Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor

F. Inagaki; K. U. Hinrichs; Y. Kubo; M. W. Bowles; V. B. Heuer; W. L. Hong; T. Hoshino; A. Ijiri; H. Imachi; M. Ito; M. Kaneko; M. A. Lever; Y. S. Lin; B. A. Methé; S. Morita; Y. Morono; W. Tanikawa; M. Bihan; S. A. Bowden; M. Elvert; C. Glombitza; D. Gross; G. J. Harrington; T. Hori; K. Li; D. Limmer; C. H. Liu; M. Murayama; N. Ohkouchi; S. Ono; Y. S. Park; S. C. Phillips; X. Prieto-Mollar; M. Purkey; N. Riedinger; Y. Sanada; J. Sauvage; G. Snyder; R. Susilawati; Y. Takano; E. Tasumi; T. Terada; H. Tomaru; E. Trembath-Reichert; D. T. Wang; Y. Yamada

doi:10.1126/science.aaa6882

Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor

F. Inagaki, K. U. Hinrichs, Y. Kubo, M. W. Bowles, V. B. Heuer, W. L. Hong, T. Hoshino, A. Ijiri, H. Imachi, M. Ito, M. Kaneko, M. A. Lever, Y. S. Lin, B. A. Methé, S. Morita, Y. Morono, W. Tanikawa, M. Bihan, S. A. Bowden, M. ElvertC. Glombitza, D. Gross, G. J. Harrington, T. Hori, K. Li, D. Limmer, C. H. Liu, M. Murayama, N. Ohkouchi, S. Ono, Y. S. Park, S. C. Phillips, X. Prieto-Mollar, M. Purkey, N. Riedinger, Y. Sanada, J. Sauvage, G. Snyder, R. Susilawati, Y. Takano, E. Tasumi, T. Terada, H. Tomaru, E. Trembath-Reichert, D. T. Wang, Y. Yamada

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Abstract

Microbial life inhabits deeply buried marine sediments, but the extent of this vast ecosystem remains poorly constrained. Here we provide evidence for the existence of microbial communities in ∼40° to 60°C sediment associated with lignite coal beds at ∼1.5 to 2.5 km below the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. Microbial methanogenesis was indicated by the isotopic compositions of methane and carbon dioxide, biomarkers, cultivation data, and gas compositions. Concentrations of indigenous microbial cells below 1.5 km ranged from <10 to ∼10⁴ cells cm^-3. Peak concentrations occurred in lignite layers, where communities differed markedly from shallower subseafloor communities and instead resembled organotrophic communities in forest soils. This suggests that terrigenous sediments retain indigenous community members tens of millions of years after burial in the seabed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	420-424
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	349
Issue number	6246
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa6882
State	Published - Jul 24 2015
Externally published	Yes

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Inagaki, F., Hinrichs, K. U., Kubo, Y., Bowles, M. W., Heuer, V. B., Hong, W. L., Hoshino, T., Ijiri, A., Imachi, H., Ito, M., Kaneko, M., Lever, M. A., Lin, Y. S., Methé, B. A., Morita, S., Morono, Y., Tanikawa, W., Bihan, M., Bowden, S. A., ... Yamada, Y. (2015). Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor. Science, 349(6246), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa6882

Inagaki, F, Hinrichs, KU, Kubo, Y, Bowles, MW, Heuer, VB, Hong, WL, Hoshino, T, Ijiri, A, Imachi, H, Ito, M, Kaneko, M, Lever, MA, Lin, YS, Methé, BA, Morita, S, Morono, Y, Tanikawa, W, Bihan, M, Bowden, SA, Elvert, M, Glombitza, C, Gross, D, Harrington, GJ, Hori, T, Li, K, Limmer, D, Liu, CH, Murayama, M, Ohkouchi, N, Ono, S, Park, YS, Phillips, SC, Prieto-Mollar, X, Purkey, M, Riedinger, N, Sanada, Y, Sauvage, J, Snyder, G, Susilawati, R, Takano, Y, Tasumi, E, Terada, T, Tomaru, H, Trembath-Reichert, E, Wang, DT & Yamada, Y 2015, 'Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor', Science, vol. 349, no. 6246, pp. 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa6882

