman, near-infrared spectroscopy [NIR]) laboratory systems. We compared these results with those obtained using our RLS ExoMars Simulator. Our work shows that the RLS ExoMars Simulator successfully identified all major phases. Moreover, when emulating the automatic operating mode of the flight instrument, the RLS ExoMars Simulator also detected several minor compounds (pyroxene and brucite), some of which were not observed by NIR and XRD (e.g., calcite). Thereafter, we produced RLS-dedicated calibration curves (R2 between 0.9993 and 0.9995 with an uncertainty between ±3.0% and ±5.2% with a confidence interval of 95%) to estimate the relative content of olivine and serpentine in the samples. Our results show that RLS can be very effective in identifying serpentine, a scientific target of primary importance for the potential detection of biosignatures on Mars-the main objective of the ExoMars rover mission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Veneranda
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Lopez-Reyes
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Elena Pascual Sanchez
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Agata M Krzesińska
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Aurelio Sanz-Arranz
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Cateline Lantz
- Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Emmanuel Lalla
- Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andoni Moral
- Department of Space Programs, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Medina
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Francois Poulet
- Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Henning Dypvik
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stephanie C Werner
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Fernando Rull
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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8
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Newman SA, Lincoln SA, O'Reilly S, Liu X, Shock EL, Kelemen PB, Summons RE. Lipid Biomarker Record of the Serpentinite-Hosted Ecosystem of the Samail Ophiolite, Oman and Implications for the Search for Biosignatures on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:830-845. [PMID: 32648829 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Serpentinization is a weathering process in which ultramafic rocks react with water, generating a range of products, including serpentine and other minerals, in addition to H2 and low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons that are capable of sustaining microbial life. Lipid biomarker analyses of serpentinite-hosted ecosystems hold promise as tools for investigating microbial activity in ancient Earth environments and other terrestrial planets such as Mars because lipids have the potential for longer term preservation relative to DNA, proteins, and other more labile organic molecules. Here, we report the first lipid biomarker record of microbial activity in the mantle section of the Samail Ophiolite, in the Sultanate of Oman, a site undergoing active serpentinization. We detected isoprenoidal (archaeal) and branched (bacterial) glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) lipids, including those with 0-3 cyclopentane moieties, and crenarchaeol, an isoprenoidal GDGT containing four cyclopentane and one cyclohexane moieties, as well as monoether lipids and fatty acids indicative of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Comparison of our geochemical data and 16S rRNA data from the Samail Ophiolite with those from other serpentinite-hosted sites identifies the existence of a common core serpentinization microbiome. In light of these findings, we also discuss the preservation potential of serpentinite lipid biomarker assemblages on Earth and Mars. Continuing investigations of the Samail Ophiolite and other terrestrial analogues will enhance our understanding of microbial habitability and diversity in serpentinite-hosted environments on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A Newman
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Sara A Lincoln
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Shane O'Reilly
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Xiaolei Liu
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- School of Geology and Geophysics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
| | - Everett L Shock
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Peter B Kelemen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York
| | - Roger E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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9
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Khilyas IV, Sorokina AV, Elistratova AA, Markelova MI, Siniagina MN, Sharipova MR, Shcherbakova TA, D’Errico ME, Cohen MF. Microbial diversity and mineral composition of weathered serpentine rock of the Khalilovsky massif. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225929. [PMID: 31830070 PMCID: PMC6907791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolithic microbial communities survive nutrient and energy deficient conditions while contributing to the weathering of their mineral substrate. This study examined the mineral composition and microbial communities of fully serpentinized weathered rock from 0.1 to 6.5 m depth at a site within the Khalilovsky massif, Orenburg Region, Southern Ural Mountains, Russia. The mineral composition includes a major content of serpentinite family (mostly consisting of lizardite and chrysotile), magnesium hydrocarbonates (hydromagnesite with lesser amounts of hydrotalcite and pyroaurite) concentrated in the upper layers, and clay minerals. We found that the deep-seated weathered serpentinites are chrysotile-type minerals, while the middle and surface