Microbial Physiology in Deep Biosphere of the Earth

Abstract

  To date, together with rapidly developed culture-independent molecular techniques, knowledge in biomass, phylogenetic diversity and biogeography of microbial components has been extensively characterized in various terrestrial and oceanic habitats of deep biosphere. However, the general sketch of phenotypic and physiological diversity of subsurface microorganisms has remained poorly understood as most of the indigenous subsurface microbial components still escape from the laboratory cultivations. In this article, the physiological properties of the microorganisms that have been cultivated from various subsurface environments are overviewed.