thermoacetica

Thermoacetica is a term used in some discussions to refer to a hypothetical genus of thermophilic acetogenic bacteria. It is not an officially recognized taxon in major nomenclature databases, and as such it does not correspond to a formally described genus or species. The name derives from the combination of thermo-, meaning heat, and acetica, relating to acetate production.

In principle, organisms that might be labeled as thermoacetica would be anaerobic, heat-loving bacteria capable of acetogenesis, i.e., converting carbon dioxide into acetate. Their metabolism would typically involve the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, using hydrogen as an electron donor and CO2 as the carbon source. Some acetogenic bacteria can also utilize organic substrates, adapting to various anaerobic environments.

Natural habitats associated with thermophilic acetogens include hot springs, geothermal soils, and high-temperature anaerobic digesters. If a true thermoacetica lineage exists or is described in the future, it would add to the known diversity of thermophilic acetogens, which are studied for fundamental metabolism as well as potential biotechnological applications.

The best-known thermophilic acetogen that informs this concept is Moorella thermoacetica, a well-characterized model organism capable of converting CO2 to acetate at elevated temperatures. Moorella thermoacetica provides a reference framework for understanding acetogenic metabolism in heat-loving bacteria, but it is not classified under the name thermoacetica itself.

See also: acetogenesis, Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, Moorella thermoacetica, thermophiles, anaerobic bacteria.