Acetate degrading bacteria across temperature in Potter Cove sediment

An RNA-stable isotope probing incubation experiment was performed, investigating the actively acetate degrading bacterial community across a temperature gradient in Antarctic, glacial influenced sediments. Slurry was prepared in a 1:6 ratio of sediment and sulfate-free artificial sea water. The used sediment originated from core STA13.04, 0-29 cm, at station 13 in Potter Cove, King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo, West Antarctic Peninsula, retrieved in Austral summer 2019. The incubation experiment was performed anoxically for three treatments with 13C-labeled acetate and according unlabeled controls: lepidocrocite (iron(III) oxide) + acetate, sulfate + acetate and acetate-only; in biological triplicates, incubated at 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 degrees C in the dark. RNA was extracted from pooled biological triplicates and density separated by ultra-centrifugation. In selected retrieved fractions, the bacterial community was identified by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing on RNA (cDNA) level. The study was funded by DFG Schwerpunktprogram SPP 1158.