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Title: Metagenomic analysis of a high carbon dioxide subsurface microbial community populated by chemolithoautotrophs and bacteria and archaea from candidate phyla

Journal Article · · Environmental Microbiology

Research on geologic carbon sequestration raises questions about potential impacts of subsurface microbiota on carbon cycling and biogeochemistry. Subsurface, high-CO2 systems are poorly biologically characterized, partly because of difficulty accessing high-volume, uncontaminated samples. CO2-driven Crystal Geyser (CG, Utah, USA), an established geologic carbon sequestration analogue, provides high volumes of deep (~200-500 m) subsurface fluids. We explored microbial diversity and metabolic potential in this high-CO2 environment by assembly and analysis of metagenomes recovered from geyser water filtrate. The system is dominated by neutrophilic, iron-oxidizing bacteria, including 'marine' Mariprofundus (Zetaproteobacteria) and 'freshwater' Gallionellales, sulfur-oxidizing Thiomicrospira crunogena and Thiobacillus-like Hydrogenophilales. Near-complete genomes were reconstructed for these bacteria. CG is notably populated by a wide diversity of bacteria and archaea from phyla lacking isolated representatives (candidate phyla) and from as-yet undefined lineages. Many bacteria affiliate with OD1, OP3, OP9, PER, ACD58, WWE3, BD1-5, OP11, TM7 and ZB2. The recovery of nearly 100 genes encoding ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase subunit proteins of the Calvin cycle and AMP salvage pathways suggests a strong biological role in high-CO2 subsurface carbon cycling. Altogether, we predict microbial impacts on subsurface biogeochemistry via iron, sulfur, and complex carbon oxidation, carbon and nitrogen fixation, fermentation, hydrogen metabolism, and aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1571927
Journal Information:
Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 18, Issue 6; ISSN 1462-2912
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 60 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Community Structure of Lithotrophically-Driven Hydrothermal Microbial Mats from the Mariana Arc and Back-Arc journal August 2017
Comparative Genomic Insights into Ecophysiology of Neutrophilic, Microaerophilic Iron Oxidizing Bacteria journal November 2015
Differential depth distribution of microbial function and putative symbionts through sediment-hosted aquifers in the deep terrestrial subsurface journal January 2018
Genomic resolution of a cold subsurface aquifer community provides metabolic insights for novel microbes adapted to high CO 2 concentrations : Genomic resolution of a high-CO journal July 2016
PhyMet 2 : a database and toolkit for phylogenetic and metabolic analyses of methanogens: PhyMet 2 : a comprehensive database and toolkit for methanogens journal May 2018
Consistent Metagenome-Derived Metrics Verify and Delineate Bacterial Species Boundaries journal January 2020
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New CRISPR–Cas systems from uncultivated microbes journal December 2016
In-situ incubation of iron-sulfur mineral reveals a diverse chemolithoautotrophic community and a new biogeochemical role for Thiomicrospira : A new biogeochemical role for journal February 2017
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Response of Microbial Reactions to High CO2 journal November 2016
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Deterministic influences exceed dispersal effects on hydrologically-connected microbiomes: Deterministic assembly of hyporheic microbiomes journal March 2017
Isolation and characterization of a CO2-tolerant Lactobacillus strain from Crystal Geyser, Utah, U.S.A. journal July 2015
Genomic and Transcriptomic Evidence for Carbohydrate Consumption among Microorganisms in a Cold Seep Brine Pool journal November 2016
Insights into Carbon Metabolism Provided by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Imaging of an Autotrophic, Nitrate-Reducing, Fe(II)-Oxidizing Enrichment Culture journal March 2018
Geochemical Influence on Microbial Communities at CO2-Leakage Analog Sites journal November 2017
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