Elucidating genomic evolution and survival strategies of microbial communities inhabiting the oldest subterranean aquifer of the Earth

• Project/Area Number: 20K20429
• Project/Area Number (Other): 19H05503 (2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 17:Earth and planetary science and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Inagaki Fumio 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 研究プラットフォーム運用開発部門, 室長 (50360748)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 志野 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 准教授 (10557002) ; 星野 辰彦 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 超先鋭研究開発部門(高知コア研究所), 主任研究員 (30386619) ; 浦本 豪一郎 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系複合領域科学部門, 講師 (70612901)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥25,740,000 (Direct Cost: ¥19,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,940,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥5,980,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,380,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥9,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥7,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,100,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000)
• Keywords: 地下生命圏 / 微生物群集構造 / 生命居住可能性 / メタゲノム解析 / メタトランスクリプトーム解析 / 生命生息可能条件 / 閉鎖系地下水圏環境

Outline of Research at the Start

本研究では、カナダ・オンタリオ州のキッド・クリーク鉱山で発見された地下約2.4kmから湧出する地球最古（始生代、約26.4億年前）の閉鎖系地下水圏を対象に、水・エネルギー供給がほぼ皆無の超極限環境に生息する微生物群の量、多様性、代謝活性、ゲノム構造・機能に関する調査と分析研究を実施することで、非生物学的な地化学反応等に依存する地球共生型の微生物生態系の存在とゲノム進化、存続メカニズム等を理解する。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The world’s oldest subterranean aquifer has been discovered at the Kidd Creek mine in Ontario, Canada, which was estimated to be ~2.64 billion years old in the Proterozoic era. In this study, in collaboration with the University of Toronto, we conducted metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of subterranean microbial communities. Microbial cells were collected by membrane filter units installed in a horizontal water extraction well at ~2.4 km below the land surface. The results suggest that metabolically active bacterial communities, predominantly belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria and Firmicutes in about 100 cells/mL, contribute to biogeochemical cycling, including alkane degradation and other redox reactions of hydrogen, carbon, sulfur, and arsenate compounds.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

