A metastable equilibrium model for the relative abundances of microbial phyla in a hot spring.

ABSTRACT: Many studies link the compositions of microbial communities to their environments, but the energetics of organism-specific biomass synthesis as a function of geochemical variables have rarely been assessed. We describe a thermodynamic model that integrates geochemical and metagenomic data for biofilms sampled at five sites along a thermal and chemical gradient in the outflow channel of the hot spring known as "Bison Pool" in Yellowstone National Park. The relative abundances of major phyla in individual communities sampled along the outflow channel are modeled by computing metastable equilibrium among model proteins with amino acid compositions derived from metagenomic sequences. Geochemical conditions are represented by temperature and activities of basis species, including pH and oxidati

SUBMITTER: Dick JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3759468 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature