Detection by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of an archaeon in a commercial-scale copper bioleaching plant

An archaeon was detected in the leaching solution from a commercial copper production plant and in copper sulfide ores leached with the solution. The leaching solution in this plant contains a high concentration of sulfate salts. Analysis of the microbial population by polymerase chain reaction-amplification of archaeal 16S rDNAs indicated the presence of a single sequence type. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the polymerase chain reaction product with available reference sequences suggested that this archaeon corresponds to a new species of a novel genus and family within the order Thermoplasmales. This archaeon grows in synthetic media but it has not been possible to obtain isolates free of chemolithotrophic bacteria. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.