BIOL446: Examining Sulfur Metabolic Pathways of Venenvibrio stagnispumantis DSM 18763
By: Jacob Steiger
Department: Biology
Faculty Advisor: Dr. José R. De La Torre
Venenvibrio stagnispumantis is an aquificale that grows in the Champagne Pool of Waiotapu, New Zealand. It is a moderately acidophilic autotroph that grows at an optimal pH of 5.5. It uses H2 as an electron donor, O2 as an electron acceptor. V. stagnispumantis is able to metabolize thiosulfate and elemental sulfur through the use of the protein sulfide-quinone oxidoreductase as well as phosphoesterase. These proteins are shown in both KEGG and MetaCyc sulfur metabolism pathways. This project will analyze other genes in the sulfur metabolism pathways of V. stagnispumantis. Understanding this metabolism can further our knowledge of assimilatory metabolic pathways of aquificales.