Publication Date:
2006-12-16
Description:
A methanogenic archaeon isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluid was found to reduce N(2) to NH(3) at up to 92 degrees C, which is 28 degrees C higher than the current upper temperature limit of biological nitrogen fixation. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene of the hyperthermophilic nitrogen fixer, designated FS406-22, was 99% similar to that of non-nitrogen fixing Methanocaldococcus jannaschii DSM 2661. At its optimal growth temperature of 90 degrees C, FS406-22 incorporated (15)N(2) and expressed nifH messenger RNA. This increase in the temperature limit of nitrogen fixation could reveal a broader range of conditions for life in the subseafloor biosphere and other nitrogen-limited ecosystems than previously estimated.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Mehta, Mausmi P -- Baross, John A -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2006 Dec 15;314(5806):1783-6.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. mausmi@alum.mit.edu〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17170307" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Amino Acid Sequence
;
Archaea/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification/*metabolism
;
Archaeal Proteins/chemistry/genetics/metabolism
;
Base Sequence
;
*Ecosystem
;
Genes, Archaeal
;
Genes, rRNA
;
Geologic Sediments/microbiology
;
*Hot Temperature
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Molecular Sequence Data
;
Nitrogen/metabolism
;
*Nitrogen Fixation/genetics
;
Nitrogenase/chemistry/*genetics/metabolism
;
Operon
;
Oxidation-Reduction
;
Oxidoreductases/chemistry/genetics/metabolism
;
Pacific Ocean
;
Phylogeny
;
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
;
Seawater/*microbiology
;
Volcanic Eruptions
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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