The Deep Biosphere of the Subseafloor Igneous Crust

2015 ◽  
pp. 143-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Ivarsson ◽  
N. G. Holm ◽  
A. Neubeck
Keyword(s):  
Deep Biosphere

scholarly journals The Fennoscandian Shield deep terrestrial virosphere suggests slow motion ‘boom and burst’ cycles

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Holmfeldt ◽  
Emelie Nilsson ◽  
Domenico Simone ◽  
Margarita Lopez-Fernandez ◽  
Xiaofen Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Production ◽  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Domains Of Life ◽  
Microbial Turnover ◽  
Rna Transcript ◽  
Viral Isolates ◽  
Antagonistic Interactions

AbstractThe deep biosphere contains members from all three domains of life along with viruses. Here we investigate the deep terrestrial virosphere by sequencing community nucleic acids from three groundwaters of contrasting chemistries, origins, and ages. These viromes constitute a highly unique community compared to other environmental viromes and sequenced viral isolates. Viral host prediction suggests that many of the viruses are associated with Firmicutes and Patescibacteria, a superphylum lacking previously described active viruses. RNA transcript-based activity implies viral predation in the shallower marine water-fed groundwater, while the deeper and more oligotrophic waters appear to be in ‘metabolic standby’. Viral encoded antibiotic production and resistance systems suggest competition and antagonistic interactions. The data demonstrate a viral community with a wide range of predicted hosts that mediates nutrient recycling to support a higher microbial turnover than previously anticipated. This suggests the presence of ‘kill-the-winner’ oscillations creating slow motion ‘boom and burst’ cycles.

scholarly journals Biosignatures of ancient microbial life are present across the igneous crust of the Fennoscandian shield

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Drake ◽  
Nick M. W. Roberts ◽  
Manuel Reinhardt ◽  
Martin Whitehouse ◽  
Magnus Ivarsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fennoscandian Shield ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Isotopic Signatures ◽  
Microbial Life ◽  
Carbon Isotopic ◽  
Terrestrial Life ◽  
Vein Mineral ◽  
Methyl Branched Fatty Acids

AbstractEarth’s crust contains a substantial proportion of global biomass, hosting microbial life up to several kilometers depth. Yet, knowledge of the evolution and extent of life in this environment remains elusive and patchy. Here we present isotopic, molecular and morphological signatures for deep ancient life in vein mineral specimens from mines distributed across the Precambrian Fennoscandian shield. Stable carbon isotopic signatures of calcite indicate microbial methanogenesis. In addition, sulfur isotope variability in pyrite, supported by stable carbon isotopic signatures of methyl-branched fatty acids, suggest subsequent bacterial sulfate reduction. Carbonate geochronology constrains the timing of these processes to the Cenozoic. We suggest that signatures of an ancient deep biosphere and long-term microbial activity are present throughout this shield. We suggest that microbes may have been active in the continental igneous crust over geological timescales, and that subsurface investigations may be valuable in the search for extra-terrestrial life.

The use of complex microbial soil communities in Mars simulation experiments

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-176
Author(s):  
Kai Finster ◽  
Aviaja A. Hansen ◽  
Lars Liengaard ◽  
Karina Mikkelsen ◽  
Tommy Kristoffersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
Interesting Consequence ◽  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Simulation Experiments ◽  
The Past ◽  
Number Of Microorganisms ◽  
Comprehensive Picture ◽  
Pure Cultures ◽  
Survival Potential

AbstractMars simulation studies have in the past mainly investigated the effect of the simulation conditions such as UV radiation, low pressure and temperature on pure cultures and much has been learnt about the survival potential of sporeformers such asBacillus subtilis. However, this approach has limitations as the studies only investigate the properties of a very limited number of microorganisms. In this paper we propose that Mars simulations should be carried out with complex microbial communities of Martian analogues such as permafrost or the deep biosphere. We also propose that samples from these environments should be studied by a number of complementary methods and claim that these methods in combination can provide a comprehensive picture of how imposed Martian conditions affect the microbial community and in particular the survival of its constituents – microbes as well as biological material in general. As an interesting consequence this approach can lead to the isolation of bacteria, which are more recalcitrant to the imposed Martian conditions than the pure cultures that have previously been studied.

scholarly journals Presence of glucose, xylose, and glycerol fermenting bacteria in the deep biosphere of the former Homestake gold mine, South Dakota

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurdeep Rastogi ◽  
Raghu N. Gurram ◽  
Aditya Bhalla ◽  
Ramon Gonzalez ◽  
Kenneth M. Bischoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Dakota ◽  
Gold Mine ◽  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Fermenting Bacteria

scholarly journals Genomic insights into temperature-dependent transcriptional responses of Kosmotoga olearia, a deep-biosphere bacterium that can grow from 20 to 79 °C

Extremophiles ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 963-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. J. Pollo ◽  
Abigail A. Adebusuyi ◽  
Timothy J. Straub ◽  
Julia M. Foght ◽  
Olga Zhaxybayeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Transcriptional Responses

scholarly journals Shaping of the Present-Day Deep Biosphere at Chicxulub by the Impact Catastrophe That Ended the Cretaceous

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles S. Cockell ◽  
Bettina Schaefer ◽  
Cornelia Wuchter ◽  
Marco J. L. Coolen ◽  
Kliti Grice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Granitic Rocks ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Deep Biosphere ◽  
Deep Subsurface ◽  
Cell Biomass ◽  
Colonization Potential ◽  
The Impact

We report on the effect of the end-Cretaceous impact event on the present-day deep microbial biosphere at the impact site. IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 drilled into the peak ring of the Chicxulub crater, México, allowing us to investigate the microbial communities within this structure. Increased cell biomass was found in the impact suevite, which was deposited within the first few hours of the Cenozoic, demonstrating that the impact produced a new lithological horizon that caused a long-term improvement in deep subsurface colonization potential. In the biologically impoverished granitic rocks, we observed increased cell abundances at impact-induced geological interfaces, that can be attributed to the nutritionally diverse substrates and/or elevated fluid flow. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed taxonomically distinct microbial communities in each crater lithology. These observations show that the impact caused geological deformation that continues to shape the deep subsurface biosphere at Chicxulub in the present day.

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