Redox-stratified macromolecule degradation supports microbial survival in the oligotrophic Kermadec Trench sediments
This study reveals that Kermadec Trench microbes thrive by recycling organic matter and flexibly switching energy-generation pathways, highlighting a coordinated system of organic matter remineralization and electron acceptor versatility that underpins microbial survival in Earth’s deepest seafloor ecosystems.