Pyrodictium gen. nov., a New Genus of Submarine Disc-Shaped Sulphur Reducing Archaebacteria Growing Optimally at 105°C

K O Stetter; H König; E Stackebrandt

doi:10.1016/S0723-2020(83)80011-3

Pyrodictium gen. nov., a New Genus of Submarine Disc-Shaped Sulphur Reducing Archaebacteria Growing Optimally at 105°C

Syst Appl Microbiol. 1983;4(4):535-51. doi: 10.1016/S0723-2020(83)80011-3.

Authors

K O Stetter¹, H König, E Stackebrandt

Affiliation

¹ Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie der Techn. Universität München, 8000 München, Federal Republic of Germany.

PMID: 23194811
DOI: 10.1016/S0723-2020(83)80011-3

Abstract

Six isolates of a new genus of anaerobic archaebacteria, named Pyrodictium, were isolated from a submarine solfataric field off Vulcano, Italy. These disc-shaped organisms grew at at least 110°C with an optimum around 105°C, and formed highly unusual networks of fibres. They were hydrogen-sulphur-autotrops. During growth in a fermenter, pyrite was formed. Two species can be distinguished: Pyrodictium occultum - which has a G + C-content of 62 mol%, and, as the dominant component in its cell envelope, a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 172000 - and Pyrodictium brockii - which has a G + C-content of 51.5 to 56.6 mol%, a protein of molecular weight 150000 as its major cell envelope component, and whose growth yield is greatly increased in the presence of yeast extract.