Methanothermococcus okinawensis

Methanothermococcus okinawensis
Scientific classification
Domain: Archaea
Kingdom: Methanobacteriati
Phylum: Methanobacteriota
Class: Methanococci
Order: Methanococcales
Family: Methanococcaceae
Genus: Methanothermococcus
Species:
M. okinawensis
Binomial name
Methanothermococcus okinawensis
Takai et al. 2002

Methanothermococcus okinawensis is a thermophilic, methane-producing archaeon first isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the western Pacific Ocean. Its cells are highly motile, irregular cocci, with a polar bundle of flagella. Its type strain is IH1T (=JCM 11175T =DSM 14208T). It grows at an optimal temperature of 60–65 °C and pH of 6.7. It is strictly anaerobic and reduces carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce methane, but it can also use formate. Research studies indicate that it might be able to survive extreme conditions in solar system's other bodies, such as Saturn's moon Enceladus.