Unique H(2)-utilizing lithotrophy in serpentinite-hosted systems

Serpentinization of ultramafic rocks provides molecular hydrogen (H(2)) that can support lithotrophic metabolism of microorganisms, but also poses extremely challenging conditions, including hyperalkalinity and limited electron acceptor availability. Investigation of two serpentinization-active systems reveals that conventional H(2)-/CO(2)-dependent homoacetogenesis is thermodynamically unfavorable in situ due to picomolar CO(2) levels. Through metagenomics and thermodynamics, we discover unique taxa capable of metabolism adapted to the habitat. This included a novel deep-branching phylum, “Ca. Lithacetigenota”, that exclusively inhabits serpentinite-hosted systems and harbors genes encoding alternative modes of H(2)-utilizing lithotrophy. Rather than CO(2), these putative metabolisms utilize reduced carbon compounds detected in situ presumably serpentinization-derived: formate and glycine. The former employs a partial homoacetogenesis pathway and the latter a distinct pathway mediated by a rare selenoprotein—the glycine reductase. A survey of microbiomes shows that glycine reductases are diverse and nearly ubiquitous in serpentinite-hosted environments. “Ca. Lithacetigenota” glycine reductases represent a basal lineage, suggesting that catabolic glycine reduction is an ancient bacterial innovation by Terrabacteria for gaining energy from geogenic H(2) even under hyperalkaline, CO(2)-poor conditions. Unique non-CO(2)-reducing metabolisms presented here shed light on potential strategies that extremophiles may employ for overcoming a crucial obstacle in serpentinization-associated environments, features potentially relevant to primordial lithotrophy in early Earth.