Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Family Methanocaldococcaceae

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
The Prokaryotes

Abstract

The family Methanocaldococcaceae consists of two genera: Methanocaldococcus (type genus) and Methanotorris. As of December 2013, these genera contained six and two species, respectively. This family of thermophilic and neutrophilic to slightly acidophilic methanogens belongs to the order Methanococcales. The members are coccoid in shape, are generally motile, and have a very short generation time ranging from 25 to 45 min under optimal conditions. Methanogenesis from H2/CO2 is the sole energy-generating process, and all species are capable of chemolithoautotrophic growth. Members of the Methanocaldococcaceae have been found associated with marine hydrothermal vent areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 849.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bellack A, Huber H, Rachel R, Wanner G, Wirth R (2011) Methanocaldococcus villosus sp. nov., a heavily flagellated archaeon that adheres to surfaces and forms cell-cell contacts. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 61:1239–1245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boonyaratanakornkit BB, Clark DS (2008) Physiology and biochemistry of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii at elevated pressures. In: Michiels C, Bartlett DA, Aertsen A (eds) High-pressure microbiology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, pp 293–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Bult CJ, White O, Olsen GJ, Zhou L, Fleischmann RD, Sutton GG, Blake JA, FitzGerald LM, Clayton RA, Gocayne JD, Kerlavage AR, Dougherty BA, Tomb JF, Adams MD, Reich CI, Overbeek R, Kirkness EF, Weinstock KG, Merrick JM, Glodek A, Scott JL, Geoghagen NS, Venter JC (1996) Complete genome sequence of the methanogenic archaeon, Methanococcus jannaschii. Science 273:1058–1073

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burggraf S, Fricke H, Neuner A, Kristjansson J, Rouvière P, Mandelco L, Woese CR, Stetter KO (1990) Methanococcus igneus sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic methanogen from a shallow submarine hydrothermal system. Syst Appl Microbiol 13:263–269

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ciulla RA, Burggraf S, Stetter KO, Roberts MF (1994) Occurrence and role of di-myo-inositol-1-1′-phosphate in Methanococcus igneus. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:3660–3664

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comita PB, Gagosian RB, Pang H, Costello CE (1984) Structural elucidation of a unique macrocyclic membrane lipid from a new, extremely thermophilic, deep-sea hydrothermal vent archaebacterium, Methanococcus jannaschii. J Biol Chem 259:15234–15241

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Drevland RM, Waheed A, Graham DE (2007) Enzymology and evolution of the pyruvate pathway to 2-oxobutyrate in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. J Bacteriol 189:4391–4400

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edgell DR, Doolittle WF (1997) Archaebacterial genomics: the complete genome sequence of Methanococcus jannaschii. Bioessays 19:1–4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrante G, Richards JC, Sprott GD (1990) Structures of polar lipids from the thermophilic, deep-sea archaeobacterium Methanococcus jannaschii. Biochem Cell Biol 68:274–283

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett RA (1996) Genomes: Methanococcus jannaschii and the golden fleece. Curr Biol 6:1377–1380

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Graham DE, Kyrpides N, Anderson IJ, Overbeek R, Whitman WB (2001) Genome of Methanocaldococcus (Methanococcus) jannaschii. Methods Enzymol 330:40–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grochowski LL, Xu H, White RH (2006) Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate. J Bacteriol 188:3192–3198

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamana K, Niitsu M, Samejima K, Itoh T, Hamana H, Shinozawa T (1998) Polyamines of the thermophilic eubacteria belonging to the genera Thermotoga, Thermodesulfovibrio, Thermoleophilum, Thermus, Rhodothermus and Meiothermus, and the thermophilic archaebacteria belonging to the genera Aeropyrum, Picrophilus, Methanobacterium and Methanococcus. Microbios 94:7–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeanthon C, L’Haridon S, Reysenbach AL, Vernet M, Messner P, Sleytr UB, Prieur D (1998) Methanococcus infernus sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic lithotrophic methanogen isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. Int J Syst Bacteriol 48:913–919

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jeanthon C, L’Haridon S, Reysenbach AL, Corre E, Vernet M, Messner P, Sleytr UB, Prieur D (1999) Methanococcus vulcanius sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic methanogen isolated from East Pacific Rise, and identification of Methanococcus sp. DSM 4213T as Methanococcus fervens sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 49:583–589

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones WJ, Leigh JA, Mayer F, Woese CR, Wolfe RS (1983) Methanococcus jannaschii sp. nov., an extremely thermophilic methanogen from a submarine hydrothermal vent. Arch Microbiol 136:254–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaneshiro SM, Clark DS (1995) Pressure effects on the composition and thermal behavior of lipids from the deep-sea thermophile Methanococcus jannaschii. J Bacteriol 177:3668–3672

