A 6-kilobase-pair region of the genome of the extremely thermophilic archaebacterium Methanothermus fervidus which encodes the alpha, beta, and gamma subunit polypeptides of component C of methyl coenzyme M reductase was cloned and sequenced. Genes encoding the beta (mcrB) and gamma (mcrG) subunits were separated by two open reading frames designated merC and merD which encode unknown gene products. The M. fervidus genes were preceded by ribosome-binding sites, separated by short A + T-rich intergenic regions, contained unexpectedly few NNC codons, and exhibited inflexible codon usage at some locations. Sites of transcription initiation and termination flanking the mcrBDCGA cluster of genes in M. fervidus were identified. The sequences of the genes, the encoded polypeptides, and transcription regulatory signals in M. fervidus were compared with the functionally equivalent sequences from two mesophilic methanogens (Methanococcus vannielii and Methanosarcina barkeri) and from a moderate thermophile (Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg).