As its Latin name Pyrobaculum (the "fire stick") suggests, the archaeon is rod-shaped and isolated from locations with high temperatures.
The complete genome of this organism was sequenced (1.99 Mb, 58% G+C content), revealing numerous metabolic pathways for the degradation of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids.
Multiple dimethyl sulfoxide-molybdopterin (DMSO-MPT) oxidoreductase genes, which are implicated in the reduction of sulfur and arsenic, were identified.
The physiological attributes and metabolic capabilities of P. yellowstonensis provide an important foundation for developing an understanding of the distribution and function of these populations in YNP.
Pyrobaculum is motile because of peritrichous or bipolar polytrichous flagellation, and its colonies are round and grey to greenish black.
[2] To this date, the strains of Pyrobaculum have been isolated from neutral to slightly alkaline boiling solfataric waters and shallow marine hydrothermal systems.