Archaeal 16S rRNA community of protein amended anaerobic marine sediment slurries of the Helgoland mud area

An incubation experiment was performed, investigating protein degradation by uncultivated Thermoplasmatota in marine anaerobic sediments of the Helgoland mud area. Slurry for the first generation was prepared in a 1:4 ratio of sediment and sulfate-free artificial sea water. The used sediment originated from core HE483 station 2-2, 45-70 cm and was retrieved by gravity coring in 2017. The incubation experiment was performed anoxically for two treatments: the control sample was amended with 20 mM sulfate (Na2SO4) and an antibiotics mix (D-cycloserin, kanamycin, vancomycin, ampicillin and streptomycin; 50 mg/l for each), the protein amended sample was additionally amended with 1.86 g/l egg white protein. After 372 days 5 mL of the first generation incubations were transferred into anoxic Widdel medium. The incubation experiment was performed anoxically for two treatments in duplicates: the control samples were amended with 30 mM sulfate (Na2SO4) and an antibiotics mix (D-cycloserin, kanamycin, vancomycin, ampicillin and streptomycin; 40 mg/l for each), the protein amended samples were additionally amended with 2.33 g/l egg white protein. Sampling of the second generation was performed after 98 and 157 days. DNA was extracted and the present and active archaeal community was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.