Activity and phylogenetic diversity of sulfate-reducing microorganisms in low-temperature subsurface fluids within the upper oceanic crust

Robador, Alberto; Jungbluth, Sean P.; LaRowe, Douglas E.; Bowers, Robert M.; Rappé, Michael S.; Amend, Jan P.; Cowen, James P.

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2014.00748

Cited by 42 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 79 publications

(100 reference statements)

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“…The availability of sulphate and readily utilizable organic substrates typically decreases with depth, except for deep layers provided with sulphate from underlying ancient brines or with methane or oil seeping from subsurface sources (Cowen et al, 2003;D'Hondt et al, 2004). Notably, diverse SRB could be isolated from these different zones (Fichtel, Mathes, K€ onneke, Cypionka, & Engelen, 2012), and microbial sulphate reduction is held accountable for the removal of organic matter from the fluids of the basaltic oceanic crust in the Juan de Fuca Ridge (Robador et al, 2015). While the numbers of active SRP reported from such deep biosphere sediments were previously not fully consistent (Fry, Parkes, Cragg, Weightman, & Webster, 2008), more recent screening with functional gene markers (aprA) indicated substantial abundances (Blazejak & Schippers, 2011;Breuker, Stadler, & Schippers, 2013).…”

Section: (Deep) Subsurface Biospherementioning

confidence: 97%

A Post-Genomic View of the Ecophysiology, Catabolism and Biotechnological Relevance of Sulphate-Reducing Prokaryotes

Rabus

Venceslau

Wöhlbrand

et al. 2015

Advances in Microbial Physiology

263

286

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Section: (Deep) Subsurface Biospherementioning

confidence: 97%

A Post-Genomic View of the Ecophysiology, Catabolism and Biotechnological Relevance of Sulphate-Reducing Prokaryotes

Rabus

Venceslau

Wöhlbrand

et al. 2015

Advances in Microbial Physiology

263

286

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“…Sulfate metabolism at site 1301A has also been inferred from sulfate reduction rate measurements and phylogenetic analysis (Robador et al, 2015). The carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of methane also suggest that microbial methanogenesis is responsible for the methane observed in CORKs 1362A and 1362B basement fluids while isotopically heavy methane infers biological methane oxidation in CORK 1301A (Lin et al, 2014).…”

Section: In Situ Production In the Basementmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…There are several lines of evidence, including the texture, chemical, and isotopic composition of both basaltic glass and rocks, suggesting the existence of biological activity within the ridge-flank basement (Giovannoni et al, 1996;Fisk et al, 1998;Furnes et al, 2006;Rouxel et al, 2008;Wheat et al, 2010;Alford et al, 2011;Alt and Shanks, 2011;Ono et al, 2012). Fluids sampled from the ridge-flank aquifer have yielded ribosomal RNA gene sequences related to chemolithoautotrophs and heterotrophs, and functional genes of sulfate reducers, indicating the presence of a diverse bacterial and archaeal community (Cowen et al, 2003;Huber et al, 2006;Jungbluth et al, 2013;Robador et al, 2015). However, these genomic data do not necessarily reveal what, if any, heterotrophic activity is ongoing in this environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Dissolved amino acids in oceanic basaltic basement fluids

Lin

Amend

LaRowe

et al. 2015

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

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The oceanic basaltic basement contains the largest aquifer on Earth and potentially plays an important role in the global carbon cycle as a net sink for dissolved organic carbon (DOC). However, few details of the organic matter cycling in the subsurface are known because great water depths and thick sediments typically hinder direct access to this environment. In an effort to examine the role of water-rock-microorganism interaction on organic matter cycling in the oceanic basaltic crust, basement fluid samples collected from three borehole observatories installed on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge were analyzed for dissolved amino acids. Our data show that dissolved free amino acids (1-13 nM) and dissolved hydrolyzable amino acids (43-89 nM) are present in the basement. The amino acid concentrations in the ridge-flank basement fluids are at the low end of all submarine hydrothermal fluids reported in the literature and are similar to those in deep seawater. Amino acids in recharging deep seawater, in situ amino acid production, and diffusional input from overlying sediments are potential sources of amino acids in the basement fluids. Thermodynamic modeling shows that amino acid synthesis in the basement can be sustained by energy supplied from inorganic substrates via chemolithotrophic metabolisms. Furthermore, an analysis of amino acid concentrations and compositions in basement fluids support the notion that heterotrophic activity is ongoing. Similarly, the enrichment of acidic amino acids and depletion of hydrophobic ones relative to sedimentary particulate organic matter suggests that surface sorption and desorption also alters amino acids in the basaltic basement. In summary, although the oceanic basement aquifer is a net sink for deep seawater DOC, similar amino acid concentrations in basement aquifer and deep seawater suggest that DOC is preferentially removed in the basement over dissolved amino acids. Our data also suggest that organic carbon cycling occurs in the oceanic basaltic basement, where an active subsurface biosphere is likely responsible for amino acid synthesis and degradation.

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“…D. audaxviator” were sequenced from the terrestrial subsurface of South Africa, revealing significant genotypic variation with the terrestrial genomes and providing evidence for horizontal gene transfer and viral infection in the terrestrial subsurface environment (Labonté et al, 2015). To date, knowledge regarding marine members of this deep subsurface firmicutes lineage has been limited to phylogenetic (16S rRNA) and functional (dsr) gene surveys (Jungbluth et al, 2013; Robador et al, 2015). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic comparisons of a bacterial lineage that inhabits both marine and terrestrial deep subsurface systems

Jungbluth

Rio

Tringe

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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It is generally accepted that diverse, poorly characterized microorganisms reside deep within Earth’s crust. One such lineage of deep subsurface-dwelling bacteria is an uncultivated member of the Firmicutes phylum that can dominate molecular surveys from both marine and continental rock fracture fluids, sometimes forming the sole member of a single-species microbiome. Here, we reconstructed a genome from basalt-hosted fluids of the deep subseafloor along the eastern Juan de Fuca Ridge flank and used a phylogenomic analysis to show that, despite vast differences in geographic origin and habitat, it forms a monophyletic clade with the terrestrial deep subsurface genome of “Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator” MP104C. While a limited number of differences were observed between the marine genome of “Candidatus Desulfopertinax cowenii” modA32 and its terrestrial relative that may be of potential adaptive importance, here it is revealed that the two are remarkably similar thermophiles possessing the genetic capacity for motility, sporulation, hydrogenotrophy, chemoorganotrophy, dissimilatory sulfate reduction, and the ability to fix inorganic carbon via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway for chemoautotrophic growth. Our results provide insights into the genetic repertoire within marine and terrestrial members of a bacterial lineage that is widespread in the global deep subsurface biosphere, and provides a natural means to investigate adaptations specific to these two environments.

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Activity and phylogenetic diversity of sulfate-reducing microorganisms in low-temperature subsurface fluids within the upper oceanic crust

Cited by 42 publications

References 79 publications

A Post-Genomic View of the Ecophysiology, Catabolism and Biotechnological Relevance of Sulphate-Reducing Prokaryotes

A Post-Genomic View of the Ecophysiology, Catabolism and Biotechnological Relevance of Sulphate-Reducing Prokaryotes

Dissolved amino acids in oceanic basaltic basement fluids

Genomic comparisons of a bacterial lineage that inhabits both marine and terrestrial deep subsurface systems

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