✉news EnvironmentOceans first seen 1 d ago, last 8 h ago, peak #37
Bacteria on coral reef fish gills carry chemosynthesis genes
Original: DNA reveals chemosynthesis genes in bacteria living on coral reef fish gills
Researchers have found that bacteria living on the gills of coral reef fish carry genes for chemosynthesis, the process of making food from chemicals rather than sunlight. DNA analysis revealed these genetic pathways in the gill microbes, suggesting reef fish may host bacteria capable of producing nutrients in ways previously associated with deep-sea ecosystems rather than sunlit reefs.
Why now: New research suggests chemosynthesis, usually linked to deep-sea vents, may also occur on sunlit coral reefs, challenging assumptions about reef nutrient cycles.
Evidence
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