Isolation of anaerobic,extremely thermophilic,sulphur metabolising archaebacteria from New Zealand hot springs |
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| Authors: | B. K. C. Patel P. M. Jasperse‐Herst H. W. Morgan R. M. Daniel |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biological Sciences , University of Waikato , Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand;2. Ruakura Animal Research Station , Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries , Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand;3. Department of Biological Sciences , University of Waikato , Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Enrichments of New Zealand geo‐thermal samples, initiated in anaerobic sulphur‐containing media and incubated at temperatures above 85°C, yielded rod and coccal shaped organisms which possessed archaebacterial characteristics. Pure cultures were isolated and characterised. Five of the seven isolates, which were rod‐shaped organisms and did not have an obligate requirement for sulphur respiration, were similar to Thermoproteus sp. but had more neutral pH optima for growth. Three of these five Thermoproteus sp. were obligate heterotrophs, which has not previously been reported. The two coccal isolates had an obligate requirement for sulphur as an electron acceptor and were similar to Desulfurococcus sp. but again with more neutral pH optima for growth. |
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| Keywords: | hot springs archaebacteria Thermoproteus Desulfurococcus sulphur respiration geothermal growth optima |
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