General Information: This organism was originally identified as Pyrococcus sp. strain KOD1. It was isolated from a solfatara on Kodakara Island, Japan. Hyperthermophilic archeon. This genus is a member of the order Thermococcales in the Euryarchaeota. Thermococcus sp. are the most commonly isolated hyperthermophilic organisms and are often isolated from marine hydrothermal vents and terrestrial hot sulfur springs. Elemental sulfur is either required for, or stimulates, growth. These obligate heterotrophs can ferment a variety of organic compounds, including peptides, amino acids, and sugars in the absence of sulfur. Thermococcus kodakaraensis is a hyperthermophilic archeon. Proteins from this organism have been extensively studied to find thermostable enzymes for industrial and biotechnological applications.