biostudies-literatureHempel CACarlos DuarteNational Center for Wildlife (NCW)National Center for Wildlifee70216https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12924112biostudies-literatureUnknown28(2)Marine sediments host diverse benthic prokaryotic communities that are integral to global biogeochemical cycles. However, the spatial distribution and environmental drivers of these communities, particularly in unique environments like the Red Sea, remain largely underexplored. In this study, we examine benthic prokaryotic communities sampled during the Red Sea Decade Expedition (RSDE) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing across five major regions along the Red Sea's latitudinal gradient and three depth strata. Our findings reveal distinct biogeographical patterns shaped by depth, latitude, and oxygen availability, with clear shifts in microbial community composition across the epibenthic, mesobenthic and bathybenthic zones. Bathybenthic communities exhibited consistently low levels of OTU richnEnvironmental microbiologyAssessing Prokaryotic Benthic Communities in the Red Sea.PMC12924112KAUST RFS #5156Parry AJBajaffer AAKlein SGQurban MASteckbauer AHempel CAFruhe LPieribone VAAlamoudi TLaiolo ERivera Rosas DEAngulo-Preckler CAlva Garcia JVFrappi SLim KKSait WJRMDuarte CMfalseAssessing Prokaryotic Benthic Communities in the Red Sea.Marine sediments host diverse benthic prokaryotic communities that are integral to global biogeochemical cycles. However, the spatial distribution and environmental drivers of these communities, particularly in unique environments like the Red Sea, remain largely underexplored. In this study, we examine benthic prokaryotic communities sampled during the Red Sea Decade Expedition (RSDE) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing across five major regions along the Red Sea's latitudinal gradient and three depth strata. Our findings reveal distinct biogeographical patterns shaped by depth, latitude, and oxygen availability, with clear shifts in microbial community composition across the epibenthic, mesobenthic and bathybenthic zones. Bathybenthic communities exhibited consistently low levels of OTU richn2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Feb2026-07-16T14:51:13.446Z2026-07-09T11:02:30.757ZS-EPMC129241124172160710.1111/1462-2920.70216