Deeply-sourced formate fuels sulfate reducers but not methanogens at Lost City hydrothermal field.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogen produced during water-rock serpentinization reactions can drive the synthesis of organic compounds both biotically and abiotically. We investigated abiotic carbon production and microbial metabolic pathways at the high energy but low diversity serpentinite-hosted Lost City hydrothermal field. Compound-specific ¹⁴C data demonstrates that formate is mantle-derived and abiotic in some locations and has an additional, seawater-derived component in others. Lipids produced by the dominant member of the archaeal community, the Lost City Methanosarcinales, largely lack ¹⁴C, but metagenomic evidence suggests they cannot use formate for methanogenesis. Instead, sulfate-reducing bacteria may be the primary consumers of formate in Lost City chimneys. Paradoxically, the a

SUBMITTER: Lang SQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5768773 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature