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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 1999, p. 2253-2255, Vol. 65, No. 5
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Rapid Microbial Production of Filamentous Sulfur
Mats at Hydrothermal Vents
Craig D.
Taylor,1,*
Carl O.
Wirsen,1 and
Françoise
Gaill2
Department of Biology, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
02543,1 and Laboratoire de Biologie
Marine, UMR 7622 CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie,
75005 Paris, France2
Received 4 January 1999/Accepted 1 March 1999
During recent oceanographic cruises to Pacific hydrothermal vent
sites (9°N and the Guaymas Basin), the rapid microbial formation of
filamentous sulfur mats by a new chemoautotrophic, hydrogen sulfide-oxidizing bacterium was documented in both in situ and shipboard experiments. Observations suggest that formation of these
sulfur mats may be a factor in the initial colonization of hydrothermal
surfaces by macrofaunal Alvinella worms. This novel
metabolic capability, previously shown to be carried out by a coastal
strain in H2S continuous-flow reactors, may be an important, heretofore unconsidered, source of microbial organic matter
production at deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Biology, MS 33, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Phone: (508) 289-2354. Fax: (508) 457-2134. E-mail:
ctaylor{at}whoi.edu.

Contribution number 9887 of the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 1999, p. 2253-2255, Vol. 65, No. 5
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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