<i>Thermococcus bergensis</i> sp. nov., a Novel Hyperthermophilic Starch-Degrading Archaeon

• Main Authors: Nils-Kåre Birkeland, Boyke Bunk, Cathrin Spröer, Hans-Peter Klenk, Peter Schönheit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Biology
• Subjects: archaea; hyperthermophiles; oil-well; genome; deep biosphere
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/5/387

A novel hyperthermophilic archaeon, termed strain T7324^T, was isolated from a mixed sulfate-reducing consortium recovered from hot water produced from a deep North Sea oil reservoir. The isolate is a strict anaerobic chemo-organotroph able to utilize yeast extract or starch as a carbon source. The genes for a number of sugar degradation enzymes and glutamate dehydrogenase previously attributed to the sulfate reducing strain of the consortium (<i>Archaeoglobus fulgidus</i> strain 7324) were identified in the nearly completed genome sequence. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene placed the strain in the <i>Thermococcus</i> genus, but with an average nucleotide identity that is less than 90% to its closest relatives. Phylogenomic treeing reconstructions placed the strain on a distinct lineage clearly separated from other <i>Thermococcus</i> spp. The results indicate that the strain T7324^T represents a novel species, for which the name <i>Thermococcus bergensis</i> sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is T7324^T (=DSM 27149^T = KCTC 15808^T).