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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY logo International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

Volume 76, Issue 3

sp. nov., a novel thermophilic methanogen from subseafloor hydrothermal vent fluids of Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge Open Access

Abstract

Low-temperature (34 °C) hydrothermal fluid was collected from Axial Seamount along the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the northeast Pacific Ocean. A thermophilic methanogen, designated strain Ax23, was isolated from this fluid. The archaeon was anaerobic, autotrophic and coccoidal and grew separately on H/CO and formate. Ax23 grew on NH and by fixing N, but did not grow on NO . The isolate grew at temperatures ranging from 33 to 75 °C (optimum 73 °C) and a minimum doubling time of 32 min, in the presence of 3–6% NaCl (optimum 3–4.5%) and pH 4.0–9.0 (optimum 6.0–8.0). It increased its growth yield (cells produced per mole of CH produced) when grown on 10 kPa H relative to 160 kPa H, suggesting that it is capable of a metabolic trade-off with varying H availability. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain was 95.6–99.7% identical to other thermophilic species of the family in the kingdom . The complete genome of Ax23 was sequenced, which yielded a 1,662,948 bp chromosome with 1,663 protein-coding sequences and a 7,732 bp plasmid. Based on genome-relatedness index analyses and its phenotypic characteristics, strain Ax23 represents a novel species, for which the name is proposed. The type strain is Ax23 (=DSM 118471=JCM39656).

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Keyword(s): deep-sea hydrothermal vent , Methanobacteriati , Methanococcaceae , Methanococcales , Methanococci and Methanothermococcus
Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Award 80NSSC21K1240)
    • Principal Award Recipient: JamesF. Holden
  • National Science Foundation (Award OCE-1947776)
    • Principal Award Recipient: SarahK. Hu
© 2026 The Authors
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
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2026-03-03
2026-03-17

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Methanothermococcus jasoni sp. nov., a novel thermophilic methanogen from subseafloor hydrothermal vent fluids of Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 76, 007098 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.007098
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