Determination of Microbial Diversity and Nitrogen Cycling from Kizildere Geothermal Field with Next Generation Sequencing
Abstract
The deep terrestrial subsurface biosphere represents an emerging frontier for studies of biodiversity, the physiological limits to life, microbial mechanisms of adaptation, and potentially analogous environments for extraterrestrial life (1). Last decade, researches of deep boreholes in the United States, Finland, Sweden, Japan and South Africa, using molecular tools, have shown an an active biosphere composed of diverse groups of microorganisms. The microbial communities reported from different subsurface communities vary widely; such differences are due to different host rock types and varied water origins and chemistry, as well as geography. Furthermore, nitrogen cycling is studied intensely in hot springs for instance in situ nifH expression in Yellowstone National Park, is a new upper temperature limit for nitrogen fixation in alkaline, terrestrial hydrothermal environments (2). This study explores the genetic diversity of microbial communities and genes of nitrogen cycling in Kizildere Geothermal Field, Turkey. The Kizildere thermal waters are located in the northern part of the Büyük Menderes rift zone. The hydrothermal alteration includes phyllic, argillic, silicic,hematitized, and carbonatized alteration zones. The surface temperatures of Kizildere thermal waters in drill holes range from 95 to100°C and pH 9.0-9.5. Microbial communities were examined using culture independent methods, next generation sequencing. Nitrogen fixation, the diversity of nifH, ammonia oxidation (amoA), narG, nosZ genes are investigated in deeply-sourced fluids. We present field observations and interpret new data, establishing a geobiological baseline for previously undescribed sitres of subsurface ecosystems. (1)Fredrickson et al. 2006. Geomicrobial processes and biodiversity in the deep terrestrial subsurface. Geomicrobiology J. 23:345-356. (2) Loiacono et al. 2012. Evidence for high-temperature in situ nifH transcription in an alkaline hot spring of Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. Env.Microbiology J Vol. 14, Issue 5, pages 1272-1283, May 2012
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.B51A0481G
- Keywords:
-
- 0448 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Geomicrobiology;
- 0456 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Life in extreme environments;
- 0465 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Microbiology: ecology;
- physiology and genomics;
- 1023 GEOCHEMISTRY / Composition of the biosphere