MOOMZ1 15m 2008 gene expression profile

To better understand the complex linkages among diverse microorganisms in marine oxygen minimum zones (OMZ), we conducted a metatranscriptomic survey of bacterioplankton community metabolism in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific OMZ off northern Chile. Microbial community DNA and RNA samples were collected from the ETSP OMZ as part of the Microbial Oceanography of Oxygen Minimum Zones (MOOMZ-1) cruise aboard the R/V Vidal Gormaz (June 12-23, 2008; late austral autumn). Seawater was sampled (via rosette) from four depths (50, 85, 110, 200 m) extending across the oxycline and into the upper OMZ at Station #3 (20* 07''S, 70* 23''W; ~1050 m water depth) off the coast of Iquique, Chile on June 16-17. Following a pre-filtration step (1.6 um filter), samples for RNA and DNA extraction were collected (onto separate 0.2 um filters) from the same water sample. Following extraction and a subtractive hybridization procedure to reduce levels of rRNA transcripts, total RNA was converted to cDNA and pyrosequenced along with the corresponding DNA sample for each depth.