Archaea Genomes - PYROBACULUM AEROPHILUM

Pyrobaculum aerophilum, is a rod-shaped microorganism that can live in temperatures up to 104C (219F). It was first isolated from a boiling marine water hole at Maronti Beach, Italy and it may prove to be useful for investigating the molecular basis of heat resistance .

This micro-organism can grow microaerobically, unlike most of its thermophilic relatives, making it amenable to a variety of experimental manipulations and a candidate as a model organism for studying archaeal and thermophilic microbiology.

The sequencing revealed that this particular strain, P. aerophilum IM2, had an unexpectedly high number of mutations.

The microbe that was isolated from samples taken close to a hot spring situated 3500 meters deep in the south-east Pacific, and for which optimal growth conditions are 103 C and 200 atmospheres pressure.

It is a potential sourse of biocatalysts.

References:

http://genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/01_02/Pyrobaculum_seq.shtml