Cold Seeps Associated with Structured Benthic Communities: More Accurate Identification and Evaluation Using a New Multibeam Survey Methodology in the Offshore Southern Colombian Caribbean

A new methodology was developed to identify cold seeps and structured benthic communities associated, which was applied for the first time in the offshore southern Colombian Caribbean. The integral method consists on a new processing of double-coverage (200%) high-resolution backscatter data combined with bathymetric information;validation was done correlating identified gas plumes, seabed cores and drift camera surveys. Results showed that the elimination of artefacts and the increased signal of the backscatter data allowed accurate plotting of seep boundaries and categorization of seeps into an activity catalogue, with more than 200 seeps identified. Most seeps have chemosynthetic communities associated and data analysis from a previous survey showed two ridges with hard ground as the only possible areas for the development the of deep- water corals. Seep results were compared with designated Areas of Significance for Biodiversity (ASB) identifying seeps both within and outside the ASBs, and showing that the presence of seeps and chemosynthetic communities associated were driven more by geological processes than for big-scale seabed morphology, since they were found in both plains and ridges. This methodology allows an accurate seabed map of structured benthic communities, which may work as a precise geo-hazard map to ensure the oil & gas industry can avoid these areas of shallow gas for further developments, and as a map of deep-water structured benthic communities with environmental significance.

Multi-beam and seismic investigations of the active Haima cold seeps,northwestern South China Sea

To confirm the seabed fluid flow at the Haima cold seeps,an integrated study of multi-beam and seismic data reveals the morphology and fate of four bubble plumes and investigates the detailed subsurface structure of the active seepage area.The shapes of bubble plumes are not constant and influenced by the northeastward bottom currents,but the water depth where these bubble plumes disappear(630–650 m below the sea level)(mbsl)is very close to the upper limit of the gas hydrate stability zone in the water column(620 m below the sea level),as calculated from the CTD data within the study area,supporting the“hydrate skin”hypothesis.Gas chimneys directly below the bottom simulating reflectors,found at most sites,are speculated as essential pathways for both thermogenic gas and biogenic gas migrating from deep formations to the gas hydrate stability zone.The fracture network on the top of the basement uplift may be heavily gas-charged,which accounts for the chimney with several kilometers in diameter(beneath Plumes B and C).The much smaller gas chimney(beneath Plume D)may stem from gas saturated localized strong permeability zone.High-resolution seismic profiles reveal pipe-like structures,characterized by stacked localized amplitude anomalies,just beneath all the plumes,which act as the fluid conduits conveying gas from the gas hydrate-bearing sediments to the seafloor,feeding the gas plumes.The differences between these pipe-like structures indicate the dynamic process of gas seepage,which may be controlled by the build-up and dissipation of pore pressure.The 3D seismic data show high saturated gas hydrates with high RMS amplitude tend to cluster on the periphery of the gas chimney.Understanding the fluid migration and hydrate accumulation pattern of the Haima cold seeps can aid in the further exploration and study on the dynamic gas hydrate system in the South China Sea.

Report of epibenthic macrofauna found from Haima cold seeps and adjacent deep-sea habitats,South China Sea

This work reports on a preliminary taxonomic study of epibenthic macroinvertebrates collected or observed by underwater video at the Haima cold seeps and in adjacent deep-sea habitats,including a mud volcano feld and Ganquan Plateau,during an expedition in the South China Sea by the Chinese-manned submersible Shenhai Yongshi in May 2018.A total of 41 species belonging to 6 phyla were identifed,among which 34 species were collected from the Haima cold seeps.Mollusks and crustaceans that are specialized in reducing habitats were predominant in biotopes of the Haima cold seeps,whereas sponges and cold-water corals and their commensals were prominent in communities of the mud volcano feld and the slopes of Ganquan Plateau.The distribution and faunal composition of each taxonomic group are discussed.

