Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy
ABSTRACT The microbial biogeochemical processes occurring in marine sediment in Antarctica remain underexplored due to limited access. Further, these polar habitats are unique, as they are being exposed to significant changes in their climate. To explore how microbes drive biogeochemistry in these s...
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American Society for Microbiology
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ee69af8b6077479b81c845d8f56cf30a 2023-05-15T13:59:15+02:00 Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy Arkadiy I. Garber Jessica R. Zehnpfennig Cody S. Sheik Michael W. Henson Gustavo A. Ramírez Andrew R. Mahon Kenneth M. Halanych Deric R. Learman 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 https://doaj.org/article/ee69af8b6077479b81c845d8f56cf30a EN eng American Society for Microbiology https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5042 doi:10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 2379-5042 https://doaj.org/article/ee69af8b6077479b81c845d8f56cf30a mSphere, Vol 6, Iss 6 (2021) Antarctica chemolithotrophy marine microbiology metagenomics marine sediment Microbiology QR1-502 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 2022-12-31T16:30:23Z ABSTRACT The microbial biogeochemical processes occurring in marine sediment in Antarctica remain underexplored due to limited access. Further, these polar habitats are unique, as they are being exposed to significant changes in their climate. To explore how microbes drive biogeochemistry in these sediments, we performed a shotgun metagenomic survey of marine surficial sediment (0 to 3 cm of the seafloor) collected from 13 locations in western Antarctica and assembled 16 high-quality metagenome assembled genomes for focused interrogation of the lifestyles of some abundant lineages. We observe an abundance of genes from pathways for the utilization of reduced carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen sources. Although organotrophy is pervasive, nitrification and sulfide oxidation are the dominant lithotrophic pathways and likely fuel carbon fixation via the reverse tricarboxylic acid and Calvin cycles. Oxygen-dependent terminal oxidases are common, and genes for reduction of oxidized nitrogen are sporadically present in our samples. Our results suggest that the underlying benthic communities are well primed for the utilization of settling organic matter, which is consistent with findings from highly productive surface water. Despite the genetic potential for nitrate reduction, the net catabolic pathway in our samples remains aerobic respiration, likely coupled to the oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen imported from the highly productive Antarctic water column above. IMPORTANCE The impacts of climate change in polar regions, like Antarctica, have the potential to alter numerous ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. Increasing temperature and freshwater runoff from melting ice can have profound impacts on the cycling of organic and inorganic nutrients between the pelagic and benthic ecosystems. Within the benthos, sediment microbial communities play a critical role in carbon mineralization and the cycles of essential nutrients like nitrogen and sulfur. Metagenomic data collected from sediment samples from the continental shelf of ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Calvin ENVELOPE(165.100,165.100,-71.283,-71.283) mSphere 6 6 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctica chemolithotrophy marine microbiology metagenomics marine sediment Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctica chemolithotrophy marine microbiology metagenomics marine sediment Microbiology QR1-502 Arkadiy I. Garber Jessica R. Zehnpfennig Cody S. Sheik Michael W. Henson Gustavo A. Ramírez Andrew R. Mahon Kenneth M. Halanych Deric R. Learman Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
topic_facet |
Antarctica chemolithotrophy marine microbiology metagenomics marine sediment Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
ABSTRACT The microbial biogeochemical processes occurring in marine sediment in Antarctica remain underexplored due to limited access. Further, these polar habitats are unique, as they are being exposed to significant changes in their climate. To explore how microbes drive biogeochemistry in these sediments, we performed a shotgun metagenomic survey of marine surficial sediment (0 to 3 cm of the seafloor) collected from 13 locations in western Antarctica and assembled 16 high-quality metagenome assembled genomes for focused interrogation of the lifestyles of some abundant lineages. We observe an abundance of genes from pathways for the utilization of reduced carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen sources. Although organotrophy is pervasive, nitrification and sulfide oxidation are the dominant lithotrophic pathways and likely fuel carbon fixation via the reverse tricarboxylic acid and Calvin cycles. Oxygen-dependent terminal oxidases are common, and genes for reduction of oxidized nitrogen are sporadically present in our samples. Our results suggest that the underlying benthic communities are well primed for the utilization of settling organic matter, which is consistent with findings from highly productive surface water. Despite the genetic potential for nitrate reduction, the net catabolic pathway in our samples remains aerobic respiration, likely coupled to the oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen imported from the highly productive Antarctic water column above. IMPORTANCE The impacts of climate change in polar regions, like Antarctica, have the potential to alter numerous ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. Increasing temperature and freshwater runoff from melting ice can have profound impacts on the cycling of organic and inorganic nutrients between the pelagic and benthic ecosystems. Within the benthos, sediment microbial communities play a critical role in carbon mineralization and the cycles of essential nutrients like nitrogen and sulfur. Metagenomic data collected from sediment samples from the continental shelf of ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Arkadiy I. Garber Jessica R. Zehnpfennig Cody S. Sheik Michael W. Henson Gustavo A. Ramírez Andrew R. Mahon Kenneth M. Halanych Deric R. Learman |
author_facet |
Arkadiy I. Garber Jessica R. Zehnpfennig Cody S. Sheik Michael W. Henson Gustavo A. Ramírez Andrew R. Mahon Kenneth M. Halanych Deric R. Learman |
author_sort |
Arkadiy I. Garber |
title |
Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
title_short |
Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
title_full |
Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
title_fullStr |
Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
title_full_unstemmed |
Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy |
title_sort |
metagenomics of antarctic marine sediment reveals potential for diverse chemolithoautotrophy |
publisher |
American Society for Microbiology |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 https://doaj.org/article/ee69af8b6077479b81c845d8f56cf30a |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(165.100,165.100,-71.283,-71.283) |
geographic |
Antarctic Calvin |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Calvin |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_source |
mSphere, Vol 6, Iss 6 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5042 doi:10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 2379-5042 https://doaj.org/article/ee69af8b6077479b81c845d8f56cf30a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00770-21 |
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mSphere |
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6 |
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6 |
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1766267771314765824 |