Marine Hydrothermal Vent Research Articles

Heavy metal tolerance, and metal biosorption by exopolysaccharides produced by bacterial strains isolated from marine hydrothermal vents

The present study highlights heavy metal tolerance, EPS production, and biosorption capacity of four hydrothermal vent bacterial strains, namely Exiguobacterium aquaticum, Mammaliicoccus sciuri, Micrococcus luteus, and Jeotgalicoccus huakuii against As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Pb and Ni. The biosorption assay showed high removal efficiency of As (83%) by E. aquaticum, Cd (95%) by M. sciuri, Cu (94%) by M. luteus, and Ni (89%) by J. huakuii and their produced EPS with these metals in aqueous solution were 84%, 85%, 98%, and 91%, respectively. The maximum EPS yield was attained by optimized medium composition consisting of 1% Xylose, and 1% NaCl at pH 7. In metal-amended conditions, the four bacterial strains showed induced EPS production in the initial concentrations. SEM with EDX and CLSM images showed that the growth and EPS production of bacterial strains were affected by metal ion concentrations. A phenol sulphuric acid method and BCA assay were used to identify both the carbohydrate and total protein content of four extracted EPS. A DPPH assay revealed that EPS influences free radical scavenging and has a highly enhanced synergistic effect with its antioxidant activity. FT-IR analysis of four extracted EPS showed the shifting of peaks in the functional groups of EPS before and after adsorption of metal ions. At pH 5 and after 60 min contact time metal removal efficiency and adsorption capacity increased as calculated for As, Cd, Cu, and Ni by four extracted EPS: (86%, 20 mg/g), (74%, 19 mg/g), (94%, 60 mg/g) and (89%, 32 mg/g) and (89%, 16 mg/g), (85%, 16 mg/g), (96%, 22 mg/g) and (91%, 16 mg/g), respectively. The Langmuir compared to the Freundlich model was found to better represent the adsorption by EPS providing maximum adsorption capacities for As (34.65 mg/g), Cd (52.88 mg/g), Cu (24.91 mg/g), and Ni (58.38 mg/g).

Laser Velocimetry for the In Situ Sensing of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Flow Velocity.

Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) based on a differential laser Doppler system has been widely used in fluid mechanics to measure particle velocity. However, the two outgoing lights must intersect strictly at the measurement position. In cross-interface applications, due to interface effects, two beams of light become easily disjointed. To address the issue, we present a laser velocimeter in a coaxial arrangement consisting of the following components: a single-frequency laser (wavelength λ = 532 nm) and a Twyman-Green interferometer. In contrast to previous LDV systems, a laser velocimeter based on the Twyman-Green interferometer has the advantage of realizing cross-interface measurement. At the same time, the sensitive direction of the instrument can be changed according to the direction of the measured speed. We have developed a 4000 m level laser hydrothermal flow velocity measurement prototype suitable for deep-sea in situ measurement. The system underwent a withstand voltage test at the Qingdao Deep Sea Base, and the signal obtained was normal under a high pressure of 40 MPa. The velocity contrast measurement was carried out at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. The maximum relative error of the measurement was 8.82% when compared with the acoustic Doppler velocimeter at the low-speed range of 0.1-1 m/s. The maximum relative error of the measurement was 1.98% when compared with the nozzle standard velocity system at the high-speed range of 1-7 m/s. Finally, the prototype system was successfully evaluated in the shallow sea in Lingshui, Hainan, with it demonstrating great potential for the in situ measurement of fluid velocity at marine hydrothermal vents.