serpentinites mostly consist of lizardite and chrysotile types. Microbial community analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, showed a similar diversity of phyla throughout the depth profile. The dominant bacterial phyla were the Actinobacteria (of which unclassified genera in the orders Acidimicrobiales and Actinomycetales were most numerous), Chloroflexi (dominated by an uncultured P2-11E order) and the Proteobacteria (predominantly class Betaproteobacteria). Densities of several groups of bacteria were negatively correlated with depth. Occurrence of the orders Actinomycetales, Gaiellales, Solirubrobacterales, Rhizobiales and Burkholderiales were positively correlated with depth. Our findings show that endolithic microbial communities of the Khalilovsky massif have similar diversity to those of serpentine soils and rocks, but are substantially different from those of the aqueous environments of actively serpentinizing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina V. Khilyas
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
- * E-mail:
| | - Alyona V. Sorokina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Anna A. Elistratova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Maria I. Markelova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Maria N. Siniagina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Margarita R. Sharipova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Tatyana A. Shcherbakova
- FSUE Central Research Institute of Geology of Non-metallic Mineral Resources, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Megan E. D’Errico
- School of Science and Technology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Cohen
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United States of America
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10
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Gregory SP, Barnett MJ, Field LP, Milodowski AE. Subsurface Microbial Hydrogen Cycling: Natural Occurrence and Implications for Industry. Microorganisms 2019; 7:E53. [PMID: 30769950 PMCID: PMC6407114 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen is a key energy source for subsurface microbial processes, particularly in subsurface environments with limited alternative electron donors, and environments that are not well connected to the surface. In addition to consumption of hydrogen, microbial processes such as fermentation and nitrogen fixation produce hydrogen. Hydrogen is also produced by a number of abiotic processes including radiolysis, serpentinization, graphitization, and cataclasis of silicate minerals. Both biotic and abiotically generated hydrogen may become available for consumption by microorganisms, but biotic production and consumption are usually tightly coupled. Understanding the microbiology of hydrogen cycling is relevant to subsurface engineered environments where hydrogen-cycling microorganisms are implicated in gas consumption and production and corrosion in a number of industries including carbon capture and storage, energy gas storage, and radioactive waste disposal. The same hydrogen-cycling microorganisms and processes are important in natural sites with elevated hydrogen and can provide insights into early life on Earth and life on other planets. This review draws together what is known about microbiology in natural environments with elevated hydrogen, and highlights where similar microbial populations could be of relevance to subsurface industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P Gregory
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Megan J Barnett
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Lorraine P Field
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Antoni E Milodowski
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
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11
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Meyer-Dombard DR, Casar CP, Simon AG, Cardace D, Schrenk MO, Arcilla CA. Biofilm formation and potential for iron cycling in serpentinization-influenced groundwater of the Zambales and Coast Range ophiolites. Extremophiles 2018; 22:407-431. [PMID: 29450709 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-018-1005-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial serpentinizing systems harbor microbial subsurface life. Passive or active microbially mediated iron transformations at alkaline conditions in deep biosphere serpentinizing ecosystems are understudied. We explore these processes in the Zambales (Philippines) and Coast Range (CA, USA) ophiolites, and associated surface ecosystems by probing the relevance of samples acquired at the surface to in situ, subsurface ecosystems, and the nature of microbe-mineral associations in the subsurface. In this pilot study, we use microcosm experiments and batch culturing directed at iron redox transformations to confirm thermodynamically based predictions that iron transformations may be important in subsurface serpentinizing ecosystems. Biofilms formed on rock cores from the Zambales ophiolite on surface and in-pit associations, confirming that organisms from serpentinizing systems can form biofilms in subsurface environments. Analysis by XPS and FTIR confirmed that enrichment culturing utilizing ferric iron growth substrates produced reduced, magnetic solids containing siderite, spinels, and FeO minerals. Microcosms and enrichment cultures supported organisms whose near relatives participate in iron redox transformations. Further, a potential 'principal' microbial community common to solid samples in serpentinizing systems was identified. These results indicate collectively that iron redox transformations should be more thoroughly and universally considered when assessing the function of terrestrial subsurface ecosystems driven by serpentinization.
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Affiliation(s)
- D'Arcy R Meyer-Dombard
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, m/c 186, 845 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL, 60515, USA.
| | - Caitlin P Casar
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, m/c 186, 845 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL, 60515, USA
| | - Alexander G Simon
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, m/c 186, 845 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL, 60515, USA
| | - Dawn Cardace
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, IL, USA
| | - Matthew O Schrenk
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Carlo A Arcilla
- National Institute of Geological Sciences, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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12
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Frouin E, Bes M, Ollivier B, Quéméneur M, Postec A, Debroas D, Armougom F, Erauso G. Diversity of Rare and Abundant Prokaryotic Phylotypes in the Prony Hydrothermal Field and Comparison with Other Serpentinite-Hosted Ecosystems. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:102. [PMID: 29467733 PMCID: PMC5808123 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The Bay of Prony, South of New Caledonia, represents a unique serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal field due to its coastal situation. It harbors both submarine and intertidal active sites, discharging hydrogen- and methane-rich alkaline fluids of low salinity and mild temperature through porous carbonate edifices. In this study, we have extensively investigated the bacterial and archaeal communities inhabiting the hydrothermal chimneys from one intertidal and three submarine sites by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We show that the bacterial community of the intertidal site is clearly distinct from that of the submarine sites with species distribution patterns driven by only a few abundant populations, affiliated to the Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria phyla. In contrast, the distribution of archaeal taxa seems less site-dependent, as exemplified by the co-occurrence, in both submarine and intertidal sites, of two dominant phylotypes of Methanosarcinales previously thought to be restricted to serpentinizing systems, either marine (Lost City Hydrothermal Field) or terrestrial (The Cedars ultrabasic springs). Over 70% of the phylotypes were rare and included, among others, all those affiliated to candidate divisions. We finally compared the distribution of bacterial and archaeal phylotypes of Prony Hydrothermal Field with those of five previously studied serpentinizing systems of geographically distant sites. Although sensu stricto no core microbial community was identified, a few uncultivated lineages, notably within the archaeal order Methanosarcinales and the bacterial class Dehalococcoidia (the candidate division MSBL5) were exclusively found in a few serpentinizing systems while other operational taxonomic units belonging to the orders Clostridiales, Thermoanaerobacterales, or the genus Hydrogenophaga, were abundantly distributed in several sites. These lineages may represent taxonomic signatures of serpentinizing ecosystems. These findings extend our current knowledge of the microbial diversity inhabiting serpentinizing systems and their biogeography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eléonore Frouin
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Méline Bes
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Bernard Ollivier
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Anne Postec
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Debroas
- CNRS UMR 6023, Laboratoire "Microorganismes - Génome et Environnement", Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Fabrice Armougom
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix-Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, France
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13
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Winkel M, Mitzscherling J, Overduin PP, Horn F, Winterfeld M, Rijkers R, Grigoriev MN, Knoblauch C, Mangelsdorf K, Wagner D, Liebner S. Anaerobic methanotrophic communities thrive in deep submarine permafrost. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1291. [PMID: 29358665 PMCID: PMC5778128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Thawing submarine permafrost is a source of methane to the subsurface biosphere. Methane oxidation in submarine permafrost sediments has been proposed, but the responsible microorganisms remain uncharacterized. We analyzed archaeal communities and identified distinct anaerobic methanotrophic assemblages of marine and terrestrial origin (ANME-2a/b, ANME-2d) both in frozen and completely thawed submarine permafrost sediments. Besides archaea potentially involved in anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) we found a large diversity of archaea mainly belonging to Bathyarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. Methane concentrations and δ13C-methane signatures distinguish horizons of potential AOM coupled either to sulfate reduction in a sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) or to the reduction of other electron acceptors, such as iron, manganese or nitrate. Analysis of functional marker genes (mcrA) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) corroborate potential activity of AOM communities in submarine permafrost sediments at low temperatures. Modeled potential AOM consumes 72-100% of submarine permafrost methane and up to 1.2 Tg of carbon per year for the total expected area of submarine permafrost. This is comparable with AOM habitats such as cold seeps. We thus propose that AOM is active where submarine permafrost thaws, which should be included in global methane budgets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Winkel
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Julia Mitzscherling
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Pier P Overduin
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Fabian Horn
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Maria Winterfeld
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Marine Geochemistry, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Ruud Rijkers
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | | | | | - Kai Mangelsdorf
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 3.2 Organic Geochemistry, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Dirk Wagner
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Susanne Liebner
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
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14
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Quéméneur M, Palvadeau A, Postec A, Monnin C, Chavagnac V, Ollivier B, Erauso G. Endolithic microbial communities in carbonate precipitates from serpentinite-hosted hyperalkaline springs of the Voltri Massif (Ligurian Alps, Northern Italy). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:13613-13624. [PMID: 25874424 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4113-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The Voltri Massif is an ophiolitic complex located in the Ligurian Alps close to the city of Genova (Northern Italy) where several springs discharge high pH (up to 11.7), low salinity waters produced by the active serpentinization of the ultramafic basement. Mixing of these hyperalkaline waters with the river waters along with the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide forms brownish carbonate precipitates covering the bedrock at the springs. Diverse archaeal and bacterial communities were detected in these carbonate precipitates using 454 pyrosequencing analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Archaeal communities were dominated by members of potential methane-producing and/or methane-oxidizing Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota) together with ammonia-oxidizing Nitrososphaerales (Thaumarchaeota) similar to those found in other serpentinization-driven submarine and terrestrial ecosystems. Bacterial communities consisted of members of the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia phyla, altogether accounting for 92.2% of total retrieved bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences. Amongst Bacteria, potential chemolithotrophy was mainly associated with Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria classes, including nitrogen-fixing, methane-oxidizing or hydrogen-oxidizing representatives of the genera Azospirillum, Methylosinus, and Hydrogenophaga/'Serpentinomonas', respectively. Besides, potential chemoorganotrophy was attributed mainly to representatives of Actinobacteria and Planctomycetales phyla. The reported 16S rRNA gene data strongly suggested that hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen-based chemolithotrophy can sustain growth of the microbial communities inhabiting the carbonate precipitates in the hyperalkaline springs of the Voltri Massif, similarly to what was previously observed in other serpentinite-hosted ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France,
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15
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Postec A, Quéméneur M, Bes M, Mei N, Benaïssa F, Payri C, Pelletier B, Monnin C, Guentas-Dombrowsky L, Ollivier B, Gérard E, Pisapia C, Gérard M, Ménez B, Erauso G. Microbial diversity in a submarine carbonate edifice from the serpentinizing hydrothermal system of the Prony Bay (New Caledonia) over a 6-year period. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:857. [PMID: 26379636 PMCID: PMC4551099 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Active carbonate chimneys from the shallow marine serpentinizing Prony Hydrothermal Field were sampled 3 times over a 6 years period at site ST09. Archaeal and bacterial communities composition was investigated using PCR-based methods (clone libraries, Denaturating Gel Gradient Electrophoresis, quantitative PCR) targeting 16S rRNA genes, methyl coenzyme M reductase A and dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit B genes. Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota) and Thaumarchaea were the main archaeal members. The Methanosarcinales, also observed by epifluorescent microscopy and FISH, consisted of two phylotypes that were previously solely detected in two other serpentinitzing ecosystems (The Cedars and Lost City Hydrothermal Field). Surprisingly, members of the hyperthermophilic order Thermococcales were also found which may indicate the presence of a hot subsurface biosphere. The bacterial community mainly consisted of Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Alpha-, Gamma-, Beta-, and Delta-proteobacteria and of the candidate division NPL-UPA2. Members of these taxa were consistently found each year and may therefore represent a stable core of the indigenous bacterial community of the PHF chimneys. Firmicutes isolates representing new bacterial taxa were obtained by cultivation under anaerobic conditions. Our study revealed diverse microbial communities in PHF ST09 related to methane and sulfur compounds that share common populations with other terrestrial or submarine serpentinizing ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Postec
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Méline Bes
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Nan Mei
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Fatma Benaïssa
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Claude Payri
- Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement Centre de NouméaNouméa-Nouvelle-Calédonie, France
| | - Bernard Pelletier
- Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement Centre de NouméaNouméa-Nouvelle-Calédonie, France
| | - Christophe Monnin
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Université de Toulouse/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/IRDToulouse, France
| | - Linda Guentas-Dombrowsky
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
- Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement Centre de NouméaNouméa-Nouvelle-Calédonie, France
| | - Bernard Ollivier
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gérard
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7154Paris, France
| | - Céline Pisapia
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7154Paris, France
| | - Martine Gérard
- Institut de Minéralogie et de Physique des Milieux Condensés, Université Pierre et Marie CurieParis, France
| | - Bénédicte Ménez
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7154Paris, France
| | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, UM 110Marseille, France
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16
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Cardace D, Meyer-Dombard DR, Woycheese KM, Arcilla CA. Feasible metabolisms in high pH springs of the Philippines. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:10. [PMID: 25713561 PMCID: PMC4322734 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A field campaign targeting high pH, H2-, and CH4-emitting serpentinite-associated springs in the Zambales and Palawan Ophiolites of the Philippines was conducted in 2012-2013, and enabled description of several springs sourced in altered pillow basalts, gabbros, and peridotites. We combine field observations of pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and oxidation-reduction potential with analyses of major ions, dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, and dissolved gas phases in order to model the activities of selected phases important to microbial metabolism, and to rank feasible metabolic reactions based on energy yield. We document changing geochemical inventories in these springs between sampling years, and examine how the environment supports or prevents the function of certain microbial metabolisms. In all, this geochemistry-based assessment of feasible metabolisms indicates methane cycling, hydrogen oxidation, some iron and sulfur metabolisms, and ammonia oxidation are feasible reactions in this continental site of serpentinization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Cardace
- Microbe Mineral Interactions Laboratory, Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI, USA
| | - D'Arcy R Meyer-Dombard
- Ecosystem Dynamics in Geochemical Environments Lab, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kristin M Woycheese
- Ecosystem Dynamics in Geochemical Environments Lab, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Carlo A Arcilla
- National Institute of Geological Sciences, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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17
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Physiological and genomic features of highly alkaliphilic hydrogen-utilizing Betaproteobacteria from a continental serpentinizing site. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3900. [PMID: 24845058 PMCID: PMC4050266 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Serpentinization, or the aqueous alteration of ultramafic rocks, results in challenging environments for life in continental sites due to the combination of extremely high pH, low salinity and lack of obvious electron acceptors and carbon sources. Nevertheless, certain Betaproteobacteria have been frequently observed in such environments. Here we describe physiological and genomic features of three related Betaproteobacterial strains isolated from highly alkaline (pH 11.6) serpentinizing springs at The Cedars, California. All three strains are obligate alkaliphiles with an optimum for growth at pH 11 and are capable of autotrophic growth with hydrogen, calcium carbonate and oxygen. The three strains exhibit differences, however, regarding the utilization of organic carbon and electron acceptors. Their global distribution and physiological, genomic and transcriptomic characteristics indicate that the strains are adapted to the alkaline and calcium-rich environments represented by the terrestrial serpentinizing ecosystems. We propose placing these strains in a new genus ‘Serpentinomonas’. Microbes can dwell in highly alkaline environments in the absence of obvious food sources. Here, the authors describe physiological and genomic features of a group of bacteria that live on hydrogen, calcium carbonate and oxygen at a very high pH.
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