Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin

Philip Eickenbusch; Ken Takai; Olivier Sissman; Shino Suzuki; Catriona Menzies; Sanae Sakai; Pierre Sansjofre; Eiji Tasumi; Stefano M. Bernasconi; Clemens Glombitza; Bo Barker Jorgensen; Yuki Morono; Mark Alexander Lever

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.01729

Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin

Philip Eickenbusch, Ken Takai, Olivier Sissman, Shino Suzuki, Catriona Menzies, Sanae Sakai, Pierre Sansjofre, Eiji Tasumi, Stefano M. Bernasconi, Clemens Glombitza, Bo Barker Jorgensen, Yuki Morono, Mark Alexander Lever

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

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Abstract

Serpentinitic systems are potential habitats for microbial life due to frequently high concentrations of microbial energy substrates, such as hydrogen (H ₂), methane (CH ₄), and short-chain organic acids (SCOAs). Yet, many serpentinitic systems are also physiologically challenging environments due to highly alkaline conditions (pH > 10) and elevated temperatures (>80.C). To elucidate the possibility of microbial life in deep serpentinitic crustal environments, International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 366 drilled into the Yinazao, Fantangisna, and Asut Tesoru serpentinite mud volcanoes on the Mariana Forearc. These mud volcanoes differ in temperature (80, 150, 250.C, respectively) of the underlying subducting slab, and in the porewater pH (11.0, 11.2, 12.5, respectively) of the serpentinite mud. Increases in formate and acetate concentrations across the three mud volcanoes, which are positively correlated with temperature in the subducting slab and coincide with strong increases in H ₂ concentrations, indicate a serpentinization-related origin. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that formate is produced by equilibrium reactions with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) + H ₂, and that equilibration continues during fluid ascent at temperatures below 80.C. By contrast, the mechanism(s) of acetate production are not clear. Besides formate, acetate, and H ₂ data, we present concentrations of other SCOAs, methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfate, d13C-data on bulk carbon pools, and microbial cell counts. Even though calculations indicate a wide range of microbial catabolic reactions to be thermodynamically favorable, concentration profiles of potential energy substrates, and very low cell numbers suggest that microbial life is scarce or absent. We discuss the potential roles of temperature, pH, pressure, and dispersal in limiting the occurrence of microbial life in deep serpentinitic environments.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Artikelnummer	1729
Tidsskrift	Frontiers in Microbiology
Vol/bind	10
Nummer	JULY
Antal sider	21
ISSN	1664-302X
DOI	https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01729
Status	Udgivet - jul. 2019

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10.3389/fmicb.2019.01729Licens: CC BY

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Eickenbusch, P., Takai, K., Sissman, O., Suzuki, S., Menzies, C., Sakai, S., Sansjofre, P., Tasumi, E., Bernasconi, S. M., Glombitza, C., Jorgensen, B. B., Morono, Y., & Lever, M. A. (2019). Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10(JULY), Artikel 1729. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01729

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title = "Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin",

abstract = "Serpentinitic systems are potential habitats for microbial life due to frequently high concentrations of microbial energy substrates, such as hydrogen (H 2), methane (CH 4), and short-chain organic acids (SCOAs). Yet, many serpentinitic systems are also physiologically challenging environments due to highly alkaline conditions (pH > 10) and elevated temperatures (>80.C). To elucidate the possibility of microbial life in deep serpentinitic crustal environments, International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 366 drilled into the Yinazao, Fantangisna, and Asut Tesoru serpentinite mud volcanoes on the Mariana Forearc. These mud volcanoes differ in temperature (80, 150, 250.C, respectively) of the underlying subducting slab, and in the porewater pH (11.0, 11.2, 12.5, respectively) of the serpentinite mud. Increases in formate and acetate concentrations across the three mud volcanoes, which are positively correlated with temperature in the subducting slab and coincide with strong increases in H 2 concentrations, indicate a serpentinization-related origin. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that formate is produced by equilibrium reactions with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) + H 2, and that equilibration continues during fluid ascent at temperatures below 80.C. By contrast, the mechanism(s) of acetate production are not clear. Besides formate, acetate, and H 2 data, we present concentrations of other SCOAs, methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfate, d13C-data on bulk carbon pools, and microbial cell counts. Even though calculations indicate a wide range of microbial catabolic reactions to be thermodynamically favorable, concentration profiles of potential energy substrates, and very low cell numbers suggest that microbial life is scarce or absent. We discuss the potential roles of temperature, pH, pressure, and dispersal in limiting the occurrence of microbial life in deep serpentinitic environments.",

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author = "Philip Eickenbusch and Ken Takai and Olivier Sissman and Shino Suzuki and Catriona Menzies and Sanae Sakai and Pierre Sansjofre and Eiji Tasumi and Bernasconi, {Stefano M.} and Clemens Glombitza and Jorgensen, {Bo Barker} and Yuki Morono and Lever, {Mark Alexander}",

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language = "English",

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journal = "Frontiers in Microbiology",

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T1 - Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin

AU - Eickenbusch, Philip

AU - Takai, Ken

AU - Sissman, Olivier

AU - Suzuki, Shino

AU - Menzies, Catriona

AU - Sakai, Sanae

AU - Sansjofre, Pierre

AU - Tasumi, Eiji

AU - Bernasconi, Stefano M.

AU - Glombitza, Clemens

AU - Jorgensen, Bo Barker

AU - Morono, Yuki

AU - Lever, Mark Alexander

PY - 2019/7

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N2 - Serpentinitic systems are potential habitats for microbial life due to frequently high concentrations of microbial energy substrates, such as hydrogen (H 2), methane (CH 4), and short-chain organic acids (SCOAs). Yet, many serpentinitic systems are also physiologically challenging environments due to highly alkaline conditions (pH > 10) and elevated temperatures (>80.C). To elucidate the possibility of microbial life in deep serpentinitic crustal environments, International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 366 drilled into the Yinazao, Fantangisna, and Asut Tesoru serpentinite mud volcanoes on the Mariana Forearc. These mud volcanoes differ in temperature (80, 150, 250.C, respectively) of the underlying subducting slab, and in the porewater pH (11.0, 11.2, 12.5, respectively) of the serpentinite mud. Increases in formate and acetate concentrations across the three mud volcanoes, which are positively correlated with temperature in the subducting slab and coincide with strong increases in H 2 concentrations, indicate a serpentinization-related origin. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that formate is produced by equilibrium reactions with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) + H 2, and that equilibration continues during fluid ascent at temperatures below 80.C. By contrast, the mechanism(s) of acetate production are not clear. Besides formate, acetate, and H 2 data, we present concentrations of other SCOAs, methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfate, d13C-data on bulk carbon pools, and microbial cell counts. Even though calculations indicate a wide range of microbial catabolic reactions to be thermodynamically favorable, concentration profiles of potential energy substrates, and very low cell numbers suggest that microbial life is scarce or absent. We discuss the potential roles of temperature, pH, pressure, and dispersal in limiting the occurrence of microbial life in deep serpentinitic environments.

AB - Serpentinitic systems are potential habitats for microbial life due to frequently high concentrations of microbial energy substrates, such as hydrogen (H 2), methane (CH 4), and short-chain organic acids (SCOAs). Yet, many serpentinitic systems are also physiologically challenging environments due to highly alkaline conditions (pH > 10) and elevated temperatures (>80.C). To elucidate the possibility of microbial life in deep serpentinitic crustal environments, International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 366 drilled into the Yinazao, Fantangisna, and Asut Tesoru serpentinite mud volcanoes on the Mariana Forearc. These mud volcanoes differ in temperature (80, 150, 250.C, respectively) of the underlying subducting slab, and in the porewater pH (11.0, 11.2, 12.5, respectively) of the serpentinite mud. Increases in formate and acetate concentrations across the three mud volcanoes, which are positively correlated with temperature in the subducting slab and coincide with strong increases in H 2 concentrations, indicate a serpentinization-related origin. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that formate is produced by equilibrium reactions with dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) + H 2, and that equilibration continues during fluid ascent at temperatures below 80.C. By contrast, the mechanism(s) of acetate production are not clear. Besides formate, acetate, and H 2 data, we present concentrations of other SCOAs, methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfate, d13C-data on bulk carbon pools, and microbial cell counts. Even though calculations indicate a wide range of microbial catabolic reactions to be thermodynamically favorable, concentration profiles of potential energy substrates, and very low cell numbers suggest that microbial life is scarce or absent. We discuss the potential roles of temperature, pH, pressure, and dispersal in limiting the occurrence of microbial life in deep serpentinitic environments.

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KW - ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA

KW - DEEP SUBSEAFLOOR SEDIMENTS

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KW - HYDROGEN GENERATION

KW - HYDROTHERMAL REACTIVITY

KW - International Ocean Discovery Program

KW - MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES

KW - REDUCING BACTERIA

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KW - abiotic synthesis

KW - acetate

KW - deep biosphere

KW - formate

KW - limits of life

KW - methane

KW - serpentinization

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DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01729

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 1664-302X

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Microbiology

JF - Frontiers in Microbiology

IS - JULY

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ER -

Origin of Short-Chain Organic Acids in Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes of the Mariana Convergent Margin

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