With a focus on marine sediment launched by the tsunami accompanying the Great East Japan Earthquake, we examined the vertical (i.e., depths of 0–2, 2–10, and 10–20 mm) profiles of reduced inorganic sulfur species and microbial community using a newly improved sulfur-fractionation method and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. S0 accumulated at the largest quantities at a depth of 2–10 mm, while the reduced forms of sulfur, such as iron(II) sulfide and pyrite, were abundant below 2 mm of the sediment. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) related to chemolithotrophically sulfur-oxidizing Sulfurimonas denitrificans and Sulfurimonas autotrophica were only predominant at 2–10 mm, suggesting the involvement of these OTUs in the oxidation of sulfide to S0. In addition, Desulfocapsa sulfexigens, which is capable of chemolithotrophically disproportionating S0, prevailed at the same depth, indicating that accumulated S0 was converted to sulfate and sulfide. Although no significant differences were observed in sulfate concentrations across the depths examined, specific species of chemoorganotrophic sulfate reducers, i.e., Desulfotignum toluenicum and Desulfosalsimonas propionicica, showed significantly higher abundance at a depth of 2–10 mm than at the other depths examined. Organic matter potentially generated from sulfur oxidation and disproportionation may have served as the carbon source for the growth of these sulfate reducers. The present results demonstrated that sulfur oxidizers, a sulfur disproportionator, and sulfate reducers played vital roles in sulfur cycling with S0 as the key inorganic sulfur species in the oxic-anoxic boundary layer of the launched marine sediment.

中文翻译：

---

通过改进的硫分馏方法和 16S rRNA 基因测序对发射的海洋沉积物中的硫物种和微生物群落进行分层

重点关注伴随东日本大地震的海啸引发的海洋沉积物，我们检查了还原无机硫物种和微生物群落的垂直（即 0-2、2-10 和 10-20 毫米深度）剖面图，使用一种新改进的硫分馏方法和 16S rRNA 基因测序。S0 在 2-10 毫米深度处的积累量最大，而硫的还原形式，如硫化铁 (II) 和黄铁矿，在沉积物 2 毫米以下的地方很丰富。与化学单养硫氧化反硝化硫单胞菌和自养硫单胞菌相关的操作分类单元 (OTU) 仅在 2-10 毫米处占主导地位，表明这些 OTU 参与硫化物氧化成 S0。此外，Desulfocapsa sulfexigens 能够使 S0 化学同养歧化，在相同深度占优势，表明累积的 S0 转化为硫酸盐和硫化物。尽管在所检查的深度上没有观察到硫酸盐浓度的显着差异，但特定种类的化学有机营养硫酸盐还原剂，即 Desulfotignum toluenicum 和 Desulfosalimonas propionicica，在 2-10 毫米深度处的丰度显着高于其他检查深度。硫氧化和歧化可能产生的有机物质可能是这些硫酸盐还原剂生长的碳源。目前的结果表明，硫氧化剂、硫歧化剂和硫酸盐还原剂在硫循环中起着至关重要的作用，SO 作为发射的海洋沉积物的有氧-缺氧边界层中的关键无机硫物种。表明累积的 S0 转化为硫酸盐和硫化物。尽管在所检查的深度上没有观察到硫酸盐浓度的显着差异，但特定种类的化学有机营养硫酸盐还原剂，即 Desulfotignum toluenicum 和 Desulfosalsimonas propionicica，在 2-10 毫米深度处的丰度显着高于其他检查深度。硫氧化和歧化可能产生的有机物质可能是这些硫酸盐还原剂生长的碳源。目前的结果表明，硫氧化剂、硫歧化剂和硫酸盐还原剂在硫循环中起着至关重要的作用，SO 作为发射的海洋沉积物的有氧-缺氧边界层中的关键无机硫物种。表明累积的 S0 转化为硫酸盐和硫化物。尽管在所检查的深度上没有观察到硫酸盐浓度的显着差异，但特定种类的化学有机营养硫酸盐还原剂，即 Desulfotignum toluenicum 和 Desulfosalsimonas propionicica，在 2-10 毫米深度处的丰度显着高于其他检查深度。硫氧化和歧化可能产生的有机物质可能是这些硫酸盐还原剂生长的碳源。目前的结果表明，硫氧化剂、硫歧化剂和硫酸盐还原剂在硫循环中起着至关重要的作用，SO 作为发射的海洋沉积物的有氧-缺氧边界层中的关键无机硫物种。