Ecological characterization of cold-seep epifauna in the South China Sea

Zhao, Yu; Xu, Ting; Law, Yu Sheung; Dong, Feng; Li, Niu; Xin, Renjie; Wang, Hu; Ji, Fuwu; Zhou, Huaiyang; Qiu, Jian‐Wen

doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2020.103361

Cited by 46 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The vestimentiferan Paraescarpia echinospica ( fig. 1 A ) is widely distributed in methane seeps of the western Pacific Ocean ( Southward et al 2002 ; Zhao et al 2020 ). Its mechanisms of host–symbiont cooperation in energy production and nutrient biosynthesis and utilization have recently been documented through a study of its endosymbiont genome and metaproteome ( Yang et al 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic Signatures Supporting the Symbiosis and Formation of Chitinous Tube in the Deep-Sea Tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica

Sun

Yang

et al. 2021

Molecular Biology and Evolution

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Vestimentiferan tubeworms are iconic animals that present as large habitat-forming chitinised tube bushes in deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. They are gutless and depend entirely on their endosymbiotic sulphide-oxidising chemoautotrophic bacteria for nutrition. Information on the genomes of several siboglinid endosymbionts has improved our understanding of their nutritional supplies. However, the interactions between tubeworms and their endosymbionts remain largely unclear due to a paucity of host genomes. Here, we report the chromosome-level genome of the vestimentiferan tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica. We found that the genome has been remodelled to facilitate symbiosis through the expansion of gene families related to substrate transfer and innate immunity, suppression of apoptosis, regulation of lysosomal digestion and protection against oxidative stress. Furthermore, the genome encodes a programmed cell death pathway that potentially controls the endosymbiont population. Our integrated genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses uncovered matrix proteins required for the formation of the chitinous tube and revealed gene family expansion and co-option as evolutionary mechanisms driving the acquisition of this unique supporting structure for deep-sea tubeworms. Overall, our study provides novel insights into the host’s support system that has enabled tubeworms to establish symbiosis, thrive in deep-sea hot vents and cold seeps and produce the unique chitinous tubes in the deep sea.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic Signatures Supporting the Symbiosis and Formation of Chitinous Tube in the Deep-Sea Tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica

Sun

Yang

et al. 2021

Molecular Biology and Evolution

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“…In general, these geochemical alterations may help to reconstruct the microbial communities in the waters above cold seeps. Chemosynthetic organisms in cold seeps utilize CH 4 or hydrogen sulfide to sustain various faunal assemblages (Pasulka et al, 2016) such as tubeworms (Zhao et al, 2020), mussels (Sun et al, 2017;Xu et al, 2019), and bivalves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct Bottom-Water Bacterial Communities at Methane Seeps With Various Seepage Intensities in Haima, South China Sea

Dai

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Methane seeps are chemosynthetic ecosystems in the deep-sea environment. Microbial community structures have been extensively studied in the seepage-affected sediments and investigation in the water column above the seeping sites is still lacking. In this study, prokaryotic communities in the bottom water about 50 cm from the seabed at methane seeps with various seepage intensities in Haima, South China Sea were comparatively studied by using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. These sites were assigned based on their distinct methane content levels and seafloor landscapes as the non-seepage (NS) site, low-intensity seepage (LIS) site, and high-intensity seepage (HIS) site. The abundances of the dominant phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria differed significantly between NS and the two seepage sites (p < 0.05). Alpha diversity differed among the three sites with the HIS site showing the lowest community diversity. Principal component analysis revealed highly divergent bacterial community structures at three sites. Many environmental variables including temperature, alkalinity, pH, methane, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and inorganic nutrients were measured. Redundancy analysis indicated that methane content is the key environmental factor driving bacterial community variation (p = 0.001). Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis identified various differentially enriched genera at the LIS and HIS sites. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close phylogenetic relationship among the operational taxonomic units of these genera with known oil-degrading species, indicating oil seepage may occur at the Haima cold seeps. Co-occurrence networks indicated that the strength of microbial interactions was weakest at the HIS site. This study represents a comprehensive comparison of microbial profiles in the water column of cold seeps in the SCS, revealing that the seepage intensity has a strong impact on bacterial community dynamics.

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“… (I) Image mosaics of whale-fall decomposition through time, adapted from ( Lundsten et al., 2010 ). (J) Photomosaic of ROV video survey section, adapted from ( Zhao et al., 2020 ). …”

Section: Development Of Deep-sea Equipmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are now regularly employed in applied and theoretical research, to study behavior, species interactions, ecosystem function, and resilience ( Bicknell et al., 2016 ). Towed camera, submersibles' high-definition camera, stereoscopic imaging and holography technologies show great utility for quantifying habitats and important ecological quantities from zooplankton to benthic macrofauna( Zhao et al., 2020 ), as shown in Figure 7 . Photographs of the extensive areas are taken by a towed camera to evaluate the abundance, age structure, and utilization of space for assemblages of life in extreme environments.…”

Section: Development Of Deep-sea Equipmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of deep-sea equipment in promoting the forefront of studies on life in extreme environments

et al. 2021

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Summary The deep-sea environment creates the largest ecosystem in the world with the largest biological community and extensive undiscovered biodiversity. Nevertheless, these ecosystems are far from well known. Deep-sea equipment is an indispensable approach to research life in extreme environments in the deep-sea environment because of the difficulty in obtaining access to these unique habitats. This work reviewed the historical development and the state-of-the-art of deep-sea equipment suitable for researching extreme ecosystems, to clarify the role of this equipment as a promoter for the progress of life in extreme environmental studies. Linkages of the developed deep-sea equipment and the discovered species are analyzed in this study. In addition, Equipment associated with researching the deep-sea ecosystems of hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, whale falls, seamounts, and oceanic trenches are introduced and analyzed in detail. To clarify the thrust and key points of the future promotion of life in extreme environmental studies, prospects and challenges related to observing equipment, samplers, laboratory simulation systems, and submersibles are proposed. Furthermore, a blueprint for the integration of in situ observations, sampling, controllable culture, manned experiments in underwater environments, and laboratory simulations is depicted for future studies.

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Ecological characterization of cold-seep epifauna in the South China Sea

Cited by 46 publications

References 42 publications

Genomic Signatures Supporting the Symbiosis and Formation of Chitinous Tube in the Deep-Sea Tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica

Genomic Signatures Supporting the Symbiosis and Formation of Chitinous Tube in the Deep-Sea Tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica

Distinct Bottom-Water Bacterial Communities at Methane Seeps With Various Seepage Intensities in Haima, South China Sea

Role of deep-sea equipment in promoting the forefront of studies on life in extreme environments

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