Deep-sea microbes: new database reveals hidden diversity
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Scientists at Bigelow Laboratory’s Single Cell Genomics Center in the United States created Global Ocean Reference Genomes Dark (GORG-Dark), a database of over 9,600 genomes from single microbial cells collected from the deep ocean.
The team gathered samples from locations including the Mariana Trench and Antarctica to build a detailed genetic catalog of life in the aphotic zone, the part of the ocean where sunlight does not reach.
By linking individual genomes to specific cells, researchers can now study rare deep-sea organisms with greater precision. The GORG-Dark database builds on a previous project focused on microbes in sunlit waters and provides a baseline for understanding the deep ocean before increasing human activity impacts it. Using the database, the scientists discovered that many deep-sea microbes possess the ability to use inorganic chemicals for energy, a process called chemoautotrophy, even at extreme depths.
This discovery suggests that deep-sea microbial communities play a significant role in global carbon and nutrient cycles. Researchers also identified genes that may be useful in developing new pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies, opening avenues for further exploration of the deep ocean’s potential benefits to human health.
