Analysis of archaeal viruses infecting hyperthermophilic archaea

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Archaea belongs to a major domain of life which is distinct from Eukaryota and Eubacteria. Some unique enzymes from Archaea are applied for biotechnology. Since useful enzymes for gene manipulation often derived from viruses, archaeal viruses may have these useful enzymes. However, only a few viruses infecting archaea are reported, especially those infecting hyperthermophilic archaea are scarcely reported. Here, viruses infecting hyperthermophilic archaea are collected from hot springs having temperatures of more than 80?C where hyperthermophilic archaea are living. Hot spring water having temperatures of near 100 ?C in Beppu, Atagawa and Toyako was collected. The obtained water was filtered with 0.22 μm filters and impurities were removed. Viruses in the water were concentrated with 50kDa-filters. DNA was extracted and purified with protease treatment and phenol/chloroform extraction. The purified DNA was subcloned and the DNA sequences were determined to analyze their function.