Alternative carbon and energy metabolisms linked to hydrocarbon degradation are widely distributed across the different microbial communities from deep-sea sediments of the Gulf of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: In marine sediments, microorganisms' roles in recycling organic and inorganic molecules, including hydrocarbons, are critical for ecosystem function. Genomic studies in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) reveal that microbial community composition and function are shaped by environmental gradients, with hydrocarbon degradation relying on consortia dynamics rather than single species, highlighting their collective ecological importance. Our study evaluated the prokaryotic microbial community in deep-sea GoM sediments, under a depth gradient, in Coatzacoalcos and Perdido regions, two areas influenced by crude-oil efflux and petroleum extraction. Findings indicated depth was the primary driver of microbial community structure, with distinct compositional shifts between shallow (< 1000 m) and deep (> 12

SUBMITTER: Torres-Beltran M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12752423 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature