THERMOCOCCUS FUMICOLANS SP-NOV, A NEW HYPERTHERMOPHILIC ARCHAEON ISOLATED FROM A DEEP-SEA HYDROTHERMAL VENT IN THE NORTH FIJI BASIN

An extremely thermophilic archaeon, strain ST557(T) (T = type strain), was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent in the North Fiji Basi n. This strain is a strictly anaerobic coccus whose cells are about 0. 8 to 2 mu m in diameter. The optimum temperature, pH and sea salt conc entration for growth are 85 degrees C, 8.5, and 20 to 40 g/liter, resp ectively. Strain ST557(T) grows preferentially in the presence of elem ental sulfur on proteinaceous substrates and on a mixture of 20 amino acids. It grows slowly on pyruvate and maltose. Growth is inhibited by rifampin. The DNA G+C content is 54 to 55 mol%. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that strain ST557(T) belongs to the genus Thermoco ccus. We propose that this organism should be placed in a new species, Thermococcus fumicolans.