Archaea are a major domain of prokaryotic microorganisms characterized by unique molecular and biochemical features distinguishing them from Bacteria and Eukarya. Their cell membranes typically contain ether-linked isoprenoid lipids, and their cell walls lack peptidoglycan, instead incorporating diverse polymers such as pseudomurein or S-layer proteins. Archaeal information-processing machinery (DNA replication, transcription, and translation) shows higher homology to eukaryotic systems than to bacterial counterparts. Archaea occupy a wide range of environments, including extreme habitats and moderate ecosystems, and play critical roles in biogeochemical cycles, notably methanogenesis and ammonia oxidation, making them important topics in microbial ecology, evolution, and environmental genomics.
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