Exploring the Biosynthetic Potential of Microorganisms from the South China Sea Cold Seep Using Culture-Dependent and
Gang-Ao Hu1, Huai-Ying Sun1, Qun-Jian Yin2
1Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Green, Low-Carbon, and Efficient Development of Marine Fishery Resources, College of Pharmaceutical Science & Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
Abstract:
Cold seep ecosystems harbor unique microbial communities with potential for producing secondary metabolites. However, the metabolic potential of cold seep microorganisms in the South China Sea remains under-recognized. This study employed both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches, including 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and metagenomics, to investigate microbial communities and their potential for secondary metabolite production in the South China Sea cold seep. The results indicate microbial composition varied little between two non-reductive sediments but differed significantly from the reductive sediment, primarily due to Planctomycetes and Actinobacteria. Predicting the Secondary Metabolism Potential using Amplicon (PSMPA) predictions revealed 115 strains encoding more than 10 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), with lower BGC abundance in reductive sediment. Culture-dependent studies showed Firmicutes as the dominant cultivable phylum, with strains from shallow samples encoding fewer BGCs. Metagenomic data confirmed distinct microbial compositions and BGC distributions across sediment types, with cold seep type having a stronger influence than geographic location. Certain BGCs showed strong correlations with sediment depth, reflecting microbial adaptation to nutrient-limited environments. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the metabolic capabilities of South China Sea cold seep microorganisms and reveals key factors influencing their secondary metabolic potential, offering valuable insights for the efficient exploration of cold seep biological resources.
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