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Suzuki S, Ishii S, Chadwick GL, Tanaka Y, Kouzuma A, Watanabe K, Inagaki F, Albertsen M, Nielsen PH, Nealson KH. A non-methanogenic archaeon within the order Methanocellales. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4858. [PMID: 38871712 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48185-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Serpentinization, a geochemical process found on modern and ancient Earth, provides an ultra-reducing environment that can support microbial methanogenesis and acetogenesis. Several groups of archaea, such as the order Methanocellales, are characterized by their ability to produce methane. Here, we generate metagenomic sequences from serpentinized springs in The Cedars, California, and construct a circularized metagenome-assembled genome of a Methanocellales archaeon, termed Met12, that lacks essential methanogenesis genes. The genome includes genes for an acetyl-CoA pathway, but lacks genes encoding methanogenesis enzymes such as methyl-coenzyme M reductase, heterodisulfide reductases and hydrogenases. In situ transcriptomic analyses reveal high expression of a multi-heme c-type cytochrome, and heterologous expression of this protein in a model bacterium demonstrates that it is capable of accepting electrons. Our results suggest that Met12, within the order Methanocellales, is not a methanogen but a CO2-reducing, electron-fueled acetogen without electron bifurcation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shino Suzuki
- Geobiology and Astrobiology Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
- School of Physical Sciences, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine and Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Shun'ichi Ishii
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine and Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Grayson L Chadwick
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yugo Tanaka
- School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kouzuma
- School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Watanabe
- School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumio Inagaki
- Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (WPI-AIMEC), JAMSTEC, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Earth Science, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Mads Albertsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Per H Nielsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Kenneth H Nealson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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2
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Mara P, Geller-McGrath D, Edgcomb V, Beaudoin D, Morono Y, Teske A. Metagenomic profiles of archaea and bacteria within thermal and geochemical gradients of the Guaymas Basin deep subsurface. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7768. [PMID: 38012208 PMCID: PMC10681998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43296-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of microbial communities in subseafloor sediments reported that microbial abundance and diversity decrease with sediment depth and age, and microbes dominating at depth tend to be a subset of the local seafloor community. However, the existence of geographically widespread, subsurface-adapted specialists is also possible. Here, we use metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of the hydrothermally heated, sediment layers of Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico) to examine the distribution and activity patterns of bacteria and archaea along thermal, geochemical and cell count gradients. We find that the composition and distribution of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), dominated by numerous lineages of Chloroflexota and Thermoproteota, correlate with biogeochemical parameters as long as temperatures remain moderate, but downcore increasing temperatures beyond ca. 45 ºC override other factors. Consistently, MAG size and diversity decrease with increasing temperature, indicating a downcore winnowing of the subsurface biosphere. By contrast, specific archaeal MAGs within the Thermoproteota and Hadarchaeota increase in relative abundance and in recruitment of transcriptome reads towards deeper, hotter sediments, marking the transition towards a specialized deep, hot biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Mara
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - David Geller-McGrath
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - David Beaudoin
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avantgarde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Andreas Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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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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Quéméneur M, Mei N, Monnin C, Postec A, Guasco S, Jeanpert J, Maurizot P, Pelletier B, Erauso G. Microbial taxa related to natural hydrogen and methane emissions in serpentinite-hosted hyperalkaline springs of New Caledonia. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1196516. [PMID: 37485525 PMCID: PMC10359428 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1196516] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The southeastern part of New Caledonia main island (Grande Terre) is the location of a large ophiolitic formation that hosts several hyperalkaline springs discharging high pH (∼11) and warm (<40°C) fluids enriched in methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2). These waters are produced by the serpentinization of the ultrabasic rock formations. Molecular surveys had previously revealed the prokaryotic diversity of some of these New Caledonian springs, especially from the submarine chimneys of Prony Bay hydrothermal field. Here we investigate the microbial community of hyperalkaline waters from on-land springs and their relationships with elevated concentrations of dissolved H2 (21.1-721.3 μmol/L) and CH4 (153.0-376.6 μmol/L). 