Metagenomic views of microbial dynamics influenced by hydrocarbon seepage in sediments of the Gulf of Mexico.

ABSTRACT: Microbial cells in the seabed are thought to persist by slow population turnover rates and extremely low energy requirements. External stimulations such as seafloor hydrocarbon seeps have been demonstrated to significantly boost microbial growth; however, the microbial community response has not been fully understood. Here we report a comparative metagenomic study of microbial response to natural hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Subsurface sediments (10-15 cm below seafloor) were collected from five natural seep sites and two reference sites. The resulting metagenome sequencing datasets were analyzed with both gene-based and genome-based approaches. 16S rRNA gene-based analyses suggest that the seep samples are distinct from the references by both 16S rRNA fractional content and ph

SUBMITTER: Zhao R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7113308 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature