Lake Thetis Metagenome. Hypersaline lake metagenome

Mediterranean deep-sea hypersaline lakes (DHALs) are characterized by extreme salinity and redox gradients, and are inhabitated by vertically stratified microbial communities with lots of species from so far almost unknown taxonomic lineages. Lake Thetis is a new thalassohaline DHAL located SE of the Medriff corridor which is among the saltiest water bodies on the Earth. Direct sequencing of community DNA was done at two different depths, within the extremely saline anoxic brine itself, and at the still oxic interface layer between the brine and the seawater. This Thetis study provided taxonomic and metabolic insight into the microbial communities inhabiting the brine and interface compartments of this deep halophilic anoxic lake.