Environmental genomics reveals a single-species ecosystem deep within Earth

Science. 2008 Oct 10;322(5899):275-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1155495.

Abstract

DNA from low-biodiversity fracture water collected at 2.8-kilometer depth in a South African gold mine was sequenced and assembled into a single, complete genome. This bacterium, Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator, composes >99.9% of the microorganisms inhabiting the fluid phase of this particular fracture. Its genome indicates a motile, sporulating, sulfate-reducing, chemoautotrophic thermophile that can fix its own nitrogen and carbon by using machinery shared with archaea. Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator is capable of an independent life-style well suited to long-term isolation from the photosphere deep within Earth's crust and offers an example of a natural ecosystem that appears to have its biological component entirely encoded within a single genome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Ammonia / metabolism
  • Carbon / metabolism
  • Ecosystem*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genome, Bacterial*
  • Genomics / methods*
  • Gold
  • Mining
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Movement
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Peptococcaceae / classification
  • Peptococcaceae / genetics*
  • Peptococcaceae / growth & development
  • Peptococcaceae / physiology
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • South Africa
  • Spores, Bacterial / physiology
  • Sulfates / metabolism
  • Temperature
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • Sulfates
  • Carbon
  • Gold
  • Ammonia

Associated data

  • GENBANK/CP000860
  • GENBANK/EU730965
  • GENBANK/EU730966
  • GENBANK/EU730967
  • GENBANK/EU730968
  • GENBANK/EU730969
  • GENBANK/EU730970
  • GENBANK/EU730971
  • GENBANK/EU730972
  • GENBANK/EU730973
  • GENBANK/EU730974
  • GENBANK/EU730975
  • GENBANK/EU730976
  • GENBANK/EU730977
  • GENBANK/EU730978
  • GENBANK/EU730979
  • GENBANK/EU730980
  • GENBANK/EU730981
  • GENBANK/EU730982
  • GENBANK/EU730983
  • GENBANK/EU730984
  • GENBANK/EU730985
  • GENBANK/EU730986
  • GENBANK/EU730987
  • GENBANK/EU730988
  • GENBANK/EU730989
  • GENBANK/EU730990
  • GENBANK/EU730991
  • GENBANK/EU730992
  • GENBANK/EU730993
  • GENBANK/EU730994
  • GENBANK/EU730995
  • GENBANK/EU730996
  • GENBANK/EU730997
  • GENBANK/EU730998
  • GENBANK/EU730999
  • GENBANK/EU731000
  • GENBANK/EU731001
  • GENBANK/EU731002
  • GENBANK/EU731003
  • GENBANK/EU731004
  • GENBANK/EU731005
  • GENBANK/EU731006
  • GENBANK/EU731007
  • GENBANK/EU731008