New approach opens window into life below the seafloor

Date:
August 3, 2021
Source:
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Summary:
Scientists studied microorganisms from an underwater mountain in
the Atlantic Ocean, pioneering a method that could open new windows
into our understanding of how life survives deep under the sea --
or in space.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
New research may provide a breakthrough for scientists to understand
life in the harshest of environments. Scientists from Bigelow Laboratory
for Ocean Sciences studied microorganisms from an underwater mountain in
the Atlantic Ocean, pioneering a method that could open new windows into
our understanding of how life survives deep under the sea -- or in space.


==========================================================================
The crustal rock beneath the ocean floor is one of the largest regions on
Earth that can support life. Inside the pores and fractures of rocks are little- understood microorganisms that influence global-scale nutrient
cycles. Now, researchers have developed and demonstrated a new method
to study them. They recently published their results in mBio, an online
journal of the American Society of Microbiology.

"Most microbial life on Earth is in the subsurface," said Senior Research Scientist Beth Orcutt, the senior author on the paper. "In order to
understand how life has evolved on Earth, how organisms have survived for millennia, you have to look at the subsurface: a huge reservoir of life."
The researchers looked at microbes from Atlantis Massif, a 2.5-mile-high underwater mountain near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The region is thought
to be an analog for how life may exist on other planets and moons, such
as Europa and Enceladus. On top of Atlantis Massif, there is a region
called Lost City, which teems with life feeding off of activity from hydrothermal vents. NASA and other institutions are interested in these
systems as a model for the origin of life and how organisms survive in
harsh environments.

Away from the busy ecosystem of Lost City, life still exists in the rock.

There, microbes are spread out in low concentrations, which makes them difficult to study by examining a few rock samples at a time.

"Even though there is low biomass in crustal rock, its sheer volume
makes it one of the most significant biological habitats of the planet,"
said lead author Jacqueline Goordial, who completed the research as a postdoctoral scientist at Bigelow Laboratory.

Traditionally, researchers would examine microorganisms by removing them
from rock samples with chemicals. However, that method can be problematic
and is difficult to carry out when there is a low abundance of life. So,
the team came up with a new method.

Working with the Single Cell Genomics Center and the Center for Aquatic Cytometry, both part of Bigelow Laboratory, the team was able to develop
a method using a tool called flow cytometry. Flow cytometry allows
researchers to examine and sort cells quickly and accurately. It also
makes it possible to study a cell's genetic information, opening up a
world of research opportunities.

"This approach provides a way to access the genomes of organisms that are
very difficult to study," said Goordial, now an assistant professor at
the University of Guelph. "Being able to access sites with low biomass
is huge! It can teach us about the nature of microbial life on our
planet and allows us to answer fundamental questions about how they
survive and what they eat." The team studied microbes from crustal
rocks excavated up to 50 feet beneath the ocean floor. They found that
the ecology represented by the rocks from Atlantis Massif was distinct
from the Lost City hydrothermal vents, but comparable to other similar settings. This meant that the system, while unusual for our planet, is
not one of a kind. The microbes appear to survive mostly off of carbon
from seawater, much like organisms that live in the water at the bottom
of the ocean. In addition, some microbes might also be able to use carbon monoxide for energy.

The results of the research show that the new method could be useful for studying other environments where the microbes are limited, such as in permafrost, other deep-sea locations, or even other planets.

"We're demonstrating methods that could be used for
samples taken by a NASA rover that can only collect a
couple of tiny fragments," Orcutt said. "We are pushing
the limits of how you would look for life in those places." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Bigelow_Laboratory_for_Ocean_Sciences. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. J. Goordial, T. D'Angelo, J. M. Labonte', N. J. Poulton,
J. M. Brown, R.

Stepanauskas, G. L. Fru"h-Green, B. N. Orcutt. Microbial Diversity
and Function in Shallow Subsurface Sediment and Oceanic Lithosphere
of the Atlantis Massif. mBio, 2021; DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00490-21 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210803175247.htm

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