Nucleotide sequence, transcription and phylogeny of the gene encoding the superoxide dismutase of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

The gene encoding the superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been isolated and sequenced. Both the start site and the termination sites of the corresponding transcript were mapped. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein is very similar to the sequence of manganese- or iron-containing SODs. Phylogenetic sequence analysis corroborated the monophyletic nature of the archaeal domain.