Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 10, 2026
04:32
Extraction of Cofactor F420 for Analysis of Polyglutamate Tail Length from Methanogenic Pure Cultures and Environmental Samples
Published on: October 14, 2021
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Bioenergetic characterization of hyperthermophilic archaean Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22
Addien C Wray1, Autum R Downey2, Andrea A Nodal2
1Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. addien.c.wray@gmail.com.
Extremophiles : Life Under Extreme Conditions
|July 18, 2024
Summary
This study quantifies the bioenergetics of hyperthermophilic archaean Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22, revealing temperature as a key factor influencing its energy requirements in extreme deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Hyperthermophilic archaea like Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22 inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
- Understanding their energetic requirements is crucial for comprehending life in extreme environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To thermodynamically characterize Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22 (FS406) incubations.
- To determine the energetic requirements of hydrogen oxidation under extreme conditions.
Main Methods:
- Quantified bioenergetics of FS406 at varying temperatures (65-85 °C) and hydrogen concentrations (1.1-2.1 mM).
- Measured biomass yields, growth rates, Gibbs energies, and enthalpies of incubation.
- Utilized calorimetric measurements for enthalpy determination.
Main Results:
- Biomass yields ranged from 0.02 to 0.19 (C-mol/mol H₂).
- Growth rates varied from 0.4 to 1.5 h⁻¹.
- Temperature was identified as a primary determinant of maintenance energy, more so than the electron donor.
Conclusions:
- Provides new thermodynamic insights into FS406, a hyperthermophilic methanogen.
- Constrains the energetic requirements for life in extreme deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems.
- FS406 growth rates are comparable to Methanocaldococcus jannaschii.
Keywords:
Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22BioenergeticsHydrogenotrophic methanogenesisHydrothermal ventHyperthermophileMore Related Videos
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