Genome-guided isolation of the hyperthermophilic aerobe Fervidibacter sacchari reveals conserved polysaccharide metabolism in the Armatimonadota

Abstract Few aerobic hyperthermophilic microorganisms degrade polysaccharides. Here, we describe the genome-enabled enrichment and optical tweezer-based isolation of an aerobic polysaccharide-degrading hyperthermophile, Fervidibacter sacchari, previously ascribed to candidate phylum Fervidibacteria. F. sacchari uses polysaccharides and monosaccharides for growth at 65–87.5 °C and expresses 191 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) according to RNA-Seq and proteomics, including 31 with unusual glycoside hydrolase domains (GH109, GH177, GH179). Fluorescence in-situ hybridization and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry confirmed rapid assimilation of 13C-starch in spring sediments. Purified GHs were optimally active at 80–100 °C on ten different polysaccharides. Finally, we propose reassigning Fervidibacteria as a class within phylum Armatimonadota, along with 18 other species, and show that a high number and diversity of CAZymes is a hallmark of the phylum, in both aerobic and anaerobic lineages. Our study establishes Fervidibacteria as hyperthermophilic polysaccharide degraders in terrestrial geothermal springs and suggests a broad role for Armatimonadota in polysaccharide catabolism.