Kingdom Archaebacteria

ARCHAEBACTERIA
Archaebacteria are the oldest organism living on Earth. They are unicellular prokaryotes - microbes without cell nucleus and any other membrane-bound organelles in their cells - and belong to the kingdom, Archaea. They were first discovered in 1977 by Carl Woose and George E. Fox and classified as bacteria. Most archaebacteria appear like bacteria, when observed under the microscope. However, they are quite different from bacteria and eukaryotes.

Archaebacteria are found in very harsh conditions such as in the volcanic vents or at the bottom of the sea. They can easily survive in such extreme environment as sea vents releasing sulfide-rich gases, hot springs, or boiling mud around volcanoes.

Under the kingdom Archaea, archebacteria are classified into the following phyla

Phylum Euryarchaeota: This is the most studied division of archaea, and mostly includes methanogens and halophiles. Phylum Crenarchaeota: It includes thermophiles, hyperthermophiles and thermoacidophiles. These archebacteria are mostly found in the marine environment. Phylum Korarchaeota: This division consists of hyperthermophiles found in high temperature hydrothermal environment.

Phylum Thaumarchaeota: This phylum includes ammoniaoxidizing archaea, as well as those with unknown energy metablolism. Phylum Nanoarchaeota: This phylum has a single representative member named Nanoarchaeum equitans. This unusual archebacterium is an obligate symbiont of another archaea belonging to the genus Ignicoccus.

additional info

The word archae came from the Greek word Arkhaion, which means ancient. Archae is also the Latin name for prokaryotic cells.

Cell of an Archaebacteria

Kingdom Archae has THREE DIFFERENT TYPES. The functions and the structure of their genes are more similar to eukaryotes than eubacteria (monera).

Types of Archaebacteria
Thermoacidophiles
Thermoacidophiles, or thermophiles, inhabit hot environments. A report on bacteria from the University of Miami Department of Biology states that thermoacidophiles thrive in extremely acidic, hot and moist regions, such as those in and near sulfur hot springs. If they are in temperatures below 131 degrees F (55 degrees C), they die.

Types of Archaebacteria
Halophiles
Another type of archaebacteria are halophiles. Just as thermophiles thrive in extremely hot environments, halophiles thrive in extremely salty environments. They make their home in water and soil, as long as there is a very high amount of salt.

Types of Archaebacteria
Methanogens
Methanogens can be found in environments that are anaerobic (no oxygen). Types of environments methanogens are found in are swamps and marshes, or intestinal tracts of animals and some humans. As their name suggests, methanogens produce methane gas. According to a study published in the October 2000 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology, their trait of producing methane makes them easily detected within the intestinal tract.

Examples:
Methanogens
Methanocaldococcus jannaschii

Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota Class: Methanococci Order: Methanococcales Family: Methanocaldococcaceae

Genus: Methanocaldococcus
Species: jannaschii

Examples:
Methanogens
Methanopyrus kandleri
Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota Class: Methanopyri Order: Methanopyrales Family:Methanopyraceae Genus: Methanopyrus Species: kandleri

Examples:

Thermoacidophiles
Ferroplasma acidophilum

Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota Class: Thermoplasmata Order: Thermoplasmatales Family: Ferroplasma Genus: Ferroplasma Species: acidophylum

Examples:

Thermoacidophiles
Picrophilus oshimae
Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota

Class: Thermoplasmata
Order: Thermoplasmatales Family: Picrophilaceae Genus: Picrophilus Species: oshimae

Examples:

Thermoacidophiles
Thermoplasma volcanium

Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota

Class: Thermoplasmata
Order: Thermoplasmatales Family: Thermoplasmataceae

Genus: Thermoplasma
Species: volcanium

Examples:
Halophiles
Haloferax volcanii

Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota

Class:Halobacteria
Order: Halobacteriales Family: Halobacteriaceae

Genus: Haloferax
Species: volcanii

Examples:
Halophiles
Halogeometricum borinquense

Kingdom: Archaebacteria
Phylum: Euryarchaeota

Class: Halobacteria
Order: Halobacteriales Family: Halobacteriaceae

Genus: Halogeometricum
Species: borinquense

Project in Science
by Group 4, G8-Diamond

Teacher: Mrs. Jenny H. Guevarra