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Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
Published on: November 5, 2014
Microbial community genomics in eastern Mediterranean Sea surface waters.
Roi Feingersch1, Marcelino T Suzuki, Michael Shmoish
1Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
The ISME Journal
|August 21, 2009
Summary
Microbial communities in the phosphorus-limited Mediterranean Sea show unique metabolic potential for phosphate uptake. This study reveals insights into the physiology of these oligotrophic marine microbes.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Genomics
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- The eastern Mediterranean Sea is a highly oligotrophic environment.
- Primary productivity in this region is limited by phosphorus availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function and physiology of microbes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
- To analyze a genomic library from surface waters to understand microbial adaptations.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing of nearly 5000 genomic library clones from surface waters.
- Genome recruitment strategies to identify microbial taxa.
- Analysis of protein similarity and metabolic potential.
Main Results:
- The dominant microbial groups identified were Alphaproteobacteria (SAR11-like, Rhodobacterales), Cyanobacteria (Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus), and Gammaproteobacteria.
- Microbial community structure is similar to the euphotic zone off Hawaii but distinct from deep aphotic zones.
- A significant enrichment in genes for phosphate and phosphonate uptake and utilization was observed.
Conclusions:
- The microbial community in the Mediterranean Sea exhibits specialized adaptations for phosphorus acquisition.
- Genomic analysis provides a deeper understanding of microbial life in oligotrophic marine ecosystems.
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