See Duke Nicholas School Press release

In a new Nature Communications study, we present a comprehensive gene catalog from 218 metagenomes collected during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition, providing one of the most extensive genomic surveys of the Southern Ocean (SO) to date.

We find that the SO harbors a highly distinct and largely uncharacterized genetic repertoire: most genes are absent from functional databases, and a significant fraction lack homologs in existing marine gene catalogs, defining a singular polar genetic seascape.

Southern Ocean are strongly structured by water masses at the scale of the SO, highlighting the role of ocean circulation in shaping microbial function.

We further identify genomic markers linked to key ecological processes, including DMSP cleavage by polar-adapted bacteria, organic matter degradation in the Mertz polynya bloom, and polar adaptations in Pelagibacter.

This work provides a new foundation for understanding Southern Ocean plankton ecology and and how it is changing over time.