TY - JOUR

T1 - Methanotrophic bacterial symbionts fuel dense populations of deep-sea feather duster worms (Sabellida, Annelida) and extend the spatial influence of methane seepage

AU - Goffredi, Shana K.

AU - Tilic, Ekin

AU - Mullin, Sean W.

AU - Dawson, Katherine S.

AU - Keller, Abigail

AU - Lee, Raymond W.

AU - Wu, Fabai

AU - Levin, Lisa A.

AU - Rouse, Greg W.

AU - Cordes, Erik E.

AU - Orphan, Victoria J.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Deep-sea cold seeps are dynamic sources of methane release and unique habitats supporting ocean biodiversity and productivity. Here, we describe newly discovered animal-bacterial symbioses fueled by methane, between two species of annelid (a serpulid Laminatubus and sabellid Bispira) and distinct aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the Methylococcales, localized to the host respiratory crown. Worm tissue delta C-13 of -44 to -58 parts per thousand are consistent with methane-fueled nutrition for both species, and shipboard stable isotope labeling experiments revealed active assimilation of C-13-labeled methane into animal biomass, which occurs via the engulfment of methanotrophic bacteria across the crown epidermal surface. These worms represent a new addition to the few animals known to intimately associate with methane-oxidizing bacteria and may further explain their enigmatic mass occurrence at 150-million year-old fossil seeps. High-resolution seafloor surveys document significant coverage by these symbioses, beyond typical obligate seep fauna. These findings uncover novel consumers of methane in the deep sea and, by expanding the known spatial extent of methane seeps, may have important implications for deep-sea conservation.

AB - Deep-sea cold seeps are dynamic sources of methane release and unique habitats supporting ocean biodiversity and productivity. Here, we describe newly discovered animal-bacterial symbioses fueled by methane, between two species of annelid (a serpulid Laminatubus and sabellid Bispira) and distinct aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the Methylococcales, localized to the host respiratory crown. Worm tissue delta C-13 of -44 to -58 parts per thousand are consistent with methane-fueled nutrition for both species, and shipboard stable isotope labeling experiments revealed active assimilation of C-13-labeled methane into animal biomass, which occurs via the engulfment of methanotrophic bacteria across the crown epidermal surface. These worms represent a new addition to the few animals known to intimately associate with methane-oxidizing bacteria and may further explain their enigmatic mass occurrence at 150-million year-old fossil seeps. High-resolution seafloor surveys document significant coverage by these symbioses, beyond typical obligate seep fauna. These findings uncover novel consumers of methane in the deep sea and, by expanding the known spatial extent of methane seeps, may have important implications for deep-sea conservation.

KW - RIFTIA-PACHYPTILA JONES

KW - VENT TUBE WORM

KW - RIBOSOMAL-RNA

KW - COMMUNITIES

KW - MARGIN

KW - POLYCHAETA

KW - MUSSEL

KW - SERPULIDAE

KW - DIVERSITY

KW - ABUNDANCE

U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.aay8562

DO - 10.1126/sciadv.aay8562

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32284974

VL - 6

JO - Science advances

JF - Science advances

SN - 2375-2548

IS - 14

M1 - eaay8562

ER -