Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome
Abstract Microbes inhabiting and evolving in aquatic ecosystems beneath polar ice sheets subsist under energy-limited conditions while in relative isolation from surface gene pools and their common ancestral populations of origin. Samples obtained from beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) allowed...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62753-3 |
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| author | Kyung Mo Kim Kyuin Hwang Hanbyul Lee Ahnna Cho Christina L. Davis Brent C. Christner John C. Priscu Ok-Sun Kim |
| author_facet | Kyung Mo Kim Kyuin Hwang Hanbyul Lee Ahnna Cho Christina L. Davis Brent C. Christner John C. Priscu Ok-Sun Kim |
| author_sort | Kyung Mo Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Microbes inhabiting and evolving in aquatic ecosystems beneath polar ice sheets subsist under energy-limited conditions while in relative isolation from surface gene pools and their common ancestral populations of origin. Samples obtained from beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) allowed us to examine evolutionary relationships of and identify metabolic pathways in microbial genomes recovered from the Mercer Subglacial Lake (SLM) ecosystem. We obtained 1,374 single-cell amplified genomes (SAGs) from individual bacterial and archaeal cells that were isolated from samples of SLM’s water column and sediments. These genomes reveal that a diversity of microorganisms including Patescibacteria exists in SLM. Comparative analyses show that most genomes correspond to new species and taxonomic groups, with phylogenomic and functional evidence supporting their genetic isolation from marine and surface biomes. Genomic data reveal diverse metabolisms in SLM that are capable of oxidizing organic and inorganic compounds via aerobic or anaerobic respiration. Distinct metabolic guild structures are observed for the subglacial populations, where trophic shifts from organotrophy to chemolithotrophy may depend on oxygen availability. Our SAG data suggest versatile metabolic capabilities in the characterized microbial assemblage, reveal key energy-generating strategies in the subglacial aquatic ecosystem, and provide a framework to assess microbial evolution beneath WAIS. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ff94ff9e72c4083be59420228bf2cef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ff94ff9e72c4083be59420228bf2cef2025-08-20T04:03:13ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111610.1038/s41467-025-62753-3Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiomeKyung Mo Kim0Kyuin Hwang1Hanbyul Lee2Ahnna Cho3Christina L. Davis4Brent C. Christner5John C. Priscu6Ok-Sun Kim7Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-guDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-guDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-guDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-guDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of FloridaDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of FloridaDepartment of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences-Emeritus, Montana State UniversityDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-guAbstract Microbes inhabiting and evolving in aquatic ecosystems beneath polar ice sheets subsist under energy-limited conditions while in relative isolation from surface gene pools and their common ancestral populations of origin. Samples obtained from beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) allowed us to examine evolutionary relationships of and identify metabolic pathways in microbial genomes recovered from the Mercer Subglacial Lake (SLM) ecosystem. We obtained 1,374 single-cell amplified genomes (SAGs) from individual bacterial and archaeal cells that were isolated from samples of SLM’s water column and sediments. These genomes reveal that a diversity of microorganisms including Patescibacteria exists in SLM. Comparative analyses show that most genomes correspond to new species and taxonomic groups, with phylogenomic and functional evidence supporting their genetic isolation from marine and surface biomes. Genomic data reveal diverse metabolisms in SLM that are capable of oxidizing organic and inorganic compounds via aerobic or anaerobic respiration. Distinct metabolic guild structures are observed for the subglacial populations, where trophic shifts from organotrophy to chemolithotrophy may depend on oxygen availability. Our SAG data suggest versatile metabolic capabilities in the characterized microbial assemblage, reveal key energy-generating strategies in the subglacial aquatic ecosystem, and provide a framework to assess microbial evolution beneath WAIS.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62753-3 |
| spellingShingle | Kyung Mo Kim Kyuin Hwang Hanbyul Lee Ahnna Cho Christina L. Davis Brent C. Christner John C. Priscu Ok-Sun Kim Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome Nature Communications |
| title | Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| title_full | Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| title_fullStr | Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| title_short | Genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an Antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| title_sort | genetic isolation and metabolic complexity of an antarctic subglacial microbiome |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62753-3 |
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