CENTER for DARK ENERGY BIOSPHERE INVESTIGATIONS

C-DEBI Newsletter – September 15, 2020

C-DEBI Newsletter – September 15, 2020
This newsletter is also accessible via our website (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org) .

Publications
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MethodsX
Sampling of basement fluids via Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kits (CORKs) for dissolved gases, fluid fixation at the seafloor, and the characterization of organic carbon (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2020.101033) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) – NEW!
Huei-Ting Lin*, Chih-Chiang Hsieh, Daniel J. Repeta, Michael S. Rappé
*C-DEBI Contribution 543

The advanced instrumented GeoMICROBE sleds (Cowen et al., 2012) facilitate the collection of hydrothermal fluids and suspended particles in the subseafloor (basaltic) basement through Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kits (CORKs) installed within boreholes of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. The main components of the GeoMICROBE can be converted into a mobile pumping system (MPS) that is installed on the front basket of a submersible or remotely-operated-vehicle (ROV). Here, we provide details of a hydrothermal fluid-trap used on the MPS, through which a gastight sampler can withdraw fluids. We also applied the MPS to demonstrate the value of fixing samples at the seafloor in order to determine redox-sensitive dissolved iron concentrations and speciation measurements. To make the best use of the GeoMICROBE sleds, we describe a miniature and mobile version of the GeoMICROBE sled, which permits rapid turn-over and is relatively easy for preparation and operation. Similar to GeoMICROBE
sleds, the Mobile GeoMICROBE (MGM) is capable of collecting fluid samples, filtration of suspended particles, and extraction of organics. We validate this approach by demonstrating the seafloor extraction of hydrophobic organics from a large volume (247L) of hydrothermal fluids.
* We describe the design of a hydrothermal fluid-trap for use with a gastight sampler, as well as the use of seafloor fixation, through ROV- or submersible assisted mobile pumping systems.
* We describe the design of a Mobile GeoMICROBE (MGM) that enhances large volume hydrothermal fluid sampling, suspended particle filtration, and organic matter extraction on the seafloor.
* We provide an example of organic matter extracted and characterized from hydrothermal fluids via a MGM.

Environmental Microbiology
Meta‐omics highlights the diversity, activity and adaptations of fungi in deep oceanic crust (https://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1462-2920.15181) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) – NEW!
Maxence Quemener, Paraskevi Mara, Florence Schubotz, David Beaudoin, Wei Li, Maria Pachiadaki, Taylor R. Sehein, Jason B. Sylvan, Jiangtao Li, Georges Barbier, Virginia Edgcomb, Gaëtan Burgaud

The lithified oceanic crust, lower crust gabbros in particular, has remained largely unexplored by microbiologists. Recently, evidence for heterogeneously distributed viable and transcriptionally active autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial populations within low‐biomass communities was found down to 750 m below the seafloor at the Atlantis Bank Gabbro Massif, Indian Ocean. Here, we report on the diversity, activity and adaptations of fungal communities in the deep oceanic crust from ~10 to 780 mbsf by combining metabarcoding analyses with mid/high‐throughput culturing approaches. Metabarcoding along with culturing indicate a low diversity of viable fungi, mostly affiliated to ubiquitous (terrestrial and aquatic environments) taxa. Ecophysiological analyses coupled with metatranscriptomics point to viable and transcriptionally active fungal populations engaged in cell division, translation, protein modifications and other vital cellular processes. Transcript data suggest possible
adaptations for surviving in the nutrient‐poor, lithified deep biosphere that include the recycling of organic matter. These active communities appear strongly influenced by the presence of cracks and veins in the rocks where fluids and resulting rock alteration create micro‐niches.

Have an upcoming manuscript about the deep subseafloor biosphere and want to increase your press coverage? NSF’s Office of Legislative and Public Affairs is looking to coordinate press releases between your home institution and the NSF to coincide with the date of publication. Please contact us as soon as your publication is accepted! (mailto:janicak@usc.edu)

Meetings & Activities
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WHOI: Oceans Beyond Earth Webinar, TOMORROW, Wednesday, September 16, 4:30 PT / 7:30 ET (https://www.whoi.edu/ocean-encounters/) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
With speakers LPI/USRA astrobiologist and geomicrobiologist Dr. Kennda Lynch, WHOI marine microbiologist Dr. Julie Huber, WHOI marine geoscientist Dr. Chris German, and special guest, comedian Eugene Mirman. Earth’s ocean is essential to life and may have even given rise to life on our planet billions of years ago. We now know that vast oceans of liquid water also exist beneath the icy shells of moons in our own solar system. These ocean worlds provide compelling targets in the search for extraterrestrial life, perhaps within the next human generation. Join us for a stimulating discussion of how the exploration of the depths of our ocean can help inform the search for life beyond Earth. Register now! (https://whoi.zoom.us/webinar/register/3215985450137/WN_n4iH6QRjRe2gwTKbj2ZiGA)

-C-DEBI: Networked Speaker Series Seminar #26 – now online (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/outputs-resources/networked-speaker-series/nss-rose-jones/) –
Missed the live event with Dr. Rose Jones, University of Minnesota on “Menu for a deep microbe; attempts in understanding microbe-mineral interactions in the deep marine seafloor”? Watch it on YouTube (https://youtu.be/YrehulKKqrc) .

Ongoing Activities:
* C-DEBI: Rolling call for Community Workshop support (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/research-activities/research-support/workshops/)
* C-DEBI: Protocols.io Group Page (https://www.protocols.io/groups/center-for-dark-energy-biosphere-investigations)
* C-DEBI: Subseafloor Cultures Database (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/outputs-resources/subseafloor-cultures-database/)
* C-DEBI: Join us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/c-debi-center-for-dark-energy-biosphere-investigations/)

Education & Outreach
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CalTech: Nominate a Student to attend FUTURE Ignited Conference (http://futureignited.caltech.edu/) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
Caltech invites you and other faculty in your department to nominate your top rising junior or senior students of color (those who have been historically underrepresented in STEM including, but not limited to, African American/Black, Latin(x), Native/Indigenous/First Nation, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) who may be interested in pursuing a PhD in any division of science and engineering for FUTURE Ignited, an online virtual conference to be held on October 17. Participants in FUTURE Ignited will have an opportunity to engage in short science talks and “day in a life” presentations by current graduate students and to hear from panels of current students and faculty addressing topics including applying to graduate school, challenges of graduate life, financing graduate study, community-building, and much more. For seniors, the program includes small-group follow-up sessions about two weeks later to workshop the elements of graduate school applications. For juniors, the program includes
information about Caltech’s WAVE program (https://sfp.caltech.edu/programs/wavefellows) of summer undergraduate research experiences for students of color. The goal of FUTURE Ignited is to support the ambitions of aspiring young scientists of color and to cultivate a diverse next generation of scientific leaders. We are requesting that you or your colleagues complete a very short nomination form (http://futureignited.caltech.edu/) , which can be accessed through our website. Please distribute this announcement among your colleagues and encourage them to submit nominations. The student does not have to be from the same university as the nominator and does not have to be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. based student (we welcome you to nominate a student you may know through a research collaboration, visit, etc.). We strongly prefer nominations from faculty but will also consider nominations from non-faculty and self-nominations. Nominations are due by September 28, 2020.

Proposal Calls
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-JGI: CSP New Investigator (https://jgi.doe.gov/user-programs/program-info/csp-overview/csp-new-investigator/) –
Next deadline: September 19, 2020.

IODP: Special Call: Expedition 386 Japan Trench Paleoseismology MSP (https://usoceandiscovery.org/iodp-expedition-386/) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is now accepting applications for scientific participants with expertise in geochemistry or microbiology, to join the offshore phase and the onshore science party for Expedition 386 Japan Trench Paleoseismology. Expedition 386 will take place aboard a Mission-Specific Platform (MSP) organized by the ECORD Science Operator (ESO) and jointly implemented with the Institute for Marine-Earth Exploration and Engineering (MarE3) within the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). The deadline to apply is September 25, 2020.

NSF: INCLUDES Alliances Solicitation (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505289&WT.mc_id=USNSF_40&WT.mc_ev=click) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
The NSF INCLUDES Big Idea is a comprehensive national initiative to enhance U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations focused on NSF’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and broadening participation in these fields. The vision of NSF INCLUDES is to catalyze the STEM enterprise to work collaboratively for inclusive change, resulting in a STEM workforce that reflects the population of the Nation. More specifically, NSF INCLUDES seeks to improve collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing the preparation, increasing the participation, and ensuring the contributions of individuals from groups that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in the STEM enterprise such as African Americans, Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific Islanders, persons with disabilities, persons from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and women and girls. Significant advancement in the inclusion of
underrepresented groups in STEM will result in a new generation of STEM talent and leadership to secure our nation’s future and long-term economic competitiveness. Through this solicitation, NSF INCLUDES will support the establishment and growth of new Alliances that employ a collaborative infrastructure approach to address a critical broadening participation challenge in STEM at scale. Letter of Intent deadline: October 5, 2020.

IODP: Apply to Sail on IODP Expedition 396 (https://usoceandiscovery.org/iodp-expedition-396/) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) are now accepting applications for scientific participants from U.S. institutions to join Expedition 396 Mid-Norwegian Continental Margin Magmatism, scheduled for 6 August to 6 October 2021 aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Expedition 396 is a scientific ocean drilling project that seeks to understand the nature, cause and climate implications of excess magmatism during the northeast Atlantic continental breakup. The expedition will take place from 6 August to 6 October 2021. Opportunities exist for researchers (including graduate students) in most shipboard specialties, including but not limited to sedimentologists, volcanologists, petrologists, igneous geochemists, inorganic and organic geochemists, micropaleontologists, paleomagnetists, physical properties specialists, and borehole geophysicists. Good working knowledge of the English language is required. The deadline to apply is October 11, 2020.

-NSF: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20587/nsf20587.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Application deadlines: October 19-22, 2020.

-IODP: Call for Drilling Proposals (http://iodp.org/proposals/call-for-proposals) –
The next submission deadline (following October 21, 2020) will be in early April, 2021.

-NSF: International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20598/nsf20598.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Track I: IRES Sites (IS) due dates: November 12, 2020 and September 21, 2021. Track II: Advanced Studies Institutes (ASI) due dates: November 9, 2020 and September 28, 2021.

-NSF: Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20602/nsf20602.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal deadline: November 18, 2020.

-NSF: Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5483&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science in Tribal Colleges and Universities (SEA-PHAGES in TCUs) deadline: September 4, 2020. Small Grants for Research (SGR) deadline: December 10, 2020.

-NSF: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (IUSE:GEOPAths) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20516/nsf20516.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Letter of Intent Due Date: November 17, 2020.

-NSF: Research Traineeship (NRT) Program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505015&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full Proposal Deadline Date: February 6, 2021.

-NSF: Biological Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11696&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target date: February 15, 2021.

-NSF: Chemical Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11698&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target date: February 15, 2021.

-NSF: Physical Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12729&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target date: February 15, 2021.

-NSF OCE: Upcoming proposals to OCE, shiptime and data proposals (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/proposal-call/upcoming-proposals-to-oce-shiptime-and-data-proposals/) –

Rolling Calls:
* C-DEBI: Rolling call for Research Exchange proposals (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/research-activities/research-support/exchange/)
* IODP-USSSP: Proposals for Pre-Drilling Activities (http://usoceandiscovery.org/pre-drilling-activities/)
* NSF: Antarctic Research Program Solicitation (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20568/nsf20568.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Arctic Sciences Program Solicitation (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16595/nsf16595.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: DCL: Collaborative Proposals under NSF and US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Collaborative Research Opportunities (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20094/nsf20094.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Dear Colleague Letter: Poorly Sampled and Unknown Taxa (PurSUiT) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20059/nsf20059.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Division of Environmental Biology (core programs) (DEB) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20502/nsf20502.htm)
* NSF: Enabling Discovery through GEnomic Tools (EDGE) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20532/nsf20532.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (IIBR) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18595/nsf18595.htm)
* NSF: Instrument Capacity for Biological Research (ICBR) (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505542&WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18102/nsf18102.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179)
* NSF: Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS): Funding to Broaden Participation in the Biological Sciences (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18088/nsf18088.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Funding Opportunity in the Biological Sciences (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18089/nsf18089.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5483&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click)
* Queen Mary U of London: PhD Project: Microbial survival in the energy-limited deep biosphere (https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/microbial-survival-in-the-energy-limited-deep-biosphere/?p111036)
* Queen Mary U of London: PhD Project: Microbial life and activity on glaciers and in Arctic soils (https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/microbial-life-and-activity-on-glaciers-and-in-arctic-soils/?p111037)
* UNOLS: Cruise Opportunity Program (https://www.unols.org/unols-cruise-opportunity-program)

Employment
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-NC State U: Assistant Professor – Chemical Oceanography (https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/133726) –
Review of applications will begin on October 12, 2020 and the position will remain open until filled.

MSU: Postdoctoral Researcher position on Asgard archaea ecophysiology (http://nebula.wsimg.com/0dd35b7a90a75a854de76f3fcdb9cb4e?AccessKeyId=48B9AC89493A56C67DF6&disposition=0&alloworigin=1) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — UPDATED!
COVID-19 has delayed the start date of this position. We currently expect the earliest start date to be November 1, 2020 but all applicants able to start the position by April 1, 2021 will be considered.

-MBARI: Principal Investigator or Principal Engineer (focus on seafloor patterns and processes) (https://www.mbari.org/principal_investigator_engineer/) –
We are currently receiving applications for this position, which will remain open until filled.

Don’t forget to email me with any items you’d like to share in future newsletters! We will also broadcast this information on our social media outlets, Twitter and Facebook. You are what makes our deep biosphere community!

Best,

Matt

—
Matthew Janicak
Data Manager
Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI)
University of Southern California
janicak@usc.edu (mailto:janicak@usc.edu)
3616 Trousdale Pkwy, AHF 209, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371
Phone: 708-691-9563, Fax: 213-740-2437
Exploring life beneath the seafloor and making transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins.

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