Seismic monitoring of sub-seafloor fluid processes in the Haima cold seep area using an Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS)

The use of ocean bottom seismometers provides an effective means of studying the process and the dynamic of cold seeps by continuously recording micro-events produced by sub-seafloor fluid migration.We deployed a four-component Ocean Bottom Seismometer(OBS)at an active site of the Haima cold seep from 6 November to 19 November in 2021.Here,we present the results of this short-term OBS monitoring.We first examine the OBS record manually to distinguish(by their distinctive seismographic signatures)four types of events:shipping noises,vibrations from our remotely operated vehicle(ROV)operations,local earthquakes,and short duration events(SDEs).Only the SDEs are further discussed in this work.Such SDEs are similar to those observed in other sea areas and are interpreted to be correlated with sub-seafloor fluid migration.In the OBS data collected during the 14-day monitoring period.We identify five SDEs.Compared to the SDE occurrence rate observed in other cold seep regions,five events is rather low,from which it could be inferred that fluid migration,and subsequent gas seepage,is not very active at the Haima site.This conclusion agrees with multi-beam and chemical observations at that site.Our observations thus provide further constraint on the seepage activity in this location.This is the first time that cold seep-related SDEs have been identified in the South China Sea,expanding the list of sea areas where SDEs are now linked to cold seep fluid migration.

Discovery of prenylated indole alkaloid and natural xanthone from cold-seep sediment derived fungus Talaromyces funiculosus SD-523

A new prenylated indole alkaloid 11,17-epi-mangrovamide A(1),a new natural occurring product,1,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-hydroxymethyl-xanthone(2),two known alkaloids,mangrovamide A(3)and mangrovamide G(4),and four known polyketide derivatives(5–8)were isolated and identified from the cold-seep sediment derived fungal strain Talaromyces funiculosus SD-523.Their structures were elucidated by combination of nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR),high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy(HRESIMS),quantum chemical electronic circular dichroism(ECD),and DP4+probability analysis as well as by comparison of the data with literature reports.All isolated compounds were tested for antibacterial activities.

Mg/Ca,Ba/Ca,and S/Ca ratios as environmental and growth proxies for bivalve shells from the Haima cold seep,South China Sea

Bivalve shell fossils,cemented by authigenic carbonates,are widely spread in the Haima cold seep,Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea(SCS).In this study,we examined an element profile of Gigantidas platifrons in the Haima cold seeps at a water depth of 1381 m.Based on the scanning electron microscope(SEM)analyses,the prismatic layer and nacreous layer were identified,which are characterized by prismatic structure and stratified structure,respectively.In addition,the profile can be subdivided into two parts:altered and unaltered zones.Laser inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS)mapping shows that the element concentrations of the altered zones were influenced by the authigenic carbonate rocks,whereas the element concentrations of unaltered zones remain stable.In-situ X-ray diffraction(XRD)analyses show that the mineral constituent of the prismatic layer is mainly composed of aragonite.Along with the growth profile,Mg/Ca ratios of unaltered zones have minor variations,ranging 0.72-0.97 mmol/mol(mean=0.87 mmol/mol),with estimated temperatures of 3.8-4.1℃,indicating that the temperature of the surrounding seawater remains constant and agree with the measured data of 3.9℃which was conducted by a conductivity-temperature-depth system(CTD).The minor variations of Ba/Ca ratios(0.01-0.06 mmol/mol;mean=0.04 mmol/mol)indicate a relatively stabilized salinity of the surrounding seawater.S/Ca ratios show large variations of 0.04-4.15 mmol/mol(mean=1.37 mmol/mol).S/Ca ratios have regular variations which generally correspond to the variations of the Mg/Ca ratios,highlighting that the S/Ca ratios of bivalve shells show the potential to reflect the growth rate of the Gigantides.However,further studies should be carried out on the understanding of the links between the S/Ca ratios and seepage intensity of cold-seep fluids.

Microbial diversity in cold seep sediments from the northern South China Sea

South China Sea （SCS） is the largest Western Pacific marginal sea. However, microbial studies have never been performed in the cold seep sediments in the SCS. In 2004, ＂SONNE＂ 177 cruise found two cold seep areas with different water depth in the northern SCS. Haiyang 4 area, where the water depth is around 3000 m, has already been confirmed for active seeping on the seafloor, such as microbial mats, authigenic carbonate crusts and bivalves. We investigated microbial abundance and diver- sity in a 5.55-m sediment core collected from this cold seep area. An integrated approach was employed including geochemistry and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. Here, we show that microbial abun- dance and diversity along with geochemistry profiles of the sediment core revealed a coupled reaction between sulphate reduction and methane oxidation. Acridine orange direct count results showed that microbial abundance ranges from 105 to 106 cells/g sediment （wet weight）. The depth-related variation of the abundance showed the same trend as the methane concentration profile. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria and anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea. The diver- sity was much higher at the surface, but decreased sharply with depth in response to changes in the geochemical conditions of the sediments, such as methane, sulphate concentration and total organic carbon. Marine Benthic Group B, Chloroflexi and JS1 were predominant phylotypes of the archaeal and bacterial libraries, respectively.

