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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Culturing and Maintaining Clostridium difficile in an Anaerobic Environment

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Published on: September 15, 2013

A possible biochemical missing link among archaebacteria.

L Achenbach-Richter¹, K O Stetter, C R Woese

¹Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.

|May 28, 1987

Summary

A novel archaeon, Archaeoglobus fulgidus, reduces sulfate and produces methane, suggesting a transitional form in early life. Its phylogenetic position supports a link between sulfur metabolism and methanogenesis in archaebacteria.

Keywords:

NASA Discipline Exobiology Non-NASA Center

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Generation of Null Mutants to Elucidate the Role of Bacterial Glycosyltransferases in Bacterial Motility

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Published on: March 11, 2022

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Evolutionary Biology
Archaea Phylogenetics

Background:

Previously, isolated archaebacteria exhibited three main phenotypes: methanogens, extreme halophiles, or sulfur-dependent extreme thermophiles.
A novel archaeal phenotype has been identified, distinct from these established categories.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize a newly discovered archaeon, strain VC-16 (Archaeoglobus fulgidus), with a unique metabolic profile.
To investigate the evolutionary position of this novel archaeon within the archaebacterial domain.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic analysis of strain VC-16 within the archaebacterial tree.
Metabolic characterization, including sulfate reduction and methane production.

Main Results:

Strain VC-16 (Archaeoglobus fulgidus) uniquely reduces sulfate and produces minimal methane, lacking typical methanogenesis cofactors.
Phylogenetic analysis places strain VC-16 between Methanococcus and Thermococcus lineages, supporting its transitional role.
This position aligns with hypotheses of a transition from sulfur-based metabolism to methanogenesis in archaebacteria.

Conclusions:

Archaeoglobus fulgidus represents a significant evolutionary link in archaebacterial diversification.
The findings suggest a metabolic pathway evolving from anaerobic thermophilic sulfur metabolism towards methanogenesis.