An obligate Fe-reducing marine autotroph capable of growth on basalt glass, NaCl, and bicarbonate buffer.. Marinobacter sp. F02

Marinobacter sp. F02. This strain was collected from the Juan de Fuca Ridge Middle Valley Vent at a depth of 2400 meters, and was isolated by serial dilution. This organism is an obligate Fe-oxidizing autotroph, "minimalistic" strain capable of growth on basalt glass (the rock that comprises most of the ocean crust), nano-pure water, reagent grade NaCl, and bicarbonate buffer. It is an obligate chemolithoautotrophs and grows optimally under microaerobic conditions in the presence of an oxygen gradient or anaerobically in the presence of nitrate. It is not capable of growing on any of several organic or alternate inorganic substrates tested.