Acoustic characteristics of cold-seep methane bubble behavior in the water column and its potential environmental impact

The amount of methane leaked from deep sea cold seeps is enormous and potentially affects the global warming,ocean acidification and global carbon cycle.It is of great significance to study the methane bubble movement and dissolution process in the water column and its output to the atmosphere.Methane bubbles produce strong acoustic impedance in water bodies,and bubble strings released from deep sea cold seeps are called"gas flares"which expressed as flame-like strong backscatter in the water column.We characterized the morphology and movement of methane bubbles released into the water using multibeam water column data at two cold seeps.The result shows that methane at site I reached 920 m water depth without passing through the top of the gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ,850 m),while methane bubbles at site II passed through the top of the GHSZ(597 m)and entered the non-GHSZ(above 550 m).By applying two methods on the multibeam data,the bubble rising velocity in the water column at sites I and II were estimated to be 9.6 cm/s and 24 cm/s,respectively.Bubble velocity is positively associated with water depth which is inferred to be resulted from decrease of bubble size during methane ascending in the water.Combined with numerical simulation,we concluded that formation of gas hydrate shells plays an important role in helping methane bubbles entering the upper water bodies,while other factors,including water depth,bubble velocity,initial kinetic energy and bubble size,also influence the bubble residence time in the water and the possibility of methane entering the atmosphere.We estimate that methane gas flux at these two sites is 0.4×10~6–87.6×10~6 mol/a which is extremely small compared to the total amount of methane in the ocean body,however,methane leakage might exert significant impact on the ocean acidification considering the widespread distributed cold seeps.In addition,although methane entering the atmosphere is not observed,further research is still needed to understand its potential impact on increasing methane concentration in the surface seawater and gas-water interface methane exchange rate,which consequently increase the greenhouse effect.

Geochemical characteristics of cold-seep carbonates in Shenhu area,South China Sea

Cold seeps spread worldwide along the continental margins,which are closely related to the exploration of gas hydrates.Cold-seep carbonates have been reported to record the nature of seepage,including fluid source,sedimentary environment,and variation of seepage activity.We investigated the morphology,mineralogy,element compositions,and carbon and oxygen isotopes of 15 cold-seep carbonates collected from the Shenhu area,and compared them with 2 carbonates from the Haima cold seep,the South China Sea(SCS),to promote our knowledge of cold-seep system in SCS.Most of the Shenhu carbonates exhibit crust morphology,and some are in the form of chimneys and blocks.Their absolute(20%–65%)and relative carbonate mineral contents(mainly aragonite and calcite,with minor samples containing dolomite)vary significantly,indicating the multi-stage methane leakage in our study area.Some samples show a slight negative Ce anomaly,suggesting either the mixing of seawater or variation of the redox condition during the precipitation;the cooccurrence of strongly enriched U and Mo demonstrates anoxic condition during precipitation.The mixed genetic methane source was interpreted by δ^(13)C of the Shenhu carbonates to range from-22.34‰to-59.30‰Vienna PeeDee Belemnite(VPDB),and the slight ^(18)O-enrichment imprinted on the carbonates suggests the possible influence from hydrate dissociation.The Haima carbonates,with biogenic methane as the main gas source,were presumably formed in a stronger fluid flux by compared with our Shenhu samples.

Decomposition Temperature of Cold Seep Carbonate and its Relationship with Delta Carbonate

Delta carbonate （Delta C, AC） method is a commonly- used surface geochemical exploration method for petroleum surveys. Delta C holds that light hydrocarbon gases leak into near-surface soils or sediments from underlying petroleum accumulations, then partly oxidized to CO2, resulting in a special carbonate precipitation, which is termed as Delta carbonate （△C）.

