ABSTRACT
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents have a rich diversity of thermophiles. Based on a literature survey, a list of both chemoorganotrophic and chemolithotrophic (hyper)thermophiles, 96 species represented by 47 genera belonging to Archaea and Bacteria, isolated from the deep-sea hydrothermal environments, is provided. These extremophiles grow mostly anaerobically, and some can grow under extraordinarily high temperature, acidic pH, and hydrostatic pressure up to 40 MPa. Their metabolic versatility, indicated by their electron donors, electron acceptors, and carbon source, is one of the reasons for their survival under the harsh environmental conditions in deep-sea hydrothermal systems.
