Thermoplasma | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Archaea |
Kingdom: | Euryarchaeota |
Phylum: | Euryarchaeota |
Class: | Thermoplasmata |
Order: | Thermoplasmatales |
Family: | Thermoplasmataceae |
Genus: |
Thermoplasma Darland et al. 1970 |
Species | |
In taxonomy, Thermoplasma is a genus of the Thermoplasmataceae.
Thermoplasma is a genus of archaea. It belongs to the Thermoplasmata, which thrive in acidic and high-temperature environments. Thermoplasma are facultative anaerobes and respire using sulfur and organic carbon. They do not contain a cell wall but instead contain a unique membrane composed mainly of a tetraether lipoglycan containing atypical archaeal tetraether lipid attached to a glucose- and mannose-containing oligosaccharide. This lipoglycan is presumably responsible for the acid and thermal stability of the Thermoplasma membrane.
Currently the genus Thermoplasma contains two species, T. acidophilum and T. volcanium.