title: Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic, obligately sulfur-reducing archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.
abstract: A hyperthermophilic, sulfur-reducing, organo-heterotrophic archaeon, strain OGL-20P(T), was isolated from 'black smoker' chimney material from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent site on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (36.2 degrees N, 33.9 degrees W). The cells of strain OGL-20P(T) have an irregular coccoid shape and are motile with a single flagellum. Growth was observed within a pH range of 5.0-8.5 (optimum pH 7.0), an NaCl concentration range of 1-5 % (w/v) (optimum 3 %) and a temperature range of 55-94 degrees C (optimum 83-85 degrees C). The novel isolate is strictly anaerobic and obligately dependent upon elemental sulfur as an electron acceptor, but it does not reduce sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, Fe(III) or nitrate. Proteolysis products (peptone, bacto-tryptone, Casamino acids and yeast extract) are utilized as substrates during sulfur reduction. Strain OGL-20P(T) is resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and gentamicin, but sensitive to tetracycline and rifampicin. The G+C content of the DNA is 52.9 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain OGL-20P(T) is closely related to Thermococcus coalescens and related species, but no significant homology by DNA-DNA hybridization was observed between those species and the new isolate. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties of the new isolate, we conclude that strain OGL-20P(T) represents a new separate species within the genus Thermococcus, for which we propose the name Thermococcus thioreducens sp. nov. The type strain is OGL-20P(T) (=JCM 12859(T)=DSM 14981(T)=ATCC BAA-394(T)).
authors.affiliation: Astrobiology Laboratory, NASA/NSSTC, VP62, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805, USA.
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Pikuta
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Structural Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, MSB 221, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marsic
authors.affiliation: Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Asim K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bej
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Monitoring Programs Office, 8609 Sudley Rd., Suite 206, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2605, USA.
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Structural Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, MSB 221, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, UAH, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
authors.forename: Owen K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Garriott
authors.affiliation: Astrobiology Laboratory, NASA/NSSTC, VP62, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805, USA.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Hoover
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001482:Base Composition; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D005407:Flagella; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000382:microbiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008124:Locomotion; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010461:Peptones / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D019642:RNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D010461:Peptones; D019642:RNA, Archaeal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013455:Sulfur