Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is a

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius was first isolated from thermal soils and hot springs with low pH in the United States of America (specifically in the Yellowstone National Park), in El Salvador, Dominica and Italy. The springs where this species was isolated had a pH less than 3 and temperatures in the range of 65-90 °C.^[1]

Morphological description

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is, as all Archaea, unicellular. Cells belonging to this species are spherical, albeit irregular, and usually possess lobes. The diameter of the cells fall in the range of 0.8-1 μm, with little size variation.^[1]

Cell replication

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius possess a mechanism of replication homologous to the eukaryotic ESCRT.^[2][3]

Metabolism

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is a facultative autotroph. When growing autotrophically this organism oxidises sulfur to sulfate, while fixating carbon from carbon dioxide. The doubling time of cultures growing on sulfur alone falls between 36.8-55.3h. This species can also grow on complex organic substrates. When growing on 0.1% yeast extract the growth is faster, and the doubling times are between 6.5 and 8h.^[1][4]

Genome

In 2005 the complete genome of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain DSM639 was published.

The authors found the genes necessary for the synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, as well as for all amino acids except for selenocysteine. Genes for glucose metabolism suggest the existence of two alternative pathways. This Sulfolobus species grows on a limited range of carbon sources, relative to other Sulfolobus species, and this might be due to the lack of adequate transporters.^[citation needed]

The ups operon

The thermostable restriction enzyme SuaI is obtained from this organism.[8]

References