Particulate DNA in smoker fluids: Evidence for existence of microbial populations in hot hydrothermal systems

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA)

OSTI ID:6630994

Straube, W L; Colwell, R R ^[1]; Deming, J W; Baross, J A ^[2]; Somerville, C C ^[3]

---

1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park (USA) Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore (USA)
2. Univ. of Washington, Seattle (USA)
3. Univ. of Maryland, College Park (USA)

As part of an interdisciplinary study of hydrothermal vents on the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, we used the submersible ALVIN to collect 57 fluid samples from 17 different hot vents (smokers and flanges) and their environs for the purpose of extracting particulate DNA. Particulate material concentrated from these samples was lysed enzymatically (enz) and by a combination of enzyme and French press treatment (fp). Concentrations of partially purified DNA recovered from these lysates were determined spectrofluorometrically. Ambient seawater surrounding the vents was found to contain low DNA concentrations, 0.18 to 0.32 ng of DNA per ml, while low-temperature vent samples yielded significantly higher concentrations of 0.37 to 2.12 ng of DNA per ml. Although DNA recovery values from superheated (210 to 345{degree}C) flange samples were not significantly different from ambient seawater values, most of the superheated (174 to 357{degree}C) smoker fluid samples contained particulate DNA in concentrations too high to be attributable to entrained seawater. Detailed sampling at one smoker site demonstrated not only the existence of significant levels of particulate DNA in the superheated smoker fluids but also the presence of an elevated microbial population in the buoyant plume 20 to 100 m above the smoker. These results underscore the heterogeneity of smoker environments within a given hydrothermal vent fluid and indicate that microorganisms exist in some superheated fluids.

• OSTI ID: 6630994
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Vol. 56:5; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
DNA
BIOASSAY
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
ECOLOGY
MICROORGANISMS
SEAWATER
THERMOPHILIC CONDITIONS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WATER
150600* - Geothermal Energy- Environmental Aspects
550200 - Biochemistry