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title = "Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor",

abstract = "Microbial life inhabits deeply buried marine sediments, but the extent of this vast ecosystem remains poorly constrained. Here we provide evidence for the existence of microbial communities in ∼40° to 60°C sediment associated with lignite coal beds at ∼1.5 to 2.5 km below the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. Microbial methanogenesis was indicated by the isotopic compositions of methane and carbon dioxide, biomarkers, cultivation data, and gas compositions. Concentrations of indigenous microbial cells below 1.5 km ranged from <10 to ∼104 cells cm-3. Peak concentrations occurred in lignite layers, where communities differed markedly from shallower subseafloor communities and instead resembled organotrophic communities in forest soils. This suggests that terrigenous sediments retain indigenous community members tens of millions of years after burial in the seabed.",

author = "F. Inagaki and Hinrichs, {K. U.} and Y. Kubo and Bowles, {M. W.} and Heuer, {V. B.} and Hong, {W. L.} and T. Hoshino and A. Ijiri and H. Imachi and M. Ito and M. Kaneko and Lever, {M. A.} and Lin, {Y. S.} and Meth{\'e}, {B. A.} and S. Morita and Y. Morono and W. Tanikawa and M. Bihan and Bowden, {S. A.} and M. Elvert and C. Glombitza and D. Gross and Harrington, {G. J.} and T. Hori and K. Li and D. Limmer and Liu, {C. H.} and M. Murayama and N. Ohkouchi and S. Ono and Park, {Y. S.} and Phillips, {S. C.} and X. Prieto-Mollar and M. Purkey and N. Riedinger and Y. Sanada and J. Sauvage and G. Snyder and R. Susilawati and Y. Takano and E. Tasumi and T. Terada and H. Tomaru and E. Trembath-Reichert and Wang, {D. T.} and Y. Yamada",

year = "2015",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1126/science.aaa6882",

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T1 - Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor

AU - Inagaki, F.

AU - Hinrichs, K. U.

AU - Kubo, Y.

AU - Bowles, M. W.

AU - Heuer, V. B.

AU - Hong, W. L.

AU - Hoshino, T.

AU - Ijiri, A.

AU - Imachi, H.

AU - Ito, M.

AU - Kaneko, M.

AU - Lever, M. A.

AU - Lin, Y. S.

AU - Methé, B. A.

AU - Morita, S.

AU - Morono, Y.

AU - Tanikawa, W.

AU - Bihan, M.

AU - Bowden, S. A.

AU - Elvert, M.

AU - Glombitza, C.

AU - Gross, D.

AU - Harrington, G. J.

AU - Hori, T.

AU - Li, K.

AU - Limmer, D.

AU - Liu, C. H.

AU - Murayama, M.

AU - Ohkouchi, N.

AU - Ono, S.

AU - Park, Y. S.

AU - Phillips, S. C.

AU - Prieto-Mollar, X.

AU - Purkey, M.

AU - Riedinger, N.

AU - Sanada, Y.

AU - Sauvage, J.

AU - Snyder, G.

AU - Susilawati, R.

AU - Takano, Y.

AU - Tasumi, E.

AU - Terada, T.

AU - Tomaru, H.

AU - Trembath-Reichert, E.

AU - Wang, D. T.

AU - Yamada, Y.

PY - 2015/7/24

Y1 - 2015/7/24

N2 - Microbial life inhabits deeply buried marine sediments, but the extent of this vast ecosystem remains poorly constrained. Here we provide evidence for the existence of microbial communities in ∼40° to 60°C sediment associated with lignite coal beds at ∼1.5 to 2.5 km below the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. Microbial methanogenesis was indicated by the isotopic compositions of methane and carbon dioxide, biomarkers, cultivation data, and gas compositions. Concentrations of indigenous microbial cells below 1.5 km ranged from <10 to ∼104 cells cm-3. Peak concentrations occurred in lignite layers, where communities differed markedly from shallower subseafloor communities and instead resembled organotrophic communities in forest soils. This suggests that terrigenous sediments retain indigenous community members tens of millions of years after burial in the seabed.

AB - Microbial life inhabits deeply buried marine sediments, but the extent of this vast ecosystem remains poorly constrained. Here we provide evidence for the existence of microbial communities in ∼40° to 60°C sediment associated with lignite coal beds at ∼1.5 to 2.5 km below the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean off Japan. Microbial methanogenesis was indicated by the isotopic compositions of methane and carbon dioxide, biomarkers, cultivation data, and gas compositions. Concentrations of indigenous microbial cells below 1.5 km ranged from <10 to ∼104 cells cm-3. Peak concentrations occurred in lignite layers, where communities differed markedly from shallower subseafloor communities and instead resembled organotrophic communities in forest soils. This suggests that terrigenous sediments retain indigenous community members tens of millions of years after burial in the seabed.

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DO - 10.1126/science.aaa6882

M3 - Article

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AN - SCOPUS:84938087437

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 349

SP - 420

EP - 424

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6246

ER -

Exploring deep microbial life in coal-bearing sediment down to ∼2.5 km below the ocean floor

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