The 48th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan

Organizer: Yoshitaka Bessho (RIKEN), Daisuke Nakane (The University of Electro-Communications)

Thermus thermophilus is viable even in high-temperature environments, such as 85 ℃. As a genetically manipulable model organism of thermophilic bacteria, it has contributed significantly to understanding numerous biological phenomena. In this microorganism, biomacromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids, essential for cellular functions, have become thermostable. Structural genomics projects have provided insights into the mechanisms of molecular thermostability. However, for a cell to survive in high temperatures, not only the molecules but also the cells themselves must be thermostable. Here, we focus on the cell's outer structures, such as the membrane, cell wall, pili and thermophilic phages, and discuss the latest findings on thermostability.