88 / 2025-03-31 15:54:29

Application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering technique in situ detection of microbial metabolites in deep sea cold seep

Cold seep,in situ detection,surface-enhanced Raman scattering,microbial metabolites,deep sea

Theme 1: Novel Tools and Techniques in Geobiology > Session 1a: Geobiological Big Data and Models

The extreme environment of the deep sea is characterized by extreme characteristics such as high pressure, low temperature/high temperature, darkness, oligotrophic ^[1] etc. To adapt to these extreme conditions, deep-sea microorganisms have evolved unique physiological structures and metabolic mechanisms, and produced many metabolites with specific functions and research value through metabolism ^[2]. The research of these microbial metabolites is of great significance for revealing the adaptation mechanism of life under extreme conditions and clarifying the processes of geochemical cycle, and energy conversion. However, due to the limitation of sampling and culture technology, about 90% of deep-sea microorganisms cannot be isolated and studied by traditional culture method. Meanwhile, during the collection, transportation and storage of deep-sea microorganisms, their physiological state and environmental information often change, resulting in research results that cannot accurately reflect their real situation in the in-situ environment ^[3]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop in-situ detection methods for deep-sea microbial metabolites. Laser Raman spectroscopy has the advantages of non-destructive, rapid in-situ detection, etc., and has been widely used in deep-sea in-situ detection ^[4]. However, due to the limitation of detection, it is still difficult to achieve in situ detection of deep-sea low concentration metabolites. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology can enhance the Raman signal by millions of times, significantly improve the sensitivity of Raman detection, and is expected to help the in-situ detection of low concentration metabolites in the deep sea. Based on this, we designed a variety of SERS probes suitable for deep sea, and successfully applied them to deep sea cold seep to achieve in-situ detection of deep-sea low concentration biomolecules (Fig. 1) ^[5].

Reference:

[1] Dick, G.J.. 2019. The microbiomes of deep-sea hydrothermal vents: Distributed globally, shaped locally, Nature Reviews Microbiology, 17, 271-283.

[2] Shu, W., and Huang, L.. 2022. Microbial diversity in extreme environments, Nature Reviews Microbiology, 20, 219-235.

[3] Fortunato, S., Butterfield, A., Larson, B., Lawrence, N., Algar, C., Allen, L., Holden, J., Proskurowski, G., Reddington, E., Stewart, L., Topçuoğlu, B., Vallino, J., Huber, J.. 2021. Seafloor incubation experiment with deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluid reveals effect of pressure and lag time on autotrophic microbial communities, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 87, e00078-00021.

[4] Zhang, X., Du, Z., Zheng, R., Luan, Z., Qi, F., Cheng, K., Wang, B., Ye, W., Liu, X., Lian, C., Chen, C., Guo, J., Li, Y., Yan, J., 2017. Development of a new deep-sea hybrid Raman insertion probe and its application to the geochemistry of hydrothermal vent and cold seep fluids, Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 123, 1-12.

[5] Wang, S., Li, B., Li, L., Xiang, J., Zhang, Z., Wang, C., Luan, Z., Chen, L., Zhang, X., 2025. Recent advancements in the applications of separation and enrichment strategies towards SERS detection, Chemical Engineering Journal, 184 118136.