Bigelow Laboratory's Single Cell Genomics Center leads a study that links genomes to individual cells to illuminate how rare, uncultivated deep-sea microbes live, evolve, and potentially unlock biotechnological applications.

GORG-Dark marks the second phase of the GORG initiative, expanding from sunlit zones to the deep ocean to establish a baseline for understanding environmental changes driven by human activity in the ocean interior.

GORG-Dark assembles the first global atlas of single-cell genomes from aphotic deep-sea microbes, compiling more than 9,600 genomes from cells across depths and locations including the Mariana Trench and Antarctic waters.

Key researchers include Tianyi Chang as first author, along with Alaina Weinheimer, Maria Pachiadaki, Keir Macartney, and SCGC founder Ramunas Stepanauskas, highlighting collaborative postdoctoral opportunities at Bigelow Laboratory.

By sequencing isolated single cells, researchers found unexpected metabolic capabilities—notably widespread chemoautotrophy in deep-sea microbes—implying a major role in global carbon and nutrient cycles.

The project was funded by a Simons Foundation grant, enabling integration of samples from global collaborators and the use of SCGC technologies to sequence single-cell genomes.

The findings were published in Cell on September 15, 2026, in an article titled Single-cell-resolved genome atlas of prokaryoplankton inhabiting the ocean’s interior, underscoring the database’s impact on microbial ecology and biotech potential.

The study also identified genes for specialized compounds with pharmaceutical and blue biotech potential, underscoring the deep ocean as a promising source of future discoveries.