title: Dehalogenation activities and distribution of reductive dehalogenase homologous genes in marine subsurface sediments.
abstract: Halogenated organic compounds serve as terminal electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration in a diverse range of microorganisms. Here, we report on the widespread distribution and diversity of reductive dehalogenase homologous (rdhA) genes in marine subsurface sediments. A total of 32 putative rdhA phylotypes were detected in sediments from the southeast Pacific off Peru, the eastern equatorial Pacific, the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank off Oregon, and the northwest Pacific off Japan, collected at a maximum depth of 358 m below the seafloor. In addition, significant dehalogenation activity involving 2,4,6-tribromophenol and trichloroethene was observed in sediment slurry from the Nankai Trough Forearc Basin. These results suggest that dehalorespiration is an important energy-yielding pathway in the subseafloor microbial ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Geomicrobiology Group, Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Monobe B200, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Futagami
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morono
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kaksonen
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inagaki
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007564:Japan; D056186:Metagenomics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009922:Oregon; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010568:Peru; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D010636:Phenols; D014241:Trichloroethylene; D004247:DNA; C004554:2,4,6-tribromophenol