Abstract
Isolations of pressure-adapted deep sea bacteria from depths of 1,400 to 5,100 m resulted in a variety of psychrophilic barotolerant and barophilic strains. Growth rates determined at different pressures indicated a gradual transition between the two types of pressure-adapted isolates. The presence of barotolerant bacteria in deep water, sustained by sinking particulate matter, causes the nonbarophilic response of natural populations, i.e., increased growth after decompression. With increasing pressure-adaptation in barophilic isolates the maximum growth rates at optimum pressures decrease. Thus, the observed general slow-down of microbial activity in the deep sea takes effect regardless of the common occurrence of psychrophilic and barophilic bacteria. The highest degree of barophilism was observed in isolates from nutrient-rich habitats such as intestinal tracts of deep sea animals or decaying carcasses. Detailed studies with an isolate, growing barophilically on a complex as well as a single-carbon-source medium, showed that (1) culturing at pressures lower than optimal for growth resulted in the formation of cell filaments, (2) growth was unaffected by repeated compression/decompression cycles and (3) no perceptible differences in the distribution of radiolabeled carbon from an amino acid mixture occurred in cells grown at, below and above the pressure optimal for growth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Biebl H, Pfennig N (1978) Growth yields of green sulfur bacteria in mixed cultures with sulfur and sulfate reducing bacteria. Arch Microbiol 117:9–16
Cronan JE, Gelmann EP (1975) Physical properties of membrane lipids: biological relevance and reguation. Bacteriol Rev 39:232–256
Cuhel RL, Jannasch HW, Taylor CD, Lean DRS (1983) Microbial growth and macromolecular synthesis in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Limnol Oceanogr 28:1–18
Deming JW, Colwell RR (1982) Barophilic bacteria associated with digestive tracts of abyssal holothurians. Appl Environ Microbiol 44:1222–1230
Deming JW, Tabor PS, Cowell RR (1981) Barophilic growth of bacteria from intestinal tracts of deep-sea invertebrates. Microb Ecol 7:85–94
Dietz AS, Yayanos AA (1978) Silica gel media for isolating and studying bacteria under hydrostatic pressure. Appl Environ Microbiol 36:966–968
Finnerty WR (1978) Physiology and biochemistry of bacterial phospholipid metabolism. Adv Microbial Physiol 9:177–233
Hobbie JE, Daley RJ, Jasper S (1977) Use of Nucleopore filters for counting bacteria by fluorescence microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol 33:1225–1228
Jannasch HW, Taylor CD (1984) Deep sea microbiology. Ann Rev Microbiol 38:487–514
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO (1973) Deep-sea microorganisms: in situ response to nutrient and enrichment. Science 180:641–643
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO (1977) Retrieval of concentrated and undecompressed microbial populations of the deep sea. Appl Environ Microbiol 33:642–646
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO (1982) Microbial activites in undecompressed and decompressed deep-seawater samples. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:1116–1124
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO, Taylor CD (1976) Undecompressed microbial populations from the deep sea. Appl Environ Microbiol 32:360–367
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO, Cuhel RL, Taylor CD (1980) An approach for in situ studies of deep-sea amphipods and their microbial gut flora. Deep-Sea Res 27:867–872
Jannasch HW, Wirsen CO, Taylor CD (1982) Deep-sea bacteria: Isolation in the absence of decompression. Science 216:1315–1317
Landau JV, Pope DH (1980) Recent advances in the area of barotolerant protein synthesis in bacteria and implications concerning barotolerant and barophilic growth. Adv Aquat Microbiol 2:49–76
Landau JV, Smith WP, Pope DH (1977) Role of the 30S ribosomal subunit, initiation factors, and specific ion concentration in barotolerant protein synthesis in Pseudomonas bathycetes. J Bact 130:154–159