Interactions of Microplastics and Methane Seepage in the Deep-Sea Environment

Microplastics(MPs)are important exempla of the Anthropocene and are exerting an increasing impact on Earth’s carbon cycle.The huge imbalance between the MPs floating on the marine surface and those that are estimated to have been introduced into the ocean necessitates a detailed assessment of marine MP sinks.Here,we demonstrate that cold seep sediments,which are characterized by methane fluid seepage and a chemosynthetic ecosystem,effectively capture and accommodate small-scale(<100μm)MPs,with 16 types of MPs being detected.The abundance of MPs in the surface of the sediment is higher in methane-seepage locations than in non-seepage areas.Methane seepage is beneficial to the accumulation,fragmentation,increased diversity,and aging of MPs.In turn,the rough surfaces of MPs contribute to the sequestration of the electron acceptor ferric oxide,which is associated with the anaerobic oxidation of methane(AOM).The efficiency of the AOM determines whether the seeping methane(which has a greenhouse effect 83 times greater than that of CO_(2)over a 20-year period)can enter the atmosphere,which is important to the global methane cycle,since the deep-sea environment is regarded as the largest methane reservoir associated with natural gas hydrates.

Interactions among deep-sea mussels and their epibiotic and endosymbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria: Insights from multi-omics analysis

Endosymbiosis with Gammaproteobacteria is fundamental for the success of bathymodioline mussels in deep-sea chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. However, the recent discovery of Campylobacteria on the gill surfaces of these mussels suggests that these host-bacterial relationships may be more complex than previously thought. Using the cold-seep mussel(Gigantidas haimaensis) as a model, we explored this hostbacterial system by assembling the host transcriptome and genomes of its epibiotic Campylobacteria and endosymbiotic Gammaproteobacteria and quantifying their gene and protein expression levels. We found that the epibiont applies a sulfur oxidizing(SOX)multienzyme complex with the acquisition of sox B from Gammaproteobacteria for energy production and switched from a reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle to a Calvin-Benson-Bassham(CBB)cycle for carbon assimilation. The host provides metabolic intermediates, inorganic carbon, and thiosulfate to satisfy the materials and energy requirements of the epibiont, but whether the epibiont benefits the host is unclear. The endosymbiont adopts methane oxidation and the ribulose monophosphate pathway(Ru MP) for energy production, providing the major source of energy for itself and the host. The host obtains most of its nutrients, such as lysine, glutamine, valine,isoleucine, leucine, histidine, and folate, from the endosymbiont. In addition, host pattern recognition receptors, including toll-like receptors, peptidoglycan recognition proteins, and C-type lectins, may participate in bacterial infection, maintenance, and population regulation. Overall, this study provides insights into the complex host-bacterial relationships that have enabled mussels and bacteria to thrive in deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems.

Global Marine Cold Seep Metagenomes Reveal Diversity of Taxonomy,Metabolic Function,and Natural Products

Cold seeps in the deep sea are closely linked to energy exploration as well as global climate change.The alkane-dominated chemical energy-driven model makes cold seeps an oasis of deep-sea life,showcasing an unparalleled reservoir of microbial genetic diversity.Here,by analyzing 113 metagenomes collected from 14 global sites across 5 cold seep types,we present a comprehensive Cold Seep Microbiomic Database(CSMD)to archive the genomic and functional diversity of cold seep microbiomes.The CSMD includes over 49 million non-redundant genes and 3175 metagenome-assembled genomes,which represent 1895 species spanning 105 phyla.In addition,beta diversity analysis indicates that both the sampling site and cold seep type have a substantial impact on the prokaryotic microbiome community composition.Heterotrophic and anaerobic metabolisms are prevalent in microbial communities,accompanied by considerable mixotrophs and facultative anaerobes,highlighting the versatile metabolic potential in cold seeps.Furthermore,secondary metabolic gene cluster analysis indicates that at least 98.81%of the sequences potentially encode novel natural products,with ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides being the predominant type widely distributed in archaea and bacteria.Overall,the CSMD represents a valuable resource that would enhance the understanding and utilization of global cold seep microbiomes.

An insight into shallow gas hydrates in the Dongsha area,South China Sea

Previous studies of gas hydrate in the Dongsha area mainly focused on the deep-seated gas hydrates that have a high energy potential,but cared little about the shallow gas hydrates occurrences.Shallow gas hydrates have been confirmed by drill cores at three sites(GMGS208,GMGS209 and GMGS216)during the GMGS2 cruise,which occur as veins,blocky nodules or massive layers,at 8–30 m below the seafloor.Gas chimneys and faults observed on the seismic sections are the two main fluid migration pathways.The deep-seated gas hydrate and the shallow hydrate-bearing sediments are two main seals for the migrating gas.The occurrences of shallow gas hydrates are mainly controlled by the migration of fluid along shallow faults and the presence of deep-seated gas hydrates.Active gas leakage is taking place at a relatively high-flux state through the vent structures identified on the geophysical data at the seafloor,although without resulting in gas plumes easily detectable by acoustic methods.The presence of strong reflections on the high-resolution seismic profiles and dim or chaotic layers in the subbottom profiles are most likely good indicators of shallow gas hydrates in the Dongsha area.Active cold seeps,indicated by either gas plume or seepage vent,can also be used as indicators for neighboring shallow gas hydrates and the gas hydrate system that is highly dynamic in the Dongsha area.

Research Progress of Seafloor Pockmarks in Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Classification

Seafloor pockmarks are important indicators of submarine methane seepages and slope instabilities.In order to promote the understanding of submarine pockmarks and their relationship with sediment instabilities and climate changes,here we summarize the research results of pockmarks in the spatio-temporal distributions and shaping factors.Most of pockmarks occur along active or passive continental margins during the last 25 kyr B.P..Circular and ellipse are the most common forms of pockmarks,whereas pockmarks in a special crescent or elongated shape are indicators of slope instabilities,and ring-shape pockmarks are endemic to the gas hydrate zones.Further researches should be focused on the trigger mechanism of climate changes based on the pockmarks in the high latitudes formed during the deglaciation periods,and the role of gas hydrates in the seafloor evolution should be elucidated.In addition,the feature of pockmarks at their early stage(e.g.,developing gas chimneys and gas driving sedimentary doming)and the relations between pockmarks and mass movements,mud diapirs could be further studied to clarify the influences of rapid methane release from submarine sediments on the atmospheric carbon contents.

Eyes of diff ering colors in Alvinocaris longirostris from deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems: genetic and molecular evidence of its formation mechanism

Coloration is an important phenotypic trait for multiple adaptive functions.It is interesting to fi nd white-eye(AW)and orange-eye(AO)phenotypes in the shrimp Alvinocaris longirostris inhabiting the deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent areas of the northwestern Pacifi c.By comparative transcriptome analyses,1491 diff erentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified between AW and AO.Among them,many DEGs were associated with immunity,antioxidation,and detoxifi cation.Two signifi cant enzyme encoding genes,xanthine dehydrogenase,and tryptophan oxidase involved in pigment biosynthesis pathways were up-regulated in AW and AO,respectively,which might be related to the diff erences of white and orange eye phenotypes.Moreover,single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)calling detected that genotypes of 28 SNP distributing in 14 unigenes were completely diff erent between AW and AO.Particularly,there were three and two non-synonymous mutations in immune genes crustin Pm5 and antimicrobial peptide,respectively.Results indicate that the diff erence in eye color is probably resulted from immune response to variable micro-environmental stressors encountered in the dispersal process of the shrimps,such as symbiotic microbes,pathogens,and toxic substances,and might be genetically fi xed at last.The suggested pathway preliminarily explained the formation mechanism of diff erent eye phenotypes in Alvinocaridid shrimps,providing a basis for further study on adaptive evolution of eyes in deep-sea chemosynthetic faunas.

