Colonization of nascent, deep-sea hydrothermal vents by a novel Archaeal and Nanoarchaeal assemblage.

Active deep-sea hydrothermal vents are areas of intense mixing and severe thermal and chemical gradients, fostering a biotope rich in novel hyperthermophilic microorganisms and metabolic pathways. The goal of this study was to identify the earliest archaeal colonizers of nascent hydrothermal chimneys, organisms that may be previously uncharacterized as they are quickly replaced by a more stable climax community. During expeditions in 2001 and 2002 to the hydrothermal vents of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) (9 degrees 50'N, 104 degrees 17'W), we removed actively venting chimneys and in their place deployed mineral chambers and sampling units that promoted the growth of new, natural hydrothermal chimneys and allowed their collection within hours of formation.