Functional and taxonomic profiling of microbial communities in caves of the Algarve, Southern Portugal.. Labirinto Cave Metagenomes

This project is designed to deliver dense genetic data sets and sharply improve our understanding of microbial diversity, functioning and biogeography across cave ecosystems. The distinct Algarve karst region (southern Portugal) will be used as a model system in an unprecedented metagenomics quest for the hidden microbial taxa, genes and metabolic pathways present in pristine/undisturbed cave sediments. By overcoming the typical hurdles of traditional microbial cultivation approaches, and targeting cave microbial communities in a DNA-based, cultivation-independent fashion instead, this project will shed new light on the metabolic potential and life-style of hitherto “unculturable” microorganisms that inhabit these unique settings. Extensive data acquisition on key functional genes will ultimately permit future design of novel microbial cultivation platforms based on the predicted metabolism of cave sediment microorganisms. Furthermore, this analysis as a whole will considerably augment our current, limited knowledge of microbial diversity and function in these distinct ecosystems, which remain under-appreciated despite their relevance for global biogeochemistry.