Cryptic metabolisms in anoxic subseafloor sediment

Authors

Arkadiy I. Garber
Gustavo A. Ramírez, University of Rhode Island
Sean M. McAllister
William Orsi
Steven D'Hondt, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Document Type

Report

Date of Original Version

2021

Department

Oceanography

Abstract

Microbial gene expression in anoxic subseafloor sediment was recently explored in the Baltic Sea and the Peru Margin. Our analysis of these data reveals diverse transcripts encoding proteins associated with neutralization of reactive oxygen species, including catalase, which may provide an in situ source of oxygen. We also detect transcripts associated with oxidation of iron and sulfur, and with reduction of arsenate, selenate and nitrate. Given limited input of electron acceptors from outside the system, these results suggest that the microbial communities use an unexpectedly diverse variety of electron acceptors. Products of water radiolysis and their interactions with sediment continuously provide diverse electron acceptors and hydrogen. Cryptic microbial utilization of these oxidized substrates and H₂ may be an important mechanism for multi-million-year survival under the extreme energy limitation in subseafloor sediment.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Environmental Microbiology Reports

Volume

13

Issue

5

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Garber, A. I., Ramírez, G. A., McAllister, S. M., Orsi, W., & D'Hondt, S. (2021). Cryptic metabolisms in anoxic subseafloor sediment. Environmental Microbiology Reports, 13(5), 696-701. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-2229.12983

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.