Title: Archaea and Their Potential Role in Human Disease | Infection and Immunity
Headings: Archaea and Their Potential Role in Human Disease
Archaea and Their Potential Role in Human Disease
POTENTIAL PATHOGENICITY OF ARCHAEA
POTENTIAL ASSOCIATIONS OF ARCHAEA WITH HUMAN DISEASE
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE STUDIES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
REFERENCES
KEYWORDS

Content: Archaea differ from eukarya and bacteria in terms of genetic, biochemical, and structural features. For example, archaea possess unique flagellins and ether-linked lipids ( 59) and lack murein in their cell walls ( 24 ). Multiple archaeal genomes have been sequenced to completion, contributing to a better understanding of the unique cellular processes of archaea and their role in adaptation to extreme environments. Despite the information emerging about archaeal genomes, structure, and function, much remains unknown. Over half of archaeal genes encode unique proteins with unknown functions ( 18 ). Difficulties in the isolation and cultivation of archaea also contribute to a relative lack of knowledge. No definitive virulence genes or factors have been described in archaea to date. Nevertheless, archaea may have the means, and they certainly have the opportunity, to cause disease. Archaea share some characteristics with known pathogens that may reflect the potential to cause disease. Such characteristics include ample access to a host (i.e., opportunity) and capabilities for long-term colonization and coexistence with endogenous flora in a host.