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A novel bioenergetic model outlines the metabolism of a deep-sea clam and that of its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts
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  • Published: 21 March 2026

A novel bioenergetic model outlines the metabolism of a deep-sea clam and that of its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts

  • Marine Vandenberghe1,
  • Gonçalo M. Marques2,
  • Ann C. Andersen3,
  • Carole Decker4,
  • Karine Olu4,
  • Sébastien Duperron5 &
  • …
  • Sylvie M. Gaudron1,6 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Computational biology and bioinformatics
  • Ecology
  • Microbiology
  • Ocean sciences

Abstract

For the first time, two Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) models were developed for a chemosymbiotic deep-sea vesicomyid clam. A classical DEB model was applied and then an innovative DEB model was developed (named “farming”). The models were parameterized using data on host and symbionts, including original unpublished data. In the farming model the digestion of the sulfur-oxidizing bacterial symbionts for host nutrition was explicitly modeled. Unexpected results were obtained regarding the dynamics of host and symbionts with this model: the host appears to forgo a maximal ingestion for a lower and stable ingestion, revealing a new kind of homeostasis. Moreover, when the clam is adult, most of the oxygen consumed by the chemosynthetic symbiosis was predicted to be by the symbionts. A high host energy maintenance flux was predicted and consistent with the likely high energy demand of host ion homeostasis mechanisms to cope with symbiont protons and sulfates release.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available in the Christineconcha_regab_dynamic_energy_budget repository, https://github.com/mvdb26/Christineconcha_regab_dynamic_energy_budget.

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Funding

Marine Vandenberghe was funded by a PhD fellowship provided by the CNRS through the 80-Prime Program. This work was financially supported by both the French National Program EC2CO and the 80-Prime Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR 8187 Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences (LOG), Université de Lille, ULCO, CNRS, IRD, Lille, F-59000, France

    Marine Vandenberghe & Sylvie M. Gaudron

  2. Marine, Environment & Technology Center (MARETEC), LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Gonçalo M. Marques

  3. Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, AD2M, Roscoff, F-29680, France

    Ann C. Andersen

  4. Ifremer, Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Centre Bretagne - ZI de la Pointe du Diable - CS 10070, Plouzané, 29280, France

    Carole Decker & Karine Olu

  5. UMR7245 Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France

    Sébastien Duperron

  6. Sorbonne Université, UFR 927, Paris, F-75005, France

    Sylvie M. Gaudron

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Contributions

S.M.G. conceived the project. M.V. and G.M. designed the new farming model. M.V. wrote the manuscript with inputs of S.M.G and G.M.. A.C.A., C.D., K.O. and S.D. performed some experimentations and provided data. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sylvie M. Gaudron.

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Vandenberghe, M., Marques, G.M., Andersen, A.C. et al. A novel bioenergetic model outlines the metabolism of a deep-sea clam and that of its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41176-0

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  • Received: 09 October 2025

  • Accepted: 18 February 2026

  • Published: 21 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41176-0

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