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Bicarbonate uptake by marine Crenarchaeota
Cornelia Wuchter1, Stefan Schouten, Henricus T S Boschker
1Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, 1790 AB, Den Burg, The Netherlands. wuchter@nioz.nl
FEMS Microbiology Letters
|March 7, 2003
Summary
Marine Crenarchaeota in the North Sea utilize carbon dioxide for energy in the absence of light. These chemoautotrophic archaea fix carbon, as evidenced by (13)C bicarbonate tracer experiments, contributing significantly to lipid synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Archaea biochemistry
- Biogeochemical cycles
Background:
- Marine Crenarchaeota, identified via biphytanyl lipids and 16S rRNA, inhabit North Sea surface waters.
- The carbon fixation mechanisms of these uncultivated archaea remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in situ carbon fixation pathways of marine Crenarchaeota.
- To determine if these archaea are chemoautotrophic and utilize bicarbonate in the absence of light.
Main Methods:
- Detection of biphytanyl membrane lipids and 16S rRNA sequences from marine Crenarchaeota.
- (13)C bicarbonate tracer experiments conducted on North Sea surface water in darkness.
- Analysis of (13)C incorporation into various lipid compounds, focusing on crenarchaeotal lipids.
Main Results:
- Significant (13)C incorporation into lipids was observed, with 70% attributed to crenarchaeotal biphytanyl membrane lipids.
- Evidence suggests marine Crenarchaeota can fix inorganic carbon (bicarbonate or CO(2)) in the absence of light.
- (13)C incorporation into fatty acids and sterols was also detected.
Conclusions:
- Marine Crenarchaeota are chemoautotrophic organisms capable of carbon fixation in aphotic marine environments.
- Bicarbonate serves as a carbon source for these archaea, supporting lipid biosynthesis.
- This study elucidates a novel metabolic capability within uncultivated marine archaeal populations.