Fluids from aging ocean crust that support microbial life

被引:187
作者
Cowen, JP [1 ]
Giovannoni, SJ
Kenig, F
Johnson, HP
Butterfield, D
Rappé, MS
Hutnak, M
Lam, P
机构
[1] Univ Hawaii, Sch Ocean & Earth Sci & Technol, Dept Oceanog, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
[2] Oregon State Univ, Dept Microbiol, Corvallis, OR 97331 USA
[3] Univ Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
[4] Univ Washington, Joint Inst Study Atmosphere & Oceans, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
[5] Univ Washington, Sch Oceanog, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1126/science.1075653
中图分类号
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
Little is known about the potential for life in the vast, low-temperature (<100°C) reservoir of fluids within mid-ocean ridge flank and ocean basin crust. Recently, an overpressured 300-meter-deep borehole was fitted with an experimental seal (CORK) delivering crustal fluids to the sea floor for discrete and large-volume sampling and characterization. Results demonstrate that the 65°C fluids from 3.5-million-year-old ocean crust support microbial growth. Ribosomal RNA gene sequence data indicate the presence of diverse Bacteria and Archaea, including gene clones of varying degrees of relatedness to known nitrate reducers (with ammonia production), thermophilic sulfate reducers, and thermophilic fermentative heterotrophs, all consistent with fluid chemistry.
引用
收藏
页码:120 / 123
页数:5
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