The enigma of prokaryotic life in deep hypersaline anoxic basins.
Deep hypersaline anoxic basins in the Mediterranean Sea are a legacy of dissolution of ancient subterranean salt deposits from the Miocene period. Our study revealed that these hypersaline basins are not biogeochemical dead ends, but support in situ sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, and heterotrophic activity. A wide diversity of prokaryotes was observed, including a new, abundant, deeply branching order within the Euryarchaeota. Furthermore, we demonstrated the presence of a unique, metabolically active microbial community in the Discovery basin, which is one of the most extreme terrestrial saline environments known, as it is almost saturated with MgCl2 (5 M).
van der Wielen
Paul W J J
PW
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, Netherlands. paul.van.der.wielen@kiwa.nl
Bolhuis
Henk
H
Borin
Sara
S
Daffonchio
Daniele
D
Corselli
Cesare
C
Giuliano
Laura
L
D'Auria
Giuseppe
G
de Lange
Gert J
GJ
Huebner
Andreas
A
Varnavas
Sotirios P
SP
Thomson
John
J
Tamburini
Christian
C
Marty
Danielle
D
McGenity
Terry J
TJ
Timmis
Kenneth N
KN
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D019605:Euryarchaeota / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D019766:Genes, Archaeal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D008697:Methane