Kingdom+Archaebacteria

=The Rushing Fireball=

//Pyrococcus furiosus//. (2010). [Photograph]. Retrieved from []

Rushing Fireball (directly translated from the Latin name)
 * Common Name: **


 * Latin Name: **
 * //Pyrococcus furiosus//**

Kingdom: Archaebacteria Phylum: Euryarchaeota Class: Thermococci Order: Thermococcales Family: Thermococcaceae Genus: //Pyrococcus// Species: //Pyrococcus furiosus//

Euryarchaeota phylum consists of extreme halophiles, methanogens, and thermophiles. Halophiles live in very salty habitats, such as in areas where sea water has evaporated. Methanogens live in anaerobic (no oxygen) environments. Methane gas is produced as a product by these organisms. Thermophiles thrive in temperatures up to 110 degrees Celsius. The rushing fireball is a thermophile.
 * Description of Phylum: **

The Rushing Fireball is named as it is due to its coccus shape and its ability to swim very quickly at 100 degrees Celsius, which is the temperature in which it thrives most.
 * Introduction to Species: **

The Rushing Fireball is highly motile due to its many flagella. It has a cocci shape, with up to fifty flagella per coccus.
 * Morphological Features: **



//American Society for Microbiology.// (2006). [Photograph]. Retrieved from []

This species is an extreme thermophile, meaning that it is a microbe that thrives in boiling temperatures. It is most productive in boiling water (100 degrees Celsius), with the water having a neutral pH of 7.0. It freezes to death if the temperature goes below 67 degrees Celsius. Growth occurs between 67 and 103 degrees Celsius.
 * Anatomical/Physiological Features: **

Oxygen is deadly for this species - they inhale sulphur and exhale hydrogen sulphide. They live in hot vents caused by volcanis eruptions deep in the oceans and seas, where waters reach boiling temperatures.

The numerous flagella are also used to form cell connections by serving as "cables" during stationary growth.The flagella between two cocci link together to form one cable, and possibly exchange genetic information. It is not known yet why these bacteria form the cable. Here is a quotation taken from a government source, questioning its purpose:

“An obvious question arises: why does //P. furiosus// form these cell-cell connections? At the moment we do not have a definite answer; a possible explanation is that the connections are a prerequisite for allowing gene transfer between //P. furiosus// cells. It can be argued that gene transfer takes place between //P. furiosus// cells and also with other species, although this has not been proven so far.” (source: [] )

The numerous flagella help the bacteria anchor to solid surfaces. This adhesion ensures that the bacteria stay in the same location for as long as possible, in essence, to avoid moving away from the volcanic area in the ocean where temperatures are very high. They grow in colonies through binary fission.

//Flikr Pyrococcus furiosus.// (2010). [Photograph]. Retrieved from []

This species grow as they adhere to grains and quartz material processed from lava. Therefore, they live deep in the oceans and seas where volcanic eruptions make the waters surrounding that area reach very high boiling temperatures.
 * Where Do They Live? **


 * Interesting Facts: **
 * Some scientists believe that the "rushing fireball" is one of the oldest forms of life on Earth.
 * Hydrogen sulphide - the respiratory byproduct of this species - is what gives rotten eggs their foul odour.


 * References: **

Bailey, R. (2010). //Archaea.// Retrieved from []

Holt, J. (2010). //Systematic Biology//. Retrieved from []

Nather, D., Rachel, R., Wanner, G., & Wirth, R. (2006). //Flagella of// Pyrococcus furiosus//: Multifunctional Organelles, Made for Swimming, Adhesion to Various Surfaces, and Cell-Cell Contacts.// Retrieved from []

//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">National Centre for Biotechnology Information. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> (2010). Retrieved from []

//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">National Science Foundation and the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University. //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">(2010). Retrieved from []