A new genus Turneroconcha (Bivalvia: Vesicomyidae: Pliocardiinae) for the giant hydrothermal vent clam 'Calyptogena' magnifica.

A new monotypic genus, Turneroconcha, is established for T. magnifica (Boss Turner) which was originally assigned to the genus Calyptogena Dall. The distinguishing morphological characters of the new genus are the combination of both conchological and anatomical features including: the presence of only two tooth elements in the right valve; submerged location of the posterior part of the posterior lamellar ligament layer; the absence of a subumbonal pit, lunular incision, escutcheon and pallial sinus; the presence of both pairs of demibranchs; the tubular structure of marginal parts of the interlamellar septa in gills; an inner valve of the inhalant siphon without processes; tentaculate inner mantle fold 3 and a Z-shaped digestive tract. Analysis of morphological data on Recent and fossil pliocardiines shows that Turneroconcha gen. nov. can be presently considered as a monotypic genus. The comparative morphological analysis of the new genus with described pliocardiine genera is consistent with available molecular results. Turneroconcha gen. nov. is endemic to the East-Pacific Rise and Galapagos Rift and occurs at water depths of 2251 to 2791 m. It is the only pliocardiine genus known so far with a mainly epifaunal life habit. No fossils of Turneroconcha gen. nov. are known.

Anaerobic Degradation of Non-Methane Alkanes by "Candidatus Methanoliparia" in Hydrocarbon Seeps of the Gulf of Mexico.

Crude oil and gases in the seabed provide an important energy source for subsurface microorganisms. We investigated the role of archaea in the anaerobic degradation of non-methane alkanes in deep-sea oil seeps from the Gulf of Mexico. We identified microscopically the ethane and short-chain alkane oxidizers "Candidatus Argoarchaeum" and "Candidatus Syntrophoarchaeum" forming consortia with bacteria. Moreover, we found that the sediments contain large numbers of cells from the archaeal clade "Candidatus Methanoliparia," which was previously proposed to perform methanogenic alkane degradation. "Ca. Methanoliparia" occurred abundantly as single cells attached to oil droplets in sediments without apparent bacterial or archaeal partners. Metagenome-assembled genomes of "Ca. Methanoliparia" encode a complete methanogenesis pathway including a canonical methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) but also a highly divergent MCR related to those of alkane-degrading archaea and pathways for the oxidation of long-chain alkyl units. Its metabolic genomic potential and its global detection in hydrocarbon reservoirs suggest that "Ca. Methanoliparia" is an important methanogenic alkane degrader in subsurface environments, producing methane by alkane disproportionation as a single organism.IMPORTANCE Oil-rich sediments from the Gulf of Mexico were found to contain diverse alkane-degrading groups of archaea. The symbiotic, consortium-forming "Candidatus Argoarchaeum" and "Candidatus Syntrophoarchaeum" are likely responsible for the degradation of ethane and short-chain alkanes, with the help of sulfate-reducing bacteria. "Ca. Methanoliparia" occurs as single cells associated with oil droplets. These archaea encode two phylogenetically different methyl-coenzyme M reductases that may allow this organism to thrive as a methanogen on a substrate of long-chain alkanes. Based on a library survey, we show that "Ca. Methanoliparia" is frequently detected in oil reservoirs and may be a key agent in the transformation of long-chain alkanes to methane. Our findings provide evidence for the important and diverse roles of archaea in alkane-rich marine habitats and support the notion of a significant functional versatility of the methyl coenzyme M reductase.

Fueled by methane: deep-sea sponges from asphalt seeps gain their nutrition from methane-oxidizing symbionts.

Sponges host a remarkable diversity of microbial symbionts, however, the benefit their microbes provide is rarely understood. Here, we describe two new sponge species from deep-sea asphalt seeps and show that they live in a nutritional symbiosis with methane-oxidizing (MOX) bacteria. Metagenomics and imaging analyses revealed unusually high amounts of MOX symbionts in hosts from a group previously assumed to have low microbial abundances. These symbionts belonged to the Marine Methylotrophic Group 2 clade. They are host-specific and likely vertically transmitted, based on their presence in sponge embryos and streamlined genomes, which lacked genes typical of related free-living MOX. Moreover, genes known to play a role in host-symbiont interactions, such as those that encode eukaryote-like proteins, were abundant and expressed. Methane assimilation by the symbionts was one of the most highly expressed metabolic pathways in the sponges. Molecular and stable carbon isotope patterns of lipids confirmed that methane-derived carbon was incorporated into the hosts. Our results revealed that two species of sponges, although distantly related, independently established highly specific, nutritional symbioses with two closely related methanotrophs. This convergence in symbiont acquisition underscores the strong selective advantage for these sponges in harboring MOX bacteria in the food-limited deep sea.

Short-chain alkanes fuel mussel and sponge Cycloclasticus symbionts from deep-sea gas and oil seeps.

Cycloclasticus bacteria are ubiquitous in oil-rich regions of the ocean and are known for their ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, we describe Cycloclasticus that have established a symbiosis with Bathymodiolus heckerae mussels and poecilosclerid sponges from asphalt-rich, deep-sea oil seeps at Campeche Knolls in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that, in contrast to all previously known Cycloclasticus, the symbiotic Cycloclasticus appears to lack the genes needed for PAH degradation. Instead, these symbionts use propane and other short-chain alkanes such as ethane and butane as carbon and energy sources, thus expanding the limited range of substrates known to power chemosynthetic symbioses. Analyses of short-chain alkanes in the environment of the Campeche Knolls symbioses revealed that these are present at high concentrations (in the µM to mM range). Comparative genomic analyses revealed high similarities between the genes used by the symbiotic Cycloclasticus to degrade short-chain alkanes and those of free-living Cycloclasticus that bloomed during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Our results indicate that the metabolic versatility of bacteria within the Cycloclasticus clade is higher than previously assumed, and highlight the expanded role of these keystone species in the degradation of marine hydrocarbons.

Vesicomyidae (bivalvia): current taxonomy and distribution.

Vesicomyid bivalves are a consistent component of communities of sulphide-rich reducing environments distributed worldwide from 77 degrees N to 70 degrees S at depths from 100 to 9050 m. Up-to-now the taxonomy of the family has been uncertain. In this paper, the current state of vesicomyid taxonomy and distribution at the generic rank are considered. This survey is founded on a database including information both from literature sources and also unpublished data of the authors on all recent species of vesicomyids. We suggest that the Vesicomyidae is not a synonym of Kelliellidae, and is therefore a valid family name. We propose to divide the family Vesicomyidae into two subfamilies: Vesicomyinae and Pliocardiinae. The Vesicomyinae includes one genus, Vesicomya, which comprises small-sized bivalves characterized by non-reduced gut and the absence of subfilamental tissue in gills. Symbiosis with chemoautotrophic bacteria has, so far, not been proved for Vesicomya and the genus is not restricted to sulphide-rich reducing habitats. The subfamily Pliocardiinae currently contains about 15 genera with mostly medium or large body size, characterized by the presence of subfilamental tissue in the gills. The Pliocardiinae are highly specialized for sulphide-rich reducing environments, harbouring chemoautrophic bacteria in their gills. This is the first summary of the generic structure of the family Vesicomyidae that allow us to analyze the distribution of vesicomyids at the generic level. We recognize here five different distribution patterns that are related to the specific environmental demands. The general trends in the distribution patterns of the vesicomyids are an occurrence of the majority of genera in broad geographical ranges and the prevalence of near continental type of distribution.