ABSTRACT
The Thermotogales order consists exclusively of extreme and hyperthermophiles. Hyperthermophilic species grow up to 90°C and are, therefore, even more extremely thermophilic than Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. They represent life at the upper temperature border within the bacterial domain. Taxonomically, Thermotogales comprise the genera Thermotoga, Thermosipho, and Fervidobacterium. This chapter introduces the members of Thermotogales and provides an overview about their properties. Within the Thermotogales, motile and immotile species are known. Motility of Tt. maritima can be observed at 60 to 90°C after heating the microscopic slide. By their high plating efficiencies and the suitability of bacterial cloning systems, members of Thermotoga may be the best candidates for genetic studies on hyperthermophiles in the future.
