Staphylothermus hellenicus DSM 12710
   
   
 

Image Credit: M. Thomm. Bar: 5 micrometers

Staphylothermus hellenicus belongs to the phylum Crenarchaeota. It is a hyperthermophilic heterotroph that requires sulfur for growth. Staphylothermus hellenicus is closely related to Staphylothermus marinus, for which the genome sequence has been determined. There are several unique features in the S. marinus genome, including a sodium ion-translocating decarboxylase and three large membrane protein complexes related to the mbh and mbx genes of Pyrococcus furiosus. One or more of these membrane complexes is likely to be involved in sulfur reduction. It will be interesting to compare the two Staphylothermus genomes. As a hyperthermophile, S. hellenicus could serve as a source of heat-stable enzymes for biotechnology.