16S rRNA gene analyses (metabarcoding and qPCR) provided evidence of abundant and diverse prokaryotic communities inhabiting hyperalkaline fluids at all the collected springs. The abundance of prokaryotes was positively correlated to the H2/CH4 ratio. Prokaryotes consisted mainly of bacteria that use H2 as an energy source, such as microaerophilic Hydrogenophaga/Serpentinimonas (detected in all sources on land) or anaerobic sulfate-reducing Desulfonatronum, which were exclusively found in the most reducing (Eh ref H2 ∼ -700 mV) and the most H2-enriched waters discharging at the intertidal spring of the Bain des Japonais. The relative abundance of a specific group of uncultured Methanosarcinales that thrive in serpentinization-driven ecosystems emitting H2, considered potential H2-consuming methanogens, was positively correlated with CH4 concentrations, and negatively correlated to the relative abundance of methylotrophic Gammaproteobacteria. Firmicutes were also numerous in hyperalkaline waters, and their relative abundance (e.g., Gracilibacter or Dethiobacter) was proportional to the dissolved H2 concentrations, but their role in the H2 budget remains to be assessed. The prokaryotic communities thriving in New Caledonia hyperalkaline waters are similar to those found in other serpentinite-hosted high-pH waters worldwide, such as Lost City (North Atlantic) and The Cedars (California).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Nan Mei
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Christophe Monnin
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563 (CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES), Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Postec
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Sophie Guasco
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Julie Jeanpert
- Direction de l’Industrie, des Mines et de l’Energie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Pierre Maurizot
- Direction de l’Industrie, des Mines et de l’Energie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | | | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
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Howells AEG, De Martini F, Gile GH, Shock EL. An examination of protist diversity in serpentinization-hosted ecosystems of the Samail Ophiolite of Oman. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1139333. [PMID: 37213519 PMCID: PMC10192764 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1139333] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In the Samail Ophiolite of Oman, the geological process of serpentinization produces reduced, hydrogen rich, hyperalkaline (pH > 11) fluids. These fluids are generated through water reacting with ultramafic rock from the upper mantle in the subsurface. On Earth's continents, serpentinized fluids can be expressed at the surface where they can mix with circumneutral surface water and subsequently generate a pH gradient (∼pH 8 to pH > 11) in addition to variations in other chemical parameters such as dissolved CO2, O2, and H2. Globally, archaeal and bacterial community diversity has been shown to reflect geochemical gradients established by the process of serpentinization. It is unknown if the same is true for microorganisms of the domain Eukarya (eukaryotes). In this study, using 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we explore the diversity of microbial eukaryotes called protists in sediments of serpentinized fluids in Oman. We demonstrate that protist community composition and diversity correlate significantly with variations in pH, with protist richness being significantly lower in sediments of hyperalkaline fluids. In addition to pH, the availability of CO2 to phototrophic protists, the composition of potential food sources (prokaryotes) for heterotrophic protists and the concentration of O2 for anaerobic protists are factors that likely shape overall protist community composition and diversity along the geochemical gradient. The taxonomy of the protist 18S rRNA gene sequences indicates the presence of protists that are involved in carbon cycling in serpentinized fluids of Oman. Therefore, as we evaluate the applicability of serpentinization for carbon sequestration, the presence and diversity of protists should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alta E. G. Howells
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Francesca De Martini
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ, United States
| | - Gillian H. Gile
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Everett L. Shock
- Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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6
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Abstract
Little is known of acetogens in contemporary serpentinizing systems, despite widely supported theories that serpentinite-hosted environments supported the first life on Earth via acetogenesis. To address this knowledge gap, genome-resolved metagenomics was applied to subsurface fracture water communities from an area of active serpentinization in the Samail Ophiolite, Sultanate of Oman. Two deeply branching putative bacterial acetogen types were identified in the communities belonging to the Acetothermia (hereafter, types I and II) that exhibited distinct distributions among waters with lower and higher water-rock reaction (i.e., serpentinization influence), respectively. Metabolic reconstructions revealed contrasting core metabolic pathways of type I and II Acetothermia, including in acetogenic pathway components (e.g., bacterial- vs. archaeal-like carbon monoxide dehydrogenases [CODH], respectively), hydrogen use to drive acetogenesis, and chemiosmotic potential generation via respiratory (type I) or canonical acetogen ferredoxin-based complexes (type II). Notably, type II Acetothermia metabolic pathways allow for use of serpentinization-derived substrates and implicate them as key primary producers in contemporary hyperalkaline serpentinite environments. Phylogenomic analyses indicate that 1) archaeal-like CODH of the type II genomes and those of other serpentinite-associated Bacteria derive from a deeply rooted horizontal transfer or origin among archaeal methanogens and 2) Acetothermia are among the earliest evolving bacterial lineages. The discovery of dominant and early-branching acetogens in subsurface waters of the largest near-surface serpentinite formation provides insight into the physiological traits that likely facilitated rock-supported life to flourish on a primitive Earth and possibly on other rocky planets undergoing serpentinization.
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Abstract
Alkaline fluids venting from chimneys of the Lost City hydrothermal field flow from a potentially vast microbial habitat within the seafloor where energy and organic molecules are released by chemical reactions within rocks uplifted from Earth's mantle. In this study, we investigated hydrothermal fluids venting from Lost City chimneys as windows into subseafloor environments where the products of geochemical reactions, such as molecular hydrogen (H2), formate, and methane, may be the only available sources of energy for biological activity. Our deep sequencing of metagenomes and metatranscriptomes from these hydrothermal fluids revealed a few key species of archaea and bacteria that are likely to play critical roles in the subseafloor microbial ecosystem. We identified a population of Thermodesulfovibrionales (belonging to phylum Nitrospirota) as a prevalent sulfate-reducing bacterium that may be responsible for much of the consumption of H2 and sulfate in Lost City fluids. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) classified as Methanosarcinaceae and Candidatus Bipolaricaulota were also recovered from venting fluids and represent potential methanogenic and acetogenic members of the subseafloor ecosystem. These genomes share novel hydrogenases and formate dehydrogenase-like sequences that may be unique to hydrothermal environments where H2 and formate are much more abundant than carbon dioxide. The results of this study include multiple examples of metabolic strategies that appear to be advantageous in hydrothermal and subsurface alkaline environments where energy and carbon are provided by geochemical reactions. IMPORTANCE The Lost City hydrothermal field is an iconic example of a microbial ecosystem fueled by energy and carbon from Earth's mantle. Uplift of mantle rocks into the seafloor can trigger a process known as serpentinization that releases molecular hydrogen (H2) and creates unusual environmental conditions where simple organic carbon molecules are more stable than dissolved inorganic carbon. This study provides an initial glimpse into the kinds of microbes that live deep within the seafloor where serpentinization takes place, by sampling hydrothermal fluids exiting from the Lost City chimneys. The metabolic strategies that these microbes appear to be using are also shared by microbes that inhabit other sites of serpentinization, including continental subsurface environments and natural springs. Therefore, the results of this study contribute to a broader, interdisciplinary effort to understand the general principles and mechanisms by which serpentinization-associated processes can support life on Earth and perhaps other worlds.
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Comparative Metagenomics Highlight a Widespread Pathway Involved in Catabolism of Phosphonates in Marine and Terrestrial Serpentinizing Ecosystems. mSystems 2022; 7:e0032822. [PMID: 35913189 PMCID: PMC9426474 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00328-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Serpentinizing hydrothermal systems result from water circulating into the subsurface and interacting with mantle-derived rocks notably near mid-ocean ridges or continental ophiolites. Serpentinization and associated reactions produce alkaline fluids enriched in molecular hydrogen, methane, and small organic molecules that are assumed to feed microbial inhabitants. In this study, we explored the relationships linking serpentinization to associated microbial communities by comparative metagenomics of serpentinite-hosted systems, basalt-hosted vents, and hot springs. The shallow Prony bay hydrothermal field (PBHF) microbiome appeared to be more related to those of ophiolitic sites than to the Lost City hydrothermal field (LCHF) microbiome, probably because of the meteoric origin of its fluid, like terrestrial alkaline springs. This study emphasized the ubiquitous importance of a set of genes involved in the catabolism of phosphonates and highly enriched in all serpentinizing sites compared to other ecosystems. Because most of the serpentinizing systems are depleted in inorganic phosphate, the abundance of genes involved in the carbon-phosphorus lyase pathway suggests that the phosphonates constitute a source of phosphorus in these ecosystems. Additionally, hydrocarbons such as methane, released upon phosphonate catabolism, may contribute to the overall budget of organic molecules in serpentinizing systems. IMPORTANCE This first comparative metagenomic study of serpentinite-hosted environments provides an objective framework to understand the functioning of these peculiar ecosystems. We showed a taxonomic similarity between the PBHF and other terrestrial serpentinite-hosted ecosystems. At the same time, the LCHF microbial community was closer to deep basalt-hosted hydrothermal fields than continental ophiolites, despite the influence of serpentinization. This study revealed shared functional capabilities among serpentinite-hosted ecosystems in response to environmental stress, the metabolism of abundant dihydrogen, and the metabolism of phosphorus. Our results are consistent with the generalized view of serpentinite environments but provide deeper insight into the array of factors that may control microbial activities in these ecosystems. Moreover, we show that metabolism of phosphonate is widespread among alkaline serpentinizing systems and could play a crucial role in phosphorus and methane biogeochemical cycles. This study opens a new line of investigation of the metabolism of reduced phosphorus compounds in serpentinizing environments.
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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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Procaryotic Diversity and Hydrogenotrophic Methanogenesis in an Alkaline Spring (La Crouen, New Caledonia). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071360. [PMID: 34201651 PMCID: PMC8307142 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The geothermal spring of La Crouen (New Caledonia) discharges warm (42 °C) alkaline water (pH~9) enriched in dissolved nitrogen with traces of methane, but its microbial diversity has not yet been studied. (2) Methods: Cultivation-dependent and -independent methods (e.g., Illumina sequencing and quantitative PCR based on 16S rRNA gene) were used to describe the prokaryotic diversity of this spring. (3) Results: Prokaryotes were mainly represented by Proteobacteria (57% on average), followed by Cyanobacteria, Chlorofexi, and Candidatus Gracilibacteria (GN02/BD1-5) (each > 5%). Both potential aerobes and anaerobes, as well as mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms, were identified. Some of them had previously been detected in continental hyperalkaline springs found in serpentinizing environments (The Cedars, Samail, Voltri, and Zambales ophiolites). Gammaproteobacteria, Ca. Gracilibacteria and Thermotogae were significantly more abundant in spring water than in sediments. Potential chemolithotrophs mainly included beta- and gammaproteobacterial genera of sulfate-reducers (Ca. Desulfobacillus), methylotrophs (Methyloversatilis), sulfur-oxidizers (Thiofaba, Thiovirga), or hydrogen-oxidizers (Hydrogenophaga). Methanogens (Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales) were the dominant Archaea, as found in serpentinization-driven and deep subsurface ecosystems. A novel alkaliphilic hydrogenotrophic methanogen (strain CAN) belonging to the genus Methanobacterium was isolated, suggesting that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis occurs at La Crouen.
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Quéméneur M, Erauso G, Bartoli M, Vandecasteele C, Wils L, Gil L, Monnin C, Pelletier B, Postec A. Alkalicella caledoniensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel alkaliphilic anaerobic bacterium isolated from 'La Crouen' alkaline thermal spring, New Caledonia. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021; 71. [PMID: 34003738 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel anaerobic, alkaliphilic, mesophilic, Gram-stain-positive, endospore-forming bacterium was isolated from an alkaline thermal spring (42 °C, pH 9.0) in New Caledonia. This bacterium, designated strain LB2T, grew at 25-50 °C (optimum, 37 °C) and pH 8.2-10.8 (optimum, pH 9.5). Added NaCl was not required for growth (optimum, 0-1 %) but was tolerated up to 7 %. Strain LB2T utilized a limited range of substrates, such as peptone, pyruvate, yeast extract and xylose. End products detected from pyruvate fermentation were acetate and formate. Both ferric citrate and thiosulfate were used as electron acceptors. Elemental sulphur, nitrate, nitrite, fumarate, sulphate, sulfite and DMSO were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The two major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The genome consists of a circular chromosome (3.7 Mb) containing 3626 predicted protein-encoding genes with a G+C content of 36.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the isolate is a member of the family Proteinivoraceae, order Clostridiales within the phylum Firmicutes. Strain LB2T was most closely related to the thermophilic Anaerobranca gottschalkii LBS3T (93.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity). Genome-based analysis of average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization of strain LB2T with A. gottschalkii LBS3T showed respective values of 70.8 and 13.4 %. Based on phylogenetic, genomic, chemotaxonomic and physiological properties, strain LB2T is proposed to represent the first species of a novel genus, for which the name Alkalicella caledoniensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed (type strain LB2T=DSM 100588T=JCM 30958T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Manon Bartoli
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | | | - Laura Wils
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Lisa Gil
- INRAe, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Christophe Monnin
- GET UMR5563 (CNRS/UPS/IRD/CNES), Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Bernard Pelletier
- Centre IRD de Nouméa, 101 Promenade Roger Laroque, BP A5 - 98848 Nouméa cedex, Nouvelle-Calédonie
| | - Anne Postec
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
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12
