Evolutionary ecology of microbial populations inhabiting deep sea sediments associated with cold seeps.

ABSTRACT: Deep sea cold seep sediments host abundant and diverse microbial populations that significantly influence biogeochemical cycles. While numerous studies have revealed their community structure and functional capabilities, little is known about genetic heterogeneity within species. Here, we examine intraspecies diversity patterns of 39 abundant species identified in sediment layers down to 430 cm below the sea floor across six cold seep sites. These populations are grouped as aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Different evolutionary trajectories are observed at the genomic level among these physiologically and phylogenetically diverse populations, with generally low rates of homologous recombination and strong purifying selecti

SUBMITTER: Dong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9974965 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature