Conspicuous Smooth and White Egg-Shaped Sulfur Structures on a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Formed by Sulfide-Oxidizing Bacteria

TY - JOUR

T1 - Conspicuous Smooth and White Egg-Shaped Sulfur Structures on a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Formed by Sulfide-Oxidizing Bacteria

AU - van Erk, Marit R

AU - Krukenberg, Viola

AU - Bomholt Jensen, Pia

AU - Littmann, Sten

AU - de Beer, Dirk

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Conspicuous egg-shaped, white, and smooth structures were observed at a hydrothermal vent site in the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California. The gelatinous structures decomposed within hours after sampling. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy showed that the structure consisted of filaments of less than 0.1 mm thickness, similar to those observed for "Candidatus Arcobacter sulfidicus." SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the filaments were sulfur rich. According to 16S rRNA gene amplicon and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses, Arcobacter, a sulfide oxidizer that is known to produce filamentous elemental sulfur, was among the dominant species in the structure and was likely responsible for its formation. Arcobacter normally produces woolly snowflake like structures in opposed gradients of sulfide and oxygen. In the laboratory, we observed sulfide consumption in the anoxic zone of the structure, suggesting an anaerobic conversion. The sulfide oxidation and decomposition of the structure in the laboratory may be explained by dissolution of the sulfur filaments by reaction with sulfide under formation of polysulfides.

AB - Conspicuous egg-shaped, white, and smooth structures were observed at a hydrothermal vent site in the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California. The gelatinous structures decomposed within hours after sampling. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy showed that the structure consisted of filaments of less than 0.1 mm thickness, similar to those observed for "Candidatus Arcobacter sulfidicus." SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the filaments were sulfur rich. According to 16S rRNA gene amplicon and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses, Arcobacter, a sulfide oxidizer that is known to produce filamentous elemental sulfur, was among the dominant species in the structure and was likely responsible for its formation. Arcobacter normally produces woolly snowflake like structures in opposed gradients of sulfide and oxygen. In the laboratory, we observed sulfide consumption in the anoxic zone of the structure, suggesting an anaerobic conversion. The sulfide oxidation and decomposition of the structure in the laboratory may be explained by dissolution of the sulfur filaments by reaction with sulfide under formation of polysulfides.

KW - Arcobacter

KW - Hydrothermal vent

KW - Sulfide oxidation

KW - Sulfur filaments

KW - Oceans and Seas

KW - Oxidation-Reduction

KW - Sulfur/metabolism

KW - RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics

KW - In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence

KW - Hydrothermal Vents/microbiology

KW - Anaerobiosis/physiology

KW - Sulfides/metabolism

KW - Arcobacter/classification

KW - Seawater/chemistry

KW - Mexico

U2 - 10.1128/Spectrum.00955-21

DO - 10.1128/Spectrum.00955-21

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34468192

SN - 2165-0497

VL - 9

JO - Microbiology Spectrum

JF - Microbiology Spectrum

IS - 2

M1 - e00955-21

ER -