Thermophilic Microbial Communities of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

Microbiology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Miroshnichenko
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents

scholarly journals Diverse Viruses in Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fluids Have Restricted Dispersal across Ocean Basins

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaina Thomas ◽  
Rika E. Anderson ◽  
Viola Li ◽  
L. Jenni Rogan ◽  
Julie A. Huber
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Viral Ecology ◽  
Unique Nature

Viruses play important roles in manipulating microbial communities and their evolution in the ocean, yet not much is known about viruses in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. However, viral ecology and evolution are of particular interest in hydrothermal vent habitats because of their unique nature: previous studies have indicated that most viruses in hydrothermal vents are temperate rather than lytic, and it has been established that rates of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) are particularly high among thermophilic vent microbes, and viruses are common vectors for HGT.

scholarly journals Interaction between Microbes, Minerals, and Fluids in Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Systems

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1324
Author(s):  
Shamik Dasgupta ◽  
Xiaotong Peng ◽  
Kaiwen Ta
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Chemical Gradients ◽  
Basement Rocks ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Metabolic Activities

The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the late 1970s widened the limits of life and habitability. The mixing of oxidizing seawater and reduction of hydrothermal fluids create a chemical disequilibrium that is exploited by chemosynthetic bacteria and archaea to harness energy by converting inorganic carbon into organic biomass. Due to the rich variety of chemical sources and steep physico-chemical gradients, a large array of microorganisms thrive in these extreme environments, which includes but are not restricted to chemolithoautotrophs, heterotrophs, and mixotrophs. Past research has revealed the underlying relationship of these microbial communities with the subsurface geology and hydrothermal geochemistry. Endolithic microbial communities at the ocean floor catalyze a number of redox reactions through various metabolic activities. Hydrothermal chimneys harbor Fe-reducers, sulfur-reducers, sulfide and H2-oxidizers, methanogens, and heterotrophs that continuously interact with the basaltic, carbonate, or ultramafic basement rocks for energy-yielding reactions. Here, we briefly review the global deep-sea hydrothermal systems, microbial diversity, and microbe–mineral interactions therein to obtain in-depth knowledge of the biogeochemistry in such a unique and geologically critical subseafloor environment.

scholarly journals Detection and phylogenetic analysis of the membrane-bound nitrate reductase (Nar) in pure cultures and microbial communities from deep-sea hydrothermal vents

2013 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ileana Pérez-Rodríguez ◽  
Kenneth A. Bohnert ◽  
Mariola Cuebas ◽  
Ramaydalis Keddis ◽  
Costantino Vetriani
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Nitrate Reductase ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Pure Cultures ◽  
Membrane Bound

scholarly journals Growth and Phylogenetic Properties of Novel Bacteria Belonging to the Epsilon Subdivision of the Proteobacteria Enriched fromAlvinella pompejana and Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 4566-4572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Campbell ◽  
Christian Jeanthon ◽  
Joel E. Kostka ◽  
George W. Luther ◽  
S. Craig Cary
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Ribosomal Gene ◽  
Moderately Thermophilic ◽  
Novel Bacteria

ABSTRACT Recent molecular characterizations of microbial communities from deep-sea hydrothermal sites indicate the predominance of bacteria belonging to the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria(epsilon Proteobacteria). Here, we report the first enrichments and characterizations of four epsilonProteobacteria that are directly associated withAlvinella pompejana, a deep sea hydrothermal vent polychete, or with hydrothermal vent chimney samples. These novel bacteria were moderately thermophilic sulfur-reducing heterotrophs growing on formate as the energy and carbon source. In addition, two of them (Am-H and Ex-18.2) could grow on sulfur lithoautrotrophically using hydrogen as the electron donor. Optimal growth temperatures of the bacteria ranged from 41 to 45°C. Phylogenetic analysis of the small-subunit ribosomal gene of the two heterotrophic bacteria demonstrated 95% similarity to Sulfurospirillum arcachonense, an epsilon Proteobacteria isolated from an oxidized marine surface sediment. The autotrophic bacteria grouped within a deeply branching clade of the epsilonProteobacteria, to date composed only of uncultured bacteria detected in a sample from a hydrothermal vent along the mid-Atlantic ridge. A molecular survey of various hydrothermal vent environments demonstrated the presence of two of these bacteria (Am-N and Am-H) in more than one geographic location and habitat. These results suggest that certain epsilonProteobacteria likely fill important niches in the environmental habitats of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where they contribute to overall carbon and sulfur cycling at moderate thermophilic temperatures.

scholarly journals Deep-sea ophiuroids (Echinodermata) from reducing and non-reducing environments in the North Atlantic Ocean

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Stöhr ◽  
Michel Segonzac
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Cold Seep ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Cold Seeps ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Blake Ridge ◽  
Reducing Environment

The animal communities associated with the deep-sea reducing environment have been studied for almost 30 years, but until now only a single species of ophiuroid, Ophioctenella acies, has been found at both hydrothermal vents and methane cold seeps. Since the faunal overlap between vent and seep communities is small and many endemic species have been found among other taxa (e.g. Mollusca, Crustacea), additional species of ophiuroids were expected at previously unstudied sites. Chemical compositions at reducing sites differ greatly from the nearby bathyal environment. Generally, species adapted to chemosynthetic environments are not found in non-chemosynthetic habitats, but occasional visitors of other bathyal species to vent and seep sites have been recorded among many taxa except ophiuroids. This paper presents an analysis of the ophiuroid fauna found at hydrothermal vents and non-reducing nearby sites on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and on methane cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico, at Blake Ridge off South Carolina and south of Barbados. In addition to O. acies, four species were found at vents, Ophiactis tyleri sp. nov., Ophiocten centobi, Ophiomitra spinea and Ophiotreta valenciennesi rufescens. While Ophioctenella acies appears to be restricted to chemosynthetic areas, the other four species were also found in other bathyal habitats. They also occur in low numbers (mostly single individuals), whereas species adapted to hydrothermal areas typically occur in large numbers. Ophioscolex tripapillatus sp. nov. and Ophiophyllum atlanticum sp. nov. are described from nearby non-chemosynthetic sites. In a cold seep south of Barbados, three species of ophiuroids were found, including Ophioctenella acies, Amphiura sp., Ophiacantha longispina sp. nov. and Ophioplinthaca chelys. From the cold seeps at Blake Ridge and the Gulf of Mexico, Ophienigma spinilimbatum gen. et sp. nov. is described, likely restricted to the reducing environment. Ophiotreta valenciennesi rufescens occurred abundantly among Lophelia corals in the Gulf of Mexico seeps, which is the first record of this species from the West Atlantic. Habitat descriptions complement the taxonomic considerations, and the distribution of the animals in reducing environments is discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document