Pyrodictium
SuperSet Prokaryote, Archaea, Extremely Thermophilic Archaeobacteria
Compare Acidianus Desulfurococcus, Desulfurolobus ambivalens Hyperthermus butylicus , Metallosphaera sedula Pyrobaculum Pyrococcus, Pyrodictium Staphylothermus marinus Sulfolobus Thermococcus Thermodiscus maritimus Thermofilum, Thermoproteus
Contrast Methanogens
Cell Wall-Less Archaeobacteria
Sulfate Reducing Archaeobacteria
Halophilic Archaeobacteria
Extremely Thermophilic Archaeobacteria
Subset  

 

Morphology Pyrodictium
CELLULAR  
Staining Gram-negative
Morphology Cells disk- to dish-shaped, highly variable in diameter, ranging from 0.3 to 2.5 um, about 0.2 um thick. Produce fibers, 0.04- 0.08 um thick, which form networks connecting the cells
Motility nonmotile
Specialized structures Cell envelope composed of protein subunits in hexagonal array
Division  
COLONIAL  
Solid surface  
Liquid Vigorous shaking prevents cell growth.

 

Growth Parameters Pyrodictium
PHYSIOLOGICAL  
Tropism Chemolithotrophic, thriving by hydrogen-sulfur autotrophy
Oxygen Strictly anaerobic
pH Growth occurs at pH 5-7; optimum pH: around 5.5.
Temperature Optimum temperature:105`C maximum: 110`C; minimum: 82`C.
Requirements Optimal NaCl concentration: around 1.5%; maximum: 12%; minimum: 0.2%.
Products H2S is formed from molecular sulfur and hydrogen
Enzymes  
Unique features Isopranoid ether lipids present (T.Langworthy, personal communication). Elongation factor 2 is ADP-ribosyulatedby diphtheria toxin (F. Klink, personal communication)
ENVIRONMENTAL  
Habitat  
Lifestyle  
Pathogenicity  
Distribution  

 

Genome Pyrodictium
G+C Mol % 62
   

 

Reference Pyrodictium
First citation Stetter, K.O., H. Konig and E. Stackebrandt. 1983 Pyrodictium gen. nov., a new genus of submarine disc shaped sulfur reducing archaebacteria growing optimally at 105 oC. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 4: 535-551
The Prokaryotes  
Bergey's Systematatic p 2248 K. O. Stetter
Bergey's Determinative p 753
References