Metagenomics of Antarctic Marine Sediment Reveals Potential for Diverse Chemolithoautotrophy.

ABSTRACT: The microbial biogeochemical processes occurring in marine sediment in Antarctica remain underexplored due to limited access. Further, these polar habitats are unique, as they are being exposed to significant changes in their climate. To explore how microbes drive biogeochemistry in these sediments, we performed a shotgun metagenomic survey of marine surficial sediment (0 to 3 cm of the seafloor) collected from 13 locations in western Antarctica and assembled 16 high-quality metagenome assembled genomes for focused interrogation of the lifestyles of some abundant lineages. We observe an abundance of genes from pathways for the utilization of reduced carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen sources. Although organotrophy is pervasive, nitrification and sulfide oxidation are the dominant lithotrophic pa

SUBMITTER: Garber AI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8612310 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature