Novel thermoacidophilic Thaumarchaeota inhabit iron oxide and sulfur habitats of Yellowstone National Park. hot springs metagenome

Currently, cultured members of the archaeal phylum Thaumarchaeota, consist of autotrophic, ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. To explore other potential energy-yielding pathways in this phylum, two de novo assembled genomes were extracted from the metagenomes from two different physicographic regions (iron oxide vs. sulfur) in acidic, geothermal springs of Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA. The genomes of these two novel, uncultured Thaumarchaeotes did not contain any of the genes required for ammonia oxidation and revealed a chemoorganotrophic lifestyle. These findings indicate that other energy-yielding pathways are potentially widespread in other uncultured members of the Thaumarchaeota and that ammonia oxidation is a derived physiological characteristic of other members within the Thaumarchaeota. Iron oxide microbial mat habitat in an acidic (pH = 3), geothermal spring (T = 68 C) in Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA.