MSGID: 1:317/3 63e1d3f7   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Why microbes in the deep ocean live without sunlight    
      
     Date:   
         February 6, 2023   
     Source:   
         Monash University   
     Summary:   
         A new study reverses the idea that the bulk of life in the ocean   
         is fueled by photosynthesis via sunshine, revealing that many   
         ocean microbes in fact get their energy from hydrogen and carbon   
         monoxide. It has always been a mystery as to how microbes growing   
         in deepest parts of the sea survive, with no sunlight. A new study   
         shows that a distinct process called chemosynthesis -- growth   
         using inorganic compounds -- fuels microbes in these darkest depths.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   A world first study reverses the idea that the bulk of life in the ocean   
   is fuelled by photosynthesis via sunshine, revealing that many ocean   
   microbes in fact get their energy from hydrogen and carbon monoxide.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   It has always been a mystery as to how microbes growing in deepest parts   
   of the sea survive, with no sunlight. A new study, from researchers at   
   the Monash University published in the journal Nature Microbiology,   
   shows that a distinct process called chemosynthesis -- growth using   
   inorganic compounds -- fuels microbes in these darkest depths.   
      
   The five-year study, led by Dr Rachael Lappan and Professor Chris Greening   
   from the Biomedicine Discovery Institute, reveals that two common gases   
   -- hydrogen and carbon monoxide -- serve as the fuel for trillions of   
   microbes in the ocean from the tropics to the poles.   
      
   According to Professor Greening, until now most scientists have believed   
   that ocean microbial life is primarily driven by photosynthesis (growth   
   by using light energy). "But what about those regions so deep that light   
   can't penetrate or so nutrient-poor that algae can't thrive? We showed   
   in this study that instead chemosynthesis is dominant in these regions,"   
   he said.   
      
   "Hydrogen and carbon monoxide in fact "fed" microbes in all regions   
   we've looked at: from urban bays to around tropical islands to hundreds   
   of metres below the surface. Some can even be found beneath Antarctica's   
   ice shelves."  The study involved combining chemical measurements during   
   oceanic voyages with laboratory-based characterisation of microbial   
   cultures. The research team also extensively used metagenomic sequencing,   
   "which tells us the genetic blueprints of all of the microbes present   
   in a given region of the ocean," Dr Lappan said.   
      
   "We found the genes that enable hydrogen consumption across eight   
   distantly related types of microbes, known as phyla, and this   
   survival strategy becomes more common the deeper they live."  For this   
   project, the researchers were inspired by their previous work on soil   
   bacteria. Professor Greening and colleagues have previously showed most   
   soil bacteria can live by consuming hydrogen and carbon monoxide from   
   the atmosphere.   
      
   "The surface layers of the world's oceans generally contain high levels   
   of dissolved hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases due to various geological   
   and biological processes. So it made sense that oceanic bacteria used   
   the same gases as their terrestrial cousins," Dr Lappan said.   
      
   These findings provide insights into how life evolved. Professor Greening   
   concludes that "The first life probably emerged in deep-sea vents using   
   hydrogen, not sunlight, as the energy source. It's incredible that,   
   3.7 billion years later, so many microbes in the oceans are still using   
   this high-energy gas and we've completely overlooked this until now."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Soil_Types # Microbes_and_More # Organic #   
                   Marine_Biology   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Air_Quality # Global_Warming # Oceanography #   
                   Energy_and_the_Environment   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Microorganism o Photosynthesis o Phytoplankton o Carbon_cycle   
             o Plant o Sea_water o Chloroplast o Ocean   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by Monash_University. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Rachael Lappan, Guy Shelley, Zahra F. Islam, Pok Man Leung, Scott   
         Lockwood, Philipp A. Nauer, Thanavit Jirapanjawat, Gaofeng   
         Ni, Ya-Jou Chen, Adam J. Kessler, Timothy J. Williams, Ricardo   
         Cavicchioli, Federico Baltar, Perran L. M. Cook, Sergio E. Morales,   
         Chris Greening. Molecular hydrogen in seawater supports growth   
         of diverse marine bacteria. Nature Microbiology, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1038/s41564-023-01322-0   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230206130626.htm   
      
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