Abstract
Thermococcus kodakarensis is a hyperthermophilic Euryarchaeon that grows well under laboratory conditions and, being naturally competent for genetic transformation, it has become a widely studied experimental model species. With the genome sequence available since 2004, combining genetic, enzymological and structural biochemical approaches has revealed previously unknown and unanticipated features of archaeal molecular biology and metabolism. T. kodakarensis DNA polymerase is already commercialized and with the details of metabolism and hydrogenase available, generating H2 from biopolymers solubilized at high temperatures, most notably chitin, now seems a very attractive possibility as a renewable energy bioprocess.
Highlights
The Thermococcales are a distinct and cohesive branch within the Euryarchaeota, with three genera, Thermococcus, Pyrococcus and Palaeococcus
In 2004, it was reclassified as T. kodakaraensis strain KOD1 [2] and is designated T. kodakarensis
T. kodakarensis was initially attractive for research because of its metabolic flexibility and ease of laboratory culture, but it was the report of natural competence for genetic transformation in 2003 [3] that propelled it into the role of model archaeon
Summary
Microbe Profile: Thermococcus kodakarensis: the model hyperthermophilic archaeon. Graphical abstract Thermococcus kodakarensis cells are polyploid and genome duplication does not require an origin of replication. The electron micrograph was taken by Dr Tomoya Imai (Kyoto University)
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