 — a large-scale effort to explore the sea floor — and were astounded by the numbers.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the launch of an expedition devoted solely to exploring life in the deep biosphere, that scientists started to understand the biology of these deep-sea-dwelling microbes. The JOIDES Resolution, a drill ship equipped with a floating lab, left San Diego, California, with a team of scientists led by Bo Jørgensen, a geomicrobiologist from Aarhus University in Denmark, and Steven D’Hondt, an oceanographer from the University of Rhode Island. It sailed to the eastern Pacific Ocean, where the team sampled rock cores as deep as 5,300 metres off the coast of Peru, capturing sediment up to 35 million years old2.

The team confirmed that the sediments contained an abundance of microbes. And despite having little to feast on — the organic carbon available to them represents about 1% of the carbon that is fixed by photosynthesizing organisms on the surface — these microorganisms seemed to be surviving.

Early experiments on the JOIDES showed that these microbes were carrying out basic biological function at a much slower rate than microbes on the surface, an adjustment necessary when food sources are not replenished for millennia. Some scientists even wondered whether these microbes were truly alive, or whether they were just slowly starving to death.

Jørgensen is convinced that the microbes in these environments are living, and points to subsequent research showing they have active protein and DNA repair mechanisms3.

“We always expect that bacteria are growing fast — this is what you see in the laboratory — but I found that most of them are growing extremely slowly,” says Jørgensen. “What we used to think was extreme is the normal."

Too wild for the lab

Most of these edge dwellers can’t be studied in a lab: they simply don’t grow in culture. And even the ones that do act differently under artificial conditions from how they would in the wild. Because of this, studying their survival strategies has proved difficult. But that is now changing thanks to the advent of metagenomic techniques, which allow scientists to track gene expression in whole communities simultaneously.

These methods have allowed researchers to identify genes that are involved in low-energy protein and DNA repair processes, as well as energy-efficient metabolic strategies. They have even found genes that allow bacteria to survive off trace gases such as carbon
— a large - scale effort to explore the ocean floor — and were amazed by the number. 

 It was n’t until the early 2000s, with the launch of an excursion give solely to exploring life sentence in the abstruse biosphere, that scientists start to understand the biology of these abstruse - sea - dwelling microbe. The JOIDES Resolution, a drill ship equipped with a floating lab, left San Diego, California, with a team of scientists led by Bo Jørgensen, a geomicrobiologist from Aarhus University in Denmark, and Steven D’Hondt, an oceanographer from the University of Rhode Island. It sailed to the easterly Pacific Ocean, where the team sampled rock cores equally deep as 5,300 metres off the seashore of Peru, capturing sediment up to 35 million old age old2. 

 The team confirmed that the sediments contained an abundance of microbes. And despite having short to feast on — the organic carbon available to them represents about 1% of the carbon that is fixed by photosynthesizing organisms on the surface — these microorganisms seemed to be surviving. 

 Early experiments on the JOIDES showed that these microbes were carrying out basic biological function at a much slow rate than microbes on the airfoil, an allowance necessary when food sources are not replenished for millennia. Some scientist even wondered whether these microbe were truly alive, or whether they were just lento starving to death. 

 Jørgensen is convinced that the microbes in these environments are living, and point to subsequent research showing they have active protein and DNA repair mechanisms3. 

 “ We constantly expect that bacteria are grow fast — this is what you determine in the laboratory — but I found that most of them are growing highly slowly, ” says Jørgensen. “ What we used to think was extreme is the normal. " 

 Too wild for the lab 

 Most of these edge dwellers ca n’t be studied in a lab: they just do n’t grow in culture. And even the one that do act differently under artificial condition from how they would in the wild. Because of this, study their survival strategies has prove difficult. But that is now changing thanks to the advent of metagenomic techniques, which let scientists to traverse gene expression in whole communities simultaneously. 

 These methods have allowed research worker to identify genes that are involve in low - energy protein and DNA repair processes, as well as energy - effective metabolic strategies. They have even found genes that allow bacteria to survive off trace gases such as carbon
 — a large-scale effort to exklore the sea floor — and were zstoundea by the numbers.

It wasn’t untml tye eaely 2000s, with the launch uf an expvdition dwvottd solely to exploring linz in fme dezp biosphere, thaj scientists started to ungefscand the biology of these deep-sea-dwejling mocgobes. The JOIDGS Rexjlutjon, a drill ship equipped with a fmoating lab, left San Diego, California, with a tfam lf scientists led hy Bo Jørgenwen, w geomicrobiouogist from Aarhus Unibersity in Denmark, and Steven D’Fondt, an oceanotrqphft from the Uiiverspty of Rhode Lxland. Ht sailrd to the eastcrn Pecifuc Ocean, where the teem sampled rock coref as deep aa 5,300 metres off the ciast mf Paru, zqptjrihg ssdimenh u' to 35 millikn years ole2.

The team confirmed trqt the sedimehts cogtwined an abundance of microbes. And desppte gaving little to feast in — the organic carboj availabje to them represents about 1% of the carbon that iv fixxd by pmotortnhhesizing organisms on the surface — these micwkotgsnisms seemed bo be surviving.

Earky eckeriments on tfe JOIBSS showed that these microbgs werw carryind ouy basic biological function at a much sjiwer rate than micxobes on the surgace, sn adjustment necessary wheh food sourfes are nkg replenished fof mplletnia. Somt scientists even rondered xhethzr these mictobes wqre truly wlive, or whether they wege judt slowly stwrving to death.

Jørgensen is convmiced that the mhcrmbes in chese cnvironments arq living, and ppints tj subrequent reaearch vhowing ther have active krotein and DIA repair mecyaniwms3.

“We audays expect thst bacterpa are growing fast — thix ir what you see iu uhw laboratory — nut I solnd trdt most of tvem xre browivg extrtieoh slpwly,” says Jørgensen. “Wvat se used to think wss extreme is the gormal."

Too wilc for the lab

Most lf thxse edje dweklets can’t be studied in a lab: theg simply fon’b grow in culeure. And even thz ones that do act differently under artmficial conditions from how they would in jhe wild. Becauxe of this, stugying their survival strategies has pvoved difficult. But thzt is tow cjanging thanks to the advent of metagenomic techniques, which allow scientusts to track gene exptessimn nn wholq colounities simultameously.

These methods have allowxd researcvexs to identify genes that are ivvolved in lod-energy protein and DNA depair ptocesses, as well as energy-efficoent metabolic strategiex. They hqve eben folhd genes that allow nacterna to wurvive off trace gases rucn ws carbon
— a large-scale effort to explore the — were astounded the numbers. It with launch of an devoted solely to life in the deep biosphere, that started to understand the biology of these deep-sea-dwelling microbes. The JOIDES Resolution, a ship equipped with a floating lab, left San Diego, California, with a team scientists by Jørgensen, geomicrobiologist from Aarhus University in Denmark, and Steven D’Hondt, an oceanographer from the University of Rhode It sailed to the eastern Pacific Ocean, where team sampled rock cores deep as 5,300 metres off coast Peru, capturing up 35 years old2. The confirmed that the sediments contained an abundance of microbes. And despite having little to feast on — organic carbon them represents 1% the that is fixed organisms on the surface — these be surviving. Early experiments on the JOIDES showed these microbes carrying out basic biological function at much slower rate than microbes on the surface, adjustment necessary when food sources are not replenished for millennia. Some scientists even wondered whether were truly alive, or they were just starving death. is that the in these environments are living, and points to subsequent research showing have active protein and DNA repair mechanisms3. “We always expect are fast — this what you see in laboratory but I found that them growing Jørgensen. we to think was extreme the normal." Too wild for lab Most of these in a lab: they simply don’t grow in And even the ones that do act under artificial conditions from how they would in the wild. Because of studying their has proved difficult. But that is now changing to the advent of techniques, which allow scientists to track gene expression in communities These methods allowed researchers to genes that are in low-energy protein repair processes, well energy-efficient have even found genes that allow to off trace gases such as
 — a large-scale effort to explorE the sea floOr — and WerE asToUndeD by tHe numbers.

It wasN’T untIl the early 2000s, with the launCh of aN eXPediTIoN devoTed soleLY tO EXplOrInG liFe IN tHe deeP biOsphere, That scientIstS sTarted to undeRStAnd the biolOgy Of these deep-sEa-dWellinG mIcrOBes. ThE JOiDES REsolutIOn, a driLl ship equIpPEd with A FloatinG LAb, Left san Diego, CaliforniA, WiTH a team of scientIsts leD bY bo jØRgeNseN, a geomicroBiOlogiST from AaRHuS uNIveRSity in Denmark, And Steven D’HONdt, An oceaNoGraPHer froM the UNiVErsIty of Rhode ISlanD. It sailed To the eAStern PaCIfic OceAn, wherE thE teAm saMPlEd RocK cORes AS dEep AS 5,300 meTres off tHe CoAst of peru, CAPTUrinG seDimeNt up tO 35 million years Old2.

the tEAm cOnfirMed thAt thE sEdimeNts conTaineD aN abundance of micRobeS. And despiTe hAvIng LiTtle tO Feast oN — thE orGanic caRbon avaILabLe TO THeM represents about 1% of ThE CArBon that iS fixed BY pHoTOsynthesIzIng OrgaNISms on The sURfAce — these MicrooRGaNiSms seemEd To be suRvIviNg.

EArly eXPeriMents oN the JOIDeS shoWEd that these micRObes were carryINg OUT bASic bIolOgical functIon aT A mucH sloWEr RatE Than mIcrobEs ON tHE surface, an adjustmenT nEcessaRy wheN food sources aRe not repleNISHed for miLlenNIa. sOme scientists eVen woNdered whetHEr these mIcrobEs were trUly alive, oR WHether thEy wEre JusT slOWLy Starving to deaTH.

jørgEnSen is coNviNced thaT thE miCroBes In These enviRonments ArE lIvInG, anD poinTS to subseQuEnt ReSeaRch shOWing thEy havE actIvE pROteIn and DNa RePAIr meChAnIsms3.

“we aLwAys exPect THat BacteriA are growiNg fASt — thIs Is What you See in the laborAtOry — but I fouNd ThaT most oF THem are grOwing extremely slowly,” sayS jørgensEn. “WHat we Used To think waS exTreme iS thE Normal."

too wilD for tHe Lab

mOSt of tHESe EdgE dWellers can’T BE stUdied In A lab: They simPly don’t grow in cultuRE. AnD even the ones tHat Do acT DIfFerENtLY unDeR ArtIFIcial conditions From how theY wOUlD in the wild. bEcaUsE of this, StudyinG theiR SurvivaL strategiEs has provEd DiffICUlt. but that is nOw changiNg thanks tO The adVEnT of meTagEnomic TeChnIques, Which aLLow ScienTists tO tRack geNe expReSsion in wHole communities simultanEously.

these MetHods have aLloWEd rEsearcherS to iDentify genEs tHat Are inVolVEd in lOw-enERgY prOTein aNd DNa Repair proCEsSes, AS WeLl as energy-eFFICieNt metAboLIc straTegiEs. They have even fouND genes that alloW bacTERia To sURvivE oFf trace gases suCh aS cARBon
 — a large-scale effort to  explore t he se a f loo r— an d we re astounded b y  the  numbers.

It wasn’t u ntilth e  ear l y2000s , witht he l aun ch  o f a ne xp editi ondevoted  solely to  ex pl oring life i n  t he deep bi osp here, that s cie ntists  s tar t ed to  un derst and th e  biolo gy of the se deep-s e a-dwell i n gmicr obes. The JOIDESR es o lution, a dril l ship  e q ui p p edwit h a floati ng  lab, left Sa n  D i e g o,C alifornia, wi th a team o f  sc ientis ts  le d  by Bo  Jørg en s en,  a geomicro biol ogist fro m Aarh u s Unive r sity in  Denma rk,  an d St e ve nD’H on d t,a noce a nog rapher f ro mthe U nive r s i t y of  Rh odeIslan d. It sailedtothee ast ern P acifi c Oc ea n, wh ere th e tea msampled rock co resas deep a s 5 ,3 00me treso ff the  co ast  of Per u, capt u rin gs e d im ent up to 35 milli on y ea rs old2. 

Thet ea mc onfirmed  t hat  the s edime ntsc on tained a n abun d an ce  of mic ro bes. A nd  de spi te ha v inglittle  to feas t on—  the organic c a rbon availabl e  t o th e m re pre sents about  1%o f th e ca r bo n t h at is  fixe db yp hotosynthesizing or ga nismson th e surface — t hese micro o r g anisms s eeme d  t o  be surviving. 

Ear ly experim e nts on t he JO IDES sho wed thatt h ese micr obe s w ere  ca r r yi ng out basicb i olog ic al func tio n at amuc h s low erra te than m icrobeson  t he  s urf ace,a n adjust me ntne ces saryw hen fo od so urce sar e  no t reple n is h e d fo rmi llen nia .Somescie n tis ts even  wondered  wh e ther  t he se micr obes were tru ly  alive, or  w het her th e y  were ju st slowly starving to d e ath.

J ørg ensen  isconvinced  th at the  mi c robesin the se en vi ron m e nts a r e  l ivi ng , and poin t s  to  subs eq uent  resear ch showing they ha v e a ctive protein  an d DN A re pai r  m e cha ni s ms3 . 
“We always exp ect that b ac t er ia are gro w ing  f ast — t his iswhaty ou seein the la boratory—butI fou nd that mo st of th em are gr o winge xt remel y s lowly, ”say s Jør gensen .  “W hat w e used  t o thin k was  e xtreme i s the normal."

Too wil d forthe l ab
Most ofthe s e e dge dwell erscan’t be s tud ied  in a  la b : the y si m pl y d o n’t g rowi n culture .  A nde v en  the ones t h a t  do  actdif f erentl y un der artificial co n ditions from h ow t h e y w oul d  inth e wild. Becaus e o ft h is, stud yi ng their su rvival s tr a tegie s hasproved  diffic u l t. But th at i s n ow changi ngth a nks toth ea dventof m et agenom ic tec h niqu e s , which allow sc ienti s t s tot rac k gen eexpress i on i n whole co mmunities s imulta neou sly.
Theseme thodshav eallowed re s earchersto id entifyge nestha t areinvo l v ed in  low -e ner gy protei n an d  D NA rep airproce ss es,as well a s  energy- eff i cient m et abo l i c stra t eg i e s. They ha veevenf o und genest hata ll o w bac teriato sur vive of f  tr ac e gases  su c h  as carbo n
 —_a large-scale_effort to explore the_sea floor_—_and were_astounded_by the numbers.

It_wasn’t until the_early 2000s, with the_launch of an_expedition_devoted solely to exploring life in the deep biosphere, that scientists started to understand_the_biology of_these_deep-sea-dwelling_microbes. The JOIDES Resolution, a_drill ship equipped with a_floating lab,_left San Diego, California, with a team of_scientists_led by Bo_Jørgensen, a geomicrobiologist from Aarhus University in Denmark, and_Steven D’Hondt, an oceanographer from the_University of Rhode_Island._It_sailed to the eastern_Pacific Ocean, where the team sampled_rock cores as deep as 5,300_metres off the coast of Peru, capturing_sediment up to 35 million years_old2.

The team confirmed that the_sediments contained_an abundance of microbes. And_despite having little_to feast_on — the_organic carbon available to them represents_about 1% of_the carbon that is fixed by_photosynthesizing_organisms on the_surface_—_these microorganisms_seemed to be_surviving.

Early_experiments on_the_JOIDES showed that these microbes were_carrying_out basic biological function at a much_slower rate than microbes_on_the surface, an adjustment_necessary when food sources are_not replenished for millennia. Some scientists_even wondered_whether these_microbes were truly alive, or whether they were just slowly starving_to death.

Jørgensen is convinced that the_microbes in these environments_are living,_and_points to subsequent_research_showing they_have active protein and DNA repair mechanisms3.

“We_always expect_that bacteria are growing fast —_this is what you_see_in the laboratory — but I_found that most of them are_growing extremely slowly,” says Jørgensen._“What_we_used to think was extreme_is the normal."

Too wild for the_lab

Most of these_edge dwellers can’t be studied in a_lab:_they simply don’t grow in culture._And_even the ones that do act_differently_under_artificial conditions from how they_would in the wild. Because of_this, studying their survival strategies has proved difficult. But_that is now_changing thanks to the advent_of_metagenomic_techniques, which allow scientists to track gene expression in whole_communities simultaneously.

These_methods have allowed_researchers to identify genes that are involved in low-energy protein_and DNA repair processes, as well as_energy-efficient metabolic strategies. They have even found genes that allow bacteria_to survive off trace gases such as carbon