Archaea Genomes - SULFOLOBUS ACIDOCALDARIUS

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is an aerobic thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon. Strain DSM639, was the first hyperthermoacidophile to be characterised from terrestrial solfataras.

It grows optimally at 75 to 80°C and pH 2 to 3, under strictly aerobic conditions, on complex organic substrates, including yeast extract, tryptone, and Casamino Acids and a limited number of sugars.

Many of the seminal studies on archaea and crenarchaea were performed on S. acidocaldarius. It is used to demonstrate the similarity of the archaeal and eukaryal transcription apparatuses . Also, its sensitivity to a wide range of ribosomal antibiotics and ease of transformation have made S. acidocaldarius a focus for in vivo genetic studies.

S. acidocaldarius has also been used for studying genetic fidelity at high temperatures and is the only hyperthermophilic archaeon for which the rate and type of spontaneous mutation have been quantified in vivo. Its relatively low mutation rate, despite its high-temperature environment, has stimulated a strong interest in its efficient repair systems. Special features include its ability to exchange chromosomal genes intercellularly and its capacity to grow synchronously in culture which has facilitated archaeal cell cycle studies.

Determination of the genome sequence of S. acidocaldarius and comparative studies with the genomes of S. solfataricus and S. tokodaii, have made it possible to generate a public database for the Sulfolobus genomes which will serve as a important research resource.

References:

http://dac.molbio.ku.dk/dbs/Sulfolobus
http://www.visualgenomics.ca/gordonp/sulfolobus_genome.pdf