A deep-sea bacterium called Oceanidesulfovibrio marinus CS1 can produce zero-valent sulfur by breaking down thiosulfate. This bacterium uses specific enzymes, PhsA and SQR, to convert thiosulfate into sulfide and then into zero-valent sulfur. When living in deep-sea cold seep environments, Oceanidesulfovibrio marinus CS1 increases the production of these enzymes, suggesting it can create zero-valent sulfur in these conditions. Similar genes for these enzymes were found in other microbes living in the same environment, indicating that sulfate-reducing bacteria may play a role in forming zero-valent sulfur in deep-sea cold seeps.