Projects   →   Picrophilus torridus DSM9790

Thermoacidophiles are adapted to two extremes, they generally grow at pH values below 3 and at temperatures above 50°C. Four genomes of thermoacidophilic archaea have been sequenced to date: Thermoplasma acidophilum, T. volcanium, Sulfolobus solfataricus, and S. tokodaii. A few years ago, strains of Picrophilus were isolated which take an extraordinary position at the borderline of known microbial life with respect to acidophily. These aerobic, heterotrophic organisms grow optimally at 60°C at pH 0.7, but are capable of growth even around pH 0. Analysis of the Picrophilus torridus genome is expected to yield insights into the strategies of thermoacidophilic adaptation and into the evolution of thermoacidophiles, and will gain access to robust enzymes for use in biotechnological applications.

We sequenced the complete genome of P. torridus: the chromosome size is 1.55 Mb with a G+C content of 36 %. The genome contains 1539 open reading frames.
Current status:

The P. torridus sequence has been released, GenBank accession no. AE017261

Publication:

Fütterer, O., Angelov, A., Liesegang, H., Gottschalk, G., Schleper, C., Schepers, B., Dock, C., Antranikian, G., Liebl, W. (2004) Genome sequence of Picrophilus torridus and its implications for life around pH 0. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101(24):9091-9096 (abstract).

Further information: please contact Prof. W. Liebl, Georg-August-University Göttingen ( )