Thermogladius shockii gen. nov., sp. nov., a hyperthermophilic crenarchaeote from Yellowstone National Park, USA.
A hyperthermophilic heterotrophic archaeon (strain WB1) was isolated from a thermal pool in the Washburn hot spring group of Yellowstone National Park, USA. WB1 is a coccus, 0.6-1.2 μm in diameter, with a tetragonal S-layer, vacuoles, and occasional stalk-like protrusions. Growth is optimal at 84°C (range 64-93°C), pH 5-6 (range 3.5-8.5), and <1 g/l NaCl (range 0-4.6 g/l NaCl). Tests of metabolic properties show the isolate to be a strict anaerobe that ferments complex organic substrates. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence places WB1 in a clade of previously uncultured Desulfurococcaceae and shows it to have ≤ 96% 16S rRNA sequence identity to Desulfurococcus mobilis, Staphylothermus marinus, Staphylothermus hellenicus, and Sulfophobococcus zilligii. The 16S rRNA gene contains a large insertion similar to homing endonuclease introns reported in Thermoproteus and Pyrobaculum species. Growth is unaffected by the presence of S(0) or SO(4)(2-), thereby differentiating the isolate from its closest relatives. Based on phylogenetic and physiological differences, it is proposed that isolate WB1 represents the type strain of a novel genus and species within the Desulfurococcaceae, Thermogladius shockii gen. nov., sp. nov. (RIKEN = JCM-16579, ATCC = BAA-1607, Genbank 16S rRNA gene = EU183120).
Osburn
Magdalena R
MR
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. maggie@gps.caltech.edu
Amend
Jan P
JP
D001482:Base Composition; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry; D019620:Desulfurococcaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D045482:Hot Springs / Q000382:microbiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014481:United States
D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S