Aerophobota is a candidate bacterial phylum within the domain Bacteria. This phylum is found mainly in deep-sea, hydrocarbon-rich sediments, especially those associated with methane hydrates. Aerophobota is notable for its likely involvement in organic carbon and methane cycling in anoxic, deep ocean sediment environments.
Taxonomy The classification is based on genomic and metagenomic data without cultured isolates, and the name is not yet validly published under formal bacterial nomenclature. Class "Aerophobia" Chuvochina et al. 2023 Order "Aerophobales" Chuvochina et al. 2023 Family "Aerophobaceae" Chuvochina et al. 2023 Genus "Candidatus Aerophobus" Rinke et al. 2013 Species "Ca. A. profundus" Rinke et al. 2013
Ecology and function
Aerophobetes are abundant in hydrate-containing, silty sediment layers beneath the ocean floor and thrive in anoxic (oxygen-free) conditions. Genetic analyses suggest they ferment organic matter, producing hydrogen and acetate, which can then be used by syntrophic methanogenic archaea to generate methane. These metabolic interactions indicate Aerophobota's likely contribution to methane formation and carbon cycling in deep-sea ecosystems.
Environmental and biotechnological importance
Research into Aerophobota and its functional roles is of interest because methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Understanding these microbes could inform strategies for mitigating methane emissions from seafloor hydrates.
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