General Microbiology: Diversity of Archaea
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The phylogenetic tree of Archaea is constructed based on comparative sequences of ______ proteins.

ribosomal

The exact ancestry of Archaea groups remains a ______ issue.

contentious

All Archaea have ______-linked lipids in their cell membranes.

ether

Archaea lack ______ in their cell walls.

<p>peptidoglycan</p> Signup and view all the answers

Chemoorganotrophy is a widespread metabolic process among ______.

<p>Archaea</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hydrogen (H2) is a common ______ donor in chemolithotrophic metabolisms.

<p>electron</p> Signup and view all the answers

ELEMENTAL ______ (S0) is a common electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration.

<p>sulfur</p> Signup and view all the answers

Methanogenesis is a globally important process that is only present in ______.

<p>archaea</p> Signup and view all the answers

Archaea are also well known for containing many species of ______, including species that are hyperthermophiles

<p>extremophiles</p> Signup and view all the answers

A great many species in the ______ and most Thaumarchaeota are not extremophiles and are found in soils, sediments, oceans, lakes, in association with animals, and even in the human gut.

<p>Euryarchaeota</p> Signup and view all the answers

The phylum ______ comprise a large and physiologically diverse group of Archaea.

<p>Euryarchaeota</p> Signup and view all the answers

Methanogens are the strictest of ______ while extreme halophiles are primarily obligate aerobes.

<p>anaerobes</p> Signup and view all the answers

The hyperthermophilic methanogen ______ is an example of a euryarchaeote.

<p>Methanopyrus</p> Signup and view all the answers

The cell wall–less ______ is an organism phenotypically similar to the mycoplasmas.

<p>Thermoplasma</p> Signup and view all the answers

Extremely halophilic Archaea, often called the “______”, are a diverse group that inhabits environments high in salt.

<p>haloarchaea</p> Signup and view all the answers

The key genera of extremely halophilic Archaea include ______, Haloferax, and Natronobacterium.

<p>Halobacterium</p> Signup and view all the answers

Methanogens show a diversity of ______ wall chemistries.

<p>cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

Physiologically, methanogens are obligate ______, and strict anoxic techniques are necessary to culture them.

<p>anaerobes</p> Signup and view all the answers

Most methanogens are ______ and nonhalophilic, although species that grow optimally at very high or very low temperatures, at very high salt concentrations, or at extremes of pH, have also been described.

<p>mesophilic</p> Signup and view all the answers

Several substrates can be converted to ______ by methanogens.

<p>CH4</p> Signup and view all the answers

Compounds such as ______ can be converted to CH4, but only in reactions in which methanogens and other anaerobes cooperate.

<p>glucose</p> Signup and view all the answers

Three classes of compounds make up the list of ______ substrates shown in Table 2.

<p>methanogenic</p> Signup and view all the answers

CO2-type substrates include CO2 itself, which is reduced to ______ using H2 as the electron donor.

<p>CH4</p> Signup and view all the answers

The reactions of ______ production are summarized in the following equations:

<p>methane</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term ______ is used to indicate that these organisms are not only halophilic, but that their requirement for salt is very high.

<p>extreme halophile</p> Signup and view all the answers

Many Euryarchaeota are ______, microorganisms that produce methane as an integral part of their energy metabolism.

<p>methanogens</p> Signup and view all the answers

Such salty habitats are called ______.

<p>hypersaline</p> Signup and view all the answers

An organism is considered an ______ if it requires 1.5 M (about 9%) or more sodium chloride for growth.

<p>extreme halophile</p> Signup and view all the answers

The reaction CH4 + 3HC03- --> 4HC02- + H20 + H is a process of ______ respiration.

<p>sulfur</p> Signup and view all the answers

Thermoplasma, Ferroplasma, and Picrophilus are highly ______ and thermophilic microorganisms.

<p>acidophilic</p> Signup and view all the answers

______ is the terminal step in the biodegradation of organic matter in many anoxic habitats in nature.

<p>methanogenesis</p> Signup and view all the answers

Thermoplasma has a unique cytoplasmic membrane structure that contains a ______ material called lipoglycan.

<p>lipopolysaccharide-like</p> Signup and view all the answers

Some phylogenetic relatives of extremely halophilic Archaea, for example species of ______ and Natronobacterium, are able to grow at much lower salinities.

