Mycobiota of deep-sea benthic communities on the Piip submarine volcano, Bering Sea, Russia

Abstract

The mycobiota of deep-sea benthic communities on the Piip submarine volcano, Bering Sea, Russia, has been studied for the first time. Filamentous fungi were isolated from deep-sea bottom sediments, sponges, and holothurians using traditional culture-based methods. The fungi were identified using a combination of methods based on morphology of reproductive structures, cultural colony characteristics, and the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2and partial β-tubulin (BenA) gene sequencing. A total of 11 species of filamentous fungi from three Ascomycota genera (Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium) were recorded from deep-sea benthic communities that formed on the Piip submarine volcano. Levels of the major fatty acids in strains of these fungi were determined.The taxa found are typical of both deep-sea habitats and deep-sea volcanoes. However, the absence of some genera (Acremonium, Aureobasidium, Alternaria …) indicates the weakening of the influence of the volcano on the slopes and base.