Identification and characterization of microorganisms involved in the carbon and energy cycles in the deep biosphere

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25701003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: HORI Tomoyuki 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 環境管理研究部門, 主任研究員 (20509533)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 環境分析 / 深海環境 / 地球化学 / 環境 / 微生物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on anaerobic acetate oxidizers involved in the reduction of crystalline iron(III) oxides and successfully obtained their enrichment cultures from deep subseafloor core sediments. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed that iron reducers affiliated within the phylum Firmicutes may play a pivotal role in the carbon and energy cycles in the deep biosphere. Further, in order to investigate the ecophysiological features of the iron reducers, we established the ultra-high-sensitivity stable isotope probing of 16S rRNA.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学