Tackling the minority: sulfate-reducing bacteria in an archaea-dominated subsurface biofilm.

ABSTRACT: Archaea are usually minor components of a microbial community and dominated by a large and diverse bacterial population. In contrast, the SM1 Euryarchaeon dominates a sulfidic aquifer by forming subsurface biofilms that contain a very minor bacterial fraction (5%). These unique biofilms are delivered in high biomass to the spring outflow that provides an outstanding window to the subsurface. Despite previous attempts to understand its natural role, the metabolic capacities of the SM1 Euryarchaeon remain mysterious to date. In this study, we focused on the minor bacterial fraction in order to obtain insights into the ecological function of the biofilm. We link phylogenetic diversity information with the spatial distribution of chemical and metabolic compounds by combining three different st

SUBMITTER: Probst AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3578563 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature