Brianna Rodriguez
Take Home #3
Aeropyrum Pernix
September 26th,2013
The archaea I chose to research is called aeropyrum pernix. The family of aeropyrum
pernix is desulfurococcaceae. Its genus is Aeropyrum, and its species is A. pernix. It is under the
Crenarchaeota kingdom of Archaea (MicrobeWorld.org, 2012). A team of researchers from
Kyoto University first isolated aeropyrum pernix in 1993 (Microbewiki, 2011). This spherical
archaea was isolated from a coastal solfataric vent in Kodakara-jima Island in Kyusyu, Japan
(Kegg, 2013). According to Pubmed.org, “The new isolate, strain K1, is the first strictly aerobic
organism growing at temperatures up to 100 degrees C.” Because of aeropyrum pernix’s distinct
ability to live in extremely hot temperatures, it is normally found in hydrothermal vents, or
extremely hot aqueous solutions of gases or liquids. Aeropyrum pernix’s optimal temperature
range for growth is about 90 to 95 degrees Celsius (making it a thermophile). It must also grow
at about pH of 7, and at a salinity of 3.5% (PubMed.gov, 1996). Some interesting facts about
aeropyrum pernix is that its cell envelope is in a S-layer, and is Gram-negative. The S-layer,
which according to Microbewiki, is found on all archaea, is made up of proteins in a crystalized
pattern that protects the cells! Another interesting fact I found through the Microbewiki website,
is that aeropyrum pernix uses ATP- binding cassette transporters, in order to get the nutrients
needed to support life and growth. I thought this was cool because I know that in Anatomy and
Physiology class, we are currently learning how humans use ATP for energy, and that it is the
key for vital life functions!
Sources:
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Aeropyrum_pernix
http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?gn:T00023
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8863437
http://www.microbeworld.org/component/content/article?id=148