Marquis RE (1976) High-pressure microbial physiology. Adv Microbiol Physiol 14:158–241
Marquis RE (1982) Microbial barobiology. BioScience 32:267–271
Marquis RE, Matsumura P (1978) Microbial life under pressure. In: Kushner DJ (ed) Microbial life in extreme environments. Academic Press, New York
Morita RY (1972) Pressure. 1. Bacteria, fungi and blue-green algae. In: Kinne O (ed) Marine ecology, vol 1. John Wiley New York, pp 1361–1388
Poindexter JS (1981a) The caulobacters: ubiquitous unusual bacteria. Microbiol Rev 45:123–179
Poindexter JS (1981b) Oligotrophy: feast and famine existence. Adv Microbial Ecol 5:67–93
Roberts RB, Abelson PH, Cowie DB, Bolton ET, Britten RJ (1963) Studies of biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Carnegie Inst Wash Publ 607, pp 521
Ruby EG, Jannasch HW (1982) Physiological characteristics of Thiomicrospira sp. strain L-12 isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. J Bacteriol 149:161–165
Ruby EG, Wirsen CO, Jannasch HW (1981) Chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from the Galapagos Rift hydrothermal vents. Appl Environ Microbiol 42:317–324
Taylor CD, Jannasch HW (1976) A subsampling technique for measuring growth of bacterial cultures under high hydrostatic pressure. Appl Environ Microbiol 32:355–360
Wirsen CO, Jannasch HW (1974) Microbial transformations of some 14C-labeled substrates in coastal water and sediment. Microbiol Ecol 1:23–35
Wirsen CO, Jannasch (1975) Activity of marine psychrophilic bacteria at elevated hydrostatic pressures and low temperatures. Mar Biol 31:201–208
Wirsen CO, Jannasch HW (1976) Decomposition of solid organic materials in the deep sea. Environ Sci Technol 10:880–887
Yayanos AA, Dietz AS (1983) Death of a hadal deep-sea bacterium after decompression. Science 220:497–498
Yayanos AA, Dietz AS, Van Boxtel R (1979) Isolation of a deep-sea barophilic bacterium and some of its growth characteristics. Science 205:808–810
Yayanos AA, Dietz AS, Van Boxtel R (1981) Obligately barophilic bacterium from the Mariana Trench. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78:5212–5215
Yayanos AA, Dietz AS, Van Boxtel R (1982) Dependence of reproduction rate on pressure as a hallmark of deep-sea bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 44:1356–1361
ZoBell CE (1970) Pressure effects on morphology and life processes of bacteria. In: Zimmerman HM (ed) High pressure effects on cellular processes, Academic Press, New York, pp 85–130
ZoBell CE, Cobet AB (1964) Filament formation by Escherichia coli at increased hydrostatic pressure. J Bact 87:710–719
ZoBell CE, Johnson FH (1949) The influence of hydrostatic pressure on the growth and viability of terrestrial and marine bacteria. J Bacteriol 57:179–189
ZoBell CE, Morita RY (1957) Barophilic bacteria in some deep sea sediments. J Bacteriol 73:563–568
ZoBell CE, Oppenheimer CH (1950) Some effects of hydrostatic pressure on the multiplication and morphology of marine bacteria. J Bacteriol 60:771–781
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to Professor Dr. Hans G. Schlegel on the occasion of his 60th birthday in recognition of his broad microbiological interests and in special appreciation of his lasting support for the Marine Microbiology Course at the Stazione Zoologica (Naples, Italy) now for almost 25 years
Non-standard abbreviations. The traditional use of atm as a unit of pressure (=10 m of water column, =1.013 bar, =101.3 kN/m2) is retained here in view of the important relation between water depth and hydrostatic pressure in the present study. Due to the compression of seawater and the geographic variability of gravity, there is a progressive deviation of the actual pressure with depth amounting to +4.9 atm at 5,000 m and a latitude of 30°. EPC, cell counts obtained by epifluorescence microscopy. PY, peptone yeast extract medium
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jannasch, H.W., Wirsen, C.O. Variability of pressure adaptation in deep sea bacteria. Arch. Microbiol. 139, 281–288 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408367
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408367