Achenbach-Richter L, Gupta R, Stetter K O, Woese C R
Department of Genetics and Development, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
Syst Appl Microbiol. 1987;9:34-9. doi: 10.1016/s0723-2020(87)80053-x.
Thermotoga maritima is one of the more unusual eubacteria: It is highly thermophilic, growing at temperatures higher than any other eubacterium; its cell wall appears to have a unique structure and its lipids a unique composition; and the organism is surrounded by a loose-fitting sheath of unknown function. Its phenotypic uniqueness is matched by its phylogenetic position; Thermotoga maritima represents the deepest known branching in the eubacterial line of descent, as measured by ribosomal RNA sequence comparisons. T. maritima also represents the most slowly evolving of eubacterial lineages. The fact that the two deepest branchings in the eubacterial line of descent (the other, the green non-sulfur bacteria and relatives, i.e. Chloroflexus, Thermomicrobium, etc.) are both basically thermophilic and slowly evolving, strongly suggests that all eubacteria have ultimately arisen from a thermophilic ancestor.
它具有高度嗜热性,能在比其他任何真细菌都高的温度下生长;其细胞壁似乎具有独特的结构,脂质具有独特的组成;并且该生物体被一层功能未知的宽松鞘所包围。其表型独特性与其系统发育位置相匹配;通过核糖体RNA序列比较测量,海栖热袍菌代表了真细菌谱系中已知最深的分支。海栖热袍菌也代表了进化最慢的真细菌谱系。真细菌谱系中两个最深的分支(另一个是绿色非硫细菌及其亲缘种,即绿屈挠菌、嗜热栖热菌等)基本上都是嗜热且进化缓慢的,这一事实强烈表明所有真细菌最终都起源于一个嗜热祖先。