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Postec A, Quéméneur M, Lecoeuvre A, Chabert N, Joseph M, Erauso G. Alkaliphilus serpentinus sp. nov. and Alkaliphilus pronyensis sp. nov., two novel anaerobic alkaliphilic species isolated from the serpentinite-hosted Prony Bay Hydrothermal Field (New Caledonia). Syst Appl Microbiol 2020; 44:126175. [PMID: 33422701 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2020.126175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Two novel anaerobic alkaliphilic strains, designated as LacTT and LacVT, were isolated from the Prony Bay Hydrothermal Field (PBHF, New Caledonia). Cells were motile, Gram-positive, terminal endospore-forming rods, displaying a straight to curved morphology during the exponential phase. Strains LacTT and LacVT were mesophilic (optimum 30°C), moderately alkaliphilic (optimum pH 8.2 and 8.7, respectively) and halotolerant (optimum 2% and 2.5% NaCl, respectively). Both strains were able to ferment yeast extract, peptone and casamino acids, but only strain LacTT could use sugars (glucose, maltose and sucrose). Both strains disproportionated crotonate into acetate and butyrate. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strains LacTT and LacVT shared 96.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity and were most closely related to A. peptidifermentans Z-7036, A. namsaraevii X-07-2 and A. hydrothermalis FatMR1 (95.7%-96.3%). Their genome size was of 3.29Mb for strain LacTT and 3.06Mb for strain LacVT with a G+C content of 36.0 and 33.9mol%, respectively. The ANI value between both strains was 73.2 %. Finally, strains LacTT (=DSM 100337=JCM 30643) and LacVT (=DSM 100017=JCM 30644) are proposed as two novel species of the genus Alkaliphilus, order Clostridiales, phylum Firmicutes, Alkaliphilus serpentinus sp. nov. and Alkaliphilus pronyensis sp. nov., respectively. The genomes of the three Alkaliphilus species isolated from PBHF were consistently detected in the PBHF chimney metagenomes, although at very low abundance, but not significantly in the metagenomes of other serpentinizing systems (marine or terrestrial) worldwide, suggesting they represent indigenous members of the PBHF microbial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Postec
- AixMarseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France.
| | - Marianne Quéméneur
- AixMarseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Aurélien Lecoeuvre
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Chabert
- AixMarseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Manon Joseph
- AixMarseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - Gaël Erauso
- AixMarseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France
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13
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Lecoeuvre A, Ménez B, Cannat M, Chavagnac V, Gérard E. Microbial ecology of the newly discovered serpentinite-hosted Old City hydrothermal field (southwest Indian ridge). ISME JOURNAL 2020; 15:818-832. [PMID: 33139872 PMCID: PMC8027613 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00816-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Lost City (mid-Atlantic ridge) is a unique oceanic hydrothermal field where carbonate-brucite chimneys are colonized by a single phylotype of archaeal Methanosarcinales, as well as sulfur- and methane-metabolizing bacteria. So far, only one submarine analog of Lost City has been characterized, the Prony Bay hydrothermal field (New Caledonia), which nonetheless shows more microbiological similarities with ecosystems associated with continental ophiolites. This study presents the microbial ecology of the ‘Lost City’-type Old City hydrothermal field, recently discovered along the southwest Indian ridge. Five carbonate-brucite chimneys were sampled and subjected to mineralogical and geochemical analyses, microimaging, as well as 16S rRNA-encoding gene and metagenomic sequencing. Dominant taxa and metabolisms vary between chimneys, in conjunction with the predicted redox state, while potential formate- and CO-metabolizing microorganisms as well as sulfur-metabolizing bacteria are always abundant. We hypothesize that the variable environmental conditions resulting from the slow and diffuse hydrothermal fluid discharge that currently characterizes Old City could lead to different microbial populations between chimneys that utilize CO and formate differently as carbon or electron sources. Old City discovery and this first description of its microbial ecology opens up attractive perspectives for understanding environmental factors shaping communities and metabolisms in oceanic serpentinite-hosted ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Lecoeuvre
- Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France.
| | - Bénédicte Ménez
- Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Mathilde Cannat
- Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Chavagnac
- Université de Toulouse, Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5563, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuelle Gérard
- Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
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14
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Sabuda MC, Brazelton WJ, Putman LI, McCollom TM, Hoehler TM, Kubo MDY, Cardace D, Schrenk MO. A dynamic microbial sulfur cycle in a serpentinizing continental ophiolite. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2329-2345. [PMID: 32249550 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Serpentinization is the hydration and oxidation of ultramafic rock, which occurs as oceanic lithosphere is emplaced onto continental margins (ophiolites), and along the seafloor as faulting exposes this mantle-derived material to circulating hydrothermal fluids. This process leads to distinctive fluid chemistries as molecular hydrogen (H2 ) and hydroxyl ions (OH- ) are produced and reduced carbon compounds are mobilized. Serpentinizing ophiolites also serve as a vector to transport sulfur compounds from the seafloor onto the continents. We investigated hyperalkaline, sulfur-rich, brackish groundwater in a serpentinizing continental ophiolite to elucidate the role of sulfur compounds in fuelling in situ microbial activities. Here we illustrate that key sulfur-cycling taxa, including Dethiobacter, Desulfitispora and 'Desulforudis', persist throughout this extreme environment. Biologically catalysed redox reactions involving sulfate, sulfide and intermediate sulfur compounds are thermodynamically favourable in the groundwater, which indicates they may be vital to sustaining life in these characteristically oxidant- and energy-limited systems. Furthermore, metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses reveal a complex network involving sulfate reduction, sulfide oxidation and thiosulfate reactions. Our findings highlight the importance of the complete inorganic sulfur cycle in serpentinizing fluids and suggest sulfur biogeochemistry provides a key link between terrestrial serpentinizing ecosystems and their submarine heritage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Sabuda
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | | | - Lindsay I Putman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Tom M McCollom
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, UCB 600, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Tori M Hoehler
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Michael D Y Kubo
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA.,SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
| | - Dawn Cardace
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Matthew O Schrenk
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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15
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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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16
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Quéméneur M, Erauso G, Frouin E, Zeghal E, Vandecasteele C, Ollivier B, Tamburini C, Garel M, Ménez B, Postec A. Hydrostatic Pressure Helps to Cultivate an Original Anaerobic Bacterium From the Atlantis Massif Subseafloor (IODP Expedition 357): Petrocella atlantisensis gen. nov. sp. nov. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1497. [PMID: 31379757 PMCID: PMC6647913 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rock-hosted subseafloor habitats are very challenging for life, and current knowledge about microorganisms inhabiting such lithic environments is still limited. This study explored the cultivable microbial diversity in anaerobic enrichment cultures from cores recovered during the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 357 from the Atlantis Massif (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N). 16S rRNA gene survey of enrichment cultures grown at 10–25°C and pH 8.5 showed that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were generally dominant. However, cultivable microbial diversity significantly differed depending on incubation at atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa), or hydrostatic pressures (HP) mimicking the in situ pressure conditions (8.2 or 14.0 MPa). An original, strictly anaerobic bacterium designated 70B-AT was isolated from core M0070C-3R1 (1150 meter below sea level; 3.5 m below seafloor) only from cultures performed at 14.0 MPa. This strain named Petrocella atlantisensis is a novel species of a new genus within the newly described family Vallitaleaceae (order Clostridiales, phylum Firmicutes). It is a mesophilic, moderately halotolerant and piezophilic chemoorganotroph, able to grow by fermentation of carbohydrates and proteinaceous compounds. Its 3.5 Mb genome contains numerous genes for ABC transporters of sugars and amino acids, and pathways for fermentation of mono- and di-saccharides and amino acids were identified. Genes encoding multimeric [FeFe] hydrogenases and a Rnf complex form the basis to explain hydrogen and energy production in strain 70B-AT. This study outlines the importance of using hydrostatic pressure in culture experiments for isolation and characterization of autochthonous piezophilic microorganisms from subseafloor rocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Quéméneur
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Gaël Erauso
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Eléonore Frouin
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Emna Zeghal
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | | | - Bernard Ollivier
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Christian Tamburini
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Marc Garel
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
| | - Bénédicte Ménez
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Anne Postec
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, Marseille, France
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17
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Kevbrin VV. Isolation and Cultivation of Alkaliphiles. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 172:53-84. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2018_84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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