Why Sequence Halothiobacillus neapolitanus and Thiomonas intermedia?
The aerobic sulfur bacteria Halothiobacillus neapolitanus and Thiomonas intermedia are representatives of two groups of proteobacteria (gamma- and beta-, respectively). Both play important roles in the global biogeochemical carbon and sulfur cycles by virtue of their ability to satisfy their carbon and energy needs entirely with inorganic compounds (CO2 and reduced sulfur compounds, respectively). Sulfur oxidizers like these are found in a range of different environments, some of which can be classified as “extreme”, and have gained notoriety as biological agents that promote corrosion of concrete, acidification of mine tailings, and bioleaching of low-grade ores. They are also being tested in a variety of bioremediation efforts. Of equal, if not greater, importance for the scientific community at large is their status as model organisms for the study of carboxysomes. These polyhedral “organelles,” made up entirely of protein, enhance the catalytic efficiency of the CO2-fixing enzyme t
