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Insights into the metabolism of the high temperature microbial community of Tramway Ridge, Mount Erebus, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2016

Chelsea J. Vickers ,
Craig W. Herbold ,
S. Craig Cary  and
Ian R. Mcdonald
Chelsea J. Vickers
Affiliation:
International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Craig W. Herbold
Affiliation:
International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
S. Craig Cary
Affiliation:
International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Ian R. Mcdonald*
Affiliation:
International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
*
**corresponding author: i.mcdonald@waikato.ac.nz
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Abstract

Mount Erebus is the most active volcano on the Antarctic continent, and it has the most geographically and physically isolated geothermal soil on Earth. Preliminary genetic analysis of the microbial community present in the 65°C subsurface soil of Tramway Ridge, on Mount Erebus, revealed a unique high temperature ecosystem, with the dominant members possessing little genetic similarity to known bacteria. This study investigated the metabolism and physiology of this intriguing ecosystem using physical-chemical soil surveying, community-based phenotypic arrays, nutritional enrichment experiments and pyrosequencing. Results have provided new insights into the metabolic requirements and putative roles of specific organisms, as well as the significance of specific carbon and nitrogen sources. In enrichment experiments bicarbonate slowed down an otherwise dramatic shift in community structure. This suggests that bicarbonate maintains the native community in vitro by supplying an essential inorganic compound that is utilized for slow, autotrophic growth. This approach shows potential as a model for future investigations of cultivation resistant thermophilic communities.

Keywords

autotrophicbacteriaenrichmentphysiology
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 241 - 249
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Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2016 

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