陸域や海底下深部において微生物生態系が存続するには、水と栄養・エネルギー基質の持続的な供給があり、それらの供給フラックスが生命・生態系の維持に必要な最低限のエネルギー消費量を上回っている必要がある。本研究では、世界最古（約26.4億年前）の地下水圏環境に生息する微小な微生物群集が、非生物学的な岩石―水反応により生じる栄養・エネルギー基質を基幹物質として利用しつつ、地質学的な時間スケールで生態系機能を維持してきた可能性がある。本研究成果は、準閉鎖的な極限環境における生命・生態系存続メカニズムの学術的理解を深化させ、惑星地球や他の天体における生命居住可能性や持続可能性の理解に貢献するものである。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] トロント大学(カナダ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] トロント大学(カナダ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] トロント大学(カナダ)
• [Journal Article] Rapid metabolism fosters microbial survival in the deep, hot, subseafloor biosphere (2022)
  • Author(s): Beulig, F., Schubert, F., Adhikari, R. R., Glombitza, C., Heuer, V. B., Hinrichs, K.-U., Inagaki, F., Jorgensen, B. B., Kallmeyer, J., Krause, S. J. E., Morono, Y., Sauvage, J., Spivack, A. J., and Treude, T.
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: 13 Issue: 1
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27802-7
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] volution of (Bio-)geochemical Processes and Diagenetic Alteration of Sediments Along the Tectonic Migration of Ocean Floor in the Shikoku Basin off Japan (2021)
  • Author(s): Koester, M., M. Kars, F. Schubotz, M-Y. Tsang, M. Maisch, A. Kappler, Y. Morono, F. Inagaki, V. B. Heuer, S. Kasten, and S. Henkel
  • Journal Title: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems Volume: 22 Issue: 8
  • DOI: 10.1029/2020gc009585
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] High Fluid-Pressure Patches Beneath the Decollement: A Potential Source of Slow Earthquakes in the Nankai Trough off Cape Muroto (2021)
  • Author(s): T. Hirose, Y. Hamada, W. Tanikawa, N. Kamiya, Y. Yamamoto, T. Tsuji, M. Kinoshita, V. B. Heuer, F. Inagaki, Y. Morono, Y. Kubo
  • Journal Title: Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth Volume: 126 Issue: 6
  • DOI: 10.1029/2021jb021831
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Workshop report: Exploring deep oceanic crust off Hawai`i (2021)
  • Author(s): Umino, S., Moore, G. F., Boston, B., Coggon, R., Crispini, L., D’Hondt, S., Garcia, M. O., Hanyu, T., Klein, F., Seama, N., Teagle, D. A. H., Tominaga, M., Yamashita, M., Harris, M., Ildefonse, B., Katayama, I., Kusano, Y., Suzuki, Y., Trembath-Reichert, E., Yamada, Y., Abe, N., Xiao, N., and Inagaki, F.
  • Journal Title: Scientific Drilling Volume: 29 Pages: 69-82
  • DOI: 10.5194/sd-29-69-2021
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Temperature limits to deep subseafloor life in the Nankai Trough subduction zone (2020)
  • Author(s): Heuer Verena B.、Inagaki Fumio、Morono Yuki、Kubo Yusuke、Spivack Arthur J.、Viehweger Bernhard、Treude Tina、Beulig Felix、Schubotz Florence、Tonai Satoshi、Bowden Stephen A.、Cramm Margaret、Henkel Susann、Hirose Takehiro、Homola Kira、Hoshino Tatsuhiko、Ijiri Akira、Imachi Hiroyuki、Kamiya Nana、et al.
  • Journal Title: Science Volume: 370 Issue: 6521 Pages: 1230-1234
  • DOI: 10.1126/science.abd7934
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Aerobic microbial life persists in oxic marine sediment as old as 101.5 million years (2020)
  • Author(s): Morono Yuki、Ito Motoo、Hoshino Tatsuhiko、Terada Takeshi、Hori Tomoyuki、Ikehara Minoru、D’Hondt Steven、Inagaki Fumio
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Pages: 3626-3626
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17330-1
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Global diversity of microbial communities in marine sediment (2020)
  • Author(s): Hoshino Tatsuhiko、Doi Hideyuki、Uramoto Go-Ichiro、Wormer Lars、Adhikari Rishi R.、Xiao Nan、Morono Yuki、D’Hondt Steven、Hinrichs Kai-Uwe、Inagaki Fumio
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Volume: 117 Issue: 44 Pages: 27587-27597
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919139117
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] M2Mマントル掘削計画と951-フルプロポーザル: ハワイ沖ノースアーチの成熟した地殻掘削 (2021)
  • Author(s): 海野 進, 稲垣 史生, ティーグル デーモン, 山下 幹也, ムーア グレゴリー, イルデフォンス ブノア, ドント ステーブン, クリスピーニ ラウラ, 羽生 毅, ガルシア マイケル, 森下 知晃
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合2021年大会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Exploring the deep biosphere-frontier beneath the ocean: A geobiological perspective on the oceanic crust and the underlying upper mantle (2021)
  • Author(s): 稲垣史生
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合2021年大会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 海底下の微生物起源ガスシステムに関する 地球微生物学的考察 (2021)
  • Author(s): 稲垣史生
  • Organizer: 石油技術協会春季講演会
• [Presentation] The nature and limits of the deep subseafloor biosphere: A geomicrobiological perspective on the oceanic crust and upper mantle (2021)
  • Author(s): 稲垣史生
  • Organizer: The Tokai University Workshop “Challenges of Marine Observations and Development of International Collaboration”
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 極限環境微生物から読み解く地球外生命の可能性 (2021)
  • Author(s): 鈴木志野
  • Organizer: 第31回 自然科学研究機構シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 惑星ハビタビリティーの拡大：不溶性リン酸塩鉱物の生命利用 (2021)
  • Author(s): 鈴木志野
  • Organizer: 第9回宇宙における生命ワークショップ
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Exploring the limits of deep subseafloor life and geosphere-biosphere interactions through scientific ocean drilling (2019)
  • Author(s): Fumio Inagaki
  • Organizer: European Geophysical Union General Assembly
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Missions to the upper mantle: Toward the most challenging endeavor in geosciences (2019)
  • Author(s): Fumio Inagaki
  • Organizer: Deep Carbon Observatory, Deep Carbon 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Exploring the HP (High Pressure) deep biosphere through scientific ocean drilling (2019)
  • Author(s): Fumio Inagaki
  • Organizer: NSF-Research Coordination Network (RCN) Extreme Biology-Biophysics Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Exploring the deep biosphere beneath the ocean: Perspective on planetary habitability (2019)
  • Author(s): Fumio Inagaki
  • Organizer: 国際マリンバイオテクノロジー学会
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 海底下に広がる地下微生物生態系の探究と人類未到のマントルへの道 (2019)
  • Author(s): 稲垣史生
  • Organizer: 一般財団法人バイオインダストリー協会「未来へのバイオ技術勉強会」
  • Invited
• [Book] 号外地球「海洋科学掘削によるマントル到達への挑戦ー地球最大のフロンティアに挑むー」 (2022)
  • Author(s): 稲垣史生, 倉本真一, 平朝彦
  • Total Pages: 151
  • Publisher: 海洋出版株式会社
• [Remarks] Fumio Inagaki, PhD| GEOMICROBIOLOGIST
  • URL: https://www.fumio-inagaki.com