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Friday, 10th October 2008 (1956 views)

A unique biological species has been identified after workers at the Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg collected matter for scientists to study.

The unusual genome of desulforudis audaxviator, a rod-shaped bacterium, has now been sequenced by a team of American and Canadian genetic researchers after its discovery in the mine in 2006, reports PhysOrg.

It is the first ecosystem ever to be found that comprises of a single species.

Despite taking no energy from the sun, it manages to exist - in total darkness, 60 degree C heat and complete isolation with a lack of oxygen.

Researcher Dylan Chivian said: "It's sort of philosophically exciting to know that everything necessary for life can be packed into a single genome."

Gold miners at the site collected matter from a newly-opened section of the project for the team to analyse.

The Mponeng mine is one of the deepest in the world, notes Mining Review.

 

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