Genome Study of α-, β-, and γ-Carbonic Anhydrases from the Thermophilic Microbiome of Marine Hydrothermal Vent Ecosystems.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are metalloenzymes that can help organisms survive in hydrothermal vents by hydrating carbon dioxide (CO2). In this study, we focus on alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ) CAs, which are present in the thermophilic microbiome of marine hydrothermal vents. The coding genes of these enzymes can be transferred between hydrothermal-vent organisms via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which is an important tool in natural biodiversity. We performed big data mining and bioinformatics studies on α-, β-, and γ-CA coding genes from the thermophilic microbiome of marine hydrothermal vents. The results showed a reasonable association between thermostable α-, β-, and γ-CAs in the microbial population of the hydrothermal vents. This relationship could be due to HGT. We found evidence of HGT of α- and β-CAs between Cycloclasticus sp., a symbiont of Bathymodiolus heckerae, and an endosymbiont of Riftia pachyptila via Integrons. Conversely, HGT of β-CA genes from the endosymbiont Tevnia jerichonana to the endosymbiont Riftia pachyptila was detected. In addition, Hydrogenovibrio crunogenus SP-41 contains a β-CA gene on genomic islands (GIs). This gene can be transferred by HGT to Hydrogenovibrio sp. MA2-6, a methanotrophic endosymbiont of Bathymodiolus azoricus, and a methanotrophic endosymbiont of Bathymodiolus puteoserpentis. The endosymbiont of R. pachyptila has a γ-CA gene in the genome. If α- and β-CA coding genes have been derived from other microorganisms, such as endosymbionts of T. jerichonana and Cycloclasticus sp. as the endosymbiont of B. heckerae, through HGT, the theory of the necessity of thermostable CA enzymes for survival in the extreme ecosystem of hydrothermal vents is suggested and helps the conservation of microbiome natural diversity in hydrothermal vents. These harsh ecosystems, with their integral players, such as HGT and endosymbionts, significantly impact the enrichment of life on Earth and the carbon cycle in the ocean.

Potential for homoacetogenesis via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway in Korarchaeia lineages from marine hydrothermal vents.

The Wood-Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) is a key metabolic component of acetogenic bacteria where it acts as an electron sink. In Archaea, despite traditionally being linked to methanogenesis, the pathway has been found in several Thermoproteota and Asgardarchaeota lineages. In Bathyarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia, its presence has been linked to a homoacetogenic metabolism. Genomic evidence from marine hydrothermal genomes suggests that lineages of Korarchaeia could also encode the WLP. In this study, we reconstructed 50 Korarchaeia genomes from marine hydrothermal vents along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge, substantially expanding the Korarchaeia class with several taxonomically novel genomes. We identified a complete WLP in several deep-branching lineages, showing that the presence of the WLP is conserved at the root of the Korarchaeia. No methyl-CoM reductases were encoded by genomes with the WLP, indicating that the WLP is not linked to methanogenesis. By assessing the distribution of hydrogenases and membrane complexes for energy conservation, we show that the WLP is likely used as an electron sink in a fermentative homoacetogenic metabolism. Our study confirms previous hypotheses that the WLP has evolved independently from the methanogenic metabolism in Archaea, perhaps due to its propensity to be combined with heterotrophic fermentative metabolisms.

Can Marine Hydrothermal Vents Be Used as Natural Laboratories to Study Global Change Effects on Zooplankton in a Future Ocean?

It is claimed that oceanic hydrothermal vents (HVs), particularly the shallow water ones, offer particular advantages to better understand the effects of future climate and other global change on oceanic biota. Marine hydrothermal vents (HVs) are extreme oceanic environments that are similar to projected climate changes of the earth system ocean (e.g., changes of circulation patterns, elevated temperature, low pH, increased turbidity, increased bioavailability of toxic compounds. Studies on hydrothermal vent organisms may fill knowledge gaps of environmental and evolutionary adaptations to this extreme oceanic environment. In the present contribution we evaluate whether hydrothermal vents can be used as natural laboratories for a better understanding of zooplankton ecology under a global change scenario.

Genome analysis of a new sulphur disproportionating species Thermosulfurimonas strain F29 and comparative genomics of sulfur-disproportionating bacteria from marine hydrothermal vents.

This paper reports on the genome analysis of strain F29 representing a new species of the genus Thermosulfurimonas. This strain, isolated from the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is able to grow by disproportionation of S0 with CO2 as a carbon source. Strain F29 possesses a genome of 2,345,565 bp, with a G+C content of 58.09%, and at least one plasmid. The genome analysis revealed complete sets of genes for CO2 fixation via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, for sulphate-reduction and for hydrogen oxidation, suggesting the involvement of the strain into carbon, sulphur, and hydrogen cycles of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Strain F29 genome encodes also several CRISPR sequences, suggesting that the strain may be subjected to viral attacks. Comparative genomics was carried out to decipher sulphur disproportionation pathways. Genomes of sulphur-disproportionating bacteria from marine hydrothermal vents were compared to the genomes of non-sulphur-disproportionating bacteria. This analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence in these genomes of a molybdopterin protein consisting of a large and a small subunit, and an associated chaperone. We hypothesize that these proteins may be involved in the process of elemental sulphur disproportionation.

Discovery of the non-cosmopolitan lineages in Candidatus Thermoprofundales.

The recently proposed order Candidatus Thermoprofundales, currently containing only one family-level lineage Marine Benthic Group-D (MBG-D), is distributed in global subsurface ecosystems and ecologically important, but its diversity, evolution and metabolism remain largely unknown. Here we described two novel family-level specialized lineages in Ca. Thermoprofundales, JdFR-43 and HyVt, which are restricted to specific biotopes (primarily in marine hydrothermal vents and occasionally in oil reservoirs and hot springs) in contrast to the cosmopolitan lineage MBG-D. The comparative genomics revealed that the specialized lineages have streamlined genomes, higher GC contents, enriched genes associated with nucleotide biosynthesis, ribosome biogenesis and DNA repair and additional thermostable aminopeptidases, enabling them to adapt to high-temperature habitats such as marine hydrothermal vents, deep subsurface oil reservoirs and hot springs. On the contrary, the unique metabolic traits of the cosmopolitan MBG-D, motility, glycolysis, butanoate metabolism, secondary metabolites production and additional genes for specific peptides and carbohydrates degradation potentially enhance its response to environmental change. Substrate preference is found for most MAGs across all lineages with the ability to utilize both polysaccharides (chitin and starch) and proteinaceous substances, whereas JdFR-43 members from oil reservoirs can only utilize proteins. These results expand the diversity of Ca. Thermoprofundales significantly and further improve our understandings of the adaptations of Ca. Thermoprofundales to various environments.

Novel recombinant keratin degrading subtilisin like serine alkaline protease from Bacillus cereus isolated from marine hydrothermal vent crabs

Microbial secondary metabolites from extreme environments like hydrothermal vents are a promising source for industrial applications. In our study the protease gene from Bacillus cereus obtained from shallow marine hydrothermal vents in the East China Sea was cloned, expressed and purified. The protein sequence of 38 kDa protease SLSP-k was retrieved from mass spectrometry and identified as a subtilisin serine proteinase. The novel SLSP-k is a monomeric protein with 38 amino acid signal peptides being active over wide pH (7–11) and temperature (40–80 °C) ranges, with maximal hydrolytic activities at pH 10 and at 50 °C temperature. The hydrolytic activity is stimulated by Ca2+, Co2+, Mn2+, and DTT. It is inhibited by Fe2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, EDTA, and PMSF. The SLSP-k is stable in anionic, non-anionic detergents, and solvents. The ability to degrade keratin in chicken feather and hair indicates that this enzyme is suitable for the degradation of poultry waste without the loss of nutritionally essential amino acids which otherwise are lost in hydrothermal processing. Therefore, the proteinase is efficient in environmental friendly bioconversion of animal waste into fertilizers or value added products such as secondary animal feedstuffs.

Trace Element Signatures in Pyrite and Marcasite From Shallow Marine Island Arc-Related Hydrothermal Vents, Calypso Vents, New Zealand, and Paleochori Bay, Greece

