Ferroplasma

Taxobox
color = darkgray
name = "Ferroplasma"
domain = Archaea
phylum = Euryarchaeota
classis = Thermoplasmata
ordo = Thermoplasmatales
familia = Ferroplasmaceae
genus = "Ferroplasma"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "F. acidophilum" Golyshina et al. 2000

synonyms =
* "F. acidarmanus"

* "F. acidiphilum"

* "F. cyprexacervatum"

* "F. sp. clone E8A015"
* "F. sp. JTC3"

* "F. sp. MT17"

* "F. sp. Type II"

* "uncultured Ferroplasma sp."

In taxonomy, "Ferroplasma" is a genus of the Ferroplasmaceae. [See the NCBI [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=74968 webpage on Ferroplasma] . Data extracted from the cite web | url=ftp://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/taxonomy/ | title=NCBI taxonomy resources | publisher=National Center for Biotechnology Information | accessdate=2007-03-19]

The genus "Ferroplasma" consists solely of "F. acidophilum", an acidophilic iron-oxidizing member of the Euryarchaeota. Unlike other members of the Thermoplasmata "F.acidophilum" is a mesophile with a temperature optimum of approximately 35ºC, at which grows optimally at pH of 1.7. "F. acidophilum" is generally found in acidic mine tailings, primarily those containing pyrite (FeS). It is especially abundant in cases of severe acid mine drainage, where other organisms such as "Acidithiobacillus" and "Leptospirillum" have lowered the pH of the environment such that the obligately acidophilic "F. acidophilum" is allowed to flourish. Physiologically, "F. acidophilum" obtains energy by oxidation of the ferrous iron in the pyrite using oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor. This process produces sulfuric acid as a by-product which leads to further acidification of its environment. "F. acidophilum" is an autotroph and, like "Thermoplasma" does not contain a cell wall. Unlike "Thermoplasma", however, the "F. acidophilum" cell membrane does not contain tetraether lipids.

References

Further reading

cientific journals

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cientific books

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cientific databases

External links