Overview
- Researchers published a Cell paper Tuesday, Sept. 22, formally naming Incendiamoeba cascadensis and showing the amoeba completes cell division at 63 °C (145 °F), a higher temperature than any previously confirmed eukaryote.
- The organism was isolated from a pH‑neutral tributary of Hot Springs Creek in Lassen Volcanic National Park where it thrives as a top microbial predator in hot spring microbial communities.
- In laboratory tests the amoeba remained motile up to about 64 °C (147 °F) and entered a reversible dormant state after brief exposure to roughly 70 °C (158 °F).
- Genome sequencing and temperature‑linked gene expression analyses show increased DNA‑repair activity and proteins with surface chemistry that improves folding and reduces aggregation, traits that help cells withstand heat.
- Scientists found matching DNA signatures in public metagenomic data from places such as Yellowstone and New Zealand and plan broader surveys and comparative studies to map the lineage and explore evolutionary and astrobiological implications.