Fluid conditions of shallow marine hydrothermal vent sites (<200 mbsl) in island arcs resemble those of subaerial epithermal systems. This leads to a distinct mineralization-style compared to deeper arc/back-arc (>200 mbsl) and mid-ocean ridge-related environments (>2000 mbsl). At Calypso Vents in the Bay of Plenty and Paleochori Bay at the coast of Milos Island, fluids with temperatures <200°C are emitted through volcaniclastic sediments in water depths <200 mbsl. The hydrothermal mineralization from these fluids is dominated by pyrite and marcasite showing diverse textures, including colloform alternations, semi-massive occurrences surrounding detrital grains, vein-type pyrite, and disseminated fine-grained assemblages. Pyrite and marcasite from Calypso SE show elevated concentrations of volatile elements (e.g., As, Sb, Tl, Hg) implying a vapor-rich fluid phase. By contrast, elements like Zn, Ag, and Pb are enriched in hydrothermal pyrite and marcasite from Calypso SW, indicating a high-Cl liquid-dominated fluid discharge. Hence, vapor-liquid element fractionation induced by fluid boiling is preserved in the seafloor mineralization at Calypso Vents. Hydrothermal mineralization at very shallow vent sites (<10 mbsl), like Paleochori Bay, are affected by wave action causing a seasonal migration of the seawater-fluid interface in the sediment cover. The δ34S composition of native S crusts and crystalline S (0.7–6.7‰) is indicative for host rock leaching and thermochemical reduction of seawater sulphate. By contrast, the highly negative δ34S signature of native S globules in sediments (−7.6 to −9.1‰) is related to microbial sulphate reduction or a subordinate magmatic fluid influx. Alunite-jarosite alteration (Paleochori Bay) and a mineral assemblage consisting of orpiment, realgar, and native S (Calypso Vents) may also suggest a contribution by an oxidised (sulphate-rich) low pH fluid of potential magmatic origin. However, fluid boiling is pervasive at Calypso Vents and Paleochori Bay, and the condensation of vapor-rich fluids in a steam-heated environment may produce a similar alteration and mineralization assemblage without a significant magmatic fluid influx, as known from some subaerial epithermal systems.

Characterization and Diversity Analysis of the Extracellular Proteases of Thermophilic Anoxybacillus caldiproteolyticus 1A02591 From Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Sediment.

Protease-producing bacteria play key roles in the degradation of marine organic nitrogen. Although some deep-sea bacteria are found to produce proteases, there has been no report on protease-secreting Anoxybacillus from marine hydrothermal vent regions. Here, we analyzed the diversity and functions of the proteases, especially the extracellular proteases, of Anoxybacillus caldiproteolyticus 1A02591, a protease-secreting strain isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent sediment of the East Pacific Ocean. Strain 1A02591 is a thermophilic bacterium with a strong protease-secreting ability, which displayed the maximum growth rate (0.139 h–1) and extracellular protease production (307.99 U/mL) at 55°C. Strain 1A02591 contains 75 putative proteases, including 65 intracellular proteases and 10 extracellular proteases according to signal peptide prediction. When strain 1A02591 was cultured with casein, 12 proteases were identified in the secretome, in which metalloproteases (6/12) and serine proteases (4/12) accounted for the majority, and a thermolysin-like protease of the M4 family was the most abundant, suggesting that strain 1A02591 mainly secreted a thermophilic metalloprotease. Correspondingly, the secreted proteases of strain 1A02591 showed the highest activity at the temperature as high as 70°C, and was inhibited 70% by metalloprotease inhibitor o-phenanthroline and 50% by serine protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The secreted proteases could degrade different proteins, suggesting the role of strain 1A02591 in organic nitrogen degradation in deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem. These results provide the first insight into the proteases of an Anoxybacillus strain from deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem, which is helpful in understanding the function of Anoxybacillus in the marine biogeochemical cycle.

A late Paleoproterozoic (1.74Ga) deep-sea, low-temperature, iron-oxidizing microbial hydrothermal vent community from Arizona, USA.

Modern marine hydrothermal vents occur in a wide variety of tectonic settings and are characterized by seafloor emission of fluids rich in dissolved chemicals and rapid mineral precipitation. Some hydrothermal systems vent only low-temperature Fe-rich fluids, which precipitate deposits dominated by iron oxyhydroxides, in places together with Mn-oxyhydroxides and amorphous silica. While a proportion of this mineralization is abiogenic, most is the result of the metabolic activities of benthic, Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB), principally belonging to the Zetaproteobacteria. These micro-organisms secrete micrometer-scale stalks, sheaths, and tubes with a variety of morphologies, composed largely of ferrihydrite that act as sacrificial structures, preventing encrustation of the cells that produce them. Cultivated marine FeOB generally require neutral pH and microaerobic conditions to grow. Here, we describe the morphology and mineralogy of filamentous microstructures from a late Paleoproterozoic (1.74Ga) jasper (Fe-oxide-silica) deposit from the Jerome area of the Verde mining district in central Arizona, USA, that resemble the branching tubes formed by some modern marine FeOB. On the basis of this comparison, we interpret the Jerome area filaments as having formed by FeOB on the deep seafloor, at the interface of weakly oxygenated seawater and low-temperature Fe-rich hydrothermal fluids. We compare the Jerome area filaments with other purported examples of Precambrian FeOB and discuss the implications of their presence for existing redox models of Paleoproterozoic oceans during the "Boring Billion."

Sulfidization of 3.48 billion-year-old stromatolites of the Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton: Constraints from in-situ sulfur isotope analysis of pyrite

This study reports in–situ sulfur isotope analyses (32S, 33S, 34S and 36S) of pyrite in strongly sulfidized stromatolites from the ~3.48 billion–year–old Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton, Australia. These data shed light on sulfur reservoirs and sulfide precipitation processes and provide clues for the contribution of sulfur–cycling microbes to sulfidization.Sulfur isotope signatures derived from mass dependent fractionation (MDF; monitored by δ34S) and mass independent fractionation (MIF; here Δ33S and Δ36S) of pyrite in stromatolites, and of microscopic pyrite within associated barite, allow for the identification of distinctive sulfur sources: i) magmatic–hydrothermal sulfide (H2S) with δ34S and Δ33S ~ 0%; ii) magmatic–hydrothermal sulfate (SO42−) with a MDF signature (MDF–SO42−; δ34S ~ 10‰ and Δ33S ~ 0‰; iii) photochemically–derived sulfate with a MIF signature (MIF–SO4; δ34S ~ −6‰ and Δ33S ~ −3.0‰); iv) photochemically–derived elemental sulfur (S0) with δ34S ≪ 0 and Δ33S ≫ 0‰.The sulfur isotope data suggest that sulfidization was largely driven by reduction of intermixed MDF–SO42− and MIF–SO42− (bulk signature of δ34S ~ 5‰ and Δ33S ~ −1.4‰), and dilution of produced H2S (δ34S ~ −12‰ and Δ33S ~ −1.4‰) by native H2S in magmatic–hydrothermal fluids. The δ34S shifts (up to ~17‰) generated by sulfate reduction are consistent with both thermochemical reactions and influence of sulfate–cycling microbes, the latter which may have facilitated rapid pyrite precipitation and preservation of microbial remains that are entombed within the petrogenetically earliest pyrite generation of stromatolites.Collectively, our data are consistent with ancient stromatolite growth in proximity to shallow marine hydrothermal vents, where hydrothermal fluids contributed to sulfidization that may have been further influenced by sulfur–cycling microbes.

Extremely thermoactive archaeal endoglucanase from a shallow marine hydrothermal vent from Vulcano Island.

Already-characterized microbial cellulases have proven to be highly useful for industrial processes, since they can withstand harsh industrial conditions with characteristics such as high thermo- and acid stability. These properties provide promising features for the process of plant biomass degradation and biofuel generation. Nevertheless, the number of known extremely thermoactive archaeal cellulases is low. Hence, the discovery of archaeal cellulases with different characteristics is crucial for the development of efficient and sustainable biorefinery. In this work, the metagenome of a high-temperature enrichment culture from marine environment of Vulcano Island was screened for the presence of novel endoglucanase-encoding genes of archaeal origin. The ORF vul_cel5A was detected, and the deduced protein was characterized as the most thermoactive endoglucanase described to date. Vul_Cel5A was identified as a thermoactive glycoside hydrolase family 5 endoglucanase, with the highest sequence identity (72-75%) to putative endoglucanases from archaeal genera. Vul_Cel5A showed the highest activity at notable 115°C towards barley β-glucan (210.7U/mg), and lichenan (209.9U/mg), and further towards carboxymethyl cellulose (38.6U/mg) and locust bean gum (83.0U/mg). The endoglucanase exhibited a half-life time of 46min at 100°C and did not show any loss of activity after incubation for 48h at 75°C. Furthermore, Vul_Cel5A showed high affinity to barley β-glucan with a Km of 0.52mg/mL and showed tolerance against various chemical reagents. Due to the outstanding high thermoactivity and thermostability and tolerance to acidic conditions, Vul_Cel5A represents a promising novel archaeal endo-β-glucanase for application in biorefineries for an efficient biomass pre-treatment.

Marine hydrothermal vents as templates for global change scenarios

Subsurface marine hydrothermal vents (HVs) may provide a particular advantage to better understand evolutionary conditions of the early earth and future climate predictions for marine life. Hydrothermal vents (HV) are unique extreme environments that share several similarities with projected global and climate change scenarios in marine systems (e.g., low pH due to high carbon dioxide and sulfite compounds, high temperature and turbidity, high loads of toxic chemicals such as H2S and trace metals). Particularly, shallow hydrothermal vents are easily accessible for short-term and long-term experiments. Research on organisms from shallow HVs may provide insights in the molecular, ecological, and evolutionary adaptations to extreme oceanic environments by comparing them with evolutionary related but less adapted biota. A shallow-water hydrothermal vent system at the northeast Taiwan coast has been intensively studied by several international research teams. These studies revealed astounding highlights at the levels of ecosystem (being fueled by photosynthesis and chemosynthesis), community (striking biodiversity changes due to mass mortality), population (retarded growth characteristics), individual (habitat attractive behavior), and molecular (adaptations to elevated concentrations of heavy metals, low pH, and elevated temperature). The present opinion paper evaluates the potential of shallow hydrothermal vents to be used as a templates for global change scenarios.

Corrigendum: Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated with a Shallow Marine Hydrothermal Vent

Corrigendum on:Rubelmann H, Karlen DJ, and Garey JR (2017) Changes in eukaryotic and bacterial communities along a 120m transect associated with a shallow marine hydrothermal vent. Frontiers in Marine Science, 4:117, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00177.Author Contribution StatementThere is an error in the Author contribution statement. The first sentence (JG was the PI of the grant that supported this project.) should be deleted. The second sentence should read: JG participated in the planning, field work, analysis, and writing of the manuscript. The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. Acknowledgments StatementThere is an error in the Acknowledgement statement. The final sentence of the Acknowledgement should read:This work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under BE/CBC grant CHE-0221834 to T. Pichler and by internal grants from the University of South Florida.The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way.

Microbes Facilitate Mineral Deposition in Bioelectrochemical Systems

Hydrothermal chimneys are striking, characteristic features of marine hydrothermal vents. These chimneys are dynamic environments occupied by a diversity of microbes whose distribution is typically concordant with mineralogy and temperature. Recent studies indicate that these chimney assemblages are conductive and present the possibility that microbial extracellular electron transfer may occur through these minerals, linking spatially separated electron donors and acceptors. Here we explore the relationships among biology, mineralogy, and electric potential in hydrothermal systems using crushed hydrothermal chimney as inoculum in high (75 °C) and low (30 °C) temperature bioelectrical systems. All experiments with live microbial communities incubated in the presence of a poised electrode resulted in enhanced mineral deposition relative to (A) a live, open circuit (not poised) electrode, or (B) dead microbial communities in the presence of a poised electrode. Microbial abundance increased in both high- and ...

Changes in Eukaryotic and Bacterial Communities along a 120 m Transect Associated with a Shallow Marine Hydrothermal Vent

The biocomplexity of sediment communities along a 120 m transect near an arsenic-rich, shallow marine hydrothermal vent at Tutum Bay, Papua New Guinea was thoroughly examined. A count of macro- and meiofaunal organisms was combined with bacterial and eukaryotic SSU rRNA gene surveys to assess biodiversity. Each site along the transect had distinct microbial communities. Near-vent sites were more similar to each other than sites further from the vent. Some species, such as Ignavibacterium, Caldilinea, and Capitella were only found near-vent. Biodiversity generally increased with distance from the vent. The community composition responded to the presence of hydrothermal fluids with a clear correlation between temperature and thermophilic organisms. Primary production appeared to be a mix of chemo- and phototrophy. Association analyses suggest many potential interactions between organisms occur at certain sites, and that species distributions and interactions occur in the context of complex spatial relationships related to the geochemistry of the hydrothermal vent fluids. While Tutum Bay is heavily influenced by arsenic, no specific correlation between bacteria that metabolize arsenic and the concentration of different oxidation states of arsenic ions was observed, perhaps because very little of the arsenic present was bioavailable. The observed homogeneous distribution of arsenic reducers along the transect could be due to background arsenic metabolism. This study represents a holistic study of biocomplexity on a broad phylogenetic range across a 120m transect associated with a marine shallow-water hydrothermal vent.

