Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC04 Microbial Diversity

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Edgcomb, V, P, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA, edgcomb@evol5.mbl.edu

Kysela, D, T, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA, kysela@evol5.mbl.edu

Sogin, M, L, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA, sogin@mbl.edu

Teske, A, , Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA, teske@whoi.edu

DIVERSITY OF EUKARYOTES IN THE HYDROTHERMALLY-HEATED SEDIMENTS OF GUAYMAS BASIN

We used molecular techniques to characterize the diversity of eukaryotes present in the in hydrothermally heated sediments of the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California. The approximately 400 m thick sediment layers are rich in carbonate and hydrothermally generated petroleum. Areas with active hydrothermal flow show steep temperature gradients near their surface, from over 100 C at 20–30 cm depth. Samples were collected with the submersible Alvin during the 1998 WHOI-RV Atlantis cruise at the Guaymas Basin and East Pacific Rise (EPR) 21 N hydrothermal vent sites. Temperature profiles of Guaymas Basin sediments were determined in-situ before taking sediment core samples. Cores with a clear and reproducible temperature profile were sliced and subsampled for molecular and chemical analysis. Analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) genes for the top 3 cm of cores, with temperature profiles ranging from 4-65 C, yielded a wide range of eukaryotic sequences, including sequences from fungi, animals, diatoms, stramenopiles, alveolates, dinoflagellates, apicomplexa, and ciliates. Of particular interest are several groups of deep-branching eukaryotic sequences with no known nearest relatives in available SSU rRNA data bases, suggesting that this environment may provide a habitat for unknown, anaerobic, eukaryotic microorganisms.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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