Early steps in microbial colonization processes at deep-sea hydrothermal vents

Summary A pluri‐disciplinary in situ colonization experiment was performed to study early stages of colonization in deep‐sea vent Alvinella spp. worm habitats. Four colonization devices were deployed onto Alvinella spp. colonies of different chimneys of the East‐Pacific Rise (EPR 13°N), for two diff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental microbiology 2004-03, Vol.6 (3), p.227-241
Main Authors: Alain, Karine, Zbinden, Magali, Le Bris, Nadine, Lesongeur, Françoise, Quérellou, Joël, Gaill, Françoise, Cambon-Bonavita, Marie-Anne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Archaea - classification
Bacterial Adhesion
Cluster Analysis
DNA, Bacterial - chemistry
DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification
DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry
DNA, Ribosomal - isolation & purification
Ecosystem
Epsilonproteobacteria - classification
Epsilonproteobacteria - cytology
Epsilonproteobacteria - growth & development
Epsilonproteobacteria - isolation & purification
Marine Biology
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Polychaeta - growth & development
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics
Seawater - chemistry
Seawater - microbiology
Seawater - parasitology
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
Temperature
Water Microbiology
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Summary:Summary A pluri‐disciplinary in situ colonization experiment was performed to study early stages of colonization in deep‐sea vent Alvinella spp. worm habitats. Four colonization devices were deployed onto Alvinella spp. colonies of different chimneys of the East‐Pacific Rise (EPR 13°N), for two different periods: a short (less than a week) and a longer one (3 weeks). Video imagery and monitoring of the thermal and physico‐chemical conditions were performed during the colonization experiments. Numerous microorganisms bearing specialized adhesion‐appendages and/or high amounts of polymeric extracellular matrix were observed on devices, which may efficiently contribute to the colonization of new surfaces. The microbial cohorts preceding and accompanying Alvinella spp. settlement were identified. In all cases, Archaea could not be detected and the microbial mats were essentially composed of e‐Proteobacteria. Within this group, one phylotype (AlviH2) was found to dominate the libraries of three colonization devices. Dominance of e‐Proteobacteria in the libraries may reflect the wide physiological variety encountered within this group or an adaptability of these microorganisms towards their changing environment. Bacteria affiliated to the Cytophaga‐Flavobacterium‐Bacteroides group or to the e‐Proteobacteria, that grow either chemo‐organoheterotrophically by fermentation or chemolithoautotrophically with H2 as an electron donor and S°/S2O32– or NO3– as a terminal electron acceptor, were isolated from one of the microbial mat formed in 20 days.
ISSN:1462-2912
1462-2920
DOI:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2003.00557.x