Ignicoccus hospitalis

This student page has not been curated.

Classification

Archaea; Crenarchaeota; Thermoprotei; Desulfurococcales; Desulfurococcaceae; Ignicoccus [1]

Description and Significance

"I. hospitalis" is a newly discovered hyperthermophile with many interesting features. Most unique, however, is its ability to serve as a host for the microbe "Nanoarchaeum equitans". [2] This feature of "I. hospitalis" is striking because it is the first known hyperthermophilic archaeon to have this capability. [3] At present, it is not known whether the relationship between these two species is parasitic or symbiotic. [1] The species name, "hospitalis" was chosen due to its hosting ability. Besides that unique feature, "I. hospitalis" is an irregular cocci about 1-6μm in diameter. [1] These microbes are typically found in pairs. They are chemolithoautotrophs that grow exclusively by reducing sulfur. [1] Like the other members of their genus, they exhibit a cell envelope that consists of a plasma membrane, periplasmic space, and an outer membrane. [4]

Structure, Metabolism, and Life Cycle

Interesting features of its structure; how it gains energy (how it replicates, if virus); what important molecules it produces (if any), does it have an interesting life cycle?

Ecology and Pathogenesis

I. hospitalis is a hyperthermophilic organism that was first isolated from the Kolbeinsey Ridge, a hydrothermal vent system north of Iceland. It is also considered a moderate acidophile and a moderate halophile due to its optimal growth at pH 5.5 and 1.4% NaCl. [1] I. hospitalis has no known pathogenic properties.

References

[1] Paper, W., Jahn, U., Hohn, M.J., Kronner, M., Nather, D.J., Burghardt, T., Rachel, R., Stetter, K.O., and Huber, H. "Ignicoccus hospitalis sp. nov., the host of 'Nanoarchaeum equitans'." Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. (2007) 57:803-808.

[2] Waters, E., Hohn, M. J., Ahel, I., Graham, D. E., Adams, M. D., Barnstead, M., Beeson, K. Y., Bibbs, L., Bolanos, R. & other authors (2003). The genome of Nanoarchaeum equitans: insights into early archaeal evolution and derived parasitism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100, 12984–12988.

[3]

[4] Rachel, R., Wyschkony, I., Riehl, S. & Huber, H. (2002). The ultrastructure of Ignicoccus: evidence for a novel outer membrane and for intracellular vesicle budding in an archaeon. Archaea 1, 9–18.

Author

Page authored by Andrea Richard, student of Mandy Brosnahan, Instructor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, MICB 3301/3303: Biology of Microorganisms.