International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Vol 50, 2093-2100, Copyright © 2000 by Society for General Microbiology

Ignicoccus gen. nov., a novel genus of hyperthermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic Archaea, represented by two new species, Ignicoccus islandicus sp. nov. and Ignicoccus pacificus sp. nov

H Huber, S Burggraf, T Mayer, I Wyschkony, R Rachel and KO Stetter
Lehrstuhl fur Mikrobiologie und Archaeenzentrum, Universitat Regensburg, Universitatsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany

Two species of novel, chemolithoautotrophic, sulfidogenic micro-organisms were isolated from submarine hydrothermal systems in the Atlantic (at the Kolbeinsey Ridge north of Iceland) and in the Pacific (at 9 degrees N, 104 degrees W). The coccoid cells grew within a temperature range of 70--98 degrees C (optimum around 90 degrees C). They gained energy by reduction of elemental sulfur using molecular hydrogen as the electron donor. 16S rDNA-based sequence comparisons revealed that the organisms are members of the crenarchaeal branch of the Archaea. They represent a new, deeply branching lineage within the family of the Desulfurococcaceae. In DNA--DNA hybridization experiments both strains exhibited low levels of hybridization to each other and to further representatives of this family. Therefore, they represent a new genus, for which the name Ignicoccus gen. nov. is proposed. At present it consists of two new species, Ignicoccus islandicus sp. nov. (type strain is Kol8(T)=DSM 13165(T)=ATCC 700957(T)) and Ignicoccus pacificus sp. nov. (type strain is LPC33(T)=DSM 13166(T)=ATCC 700958(T)).

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