Harvard Scientists Reveal Amazing Survival Strategies of Giant Deep-Sea Vent Tubeworm

Research on the deep-sea vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila shows how its symbiotic bacteria use two carbon fixation pathways to adapt to deep-sea conditions, suggesting potential for biotechnological applications in carbon capture.

The giant hydrothermal vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila lives in the harsh deep-sea environment of the East Pacific Rise, where sunlight does not penetrate and the surroundings are known for their extreme temperatures, skull-crushing pressures, and toxic compounds. Growing up to 6 feet tall with a deep-red plume, Riftia does not have a digestive system but thrives off its symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live deep within its body. These billions of bacteria fix carbon dioxide to sugars to sustain themselves and the tubeworm.

While most autotrophic organisms sustain themselves by using a single carbon fixation pathway, Riftia’s chemoautotrophic endosymbionts possesses two functional carbon fixation pathways: the Calvin-Benson–Bassham (CBB) and the reductive tricarboxylic DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01704-y