Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring
Lost Hammer Spring, located in the High Arctic of Nunavut, Canada, is one of the coldest and saltiest terrestrial springs discovered to date. It perennially discharges anoxic (<1 ppm dissolved oxygen), sub-zero (similar to-5 degrees C), and hypersaline (similar to 24% salinity) brines from the su...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 |
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ftinfoscience:oai:infoscience.epfl.ch:293600 2023-05-15T14:57:45+02:00 Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring Magnuson, Elisse Altshuler, Ianina Fernandez-Martinez, Miguel A. Chen, Ya-Jou Maggiori, Catherine Goordial, Jacqueline Whyte, Lyle G. 2022-04-25T00:26:42Z https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 unknown doi:10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 isi:000781186000001 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 Text 2022 ftinfoscience https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 2023-02-13T23:09:46Z Lost Hammer Spring, located in the High Arctic of Nunavut, Canada, is one of the coldest and saltiest terrestrial springs discovered to date. It perennially discharges anoxic (<1 ppm dissolved oxygen), sub-zero (similar to-5 degrees C), and hypersaline (similar to 24% salinity) brines from the subsurface through up to 600 m of permafrost. The sediment is sulfate-rich (1 M) and continually emits gases composed primarily of methane (similar to 50%), making Lost Hammer the coldest known terrestrial methane seep and an analog to extraterrestrial habits on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. A multi-omics approach utilizing metagenome, metatranscriptome, and single-amplified genome sequencing revealed a rare surface terrestrial habitat supporting a predominantly lithoautotrophic active microbial community driven in part by sulfide-oxidizing Gammaproteobacteria scavenging trace oxygen. Genomes from active anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME-1) showed evidence of putative metabolic flexibility and hypersaline and cold adaptations. Evidence of anaerobic heterotrophic and fermentative lifestyles were found in candidate phyla DPANN archaea and CG03 bacteria genomes. Our results demonstrate Mars-relevant metabolisms including sulfide oxidation, sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and oxidation of trace gases (H-2, CO2) detected under anoxic, hypersaline, and sub-zero ambient conditions, providing evidence that similar extant microbial life could potentially survive in similar habitats on Mars. Text Arctic Nunavut permafrost EPFL Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne) Arctic Canada Nunavut The ISME Journal |
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EPFL Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne) |
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ftinfoscience |
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unknown |
description |
Lost Hammer Spring, located in the High Arctic of Nunavut, Canada, is one of the coldest and saltiest terrestrial springs discovered to date. It perennially discharges anoxic (<1 ppm dissolved oxygen), sub-zero (similar to-5 degrees C), and hypersaline (similar to 24% salinity) brines from the subsurface through up to 600 m of permafrost. The sediment is sulfate-rich (1 M) and continually emits gases composed primarily of methane (similar to 50%), making Lost Hammer the coldest known terrestrial methane seep and an analog to extraterrestrial habits on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. A multi-omics approach utilizing metagenome, metatranscriptome, and single-amplified genome sequencing revealed a rare surface terrestrial habitat supporting a predominantly lithoautotrophic active microbial community driven in part by sulfide-oxidizing Gammaproteobacteria scavenging trace oxygen. Genomes from active anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME-1) showed evidence of putative metabolic flexibility and hypersaline and cold adaptations. Evidence of anaerobic heterotrophic and fermentative lifestyles were found in candidate phyla DPANN archaea and CG03 bacteria genomes. Our results demonstrate Mars-relevant metabolisms including sulfide oxidation, sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and oxidation of trace gases (H-2, CO2) detected under anoxic, hypersaline, and sub-zero ambient conditions, providing evidence that similar extant microbial life could potentially survive in similar habitats on Mars. |
format |
Text |
author |
Magnuson, Elisse Altshuler, Ianina Fernandez-Martinez, Miguel A. Chen, Ya-Jou Maggiori, Catherine Goordial, Jacqueline Whyte, Lyle G. |
spellingShingle |
Magnuson, Elisse Altshuler, Ianina Fernandez-Martinez, Miguel A. Chen, Ya-Jou Maggiori, Catherine Goordial, Jacqueline Whyte, Lyle G. Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
author_facet |
Magnuson, Elisse Altshuler, Ianina Fernandez-Martinez, Miguel A. Chen, Ya-Jou Maggiori, Catherine Goordial, Jacqueline Whyte, Lyle G. |
author_sort |
Magnuson, Elisse |
title |
Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
title_short |
Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
title_full |
Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
title_fullStr |
Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
title_full_unstemmed |
Active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline High Arctic spring |
title_sort |
active lithoautotrophic and methane-oxidizing microbial community in an anoxic, sub-zero, and hypersaline high arctic spring |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Nunavut |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Nunavut |
genre |
Arctic Nunavut permafrost |
genre_facet |
Arctic Nunavut permafrost |
op_source |
http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 |
op_relation |
doi:10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 isi:000781186000001 http://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/293600 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01233-8 |
container_title |
The ISME Journal |
_version_ |
1766329873721196544 |