We report the draft genome sequence of a putative new genus and species,
Siliceabacter maunaloa
, in the family
Solirubrobacteraceae
. The members of this family of
Actinobacteria
are generally Gram positive and mesophilic. Found within a Hawaiian lava tube, this microbe illuminates the types of prokaryotes inhabiting secondary minerals in subsurface basaltic environments.
Here, we present the draft genome for a new putative species,
Gaiellasilicea maunaloa
, most closely related to
Gaiella occulta
, within the phylum
Actinobacteria.
This group contains Gram-negative, aerobic mesophilic species. This metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) contributes to knowledge of life in volcanic environments and may inform investigations of life beyond Earth.
Beneath the terrain of Mauna Loa in Hawaii, the largest active volcano on the planet (United States Geological Survey, 2022), lies a maze of basaltic lava tubes that are home to uncharacterized microbial communities and novel species. This subsurface basaltic environment provides a unique environment for microbial life largely sheltered from the sun, wind, temperature fluctuations, plants, and animals. On Mauna Loa, lava tubes are coated in colorful secondary minerals, such as gypsum, thenardite, and calcite that form as a result of weathering (White, 2010). These mineral deposits can provide additional protection and substrates for life, including water and ions involved in their metabolisms (
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