Microbial Metabolic Potential for Carbon Degradation and Nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) Acquisition in an Ombrotrophic Peatland

Xueju Lin, Malak M. Tfaily, Stefan J. Green, J. Megan Steinweg, Patrick Chanton, Aopeau Imvittaya, Jeffrey P. Chanton, William Cooper, Christopher Schadt and Joel E. Kostka

Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2014, 80(11):3531. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00206-14.

Metagenomic analyses revealed that genes encoding laccases and dioxygenases, involved in aromatic compound degradation, declined in relative abundance with depth, while the relative abundance of genes encoding metabolism of amino sugars and all four saccharide groups increased with depth in parallel with a 50% reduction in carbohydrate content.