Pink berry consortia Metagenome

Microbial consortia modulate biogeochemical cycles over short spatiotemporal scales that often elude detection by traditional analytical approaches. We investigate syntrophic sulfur cycling in the 'pink berry' consortia through an integrative, multidisciplinary study at the microbial scale. The pink berries are macroscopic, photosynthetic microbial aggregates composed primarily of two closely associated species: sulfide-oxidizing purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) of the family Chromatiaceae and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) from the Desulfobulbacaea. Metagenomic sequencing and the reconstruction of near-complete genomes for the PSB and SRB species reveals the genetic potential for sulfur cycling within the berries. Macroscopic microbial aggregates from the Sippewissett salt marsh, dominated by anoxygenic phototrophs (purple sulfur bacteria) and sulfate reducing bacteria.