Cellular polyamines of 61 archaeal newly published strains were analyzed by HPLC to evaluate correlation of polyamine profiles to their extremophily and chemotaxonomy. A quaternary branched penta-amine,
N4-bis( aminopropyl )spermidine, was found in hyperthermophilic
Methanocaldococcus and
Methanotorris belonging to the family
Methanocaldococcaceae but not in the family
Methanococcaceae nor any other methanogenic archaeal orders. Hyperthermophilic / extremely thermophilic
Palaeococcus,
Thermococcus and
Pyrococcus of the order
Thermococcales ubiquitously contained the branched penta-amine. Mesophilic, extreme halophiles including halo-alkaliphiles, belonging to the order
Halobacteriales, contained a trace of spermidine, spermine and agmatine. In the phylum
Crenarchaeota, extremely thermophilic
Caldisphaera of the provisional order '
Caldisphaerales' contained norspermidine, spermidine and agmatine, and hyperthermophilic
Pyrobaculum belonging to the order
Thermoproteales contained norspermidine, spermidine, norspermine and spermine, but not any penta-amines. Within the order
Desulfurococcales,
Desulfurococcus and
Ignisphaera contained spermidine, norspermidine, homospermidine, norspermine and spermine, whereas
Aeropyrum contained caldopentamine and thermopentamine in addition to these triamines and tetra-amines.
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