Why does Archaeoglobus represent a metabolically transitional type of organism that bridges the energy-generating processes of H2S production and methanogenesis?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: Archaeoglobus is not generally thought of as a methanogen, yet it does have the ability to produce methane. This functional characteristic and the presence of the specialized coenzymes unique to methanogenesis makes Archaeoglobus functionally linked to methanogens. Archaeoglobus is also a member of the Euryarchaeota phylum (as are other methanogens), so the two groups are also linked phylogenetically. Archaeoglobus oxidizes H2 and many organic compounds, reduces SO4- into H2S, and the genes required for these respiration processes are present in Archaeoglobus as well as many other Archaea. The mosaic pattern of metabolisms found in Archaeoglobus therefore suggests it might be a transitional type of organism between these different metabolic strategies.

Biology & Microbiology

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