Bioenergetic characterization of hyperthermophilic archaean Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22

Hyperthermophilic archaean Methanocaldococcus sp. FS406-22 (hereafter FS406) is a hydrogenotrophic methanogen isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. To better understand the energetic requirements of hydrogen oxidation under extreme conditions, the thermodynamic characterization of FS406 incubations is necessary and notably underexplored. In this work, we quantified the bioenergetics of FS406 incubations at a range of temperatures (65, 76, and 85 ℃) and hydrogen concentrations (1.1, 1.4, and 2.1 mm). The biomass yields (C-mol of biomass per mol of H₂ consumed) ranged from 0.02 to 0.19. Growth rates ranged from 0.4 to 1.5 h⁻¹. Gibbs energies of incubation based on macrochemical equations of cell growth ranged from \(-198\) $-198$ kJ/C-mol to \(-1840\) $-1840$ kJ/C-mol. Enthalpies of incubation determined from calorimetric measurements ranged from \(-4150\) $-4150$ kJ/C-mol to \(-36333\) $-36333$ kJ/C-mol. FS406 growth rates were most comparable to hyperthermophilic methanogen Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Maintenance energy calculations from the thermodynamic parameters of FS406 and previously determined heterotrophic methanogen data revealed that temperature is a primary determinant rather than an electron donor. This work provides new insights into the thermodynamic underpinnings of a hyperthermophilic hydrothermal vent methanogen and helps to better constrain the energetic requirements of life in extreme environments.