Pyrobaculum aerophilum
Classification
Higher order taxa
Archaea; Crenarchaeota; Thermoprotei; Thermoproteales; Thermoproteaceae; Pyrobaculum
Species
Pyrobaculum aerophilum
NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description and significance
Pyrobaculum aerophilum is a rod-shaped hyperthermophilic archaeum that was first isolated from boiling marine water in Maronti Beach, Italy. It was found that the archaeum grew optimally at 100°C and at pH 7.0. Both organic and inorganic compounds served as substrates during aerobic and anaerobic respiration. However, growth was inhibited by elemental sulfur. When discovered, pyrobaculum aerophilum resembled members from the genera Thermoproteus and Pyrobaculum because of its ability to create spherical bodies, which resemble golf balls. After its 16S rRNA was sequenced, the new archaeum displayed traits more characteristic of the genus Pyrobaculum and was therefore classified as pyrobaculum aerophilum. "Pyrobaculum aerophilum derives its name from the Greek noun "aer" (air) and the Greek adjective "philos" (loving). Most species in the genus Pyrobaculum cannot live in the presence of oxygen; however, the pyrobaculum aerophilum can utilize oxygen for growth.
Pyrobaculum aerophilum cells were usually found to be 3 to 8 μm long and 0.6 μm wide. Motility is achieved using monopolar flagellation. Cells would transform into their terminal spherical phase mainly in the stationary-growth phase, at high nitrate concentrations or pH values exceeding 8.0. The spherical cells
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Genome structure
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Cell structure and metabolism
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Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano