Sorting Out the Ocean Crust Deep Biosphere with Single Cell Omics Approaches

Although oceanic crust comprises a large habitat for subsurface life, the structure, function, and dynamics of microbial communities living on rocks in the subsurface are poorly understood. Single cell level approaches can overcome limitations of low biomass in subsurface systems. Coupled with incubation experiments with amino acid orthologs, single cell level sorting can reveal high resolution information about identity, functional potential, and growth. Leveraging collaboration with the Single Cell Genomics Center and the Facility for Aquatic Cytometry at Bigelow Laboratory, we present recent results from single cell level sorting and -omics sequencing from several crustal environments, including the Atlantis Massif and the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank. We will also highlight new experiments conducted with samples recovered from the flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.