Pyrococcus woesei, sp. nov., an ultra-thermophilic marine archaebacterium, representing a novel order, Thermococcales

doi:10.1016/S0723-2020(87)80057-7

Systematic and Applied Microbiology

Volume 9, Issues 1–2, February 1987, Pages 62-70

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0723-2020(87)80057-7 Get rights and content

Summary

The anaerobic sulfur-reducing marine archaebacterium Pyrococcus woesei is an “ultra-thermophile” growing optimally between 100 and 103°C at pH 6 to 6.5 and 30 g/l NaCl. Growth proceeds, on solid supports or in suspension, by sulfur respiration of yeast extract or peptides, on yeast extract also without S^o in the presence of H₂, or on polysaccharides in the presence of H₂ and S^o. The generation time was as low as 35 minutes either on solid supports or in suspension.

The cells have a roughly spherical, often elongated and constricted appearance, similar to Thermococcus celer. Frequently, they occur as diploforms. Cells grown on solid supports have dense tufts of flagellae or pili attached to one pole.

When P. woesei was grown by sulfur respiration on yeast extract or bactotryptone in the presence of starch, complete lysis occurred after the peak of cell density had been reached. Concomitantly icosaedric particles of about 30 nm in diameter were liberated which showed a defined simple protein composition.

P. woesei belongs to the Thermococcaceae as indicated by the immunochemical cross-reaction of its DNA-dependent RNA polymerase with the polymerases of T. celer and the isolate AN1 from New Zealand. Quantitative analysis of its phylogenetic position by DNA-rRNA cross-hybridization places it at the end of a long branch of the Thermococcaceae, whereas the isolate AN1 is on a branch of intermediate length and T. celer on an extremely short branch. The phylogenetic depth of this group and its clear separation from the neighbouring Thermoproteales and Methanococcales call for the introduction of a separate order: Thermococcales, which represents a third major division of the archaebacteria between the Thermoproteales + Sulfolobales and the methanogens + halophiles.

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^*: Professor Dr. Wolfram Zillig, Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, D-8033 Martinsried

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Systematic and Applied Microbiology

Summary

References (19)

Reduction in the rate of DNA reassociation by sequence divergence

J. Molec. Biol.

Sulfolobus: a new genus of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria living at low pH and high temperature

Arch. Mikrobiol.

Tubular structures associated with maize rough dwarf virus particles in crude extracts: Electron microscopy study

J. gen. Virol.

Pyrococcus furiosus sp. nov. represents a novel genus of marine heterotrophic archaebacteria growing optimally at 100°C

Arch. Microbiol.

A study of tubes produced in plants infected with a strain of turnip yellow mosaic virus

Virology

Hybridization homology: A new parameter for the analysis of phylogenetic relations, demonstrated with the urkingdom of the archaebacteria

J. Molec. Evol.

Plant virus inclusion bodies

Determination of the amount of DNA on nictrocellulose membrane filters

FEBS Lett.

Cited by (149)

DNA digestion and formation of DNA-network structures with Holliday junction-resolving enzyme Hjc_15-6 in conjunction with polymerase reactions

Recent trends in hyperthermophilic enzymes production and future perspectives for biofuel industry: A critical review

Complete genome sequence of Thermococcus eurythermalis A501, a conditional piezophilic hyperthermophilic archaeon with a wide temperature range, isolated from an oil-immersed deep-sea hydrothermal chimney on Guaymas Basin

Oceanicella actignis gen. Nov., Sp. Nov., a halophilic slightly thermophilic member of the Alphaproteobacteria

Adaptation of model proteins from cold to hot environments involves continuous and small adjustments of average parameters related to amino acid composition

The thermal limits to life on Earth