Hyperthermus

NCBI: Taxonomy Genome

Electron micrographs of H. butylicus. a: Single cell with pili; b: Duplex form; c: Cells connected by a string of cytoplasm; d: Cell with a tail; e: Ghost exhibiting an S layer; f: Duplex form exhibiting an S layer and vacuoles. From Zillig, W. et al. "Hyperthermus butylicus, a Hyperthermophilic Sulfur-Reducing Archaebacterium That Ferments Peptides." J. of Bacteriol. July, 1990. Vol. 172, No. 7. p. 3962.

Classification

Higher order taxa

Archaea; Crenarchaeota; Thermoprotei; Desulfurococcales; Pyrodictiaceae

Species

Hyperthermus butylicus

Description and significance

Hypperthermus is a hyperthermophilic, sulfur reducing archaeon that grows between 95 and 106°C and at pH of 7.0.

Genome structure

The genome of Hyperthermus is currently being sequenced by the group from the University of Copenhagen. The G + C content of the DNA is around 55%.

Ecology

The strains of Hyperthermus butylicus were isolated from the sea floor of a hot, solfataric babitat on the coast of São Miguel Island in Azores, Portugal. With its ability to live at the temperature of 106°C, it is one of the most thermophilic archaea isolated so far. Also, interestingly, despite its being found in a marine environment,

References

Zillig, W., Holz, I., Janekovic, D., Klenk, H., Imsel, E., Trent, J., Wunderl, S., Fojaz, V. H., Coutinho, R., and Ferreira, T."Hyperthermus butylicus, a Hyperthermophilic Sulfur-Reducing Archaebacterium That Ferments Peptides." Journal of Bacteriology. July, 1990. Volume 172, Number 7. p. 3959-3965.