Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Classification
Higher order taxa
Archaea; Crenarchaeota; Thermoprotei; Sulfolobales; Sulfolobaceae; Sulfolobus
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Description and significance
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is an aerobic thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon which grows optimally at 80°C and pH 2 in terrestrial solfataric springs. [1]
They are primarily an aquatic organism; highly abundance in sulfur-rich hot acid springs in Yellowstone National Park. The strictly aerobic organism also establish itself in hot acid soils at temperatures 55-85°C. [3] Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is responsible for the oxidation of sulfur in sulfuric acid production and the existence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. [3]
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain DSM639, the type strain of the archaeal genus Sulfolobus, was the first hyperthermoacidophile to be characterized from terrestrial solfataras. [1] They serve as a model organism for the Phylum Crenarchaeota.
Genome structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?
Cell structure and metabolism
Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology
Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.
Pathology
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is currently not known to cause any human diseases.
Application to Biotechnology
Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?
Current Research
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References
[1] Lanming Chen, Kim Brügger, Marie Skovgaard, Peter Redder, Qunxin She, Elfar Torarinsson, Bo Greve, Mariana Awayez, Arne Zibat, Hans-Peter Klenk, and Roger A. Garrett. “The Genome of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, a Model Organism of the Crenarchaeota”. Journal of Bacteriology, July 2005. 187(14:. p. 4992–4999.
[2] Paul Lewus and Roseanne M. Ford. “Temperature-Sensitive Motility of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius Influences Population Distribution in Extreme Environments”. Journal of Bacteriology. July 1999. 181(13): 4020–4025.
[3] Carl B. Fliermans and Thomas D. Brock. “Ecology of Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria in Hot Acid Soils”. Journal of Bacteriology, Aug 1972. p. 343-350.
[4] Anders F Andersson, Magnus Lundgren, Stefan Eriksson, Magnus Rosenlund, Rolf Bernander, and Peter Nilsson. “Global analysis of mRNA stability in the archaeon Sulfolobus”. Genome Biology. 2006; 7(10): R99.
[5] Silvia Berkner, Dennis Grogan, Sonja-Verena Albers, and Georg Lipps. “Small multicopy, non-integrative shuttle vectors based on the plasmid pRN1 for Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Sulfolobus solfataricus, model organisms of the (cren-)archaea”. Nucleic Acids Research. 2007 June; 35(12): e88.
Edited by Fanny Wong of Rachel Larsen