<p>Haloferax</p> Signup and view all the answers

The lipoglycan in Thermoplasma's membrane consists of a ______ lipid monolayer with mannose and glucose.

<p>tetraether</p> Signup and view all the answers

The taxonomy of methanogens is based on both ______ and phylogenetic analyses.

<p>phenotypic</p> Signup and view all the answers

Thermoplasma is a facultative ______, growing either aerobically or anaerobically by sulfur respiration.

<p>aerobe</p> Signup and view all the answers

Methanogens show a variety of ______.

<p>morphologies</p> Signup and view all the answers

Archaeoglobus was isolated from hot ______ sediments near hydrothermal vents.

<p>marine</p> Signup and view all the answers

Archaeoglobus couples the oxidation of H2, lactate, pyruvate, glucose, or complex organic compounds to the reduction of ______ to H2S.

<p>SO42−</p> Signup and view all the answers

Ferroglobus is related to Archaeoglobus but is not a ______ reducer.

<p>sulfate</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Diversity of Archaea

  • Archaea domain consists of several phyla, including Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota.
  • The exact ancestry of these groups remains a contentious issue, and phylogenetic trees constructed from 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences often conflict with those made using other genomic locations.
  • Archaea share common features such as ether-linked lipids, lack of peptidoglycan in cell walls, and structurally complex RNA polymerases, which resemble those of Eukarya.
  • Archaea show enormous phenotypic diversity, with species carrying out chemoorganotrophic or chemolithotrophic metabolisms, and both aerobic and anaerobic species are common.

Metabolic Features of Archaea

  • Chemoorganotrophy is widespread among Archaea, with fermentations and anaerobic respirations being common.
  • Chemolithotrophy is also well established in the Archaea, with H2 being a common electron donor.
  • Anaerobic respiration, especially forms employing elemental sulfur (S0) as an electron acceptor, is prevalent among the Archaea, especially Crenarchaeota.
  • Aerobic respiration occurs widely in Thaumarchaeota and is common among a few groups of Euryarchaeota but is characteristic of only a few species of Crenarchaeota.

Euryarchaeota

  • Euryarchaeota comprise a large and physiologically diverse group of Archaea.
  • This phylum includes methanogens as well as many genera of extremely halophilic (salt-loving) Archaea.
  • Methanogens are the strictest of anaerobes while extreme halophiles are primarily obligate aerobes.

Extremely Halophilic Archaea (Haloarchaea)

  • Extremely halophilic Archaea inhabit environments high in salt, such as solar salt evaporation ponds and salt lakes, and artificial saline habitats.
  • These organisms require very high salt concentrations, often near saturation, for growth.
  • Key genera include Halobacterium, Haloferax, and Natronobacterium.

Methanogenic Archaea

  • Methanogens are microorganisms that produce methane (CH4) as an integral part of their energy metabolism (methanogenesis).
  • Methanogenesis is the terminal step in the biodegradation of organic matter in many anoxic habitats in nature.
  • Key genera include Methanobacterium, Methanocaldococcus, and Methanosarcina.
  • Methanogens show a diversity of morphologies and cell wall chemistries.
  • Physiologically, methanogens are obligate anaerobes, and strict anoxic techniques are necessary to culture them.
  • Substrates converted to CH4 by methanogens include CO2-type substrates, methylated substrates, and acetate.

Thermoplasmatales

  • Thermoplasmatales are a phylogenetically distinct line of Archaea that contain thermophilic and extremely acidophilic genera.
  • Key genera include Thermoplasma, Picrophilus, and Ferroplasma.
  • These prokaryotes are among the most acidophilic of all known microorganisms, with Picrophilus being capable of growth even below pH 0.
  • Most are thermophilic as well.
  • Species of Thermoplasma are facultative aerobes, growing either aerobically or anaerobically by sulfur respiration.

Archaeoglobales

  • Archaeoglobales are a group of Archaea that includes Archaeoglobus and Ferroglobus.
  • Archaeoglobus was isolated from hot marine sediments near hydrothermal vents and couples the oxidation of H2, lactate, pyruvate, glucose, or complex organic compounds to the reduction of SO42− to H2S.
  • Ferroglobus is related to Archaeoglobus but is not a sulfate reducer.

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Description

This quiz covers the diversity of Archaea, a domain of microorganisms, and their phylogenetic relationships, including phyla such as Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota.

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