Dataset Information

Fungal diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems are considered oases of life in oceans. Since the discovery of these ecosystems in the late 1970s, many endemic species of Bacteria, Archaea, and other organisms, such as annelids and crabs, have been described. Considerable knowledge has been acquired about the diversity of (micro)organisms in these ecosystems, but the diversity of fungi has not been studied to date. These organisms are considered key organisms in terrestrial ecosystems because of their ecological functions and especially their ability to degrade organic matter. The lack of knowledge about them in the sea reflects the widely held belief that fungi are terrestrial organisms. The first inventory of such organisms in deep-sea hydrothermal environments was obtained in this study. Fungal diversity was investigated by analyzing the small-subunit rRNA gene sequences amplified by culture-independent PCR using DNA extracts from hydrothermal samples and from a culture collection that was established. Our work revealed an unsuspected diversity of species in three of the five fungal phyla. We found a new branch of Chytridiomycota forming an ancient evolutionary lineage. Many of the species identified are unknown, even at higher taxonomic levels in the Chytridiomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. This work opens the way to new studies of the diversity, ecology, and physiology of fungi in oceans and might stimulate new prospecting for biomolecules. From an evolutionary point of view, the diversification of fungi in the oceans can no longer be ignored.

SUBMITTER: Le Calvez T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2765129 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Fungal diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems.

Le Calvez Thomas T Burgaud Gaëtan G Mahé Stéphane S Barbier Georges G Vandenkoornhuyse Philippe P

Applied and environmental microbiology 20090724 20

Deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems are considered oases of life in oceans. Since the discovery of these ecosystems in the late 1970s, many endemic species of Bacteria, Archaea, and other organisms, such as annelids and crabs, have been described. Considerable knowledge has been acquired about the diversity of (micro)organisms in these ecosystems, but the diversity of fungi has not been studied to date. These organisms are considered key organisms in terrestrial ecosystems because of their ecologic ...[more]

PMID: 19633124

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Project description:BackgroundThe deep sea harbors many viruses, yet their diversity and interactions with hosts in hydrothermal ecosystems are largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the viral composition, distribution, host preference, and metabolic potential in different habitats of global hydrothermal vents, including vent plumes, background seawater, diffuse fluids, and sediments.ResultsFrom 34 samples collected at eight vent sites, a total of 4662 viral populations (vOTUs) were recovered from the metagenome assemblies, encompassing diverse phylogenetic groups and defining many novel lineages. Apart from the abundant unclassified viruses, tailed phages are most predominant across the global hydrothermal vents, while single-stranded DNA viruses, including Microviridae and small eukaryotic viruses, also constitute a significant part of the viromes. As revealed by protein-sharing network analysis, hydrothermal vent viruses formed many novel genus-level viral clusters and are highly endemic to specific vent sites and habitat types. Only 11% of the vOTUs can be linked to hosts, which are the key microbial taxa of hydrothermal habitats, such as Gammaproteobacteria and Campylobacterota. Intriguingly, vent viromes share some common metabolic features in that they encode auxiliary genes that are extensively involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, cofactors, and vitamins. Specifically, in plume viruses, various auxiliary genes related to methane, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism were observed, indicating their contribution to host energy conservation. Moreover, the prevalence of sulfur-relay pathway genes indicated the significant role of vent viruses in stabilizing the tRNA structure, which promotes host adaptation to steep environmental gradients.ConclusionsThe deep-sea hydrothermal systems hold untapped viral diversity with novelty. They may affect both vent prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities and modulate host metabolism related to vent adaptability. More explorations are needed to depict global vent virus diversity and its roles in this unique ecosystem. Video Abstract.

Dataset Information

Fungal diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems.

Publications

Fungal diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems.

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