Seafloor mantle rocks Targeted loci environmental

One of the main goal of this project is the characterization of diverse microbial communities that inhabit the Atlantis Massif serpentine rocks. To overcome sequencing difficulties associated with low biomass level and high amount of inhibitive minerals to sequencing, combination of novel chemical and physical lysis steps were used in DNA extraction protocol followed by a purification technique which includes SCODA, synchronous coefficient of drag attenuation, technology. We sequenced archaeal 16S rRNA gene amplicons from the same 30 marine subsurface rock samples for which we already have bacterial sequence data. Our current question is What kinds of archaea inhabit the marine serpentinite subsurface? These results will allow us to understand the microbial community structure of the marine subsurface rocks of Atlantis Massif. PI Shahrzad Motamedi University of Utah, coPI William J. Brazelton University of Utah.