Sulfolobus metallicus

Sulfolobus metallicus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Archaea
Kingdom:	Crenarchaeota
Phylum:	Crenarchaeota
Class:	Thermoprotei
Order:	Sulfolobales
Family:	Sulfolobaceae
Genus:	Sulfolobus
Species:	S. metallicus
Binomial name
Sulfolobus metallicus Huber and Stetter 1992

Sulfolobus metallicus is a coccoid shaped thermophilic archaeon. It is a strict chemolithoautotroph gaining energy by oxidation of sulphur and sulphidic ores into sulfuric acid. Its type strain is Kra 23 (DSM 6482). It has many uses that take advantage of its ability to grow on metal media under acidic and hot environments.

The name "metallicus" is Latin meaning "the miner".

The use of biochemistry and phylogeny were originally the main source of classification, but 16S rRNA sequences were performed on it to elucidate the phylogeny.Sulfolobus sp. strain 7r sp. nov. is a close relative to Sulfolobus metallicus with comparable phylogenetic properties. Both Sulfolobus metallicus and Sulfolobus sp. strain 7r sp. nov. are grouped primarily based on their thermoacidophilic nature within the Crenarchaeota archaeal kingdom.

Sulfolobus metallicus was first isolated in 1991 by doctors Gertrud Huber and Karl O. Stetter from solfataric fields in Iceland. The collected samples were grown on ore supplemented media under acidic conditions at the optimal temperature of 65⁰C. The archaea were routinely grown at the optimal temperature of 65⁰C on ore media. After Sulfolobus metallicus was shown to be able to oxidize sulfur compounds, researchers looked into its potential to oxidize reduced sulfur emissions.

Sulfolobus metallicus was grown on media that contains reduced sulfur, and the production of sulfuric acid was tested.Sulfolobus metallicus was found to be a strict aerobic chemolithotroph because it oxidizes sulphur contained in minerals such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, elemental sulfur and sphalerite into sulfuric acid.Sulfolobus metallicus can also oxidize iron(II).

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