Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur and iron geothermal steam vents

Research reveals that geothermal steam vents, or fumaroles, harbor diverse and novel microbial lineages, including previously unknown ammonia-oxidizing Archaea. The study, conducted across Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Lassen Volcanic National Park, developed innovative DNA isolation techniques to analyze microbial communities in these extreme environments. Fumarole deposits were classified as nonsulfur, sulfur, or iron-dominated based on X-ray microanalysis. While sulfur-dominated vents were dominated by Sulfolobus and Acidianus, nonsulfur deposits contained mainly unknown Crenarchaeota, suggesting fumaroles as a potential habitat for ammonia-oxidizing Archaea. The study also successfully enriched and isolated members of the Sulfolobales, providing the first evidence of Archaea in geothermal steam deposits.

Benson, C. A., Bizzoco, R. W., Lipson, D. A., & Kelley, S. T. (2011). Microbial diversity in nonsulfur, sulfur and iron geothermal steam vents. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 76(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01047.x