Diversity of methyl alkyl succinate synthase genes in hydrocarbon seep sediments (Raw sequence reads)

In this study, the potential of hydrocarbon biodegradation in marine sediments was determined through the detection of a functional biomarker, the masD gene encoding (1-methyl-alkyl) succinate synthase, the key enzyme of anaerobic alkane degradation. We studied the masD diversity in 12 sampling sites from 7 methane, gas and hydrocarbon seeps differing in water depth, sediment depth, temperature, sulfate reduction rate and hydrocarbon composition (alkanes, aromatics) by parallel 454-tagged sequencing.本研究通过检测功能性生物标志物（functional biomarker）——编码(1-甲基烷基)琥珀酸合酶的masD基因（该酶为厌氧烷烃降解的关键酶），确定了海洋沉积物中烃类生物降解的潜力。我们采用并行454标记测序技术，对7处甲烷、天然气与烃类冷泉的12个采样位点的masD基因多样性展开了研究，这些冷泉在水深、沉积物深度、温度、硫酸盐还原速率及烃类组成（烷烃、芳香烃）方面存在差异。