Temporal evolution of methane cycling and phylogenetic diversity of archaea in sediments from a deep-sea whale-fall in Monterey Canyon, California

Shana K Goffredi; Regina Wilpiszeski; Ray Lee; Victoria J Orphan

doi:10.1038/ismej.2007.103

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Temporal evolution of methane cycling and phylogenetic diversity of archaea in sediments from a deep-sea whale-fall in Monterey Canyon, California

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Temporal evolution of methane cycling and phylogenetic diversity of archaea in sediments from a deep-sea whale-fall in Monterey Canyon, California

Shana K Goffredi, Regina Wilpiszeski, Ray Lee and Victoria J Orphan

The ISME Journal, Vol.2(2), pp.204-220

02/2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2007.103

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https://hdl.handle.net/2376/110671

PMID: 18219285

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Abstract

Methanosarcinaceae - enzymology

Molecular Sequence Data

Seawater - chemistry

Phylogeny

Archaea - classification

Genetic Variation

Geologic Sediments - microbiology

Methanomicrobiaceae - enzymology

Ecosystem

Geologic Sediments - chemistry

Methanosarcinaceae - genetics

Seawater - microbiology

Methane - metabolism

Oxidoreductases - metabolism

Oxidoreductases - genetics

California

Sequence Analysis, DNA

Archaea - metabolism

Methanomicrobiaceae - genetics

Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics

Archaea - genetics

DNA, Archaeal - analysis

Evolution, Molecular

Methanomicrobiaceae - metabolism

Whale-falls represent localized areas of extreme organic enrichment in an otherwise oligotrophic deep-sea environment. Anaerobic remineralization within these habitats is typically portrayed as sulfidogenic; however, we demonstrate that these systems are also favorable for diverse methane-producing archaeal assemblages, representing up to 40% of total cell counts. Chemical analyses revealed elevated methane and depleted sulfate concentrations in sediments under the whale-fall, as compared to surrounding sediments. Carbon was enriched (up to 3.5%) in whale-fall sediments, as well as the surrounding sea floor to at least 10 m, forming a 'bulls eye' of elevated carbon. The diversity of sedimentary archaea associated with the 2893 m whale-fall in Monterey Canyon (California) varied both spatially and temporally. 16S rRNA diversity, determined by both sequencing and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, as well as quantitative PCR of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene, revealed that methanogens, including members of the Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales, were the dominant archaea (up to 98%) in sediments immediately beneath the whale-fall. Temporal changes in this archaeal community included the early establishment of methylotrophic methanogens followed by development of methanogens thought to be hydrogenotrophic, as well as members related to the newly described methanotrophic lineage, ANME-3. In comparison, archaeal assemblages in 'reference' sediments collected 10 m from the whale-fall primarily consisted of Crenarchaeota affiliated with marine group I and marine benthic group B. Overall, these results indicate that whale-falls can favor the establishment of metabolically and phylogenetically diverse methanogen assemblages, resulting in an active near-seafloor methane cycle in the deep sea.

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Title: Temporal evolution of methane cycling and phylogenetic diversity of archaea in sediments from a deep-sea whale-fall in Monterey Canyon, California
Creators: Shana K Goffredi - Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. goffredi@caltech.edu
Regina Wilpiszeski
Ray Lee
Victoria J Orphan
Publication Details: The ISME Journal, Vol.2(2), pp.204-220
Publisher: England
Identifiers: 99900547180201842
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article