Metabolic potential of uncultured bacteria and archaea associated with petroleum seepage in deep-sea sediments

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 1816
• Main Authors: Dong, Xiyang, Greening, Chris, Rattray, Jayne E., Chakraborty, Anirban, Chuvochina, Maria, Mayumi, Daisuke, Dolfing, Jan, Li, Carmen, Brooks, James M., Bernard, Bernie B., Groves, Ryan A., Lewis, Ian A., Hubert, Casey R. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 18.04.2019; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/158/855; 631/326/2565/2142; 631/326/26; 631/326/41/2535; Acetates - metabolism; Acetic acid; Aliphatic compounds; Archaea; Archaea - genetics; Archaea - isolation & purification; Archaea - metabolism; Aromatic compounds; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; Communities; Deep sea; Deep sea environments; Ecological monitoring; Genomes; Geochemistry; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Geologic Sediments - microbiology; Harbors; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Hydrogen - metabolism; Metabolism; Metabolomics; Metagenome; Metagenomics - methods; Mexico; Microbial activity; Microbial Interactions - physiology; Microbiota - physiology; Microorganisms; multidisciplinary; Ocean floor; Oxidation; Petroleum; Petroleum - metabolism; Phylogeny; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sediments; Seepage; Thermodynamic models; Water depth; Mexico
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09747-0
• ISSN: 2041-1723

The lack of microbial genomes and isolates from the deep seabed means that very little is known about the ecology of this vast habitat. Here, we investigate energy and carbon acquisition strategies of microbial communities from three deep seabed petroleum seeps (3 km water depth) in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Shotgun metagenomic analysis reveals that each sediment harbors diverse communities of chemoheterotrophs and chemolithotrophs. We recovered 82 metagenome-assembled genomes affiliated with 21 different archaeal and bacterial phyla. Multiple genomes encode enzymes for anaerobic oxidation of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, including those of candidate phyla Aerophobetes, Aminicenantes, TA06 and Bathyarchaeota. Microbial interactions are predicted to be driven by acetate and molecular hydrogen. These findings are supported by sediment geochemistry, metabolomics, and thermodynamic modelling. Overall, we infer that deep-sea sediments experiencing thermogenic hydrocarbon inputs harbor phylogenetically and functionally diverse communities potentially sustained through anaerobic hydrocarbon, acetate and hydrogen metabolism. Little is known about the microbial ecology of the deep seabed. Here, Dong et al. predict metabolic capabilities and microbial interactions in deep seabed petroleum seeps using shotgun metagenomics, sediment geochemistry, metabolomics, and thermodynamic modelling.