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Methane-Oxidizing Activity and Phylogenetic Diversity of Aerobic Methanotrophs in the Laptev Sea Upper Sediment Horizons

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Abstract—

Methane oxidation rates and diversity of methane-oxidizing microorganisms were studied in the upper sediment layers of the Laptev Sea (methane seep area, Lena fore-delta, shelf, and upper slope not affected by seeps and river flow). The highest methane concentrations and methane oxidation rates (up to 1.16 µmol СН4 dm−3 day−1) were revealed at the seep stations. Carbon dioxide was the main product of methane oxidation at all stations. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragments revealed microorganisms of the class Gammaproteobacteria, order Methylococcales. Since the share of methanotrophs was high at the sites of constant gas seepage (up to 1.93% of the total read number), they could be detected by sequencing of the native samples. Phylogenetic diversity of methane-oxidizing bacteria was not high, and all detected microorganisms belonged to the Deep-Sea 1 cluster. On the phylogenetic tree, the sequences formed a cluster together with the genus Methyloprofundus. Members of the genera Methylomonas and Methylobacter related to methanotrophs inhabiting freshwater ecosystems were revealed in enrichments from the coastal stations sediment samples.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to I.P. Semiletov, supervisor of the 73rd cruise of R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh and to all the scientific team and ship crew for creating conditions for sampling and for their assistance.

Funding

The work was partially funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project A 20-04-00126, and by the State Assignment of the Biotechnology Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    E. N. Tikhonova, I. I. Rusanov, E. E. Zakharova, O. S. Samylina & N. V. Pimenov

  2. Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    V. V. Kadnikov, A. V. Beletsky & N. V. Ravin

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  1. E. N. Tikhonova
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  2. V. V. Kadnikov
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  6. O. S. Samylina
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Correspondence to E. N. Tikhonova.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTION

I.I. Rusanov and O.S. Samylina chose the sampling sites and carried out sampling, primary processing, and sample description. E.E. Zakharova and I.I. Rusanov measured methane concentrations and methane oxidation rates. V.V. Kadnikov isolated DNA from native samples, sequenced the 16S rRNA gene, and constructed the phylogenetic tree. E.N. Tikhonova obtained enrichment cultures and carried out DNA isolation. N.V. Pimenov, E.N. Tikhonova, and I.I. Rusanov wrote the article. All authors participated in discussion of the results.

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Translated by P. Sigalevich

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Tikhonova, E.N., Kadnikov, V.V., Rusanov, I.I. et al. Methane-Oxidizing Activity and Phylogenetic Diversity of Aerobic Methanotrophs in the Laptev Sea Upper Sediment Horizons. Microbiology 90, 314–323 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261721030127

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