Distribution, activity, and diversity of heterotrophic nitrifiers originating from East Pacific deep-sea hydrothermal vents

1996 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Mével ◽  
Claudette Faidy ◽  
Daniel Prieur
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Cycle ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Guaymas Basin ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Nitrate Reducers ◽  
Hydrothermal Ecosystem

Nitrifiers (bacteria, n = 160) were enriched and isolated from samples of hydrothermal waters, sediments, invertebrate tissues, and chimney rocks collected from two East Pacific deep-sea hydrothermal vents (2000 m): the 13°N site and the Guaymas Basin. They were nitrite producers and seemed be widely and uniformly distributed in various parts of hydrothermal ecosystem. These bacteria grew and nitrified better heterotrophically than autotrophically and they possessed characteristics of heterotrophic nitrifiers. All were aerobic, mesophilic gram-negative rods with a unfermentative metabolism and 88% were nitrate reducers or denitrifiers. They were characterized by a high physiological and nutritional diversity, and because of their ability to ammonify, nitrify, and reduce nitrate, they could largely contribute to the nitrogen cycle in hydrothermal sites.Key words: hydrothermal vents, heterotrophic bacteria, nitrifying activity.

Thermophilic heterotrophic nitrifiers isolated from Mid-Atlantic Ridge deep-sea hydrothermal vents

1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 723-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geneviève Mével ◽  
Daniel Prieur
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Cycle ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Nitrate Reduction ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Thermophilic Bacteria ◽  
Heterotrophic Nitrification ◽  
Hydrothermal Ecosystem ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
First Time

Thermophilic heterotrophic nitrifiers were isolated for the first time from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Fluid and chimney samples were taken at Snakepit (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) and nitrifiers were isolated from various parts of the hydrothermal ecosystem. However, most of these isolates originated from chimney samples and seemed to be mainly located in the inner and outer parts of the upper layers. All of them were rod-shaped cells, with or without spores, that grew aerobically at 65°C. Under aerobic conditions, they were able to produce nitrite from organic matter via ammonia (heterotrophic nitrification) but also from nitrate (reduction). Thus, they could largely contribute to the nitrogen cycle. These thermophilic heterotrophic nitrifiers were characterized by a considerable diversity and a phenotypic study has shown that they were closely related to the genera Thermus and Bacillus.Key words: thermophilic bacteria, heterotrophic nitrification, hydrothermal vents, deep-sea.

scholarly journals Growth and Phylogenetic Properties of Novel Bacteria Belonging to the Epsilon Subdivision of the Proteobacteria Enriched fromAlvinella pompejana and Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 4566-4572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Campbell ◽  
Christian Jeanthon ◽  
Joel E. Kostka ◽  
George W. Luther ◽  
S. Craig Cary
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Ribosomal Gene ◽  
Moderately Thermophilic ◽  
Novel Bacteria

ABSTRACT Recent molecular characterizations of microbial communities from deep-sea hydrothermal sites indicate the predominance of bacteria belonging to the epsilon subdivision of Proteobacteria(epsilon Proteobacteria). Here, we report the first enrichments and characterizations of four epsilonProteobacteria that are directly associated withAlvinella pompejana, a deep sea hydrothermal vent polychete, or with hydrothermal vent chimney samples. These novel bacteria were moderately thermophilic sulfur-reducing heterotrophs growing on formate as the energy and carbon source. In addition, two of them (Am-H and Ex-18.2) could grow on sulfur lithoautrotrophically using hydrogen as the electron donor. Optimal growth temperatures of the bacteria ranged from 41 to 45°C. Phylogenetic analysis of the small-subunit ribosomal gene of the two heterotrophic bacteria demonstrated 95% similarity to Sulfurospirillum arcachonense, an epsilon Proteobacteria isolated from an oxidized marine surface sediment. The autotrophic bacteria grouped within a deeply branching clade of the epsilonProteobacteria, to date composed only of uncultured bacteria detected in a sample from a hydrothermal vent along the mid-Atlantic ridge. A molecular survey of various hydrothermal vent environments demonstrated the presence of two of these bacteria (Am-N and Am-H) in more than one geographic location and habitat. These results suggest that certain epsilonProteobacteria likely fill important niches in the environmental habitats of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where they contribute to overall carbon and sulfur cycling at moderate thermophilic temperatures.

scholarly journals 262 Voyages Beneath the Sea: a global assessment of macro- and megafaunal biodiversity and research effort at deep-sea hydrothermal vents

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Thaler ◽  
Diva Amon
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Spreading Center ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
North East ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Biogeographic Provinces

For over 40 years, hydrothermal vents and the communities that thrive on them have been a source of profound discovery for deep-sea ecologists. These ecosystems are found throughout the world on active plate margins as well as other geologically active features. In addition to their ecologic interest, hydrothermal vent fields are comprised of metallic ores, sparking a nascent industry that aims to mine these metal-rich deposits for their mineral wealth. Here, we provide the first systematic assessment of macrofaunal and megafaunal biodiversity at hydrothermal vents normalized against research effort. Cruise reports from scientific expeditions as well as other literature were used to characterize the extent of exploration, determine the relative biodiversity of different biogeographic provinces, identify knowledge gaps related to the distribution of research effort, and prioritize targets for additional sampling to establish biodiversity baselines ahead of potential commercial exploitation. The Northwest Pacific, Southwest Pacific, and Southern Ocean biogeographic provinces were identified as high biodiversity using rarefaction of family-level incidence data, whereas the North East Pacific Rise, Northern East Pacific, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Indian Ocean provinces had medium biodiversity, and the Mid-Cayman Spreading Center was identified as a province of relatively low biodiversity. A North/South divide in the extent of biological research and the targets of hydrothermal vent mining prospects was also identified. Finally, we provide an estimate of sampling completeness for each province to inform scientific and stewardship priorities.

