Deinococcus/Thermus

The phylum containing only the genera Deinococcus and Thermus includes industrially significant bacteria. The Thermus species have the ability to grow at temperatures of up to 80?C, and T. aquaticus is the source of one of the most important proteins in molecular biology Taq polymerase. The extremely radiation-resistant organism Deinococcus radiodurans can survive exposure to gamma rays better than Bacillus endospores through still retaining a vegetative mode. The allied resistance to chemical mutagens describe that this is achieved with a very efficient DNA repair system. This phylum contains no known human or animal pathogens.