Hydrogenophilaceae
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| Hydrogenophilaceae | ||||||||||
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Hydrogenophilus |
The Hydrogenophilaceae are a small family of Proteobacteria, with two genera. Hydrogenophilus are thermophilic, growing around 50 °C and obtaining their energy from oxidizing hydrogen. The genus Thiobacillus, redefined to include only those species included among the beta proteobacteria, is also included. Other members of Thiobacillus were transferred to Acidithiobacillus, Halothiobacillus and Thermithiobacillus, now placed in other families.
Thiobacillus is also used in pest control, such as potato scabs. If an affected area is treated with sulfur and thiobacillus, the bacterium will oxidise the sulphur to sulfuric acid, which will destroy the pest, as the potato scabs cannot tolerate acidic conditions. The bacterium, thiobacillus thioparus, contributes to the formation of acid rain through the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfurous acid.
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