Archaea Genomes - ARCHAEOGLOBUS FULGIDUS

Archaeoglobus fulgidus is the first sulphur-metabolising organism to have its genome sequence determined.

Archaeoglobus fulgidus are hyperthermophiles that can be found in hydrothermal vents, oil deposits, and hot springs,their cells are an irregular sphere with a glycoprotein envelope and monopolar flagella.

Archaeoglobus species cause corrosion of iron and steel in oil and gas processing systems by the production of iron sulphide. A. fulgidus is considered a pathogen because it produces the noxious gas hydrogen sulphide; in oil wells, this can diminish oil quality and create a health hazard for oil workers.

Growth by sulphate reduction is restricted to relatively few groups of prokaryotes; all but one of these are Eubacteria, the exception being the archaeal sulphate reducers in the Archaeoglobales. These organisms are unique in that they are only distantly related to other bacterial sulphate reducers and because they grow at extremely high temperatures. Archaeoglobus fulgidus growth occurs between 60 and 95 degrees C.

Archaeoglobus fulgidus can produce biofilm when subjected to environmental stresses such as extreme pH or temperature, high concentrations of metal, or the addition of antibiotics, xenobiotics, or oxygen. Biofilm is composed of polysaccharides, proteins, and metals. The advantages to a biofilm environment is that extracellular enzymes will be more accessible, competition and predation can be controlled, and there is an increased resistance to antibiotics. Cells protected by biofilm are difficult to destroy using conventional anti-microbial therapy.

References:

http://b-yahiko.bio.nite.go.jp/e-home/index-e.html
http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/sequenced_genomes/genome_guide_p1.shtml