Article

The genome sequence of the thermoacidophilic scavenger Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried, Germany.
Nature (impact factor: 36.28). 10/2000; 407(6803):508-13. DOI:10.1038/35035069 pp.508-13
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Thermoplasma acidophilum is a thermoacidophilic archaeon that thrives at 59 degrees C and pH 2, which was isolated from self-heating coal refuse piles and solfatara fields. Species of the genus Thermoplasma do not possess a rigid cell wall, but are only delimited by a plasma membrane. Many macromolecular assemblies from Thermoplasma, primarily proteases and chaperones, have been pivotal in elucidating the structure and function of their more complex eukaryotic homologues. Our interest in protein folding and degradation led us to seek a more complete representation of the proteins involved in these pathways by determining the genome sequence of the organism. Here we have sequenced the 1,564,905-base-pair genome in just 7,855 sequencing reactions by using a new strategy. The 1,509 open reading frames identify Thermoplasma as a typical euryarchaeon with a substantial complement of bacteria-related genes; however, evidence indicates that there has been much lateral gene transfer between Thermoplasma and Sulfolobus solfataricus, a phylogenetically distant crenarchaeon inhabiting the same environment. At least 252 open reading frames, including a complete protein degradation pathway and various transport proteins, resemble Sulfolobus proteins most closely.

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Keywords

1,509 open reading frames
 
252 open reading frames
 
59 degrees C
 
7,855 sequencing reactions
 
bacteria-related genes
 
complete protein degradation pathway
 
complete representation
 
complex eukaryotic homologues
 
genome sequence
 
genus Thermoplasma
 
lateral gene transfer
 
phylogenetically distant crenarchaeon inhabiting
 
plasma membrane
 
rigid cell wall
 
Sulfolobus proteins
 
Sulfolobus solfataricus
 
thermoacidophilic archaeon
 
Thermoplasma acidophilum
 
typical euryarchaeon
 
various transport proteins