Metabolic potential of newly isolated bacterial species from the deep subsurface of the Iberian Pyrite Belt
Adrián Martínez-Bonilla, Guillermo Mateos, Miryam Carrillo-Bautista, David Arranz, Ricardo Amils, Cristina Escudero · 2026
Read Metabolic potential of newly isolated bacterial species from the deep subsurface of the Iberian Pyrite Belt by Adrián Martínez-Bonilla, Guillermo Mateos, Miryam Carrillo-Bautista, David Arranz, Ricardo Amils, Cristina Escudero (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13286885.txt.
Description
Adrián Martínez-Bonilla and colleagues sequenced microbes drilled from deep beneath Spain's Iberian Pyrite Belt, the underground source of the Río Tinto river system. The 2026 study examines twelve new isolates grown without oxygen, alongside thirteen known natives, to map their roles in the subsurface chemical cycles that dissolve metal sulfides.
Seven isolates proved to be new species. Many carried genes for making hydrogen and fixing carbon, the twin fuels of life in that dark ecosystem. Three could synthesize vitamin B12, which neighbors may depend on. Some genera appear highly adapted and widespread underground. The results sketch how a self-sustaining microbial community runs a natural bioreactor far below the surface.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Adrián Martínez-Bonilla, Guillermo Mateos, Miryam Carrillo-Bautista, David Arranz, Ricardo Amils, Cristina Escudero |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 54 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |