Microbiomes of Hadal Fishes across Trench Habitats Contain Similar Taxa and Known Piezophiles
Jessica M. Blanton, Logan M. Peoples, Mackenzie E. Gerringer, Caroline M. Iacuaniello, Natalya D. Gallo, Thomas D. Linley, Alan J. Jamieson, Jeffrey C. Drazen, Douglas H. Bartlett, Eric E. Allen
Abstract
Hadal trenches, characterized by high hydrostatic pressures and low temperatures, are one of the most extreme environments on our planet. By examining the microbiome of abyssal and hadal fishes, we provide insight into the diversity and distribution of host-associated life at great depth. Our findings show that there are similar microbial populations in fishes geographically separated by thousands of miles, reflecting strong selection for specific microbial lineages. Only a few psychropiezophilic taxa, which do not reflect the diversity of microbial life at great depth, have been successfully isolated in the laboratory. Our examination of deep-sea fish microbiomes shows that typical high-pressure culturing methodologies, which have largely remained unchanged since the pioneering work of Claude ZoBell in the 1950s, may simulate the chemical environment found in animal guts and helps explain why the same deep-sea genera are consistently isolated.