Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
10:43
Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
Published on: November 5, 2014
Novel insights into microbial DMSP/DMS cycling: from surface to deep ocean
Yunhui Zhang1,2,3, Yanfen Zheng4, Zihua Guo1,2,3
1Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
Mbio
|June 9, 2026
Summary
The deep ocean harbors a previously unrecognized microbial network crucial for cycling dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS). This finding reshapes our understanding of marine sulfur cycling and its climate implications.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbial ecology
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Oceanography
Background:
- Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) are key players in the global sulfur cycle and climate regulation.
- Historically, DMSP production was attributed to surface planktonic algae, focusing research on the ocean surface.
- Recent discoveries of bacterial genes for DMSP synthesis and DMS production challenge this view.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and integrate current knowledge on DMSP and DMS cycling in deep-sea environments.
- To highlight the ecological roles, distribution, and microbial metabolism of these compounds in the aphotic zone.
- To emphasize the significance of deep-ocean microbial DMSP/DMS cycling.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of recent research findings.
- Analysis of microbial taxa and functional genes involved in DMSP/DMS metabolism.
- Focus on deep-sea water columns and sediments.
Main Results:
- Evidence confirms the existence of bacterial DMSP synthesis pathways in the deep sea.
- The enzyme MddH is identified as a significant source of DMS in marine bacteria.
- An active microbial DMSP/DMS cycling network is present in the deep ocean.
Conclusions:
- The deep ocean hosts a significant, previously overlooked microbial DMSP/DMS cycling network.
- This network has profound implications for global biogeochemical cycles and climate regulation.
- Future research should focus on the extent and impact of this deep-sea sulfur cycling.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Deep Sea Microbial Ecology
The deep ocean and its underlying sediments represent vast, largely unexplored microbial habitats that extend far beyond the sunlit photic zone. The photic (euphotic) zone typically spans the upper ~100–200 meters of pelagic waters in the open ocean, but its depth varies geographically and seasonally, where sufficient light supports photosynthetic life. Below this lies the deep sea, spanning roughly 1000–6000 meters (bathypelagic to abyssal zones), with deeper hadal trenches extending beyond...
01:29Microbes and the Sulfur Cycle
Sulfur is a vital element in Earth's biogeochemical systems. It transitions through various inorganic states, including sulfate (SO₄²⁻), elemental sulfur (S⁰), and sulfide (S²⁻). Abiotic and biological mechanisms across oxic and anoxic environments intricately mediate these transformations. Sulfate, the most oxidized form of sulfur, is predominantly stored in rocks, marine sediments, and oceanic waters, acting as a long-term reservoir in the global sulfur cycle.In oxic environments,...
01:30Marine Microbial Ecology
Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
01:25Microbial Mats
Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
01:24Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
01:29Soil Microbial Ecology
Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...