Fish-Sims: Characterizing the Metabolic Potential and Interspecies Interactions between Uncultured Environmental Microorganisms

The ability to link phylogenetic identity with metabolic function is one of the longstanding goals in the field of microbial ecology. With greater than 99% of the global microbial diversity missing from culture collections, there is a critical need for alternative, culture-independent approaches that can extend beyond diversity surveys and directly illuminate the ecological and biogeochemical roles of microorganisms in nature. To this end, research incorporating the use of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS and nanoSIMS) combined with stable isotope tracers and molecular methodologies such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) have opened new and exciting avenues of research to study the metabolic potential of individual microorganisms, microbial consortia, and symbiotic associations. Here, we will highlight the application of FISH combined with nanoSIMS ion imaging to unravel complex microbial associations and trophic relationships in marine ecosystems fueled by methane