Diversity of bacteria and archaea from two shallow marine hydrothermal vents from Vulcano Island.

To obtain new insights into community compositions of hyperthermophilic microorganisms, defined as having optimal growth temperatures of 80°C and above, sediment and water samples were taken from two shallow marine hydrothermal vents (I and II) with temperatures of 100°C at Vulcano Island, Italy. A combinatorial approach of denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and metagenomic sequencing was used for microbial community analyses of the samples. In addition, enrichment cultures, growing anaerobically on selected polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose, were also analyzed by the combinatorial approach. Our results showed a high abundance of hyperthermophilic archaea, especially in sample II, and a comparable diverse archaeal community composition in both samples. In particular, the strains of the hyperthermophilic anaerobic genera Staphylothermus and Thermococcus, and strains of the aerobic hyperthermophilic genus Aeropyrum, were abundant. Regarding the bacterial community, ε-Proteobacteria, especially the genera Sulfurimonas and Sulfurovum, were highly abundant. The microbial diversity of the enrichment cultures changed significantly by showing a high dominance of archaea, particularly the genera Thermococcus and Palaeococcus, depending on the carbon source and the selected temperature.

Multitaxon activity profiling reveals differential microbial response to reduced seawater pH and oil pollution.

There is growing concern that predicted changes to global ocean chemistry will interact with anthropogenic pollution to significantly alter marine microbial composition and function. However, knowledge of the compounding effects of climate change stressors and anthropogenic pollution is limited. Here, we used 16S and 18S rRNA (cDNA)-based activity profiling to investigate the differential responses of selected microbial taxa to ocean acidification and oil hydrocarbon contamination under controlled laboratory conditions. Our results revealed that a lower relative abundance of sulphate-reducing bacteria (Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus clade) due to an adverse effect of seawater acidification and oil hydrocarbon contamination (reduced pH-oil treatment) may be coupled to changes in sediment archaeal communities. In particular, we observed a pronounced compositional shift and marked reduction in the prevalence of otherwise abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the archaeal Marine Benthic Group B and Marine Hydrothermal Vent Group (MHVG) in the reduced pH-oil treatment. Conversely, the abundance of several putative hydrocarbonoclastic fungal OTUs was higher in the reduced pH-oil treatment. Sediment hydrocarbon profiling, furthermore, revealed higher concentrations of several alkanes in the reduced pH-oil treatment, corroborating the functional implications of the structural changes to microbial community composition. Collectively, our results advance the understanding of the response of a complex microbial community to the interaction between reduced pH and anthropogenic pollution. In future acidified marine environments, oil hydrocarbon contamination may alter the typical mixotrophic and k-/r-strategist composition of surface sediment microbiomes towards a more heterotrophic state with lower doubling rates, thereby impairing the ability of the ecosystem to recover from acute oil contamination events.

A Field Trip to the Archaean in Search of Darwin's Warm Little Pond.

Charles Darwin’s original intuition that life began in a “warm little pond” has for the last three decades been eclipsed by a focus on marine hydrothermal vents as a venue for abiogenesis. However, thermodynamic barriers to polymerization of key molecular building blocks and the difficulty of forming stable membranous compartments in seawater suggest that Darwin’s original insight should be reconsidered. I will introduce the terrestrial origin of life hypothesis, which combines field observations and laboratory results to provide a novel and testable model in which life begins as protocells assembling in inland fresh water hydrothermal fields. Hydrothermal fields are associated with volcanic landmasses resembling Hawaii and Iceland today and could plausibly have existed on similar land masses rising out of Earth’s first oceans. I will report on a field trip to the living and ancient stromatolite fossil localities of Western Australia, which provided key insights into how life may have emerged in Archaean, fluctuating fresh water hydrothermal pools, geological evidence for which has recently been discovered. Laboratory experimentation and fieldwork are providing mounting evidence that such sites have properties that are conducive to polymerization reactions and generation of membrane-bounded protocells. I will build on the previously developed coupled phases scenario, unifying the chemical and geological frameworks and proposing that a hydrogel of stable, communally supported protocells will emerge as a candidate Woese progenote, the distant common ancestor of microbial communities so abundant in the earliest fossil record.