Microbiological exploration of the Cueva del Viento lava tube system in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

ABSTRACT: Cueva del Viento, located in the Canary Islands, Spain, is the Earth's sixth-longest lava tube, spanning 18,500 m, and was formed approximately 27,000 years ago. This complex volcanic cave system is characterized by a unique geomorphology, featuring an intricate network of galleries. Despite its geological significance, the geomicrobiology of Cueva del Viento remains largely unexplored. This study employed a combination of culture-dependent techniques and metabarcoding data analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the cave's microbial diversity. The 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach revealed that the coloured microbial mats (yellow, red and white) coating the cave walls are dominated by the phyla Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota and Acidobacteriota. Of particular interest is the

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez-Patricio S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11033209 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature