Strain 121
Strain 121 is a single-celled microbe of the domain Archaea. First discovered off Puget Sound near a hydrothermal vent, it is a hyperthermophile, able to reproduce at, hence its name. It was the only known form of life that could tolerate such high temperatures. is biostatic for Strain 121, meaning that although growth is halted, the archaeum remains viable, and can resume reproducing once it has been transferred to a cooler medium.
The ability to grow at is significant because medical equipment is exposed to this temperature for sterilization in an autoclave. Prior to the 2003 discovery of Strain 121, a fifteen-minute exposure to autoclave temperatures was believed to kill all living organisms. However, Strain 121 is non-infectious because it cannot grow at temperatures near.
Strain 121 metabolizes by reducing iron oxide.
