The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

2027 Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences

January 12-15, 2027

New Advances in Marine Chemosymbiosis Research: Adaptive Mechanisms from Deep-Sea to Shallow-Water Habitats
ID:747 Oral Presentation

2027-01-13 13:45 (China Standard Time)

Session:Session 14 - Microbial connectivity at the deep-sea floor: sediment–water interactions, particles, and benthic–pelagic coupling

Abstract
Recent studies have substantially deepened our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying symbioses between marine invertebrates and chemosynthetic bacteria. In situ transplant experiments on the vesicomyid clam Archivesica marissinica at the Haima deep-sea seep revealed that the holobiont employs a tiered adaptation strategy in response to sulfide fluctuations: symbionts shift from sulfide oxidation to thiosulfate oxidation to maintain energy supply, the host regulates endosomal–lysosomal pathways to control symbiont abundance, and host hemoglobins possess dual affinity for both oxygen and sulfide, enabling coordinated resource allocation. Multi-omics analyses of Alviniconcha snails from Indian Ocean hydrothermal vents showed that expansion of solute carrier families enhances host–symbiont nutrient transport, myoglobin mediates oxygen storage, and functional zonation of gill filaments finely regulates symbiont digestion and gas exchange. Studies on the family Thyasiridae have filled critical knowledge gaps regarding symbiosis in this taxon. The genome of a deep-sea thyasirid symbiont is highly streamlined (1.53 Mb), retaining complete sulfur oxidation pathways and harboring the capacity for anaerobic respiration. Most notably, the shallow-water thyasirid clam Thyasira tokunagai, inhabiting reducing sediments in the Yellow Sea, also establishes a tightly integrated chemosymbiotic relationship with sulfur-oxidizing Sedimenticola bacteria, fixing inorganic carbon through the Calvin cycle at a measured rate of 29.3 nmol C·clam⁻¹·day⁻¹. These findings compellingly demonstrate that chemosynthetic symbioses are by no means restricted to deep-sea environments—they are also widespread in shallow-water ecosystems, where they play ecologically significant roles.
Speaker
Jin Sun Ocean University of China

Author
进 孙 中国海洋大学

    Important Dates

    • Jan 30

      2026

      Session / Event proposals open

    • Mar 31

      2026

      Session / Event proposals close
      (Extended to April 7)

    • Apr 30

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    • Apr 30

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    • Jun 30

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      Abstract submissions close
      (Extended to July 21)

    • Aug 31

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    • Sep 15

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    • Oct 15

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    • Jan 12–15

      2027

      XMAS 2027