scholarly journals Thermovibrio ammonificans sp. nov., a thermophilic, chemolithotrophic, nitrate-ammonifying bacterium from deep-sea hydrothermal vents

2004 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Costantino Vetriani ◽  
Mark D. Speck ◽  
Susan V. Ellor ◽  
Richard A. Lutz ◽  
Valentin Starovoytov
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Gene Sequence ◽  
Novel Species ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Casamino Acids ◽  
The 16S Rrna Gene

A thermophilic, anaerobic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium was isolated from the walls of an active deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney on the East Pacific Rise at 9° 50′ N. Cells of the organism were Gram-negative, motile rods that were about 1·0 μm in length and 0·6 μm in width. Growth occurred between 60 and 80 °C (optimum at 75 °C), 0·5 and 4·5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum at 2 %) and pH 5 and 7 (optimum at 5·5). Generation time under optimal conditions was 1·57 h. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions in the presence of H2 and CO2, with nitrate or sulfur as the electron acceptor and with concomitant formation of ammonium or hydrogen sulfide, respectively. Thiosulfate, sulfite and oxygen were not used as electron acceptors. Acetate, formate, lactate and yeast extract inhibited growth. No chemoorganoheterotrophic growth was observed on peptone, tryptone or Casamino acids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 54·6 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the organism was a member of the domain Bacteria and formed a deep branch within the phylum Aquificae, with Thermovibrio ruber as its closest relative (94·4 % sequence similarity). On the basis of phylogenetic, physiological and genetic considerations, it is proposed that the organism represents a novel species within the newly described genus Thermovibrio. The type strain is Thermovibrio ammonificans HB-1T (=DSM 15698T=JCM 12110T).

scholarly journals 260 Voyages Beneath the Sea: A global assessment of biodiversity and research effort at deep-sea hydrothermal vents

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D Thaler ◽  
Diva Amon
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Spreading Center ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
North East ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Biogeographic Provinces

For over forty years, hydrothermal vents and the communities that thrive on them have been a source of profound discovery for deep-sea ecologists. These ecosystems are found throughout the world on active plate margins as well as other geologically active features. In addition to their ecologic interest, hydrothermal vent fields are comprised of metallic ores, sparking a nascent industry that aims to mine these metal-rich deposits for their mineral wealth. Here we provide the first systematic assessment of biodiversity at hydrothermal vents normalized against research effort. Cruise reports from scientific expeditions as well as other primary literature were used to characterize the extent of exploration, determine the relative biodiversity of different biogeographic provinces, identify knowledge gaps related to the distribution of research effort, and prioritize targets for additional sampling to establish biodiversity baselines ahead of potential commercial exploitation. The Northwest Pacific, Southwest Pacific, and Southern Ocean biogeographic provinces were identified as high biodiversity using rarefaction of incidence data, whereas the North East Pacific Rise, Northern East Pacific, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Indian Ocean provinces had medium biodiversity, and the Mid-Cayman Spreading Center was identified as a province of relatively low biodiversity. A North/South divide in the extent of biological research and the targets of hydrothermal vent mining prospects was also identified. Finally, we provide an estimate of sampling completeness for each province to inform scientific and stewardship priorities.

Numerical taxonomy of heterotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria isolated from southwestern Pacific hydrothermal vents

1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 690-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Durand ◽  
Afeda Benyagoub ◽  
Daniel Prieur
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Numerical Taxonomy ◽  
Lau Basin ◽  
The North ◽  
Nitrate Reducers ◽  
Sulfur Oxidizing ◽  
North Fiji Basin ◽  
Back Arc ◽  
Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria

Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (n = 161) were enriched and isolated from samples of vent water, invertebrates, and chimney rocks collected at two deep-sea hydrothermal vents (2000 m) in back-arc basins from the southwestern Pacific: the North Fiji Basin and the Lau Basin. Several types of heterotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were repeatedly isolated. They oxidized thiosulfate either to sulfate (acid producing) or to polythionate (base producing). In most of the acid-producing cultures, thiosulfate was transitorily oxidized to polythionate. All of the bacteria were Gram negative, 37% were fermentative, and 88% were denitrifiers or nitrate reducers. Numerical taxonomy and analysis of the G+C content showed that they belong to several genera including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Vibrio.Key words: hydrothermal vent, culturable thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria, numerical taxonomy.

scholarly journals Bacterial Group II Introns in a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Environment

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 6392-6398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mircea Podar ◽  
Lauren Mullineaux ◽  
Hon-Ren Huang ◽  
Philip S. Perlman ◽  
Mitchell L. Sogin
Keyword(s):  
Deep Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Bacterial Genome ◽  
Group Ii Introns ◽  
Retrotransposable Elements ◽  
Catalytic Rnas ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Group Ii

ABSTRACT Group II introns are catalytic RNAs and mobile retrotransposable elements known to be present in the genomes of some nonmarine bacteria and eukaryotic organelles. Here we report the discovery of group II introns in a bacterial mat sample collected from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent near 9°N on the East Pacific Rise. One of the introns was shown to self-splice in vitro. This is the first example of marine bacterial introns from molecular population structure studies of microorganisms that live in the proximity of hydrothermal vents. These types of mobile genetic elements may prove useful in improving our understanding of bacterial genome evolution and may serve as valuable markers in comparative studies of bacterial communities.

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