Long-term sustainability of a high-energy, low-diversity crustal biome.
Geochemical, microbiological, and molecular analyses of alkaline saline groundwater at 2.8 kilometers depth in Archaean metabasalt revealed a microbial biome dominated by a single phylotype affiliated with thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to Firmicutes. These sulfate reducers were sustained by geologically produced sulfate and hydrogen at concentrations sufficient to maintain activities for millions of years with no apparent reliance on photosynthetically derived substrates.
Lin
Li-Hung
LH
Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. lhlin@ntu.edu.tw
Wang
Pei-Ling
PL
Rumble
Douglas
D
Lippmann-Pipke
Johanna
J
Boice
Erik
E
Pratt
Lisa M
LM
Sherwood Lollar
Barbara
B
Brodie
Eoin L
EL
Hazen
Terry C
TC
Andersen
Gary L
GL
DeSantis
Todd Z
TZ
Moser
Duane P
DP
Kershaw
Dave
D
Onstott
T C
TC
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D006046:Gold; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008906:Mining; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013019:South Africa; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013995:Time; D014871:Water Microbiology
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates; D006046:Gold; D006859:Hydrogen