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Methanococcus vulcanius sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic methanogen isolated from East Pacific Rise, and identification of Methanococcus sp. DSM 4213^Tas Methanococcus fervens sp. nov.

¹Station Biologique, UPR9042, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Place Georges-Teissier, 29680 Roscoff, France
²Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
³Zentrum für Ultrastrukturforschung und Ludwig Boltzmann-Institut für Molekulare Nanotechnologie, Universität für Bodenkultur, 1180 Wien, Austria
⁴Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, 6 avenue Victor Le Gorgeu, 29285 Brest cedex, France

Author for correspondence: C. Jeanthon. Tel: + 33 298292309. Fax: +33 298292324. e-mail: jeanthon{at}sb-roscoff.fr

ABSTRACT

An autotrophic, hyperthermophilic methanogen (M7^T) was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal chimney sample collected on the East Pacific Rise at depth of 2600 m. The coccoid-shaped cells are flagellated and exhibit a sligh tumbling motility. The temperature range for growth at pH 6.5 was 49--89 °C, with optimum growth at 80 °C. The optimum pH for growth was 6.5, and the optimum NaCI concentration for growth was around 25 g I-¹. The new isolat used H₂ and CO₂ as the only substrates for growth and methane production. Tungsten, selenium and yeast extract stimulated growth significantly. In the presence of C0₂ and H₂ the organism reduced elemental sulphur to hydrogen sulphide. Growth was inhibited by chloramphenicol and rifampicin, but not by ampicillin, kanamycin, penicillin and streptomycin. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 31 mol%. As determined by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, this organism was closely related to Methanococcus jannaschii strain JAL-^1T. However, despite the high percentage of similarity between their 16S rDNA sequences (97.1 %), the DNA-DNA hybridization levels between these strains were less than 5%. On the basis of these observations and physiological traits, it is proposed that this organism should be placed in a new species, Methanococcus vulcanius. The type strain is M7^T(= DSM 12094^T) During the course of this study, the 16S rDNA sequence analysis placed Methanococcus sp. strain AG86^T(= DSM 4213^T) as a close relative of M. jannaschii strain JAL-1^T. However, the weak level of DNA-DNA hybridization with this strain (< 10%) allowed the proposal that strain AG86^Talso constitutes a new species, Methanococcus fervens.

Key Words: deep-sea hydrothermal vents • thermophiles • Archaea • Methanococcus • Methanococcus vulcanius

The GenBank accession numbers for the 16S rDNA sequences of Methanococcus vulcanius M7^Tand Methanococcus fervens AG86^Tare AF051404 and AF056938, respectively.

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