title: Hydrogen is an energy source for hydrothermal vent symbioses.
abstract: The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents in 1977 revolutionized our understanding of the energy sources that fuel primary productivity on Earth. Hydrothermal vent ecosystems are dominated by animals that live in symbiosis with chemosynthetic bacteria. So far, only two energy sources have been shown to power chemosynthetic symbioses: reduced sulphur compounds and methane. Using metagenome sequencing, single-gene fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, shipboard incubations and in situ mass spectrometry, we show here that the symbionts of the hydrothermal vent mussel Bathymodiolus from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge use hydrogen to power primary production. In addition, we show that the symbionts of Bathymodiolus mussels from Pacific vents have hupL, the key gene for hydrogen oxidation. Furthermore, the symbionts of other vent animals such as the tubeworm Riftia pachyptila and the shrimp Rimicaris exoculata also have hupL. We propose that the ability to use hydrogen as an energy source is widespread in hydrothermal vent symbioses, particularly at sites where hydrogen is abundant.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jillian M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Frank U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moraru
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hourdez
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Girguis
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wankel
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barbe
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borowski
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dubilier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017753:Ecosystem; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006864:Hydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010313:Partial Pressure; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; D013455:Sulfur; D006859:Hydrogen; D006864:Hydrogenase