Dataset Information

Structure and function of the Arctic and Antarctic marine microbiota as revealed by metagenomics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Arctic and Antarctic are the two most geographically distant bioregions on earth. Recent sampling efforts and following metagenomics have shed light on the global ocean microbial diversity and function, yet the microbiota of polar regions has not been included in such global analyses.

Results

Here a metagenomic study of seawater samples (n = 60) collected from different depths at 28 locations in the Arctic and Antarctic zones was performed, together with metagenomes from the Tara Oceans. More than 7500 (19%) polar seawater-derived operational taxonomic units could not be identified in the Tara Oceans datasets, and more than 3,900,000 protein-coding gene orthologs had no hits in the Ocean Microbial Reference Gene Catalog. Analysis of 214 metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) recovered from the polar seawater microbiomes, revealed strains that are prevalent in the polar regions while nearly undetectable in temperate seawater. Metabolic pathway reconstruction for these microbes suggested versatility for saccharide and lipids biosynthesis, nitrate and sulfate reduction, and CO₂ fixation. Comparison between the Arctic and Antarctic microbiomes revealed that antibiotic resistance genes were enriched in the Arctic while functions like DNA recombination were enriched in the Antarctic.

Conclusions

Our data highlight the occurrence of dominant and locally enriched microbes in the Arctic and Antarctic seawater with unique functional traits for environmental adaption, and provide a foundation for analyzing the global ocean microbiome in a more complete perspective. Video abstract.

SUBMITTER: Cao S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7119284 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Structure and function of the Arctic and Antarctic marine microbiota as revealed by metagenomics.

Cao Shunan S Zhang Weipeng W Ding Wei W Wang Meng M Fan Shen S Yang Bo B Mcminn Andrew A Wang Min M Xie Bin-Bin BB Qin Qi-Long QL Chen Xiu-Lan XL He Jianfeng J Zhang Yu-Zhong YZ

Microbiome 20200402 1

<h4>Background</h4>The Arctic and Antarctic are the two most geographically distant bioregions on earth. Recent sampling efforts and following metagenomics have shed light on the global ocean microbial diversity and function, yet the microbiota of polar regions has not been included in such global analyses.<h4>Results</h4>Here a metagenomic study of seawater samples (n = 60) collected from different depths at 28 locations in the Arctic and Antarctic zones was performed, together with metagenomes ...[more]

PMID: 32241287

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Project description:The microbial biogeochemical processes occurring in marine sediment in Antarctica remain underexplored due to limited access. Further, these polar habitats are unique, as they are being exposed to significant changes in their climate. To explore how microbes drive biogeochemistry in these sediments, we performed a shotgun metagenomic survey of marine surficial sediment (0 to 3 cm of the seafloor) collected from 13 locations in western Antarctica and assembled 16 high-quality metagenome assembled genomes for focused interrogation of the lifestyles of some abundant lineages. We observe an abundance of genes from pathways for the utilization of reduced carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen sources. Although organotrophy is pervasive, nitrification and sulfide oxidation are the dominant lithotrophic pathways and likely fuel carbon fixation via the reverse tricarboxylic acid and Calvin cycles. Oxygen-dependent terminal oxidases are common, and genes for reduction of oxidized nitrogen are sporadically present in our samples. Our results suggest that the underlying benthic communities are well primed for the utilization of settling organic matter, which is consistent with findings from highly productive surface water. Despite the genetic potential for nitrate reduction, the net catabolic pathway in our samples remains aerobic respiration, likely coupled to the oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen imported from the highly productive Antarctic water column above. IMPORTANCE The impacts of climate change in polar regions, like Antarctica, have the potential to alter numerous ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. Increasing temperature and freshwater runoff from melting ice can have profound impacts on the cycling of organic and inorganic nutrients between the pelagic and benthic ecosystems. Within the benthos, sediment microbial communities play a critical role in carbon mineralization and the cycles of essential nutrients like nitrogen and sulfur. Metagenomic data collected from sediment samples from the continental shelf of western Antarctica help to examine this unique system and document the metagenomic potential for lithotrophic metabolisms and the cycles of both nitrogen and sulfur, which support not only benthic microbes but also life in the pelagic zone.

Dataset Information

Structure and function of the Arctic and Antarctic marine microbiota as revealed by metagenomics.

Background

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Structure and function of the Arctic and Antarctic marine microbiota as revealed by metagenomics.

Similar Datasets

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