Phylogenetic Diversity of aprA Genes in Subseafloor Sediments on the Northwestern Pacific Margin off Japan

Masataka Aoki; Ryota Kakiuchi; Takashi Yamaguchi; Ken Takai; Fumio Inagaki; Hiroyuki Imachi

doi:10.1264/jsme2.ME15023

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Phylogenetic Diversity of aprA Genes in Subseafloor Sediments on the Northwestern Pacific Margin off Japan

Masataka Aoki, Ryota Kakiuchi, Takashi Yamaguchi, Ken Takai, Fumio Inagaki, Hiroyuki Imachi

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Keywords: aprA gene, sulfate reduction, sulfur oxidation, marine sediment

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Supplementary material

2015 Volume 30 Issue 3 Pages 276-280

DOI https://doi.org/10.1264/jsme2.ME15023

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Abstract

Markedly diverse sequences of the adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate reductase alpha subunit gene (aprA), which encodes a key enzyme in microbial sulfate reduction and sulfur oxidation, were detected in subseafloor sediments on the northwestern Pacific off Japan. The aprA gene sequences were grouped into 135 operational taxonomic units (90% sequence identity), including genes related to putative sulfur-oxidizing bacteria predominantly detected in sulfate-depleted deep sediments. Our results suggest that microbial ecosystems in the subseafloor biosphere have phylogenetically diverse genetic potentials to mediate cryptic sulfur cycles in sediments, even where sulfate is rarely present.

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