[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":71},["ShallowReactive",2],{"research-deep-sea-clams-and-their-symbionts-adapt-to-changing-environments":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"cover":56,"date":57,"description":12,"extension":58,"link":59,"meta":60,"navigation":61,"path":62,"researchId":63,"seo":64,"slug":65,"source":66,"stem":67,"tags":68,"__hash__":70},"research\u002Fresearch\u002F34-deep-sea-clams-and-their-symbionts-adapt-to-changing-environments.md","New Study Reveals How Deep-Sea Clams and Their Symbionts Adapt to Changing Environments",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":52},"minimark",[9,13,21,34,37,40],[10,11,12],"p",{},"A recent study published in Science Advances has revealed how deep-sea clams and their bacterial symbionts work together to survive fluctuations in chemical energy supply at cold seeps. Led by Prof. Peiyuan QIAN from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and international collaborators, the study provides new insights into the resilience of deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems.",[10,14,15,16,20],{},"Using ",[17,18,19],"i",{},"in situ"," transplantation experiments at the Haima cold seep in the South China Sea, the team investigated how the clam Archivesica marissinica and its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts respond to reduced hydrogen sulfide availability. By integrating multi-omics analyses with microscopy, the researchers uncovered a tiered adaptation strategy involving metabolic flexibility, host regulation of symbiont populations, and metabolic cooperation.",[22,23,24,25,24,30],"figure",{},"\n  ",[26,27],"img",{"src":28,"style":29},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.meteonex.hkust.edu.hk\u002Fportals\u002FCCRS\u002Fpublic\u002Fimages\u002Fresearch\u002Fdeepsea.png","width: 80%",[31,32,33],"figcaption",{},"\n  Figure. Deep-sea in situ transplant experiments corresponding to moderate (HM-3) and severe (HM-2) sulfide depletion\n  ",[10,35,36],{},"Under sulfide limitation, bacterial symbionts adjusted their sulfur metabolism, potentially increasing their reliance on alternative energy substrates such as thiosulfate. Meanwhile, the host regulated symbiont abundance according to the severity of energy limitation, maintaining symbiotic populations under moderate stress while increasing symbiont degradation under severe stress. The findings also suggest that host sulfide detoxification may support bacterial energy metabolism, further strengthening the partnership.",[10,38,39],{},"This research provides rare in situ experimental evidence of how deep-sea chemosynthetic symbioses maintain functional stability under environmental fluctuations. It advances our understanding of the mechanisms supporting cold seep ecosystem resilience and biodiversity in a changing ocean.",[10,41,42,43,47,48,51],{},"The study represents a collaborative contribution to the UN Decade Programmes ",[44,45,46],"em",{},"CliMetS"," and ",[44,49,50],{},"MOCSI",".",{"title":53,"searchDepth":54,"depth":54,"links":55},"",2,[],"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.meteonex.hkust.edu.hk\u002Fportals\u002FCCRS\u002Fpublic\u002Fimages\u002Fresearch\u002Fcover\u002Fid34.png","2026-10-22","md",null,{},true,"\u002Fresearch\u002F34-deep-sea-clams-and-their-symbionts-adapt-to-changing-environments",34,{"title":5,"description":12},"deep-sea-clams-and-their-symbionts-adapt-to-changing-environments","local","research\u002F34-deep-sea-clams-and-their-symbionts-adapt-to-changing-environments",[69],"climate","7MRj7WS-Qf1YFWIoOeZKpEwt9h3IIV7OjEg65bYwYws",1792997703046]