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Response of hydrothermal vent vestimentiferan Riftia pachyptila to differences in habitat chemistry

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Abstract

Vestimentiferan tubeworms, which rely on intracellular sulfide-oxidizing autotrophic bacteria for organic carbon, flourish at deep-sea hydrothermal vents despite the erratic nature of their habitat. To assess the degree to which differences in habitat chemistry (sulfide, pH/CO2) might impact host and symbiont metabolic activity, Riftia pachyptila tubeworms were collected from habitats with low (H2S < 0.0001 mM) and high (up to 0.7 mM) sulfide concentrations. The elemental sulfur content of the symbiont-containing trophosome organ was lower in specimens collected from the low-sulfide site. Symbiont abundance, RubisCO activity, and trophosome carbon fixation rates were not significantly different for individuals collected from low- versus high-sulfide habitats. Carbonic anhydrase activities were higher in the anterior gas exchange organs of R. pachyptila from the low-sulfide habitat. Despite large differences in habitat chemistry, symbiont abundance and autotrophic potential were consistent, while the host appears to tailor carbonic anhydrase activity to environmental CO2 availability.

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Acknowledgments

We are extremely grateful to Colleen Cavanaugh for loaning the Capni-Con V for DIC quantification, to Stefan Sievert for inviting us on the FIX’08 research cruise (supported by the National Science Foundation NSF-OCE-0452333 to SS), to the pilots and crews of the R/V Atlantis and HOV ALVIN, as well as to Betty Loraam for assistance with electron microscopy. We are also thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. This work was supported by the University of South Florida and the National Science Foundation (NSF-MCB-0643713 to KMS). The NLB chemical habitat study was supported by Ifremer and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Kathleen M. Scott, Amanda J. Boller & Kimberly P. Dobrinski

  2. Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6, France

    Nadine Le Bris

  3. Benthic EcoGeochemistry Laboratory, LECOB CNRS—UPMC, FRE 3350, Banyuls Marine Station Oceanological Observatory, 66650, Banyuls Sur Mer, France

    Nadine Le Bris

Authors
  1. Kathleen M. Scott
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  2. Amanda J. Boller
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  3. Kimberly P. Dobrinski
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  4. Nadine Le Bris
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Correspondence to Kathleen M. Scott.

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Communicated by M. Kühl.

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Scott, K.M., Boller, A.J., Dobrinski, K.P. et al. Response of hydrothermal vent vestimentiferan Riftia pachyptila to differences in habitat chemistry. Mar Biol 159, 435–442 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1821-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1821-5

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