Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-21-2025
Department
Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Marine cold seeps are unique ecological niches characterized by the emergence of hydrocarbons, including methane, which fosters diverse microbial communities. This study investigates the diversity and distribution of hydrocarbon-degrading genes and organisms in sediments from the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas, utilizing 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing to elucidate microbial community structure and functional potential. Our findings reveal distinct differences in hydrocarbon degrading gene profiles between the two seas, with pathways for aerobic and anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation co-existing in sediments from both basins. Aerobic pathways predominate in the surface sediments of the Mediterranean Sea, while anaerobic pathways are favored in the surface sediments of the anoxic Caspian Sea. Additionally, sediment depths significantly influence microbial diversity, with variations in gene abundance and community composition observed at different depths. Aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading genes decrease in diversity with depth in the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the diversity of aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading genes increases with depth in the Caspian Sea. These results enhance our understanding of microbial ecology in cold seep environments and have implications for bioremediation practices targeting hydrocarbon pollutants in marine ecosystems.
Publication Title
Microorganisms
Recommended Citation
Warkhade, Y.,
Schaerer, L. G.,
Bigcraft, I.,
Hazen, T. C.,
&
Techtmann, S. M.
(2025).
Diversity and Distribution of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Genes in the Cold Seeps from the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas.
Microorganisms,
13(2), article 222.
http://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020222
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/1541
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publisher's Statement
Publisher's record: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020222
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).