Methanococcus maripaludis S2

Methanococcus_maripaludis
Names Methanococcus maripaludis S2
Accession numbers NC_005791
Background Methanococcus maripaludis (Latin "mare" meaning sea, "palus" meaning marsh) is a model species among the methanogenic Archaea. Originally characterized by W. J. Jones, the species was the predominent methanogen isolated from a salt-marsh sediment in South Carolina, United States. Numerous additional isolates were obtained by W. Whitman, including strain S2, also known as strain LL. M. maripaludis is strictly anaerobic, hydrogenotrophic (growing on hydrogen and carbon dioxide) and nitrogen-fixing, and is a mesophilic relative of the hyperthermophilic Methanococcus jannaschii. Cells are irregular cocci with weak motility. M. maripaludis is an excellent laboratory model because of rapid, reliable growth, a complete genome sequence, a robust set of genetic tools, and ongoing studies with expression arrays and proteomics.Methanococcus maripaludis possesses a small, circular genome of 1.66 Mb in length with no extrachromosomal elements. The genome has a low, 33%, GC content. Open reading frame predictions indicate 1719 orfs. The maripaludis genome is relatively simple with few repeated sequences, though it contains three copies of the 16S and 23S ribosomal genes. Interestingly, while the genome of the closely related Methanocaldococcus jannaschii contains a number of inteins, maripaludis appears to lack inteins entirely, even in orfs that are otherwise highly homologous to their M. jannashii counterparts. (From http://faculty.washington.edu/leighj/mm.html) (BacMap)
Taxonomy
Kingdom:Archaea
Phylum:Euryarchaeota
Class:Methanococci
Order:Methanococcales
Family:Methanococcaceae
Genus:Methanococcus
Species:maripaludis
Strain S2
Complete Yes
Sequencing centre (11-MAR-2004) National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
(15-FEB-2004) Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, University of Washington Genome Center, Seattle, WA
Sequencing quality Level 6: Finished
Sequencing depth NA
Sequencing method Sanger
Isolation site Salt marsh sediment near Pawley Island South Carolina
Isolation country USA
Number of replicons 1
Gram staining properties NA
Shape Cocci
Mobility No
Flagellar presence Yes
Number of membranes 1
Oxygen requirements Anaerobic
Optimal temperature 35.0
Temperature range Mesophilic
Habitat Aquatic
Biotic relationship Free living
Host name NA
Cell arrangement Singles
Sporulation Nonsporulating
Metabolism Hydrogenotrophic
Methanogen
Nitrogen fixation
Energy source Chemolithoautotroph, Lithotroph
Diseases NA
Pathogenicity No