Deep sea ferromanganese (FeMn) nodules contain metallic
mineral resources and have great economic potential. In this
study, a combination of culture-dependent and culture-independent
(16S rRNA genes clone library and pyrosequencing)
methods
was used to investigate the bacterial diversity
in FeMn nodules from Jiaolong Seamount, the South China
Sea. Eleven bacterial strains including some moderate thermophiles
were isolated. The majority of strains belonged to
the phylum Proteobacteria; one isolate belonged to the phylum
Firmicutes. A total of 259 near full-length bacterial 16S
rRNA gene sequences in a clone library and 67,079 valid reads
obtained using pyrosequencing indicated that members of
the Gammaproteobacteria dominated, with the most abundant
bacterial genera being Pseudomonas and Alteromonas.
Sequence analysis indicated the presence of many organisms
whose closest relatives are known manganese oxidizers, iron
reducers, hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria and methylotrophs.
This is the first reported investigation of bacterial diversity
associated with deep sea FeMn nodules from the South China
Sea.