Abundance and diversity of candidate division JSl- and Chloroflexi-related bacteria in cold seep sediments of the northern South China Sea

Candidate division JS 1-and Chloroflexi-related bacteria are ubiquitous in various deep marine sediments worldwide, yet almost nothing is known about their abundance and diversity in cold seep sediments. Here, we investigated the abundance and diversity of JS1- and Chloroflexi-related bacteria in a cold seep marine sediment core collected from the northern South China Sea （SCS） with the employment of quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qPCR） and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. The qPCR results showed that 16S rRNA gene copies per gram of sediments for the total bacteria and JS 1- and Chloroflexi-related bacteria were at magnitudes of 108 and 106, respectively. The relative abundance of JS 1- and Chloroflexi-related 16S rRNA genes to that of total bacteria was 0.07%-8.78% throughout the core. Phyloge- netic analyses showed that the JS-1 related clone sequences were dominant throughout the core. Our study provided insights into abundance and diversity of JS 1- and Chloroflexi-related bacteria in the northern SCS cold seep sediments.

Deuterobiosphere the Chemosynthetic Second Biosphere of the Globe. A First Review

With the discovery of Ophel, a chemosynthesis-based continental subterranean environment (Por 2007), it becameevident that such environments, previously known only from the sea , are spanning the world as a parallel biosphere,the deuterobiosphere. In this preliminary contribution the different known biomes of the deuterobiosphere arereviewed and some general and comparative features are listed.

Draft genome of an Aerophobetes bacterium reveals a facultative lifestyle in deep-sea anaerobic sediments

Aerophobetes （or CD12） is a recently defined bacterial phylum, of which the metabolic processes and ecological importance remain unclear. In the present study, we obtained the draft genome of an Aerophobetes bac- terium TCSI from saline sediment near the Thuwal cold seep in the Red Sea using a genome binning method. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes of TCS1 and close relatives revealed wide distribution of Aerophobetes in deep-sea sediments. Phylogenetic relationships showed affinity between Aerophobetes TCS 1 and some thermophilic bac- terial phyla. The genome of TCS1 （at least 1.27 Mbp） contains a full set of genes encoding core metabolic path- ways, including glycolysis and pyruvate fermentation to produce acetyl-CoA and acetate. The identification of cross-membrane sugar transporter genes further indicates its potential ability to consume carbohydrates preserved inthe sediment under the microbial mat. Aerophobetes bac- terium TCS1 therefore probably carried out saccharolytic and fermentative metabolism. The genes responsible for autotrophic synthesis of acetyl-CoA via the Wood-Ljung- dahl pathway were also found in the genome. Phylogenetic study of the essential genes for the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway implied relative independence of Aerophobetes bacterium from the known acetogens and methanogens. Compared with genomes of acetogenic bacteria, Aero- phobetes bacterium TCS 1 genome lacks the genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, sulfur metabolism, signal trans- duction and cell motility. The metabolic activities of TCS 1 might depend on geochemical conditions such as supplies of CO2, hydrogen and sugars, and therefore the TCSI might be a facultative bacterium in anaerobic saline sedi- ments near cold seeps.

A deep‐sea sulfate‐reducing bacterium generates zero‐valent sulfur via metabolizing thiosulfate

Zero‐valent sulfur(ZVS)is a crucial intermediate in the sulfur geobiochemical circulation and is widespread in deep‐sea cold seeps.Sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria are thought to be the major contributors to the formation of ZVS.However,ZVS production mediated by sulfate‐reducing bacteria(SRB)has rarely been reported.In this study,we isolated and cultured a typical SRB designated Oceanidesulfovibrio marinus CS1 from deep‐sea cold seep sediment in the South China Sea.We show that O.marinus CS1 forms ZVS in the medium supplemented with thiosulfate.Proteomic and protein activity assays revealed that thiosulfate reductase(PhsA)and the sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase(SQR)played key roles in driving ZVS formation in O.marinus CS1.During this process,thiosulfate firstly was reduced by PhsA to form sulfide,then sulfide was oxidized by SQR to produce ZVS.The expressions of PhsA and SQR were significantly upregulated when O.marinus CS1 was cultured in a deep‐sea cold seep,strongly indicating that strain CS1 might form ZVS in the deep‐sea environment.Notably,homologs of phsA and sqr were widely identified from microbes living in sediments of deep‐sea cold seep in the South China Sea by the metagenomic analysis.We thus propose that SRB containing phsA and sqr genes potentially contribute to the formation of ZVS in deep‐sea cold seep environments.