Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41233919›Full record

ArticleMicrobiome2025

Deep-sea corals near cold seeps associate with sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs in the family Ca. Thioglobaceae.

Samuel A Vohsen, Harald R Gruber-Vodicka, Eslam O Osman, Matthew A Saxton, Samantha B Joye, Nicole Dubilier, Charles R Fisher, Iliana B Baums

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Article in Microbiome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Samuel A VohsenBiology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Harald R Gruber-VodickaSymbiosis Department, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
Eslam O OsmanBiology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Matthew A SaxtonDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Samantha B JoyeDepartment of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Nicole DubilierSymbiosis Department, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
Charles R FisherBiology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Iliana B BaumsBiology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. iliana.baums@hifmb.de.

Funding

National Science Foundation OCE-1516763, OCE-1537959 AND BIO-OCE-1220478
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCorals are known for their symbiotic relationships, yet there is limited evidence of chemoautotrophic associations. This is despite some corals occurring near cold seeps where chemosymbiotic fauna abound including mussels that host sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs from the SUP05 cluster (family Ca. Thioglobaceae). We investigated whether corals near cold seeps associate with related bacteria and report here that these associations are widespread.

resultsWe screened corals, water, and sediment for Thioglobaceae using 16S metabarcoding and found ASVs associated with corals at high relative abundance (10 - 91%). These ASVs were specific to coral hosts, absent in water samples, and rare or absent in sediment samples. Using metagenomics and transcriptomics, we assembled the genome of one phylotype associated with Paramuricea sp. B3 (ASV 4) which contained the genetic potential to oxidize sulfur and fix carbon, and confirmed that these pathways were transcriptionally active. Furthermore, its relative abundance was negatively correlated with the stable isotopic composition of its host coral's tissue suggesting some contribution of chemoautotrophy to the coral holobiont.

conclusionsWe propose that some lineages of Thioglobaceae may facultatively supplement the diet of their host corals through chemoautotrophy at seeps or may provide essential amino acids or vitamins. This is the first documented association between chemoautotrophic symbionts and corals at seeps and suggests that the footprint of chemosynthetic environments is wider than currently understood.

Indexed as

AnthozoaSulfurAnimalsChemoautotrophic GrowthMetagenomicsOxidation-ReductionPhylogenyRNA, Ribosomal, 16SSeawaterSymbiosisRNA, Ribosomal, 16SSulfurCarbon fixationChemoautotrophyCold seepDeep-seaDeep-sea coralsSulfur oxidationSUP05SymbiosisThioglobaceae

Identifiers

PMID41233919
PMCPMC12613352

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