Hydrogen and carbon monoxide oxidation in marine bacteria

Hydrogen and carbon monoxide are supersaturated in marine surface waters compared to the atmosphere, providing an accessible energy source for microbial communities. While marine CO oxidation is well-described, it is not yet known whether marine bacteria can also consume H2. We integrated genome-resolved metagenomics, biogeochemistry, thermodynamic modelling and culture-based analyses to profile H2 and CO oxidation by marine bacteria, to determine whether H2 is a significant energy source for marine communities.