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koga Y, Morii H, Akagawa-Matsushita M, Ohga M (1998) Correlation of polar lipid composition with 16S rRNA phylogeny in methanogens. Further analysis of lipid component parts. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 62:230–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • König H, Stetter KO (1986) Studies on archaebacterial S-layers. Syst Appl Microbiol 7:300–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krupovič M, Forterre P, Bamford DH (2010) Comparative analysis of the mosaic genomes of tailed archaeal viruses and proviruses suggests common themes for virion architecture and assembly with tailed viruses of bacteria. J Mol Biol 397:144–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kyrpides NC, Olsen GJ, Klenk HP, White O, Woese CR (1996) Methanococcus jannaschii genome: revisited. Microb Comp Genomics 1:329–338

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • L’Haridon S, Reysenbach AL, Banta A, Messner P, Schumann P, Stackebrandt E, Jeanthon C (2003) Methanocaldococcus indicus sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic methanogen isolated from the Central Indian Ridge. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 53:1931–1935

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Metha MP, Baross JA (2006) Nitrogen fixation at 92°C by a hydrothermal vent archaeon. Science 314:1783–1786

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JF, Shah NN, Nelson CM, Ludlow JM, Clark DS (1988) Pressure and temperature effects on growth and methane production of the extreme thermophile Methanococcus jannaschii. Appl Environ Microbiol 54:3039–3042

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nercessian O, Corre E, Jeanthon C (2000) Phylogenetic analysis of the microbial communities from a deep hot oil reservoir in Western Siberia. In: Antranikian G, Grote R, Sahn K (eds) Abstracts of the third international congress on extremophiles, Hamburg, Abstract P10:75

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen GJ, Woese CR (1996) Lessons from an archaeal genome: what are we learning from Methanococcus jannaschii? Trends Genet 12:377–379

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson DE, Roberts MF, Belay N, Stetter KO, Boone DR (1990) Occurrence of β-glutamate, a novel osmolyte, in marine methanogenic bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:1504–1508

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Selkov E, Maltsev N, Olsen GJ, Overbeek R, Whitman WB (1997) A reconstruction of the metabolism of Methanococcus jannaschii from sequence data. Gene 197:GC10–GC25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sprott GD, Meloche M, Richards JC (1991) Proportions of diether, macrocyclic diether, and tetraether lipids in Methanococcus jannaschii grown at different temperatures. J Bacteriol 173:3907–3910

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sprott GD, Ekiel I, Patel GB (1993) Metabolic pathways in Methanococcus jannaschii and other methanogenic bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 59:1092–1098

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Staples CR, Lahiri S, Raymond J, Von Herbulis L, Mukhophadhyay B, Blankenship RE (2007) Expression and association of group IV nitrogenase NifD and NifH homologs in the non-nitrogen-fixing archaeon Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. J Bacteriol 189:7392–7398

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stetter KO, Gaag G (1983) Reduction of molecular sulphur by methanogenic bacteria. Nature 305:309–311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takai K, Nealson KH, Horikoshi K (2004) Methanotorris formicicus sp. nov., a novel extremely thermophilic, methane-producing archaeon isolated from a black smoker chimney in the Central Indian Ridge. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 54:1095–1100

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thennarasu S, Polireddy D, Antony A, Yada MR, Sivakumar N (2013) Draft genome sequence of a highly flagellated, fast-swimming archaeon, Methanocaldococcus villosus strain KIN24-T80 (DSM 22612). Genome Announc 1:e00481-13

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsoka S, Simon D, Ouzounis CA (2004) Automated metabolic reconstruction for Methanococcus jannaschii. Archaea 1:223–229

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White RH (2008) Biochemical origins of lactaldehyde and hydroxyacetone in Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Biochemistry 47:5037–5046

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB (2001a) Genus I. Methanocaldococcus gen. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds) Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol 1, 2nd edn, The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria. Springer, New York, pp 243–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB (2001b) Genus II Methanotorris gen. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds) Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol 1, 2nd edn, The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria. Springer, New York, pp 245–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB, Jeanthon C (2006) Methanococcales. In: Dworkin M, Falkow S, Rosenberg E, Schleifer KH, Stackebrandt E (eds) The Prokaryotes, a handbook on the biology of bacteria: ecophysiology and biochemistry, vol 3, 3rd edn. Springer, New York, pp 257–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitman WB, Boone DR, Koga Y (2001) Family II. Methanococcaceae fam. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds) Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol 1, 2nd edn, The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria. Springer, New York, pp 242–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu H, Yuan Y, Ma J, Gao Y (2011) Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of NifH1 from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 67:565–567

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yarza P, Ludwig W, Euzéby J, Amann R, Schleifer KH, Glöckner FO, Rosselló-Móra R (2010) Update of the all-species living tree project based on 16S and 23S rRNA sequence analyses. Syst Appl Microbiol 33:291–299

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel

    Aharon Oren

Authors
  1. Aharon Oren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aharon Oren .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Eugene Rosenberg

  2. Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

  3. Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

  4. Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Stephen Lory

  5. Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany

    Erko Stackebrandt

  6. Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Fabiano Thompson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Cite this entry

Oren, A. (2014). The Family Methanocaldococcaceae . In: Rosenberg, E., DeLong, E.F., Lory, S., Stackebrandt, E., Thompson, F. (eds) The Prokaryotes. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38954-2_322

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation