Functional vertical connectivity of microbial communities in the ocean

Shi Chen, Zhang-Xian Xie, Ke-Qiang Yan, Jian-Wei Chen, Dong-Xu Li, Peng-Fei Wu, Ling Peng, Lin Lin, Chun-Ming Dong, Zihao Zhao, Guang-Yi Fan, Si-Qi Liu, Gerhard J Herndl, Da-Zhi Wang

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelPeer Reviewed

Abstract

Sinking particles are a critical conduit for the transport of surface microbes to the ocean's interior. Vertical connectivity of phylogenetic composition has been shown; however, the functional vertical connectivity of microbial communities has not yet been explored in detail. We investigated protein and taxa profiles of both free-living and particle-attached microbial communities from the surface to 3000 m depth using a combined metaproteomic and 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing approach. A clear compositional and functional vertical connectivity of microbial communities was observed throughout the water column with Oceanospirillales, Alteromonadales, and Rhodobacterales as key taxa. The surface-derived particle-associated microbes increased the expression of proteins involved in basic metabolism, organic matter processing, and environmental stress response in deep waters. This study highlights the functional vertical connectivity between surface and deep-sea microbial communities via sinking particles and reveals that a considerable proportion of the deep-sea microbes might originate from surface waters and have a major impact on the biogeochemical cycles in the deep sea.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummeradj8184
FachzeitschriftScience Advances
Jahrgang10
Ausgabenummer21
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 24 Mai 2024

ÖFOS 2012

  • 106021 Meeresbiologie

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