The Composition and Primary Metabolic Potential of Microbial Communities Inhabiting the Surface Water in the Equatorial Eastern Indian Ocean

摘要

Marine microbes are regarded as the most diverse organisms in the biosphere and drive biogeochemical cycles through their metabolism. It is essential to understand the structure and metabolic function of microbial communities. The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean in the world, and it possesses unique hydrographical properties. So far, assessments of microbial diversity and metabolism need to be improved in the Indian Ocean. Therefore, we carried out a series of investigations in the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean in order to clarify the local microbial communities and detect the genetic potential for microbial functions. The obtained results suggested Cyanobacteria was the dominant microbial group, and predicted the Calvin cycle and the assimilatory nitrate and nitrite reduction played important role in the pathway of carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism respectively. This study provides insights into microbial community structures as well as the metabolic potential that may be active in the local environment, and lays the groundwork for understanding the roles of microbes in energy and resource cycling in this habitat.