Trace gas oxidation sustains energy needs of a thermophilic archaeon at suboptimal temperatures.

Diverse aerobic bacteria use atmospheric hydrogen (H) and carbon monoxide (CO) as energy sources to support growth and survival. Such trace gas oxidation is recognised as a globally significant process that serves as the main sink in the biogeochemical H cycle and sustains microbial biodiversity in oligotrophic ecosystems. However, it is unclear whether archaea can also use atmospheric H. Here we show that a thermoacidophilic archaeon, Acidianus brierleyi (Thermoproteota), constitutively consumes H and CO to sub-atmospheric levels. Oxidation occurs across a wide range of temperatures (10 to 70 °C) and enhances ATP production during starvation-induced persistence under temperate conditions. The genome of A. brierleyi encodes a canonical CO dehydrogenase and four distinct [NiFe]-hydrogenases, which are differentially produced in response to electron donor and acceptor availability. Another archaeon, Metallosphaera sedula, can also oxidize atmospheric H. Our results suggest that trace gas oxidation is a common trait of Sulfolobales archaea and may play a role in their survival and niche expansion, including during dispersal through temperate environments.