Thermoplasma
| Thermoplasma | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Archaea |
| Kingdom: | Methanobacteriati |
| Phylum: | Thermoplasmatota |
| Class: | Thermoplasmata |
| Order: | Thermoplasmatales |
| Family: | Thermoplasmataceae |
| Genus: | Thermoplasma Darland et al. 1970 |
| Type species | |
| Thermoplasma acidophilum Darland et al. 1970 | |
| Species | |
| |
Thermoplasma is a genus of archaeans. It belongs to the class Thermoplasmata, which thrive in acidic and high-temperature environments. Thermoplasma are facultative anaerobes and respire using sulfur and organic carbon. They do not contain a cell wall but instead contain a unique membrane composed mainly of a tetraether lipoglycan containing atypical archaeal tetraether lipid attached to a glucose- and mannose-containing oligosaccharide. This lipoglycan is presumably responsible for the acid and thermal stability of the Thermoplasma membrane.