Research into the archaeal branch of life has provided scientists with unique opportunities to discover novel mechanistic processes across multiple fields of research including molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and genetics. In this work we investigate two specific archaeal processes: transcriptional R-loop formation and functionality of a previously unidentified broad-range antimicrobial from the crenarchaeal hyperthermophilic acidophile Saccharolobus solfataricus. R-loops are DNA:RNA hybrids found most often at transcriptionally active regions of the genome that are sites of genome instability. Here we show that two strains of S. solfataricus, a wild-type strain and its spontaneous isogenic deletion derivative, both produce transcriptional R-loops but do so to differing degrees. Our findings suggest that R-loop formation is likely under regulatory control that has been altered in the mutant derivative strain. In the second half of this work, we describe a potential addition to the arsenal against the ongoing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. With the overuse of antibiotic agents and the increase in AMR among common pathogens, there is a strong need for novel, broad range antimicrobials. Here, we show that the archaeal branch of life can serve as a potential reservoir for new antimicrobials with our discovery of a protein-based antimicrobial activity derived from an archaeal species. This antimicrobial activity displays broad range effects against bacterial pathogens, eukaryotes, and multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO). The overall goal of this work is to introduce and characterize both transcriptional R-loops and functional antimicrobials in the archaeal extremophile S. solfataricus and to provide insight into some of the unique characteristics of this species.