BioSample

Methanogenic archaea (methanogens) play a key role in the global carbon cycle. Among the hydrogenotrophic methanogens, Methanococcus maripaludis is the most prominent model species for analyses based on genetic manipulation, which has been facilitated by genome sequences available from a number of strains; however, the type strain for the species was not among them. Furthermore, within the domain Archaea, only members of the Methanococcales and Methanopyrales orders are known to synthesize selenocysteine-containing proteins. Because the machinery for selenocysteine biosynthesis and incorporation is dispensable in M. maripaludis JJ (but not, e.g., in strain S2), it is the best-developed model for the study of selenium biology in Archaea to date.