Sampling Down Well In Situ Microbial Colonization Conditions

LJ McKay*, HJ Smith*, E Barnhart, HD Schweitzer, RR Malmstrom, D Goudeau, MW Fields (2021) Activity-based, genome-resolved metagenomics uncovers key populations and pathways involved in subsurface conversions of coal to methane Nature ISME Journal [DOI]:10.1038/s41396-021-01139-x PMID: 34689183

Development of activity-based metagenomics, enabled the identification of translationally active microorganisms and associated functional capacity
Demonstration on terrestrial subsurface samples retrieved with a subsurface environmental sampling device that allows sampling and sample retrieval under environmental conditions

Dr Heidi Smith heidi.smith@montana.edu, Assistant Research Professor Dept. of Microbiology and Cell Biology Microscopy Facility Manager Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University

ENIGMA researchers performed down-well incubation using a Subsurface Environmental Sampler allowing for microbial colonization and retrieval under in situ pressure and anaerobic conditions. Active cells were sorted, followed by DNA extraction, MDA amplification, sequencing, and analysis.