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Sulfide Spring Autotrophic CPR-Hosting Biofilm

Community ID CommunityMech:000222
Ecological State STABLE
Environment sulfide-rich spring biofilm
ENVO:01001063

An autotrophic biofilm community in sulfide-rich springs sustained by deeply sourced groundwater. Genome-resolved metagenomics combined with bulk geochemistry and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at room temperature and 87 K reveals biofilms dominated by chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria including Thiothrix and Beggiatoa, with diverse Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria (Gracilibacteria, Absconditabacteria, Saccharibacteria, Peregrinibacteria, Berkelbacteria, Microgenomates, Parcubacteria). STXM imaging shows ultra-small cells adhered near filamentous bacteria, suggesting CPR episymbiosis. Carbon K and sulfur L2,3 edge NEXAFS spectroscopy indicates that filamentous bacteria contain protein-encapsulated elemental sulfur granules consistent with Thiothrix-like sulfur oxidation, and Berkelbacteria and Moranbacteria are predicted to encode a novel electron bifurcation system.

Taxonomy

Taxon Ontology ID Functional Roles Abundance
Thiothrix NCBITaxon:1031
PRIMARY_PRODUCER PRIMARY_DEGRADER
DOMINANT
  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, including Thiothrix and Beggiatoa, dominate the biofilms"
Beggiatoa NCBITaxon:1021
PRIMARY_PRODUCER PRIMARY_DEGRADER
DOMINANT
  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, including Thiothrix and Beggiatoa, dominate the biofilms"
Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria NCBITaxon:1783234
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
N/A
  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "CPR Gracilibacteria, Absconditabacteria, Saccharibacteria, Peregrinibacteria, Berkelbacteria, Microgenomates, and Parcubacteria"

Ecological Interactions

Ecological interaction network for Sulfide Spring Autotrophic CPR-Hosting Biofilm Bipartite graph where circle nodes represent taxa and colored rectangles represent ecological interactions (cross-feeding, mutualism, syntrophy, competition, commensalism).
Taxon
Cross-feeding
Mutualism
Syntrophy
Competition
Commensalism
Niche partitioning
Colonization facilitation
Strain competition
Predation

Filamentous Sulfur Oxidation with Encapsulated S Granules

COMMENSALISM

Source Taxon: Thiothrix

Metabolites: sulfide (CHEBI:15138), elemental sulfur (CHEBI:26833)

Biological Processes:

Evidence

  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "filamentous bacteria contain protein-encapsulated spherical elemental sulfur granules, indicating that they are sulfur oxidizers, likely Thiothrix"

CPR Episymbiosis with Filamentous Hosts

COMMENSALISM

Source Taxon: Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria

Target Taxon: Thiothrix

Biological Processes:

  • interspecies interaction between organisms (GO:0044419)

Evidence

  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "STXM imaging revealed ultra-small cells near the surfaces of filamentous bacteria that may be CPR bacterial episymbionts"

External Resources

Name Repository Resource ID
Primary publication for the autotrophic sulfide-spring CPR biofilm
PubMed record for the Valentin-Alvarado et al. 2024 Microbiome paper on sulfide-spring biofilms hosting diverse CPR bacteria. 		OTHER PMID:38273328
  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "chemoautotrophically based biofilms that host diverse CPR bacteria"
DOI landing page
DOI link to the Microbiome paper. 		OTHER doi:10.1186/s40168-023-01704-w

Environmental Factors

Factor Value Unit
Sulfide-rich groundwater deeply sourced sulfide-rich spring water N/A
  • PMID:38273328 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)
    "Biofilms in sulfide-rich springs present intricate microbial communities"