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Questions and Answers
Which type of bacteria has a higher content of α helix relative to β sheet to maintain flexibility under low temperature?
Which type of bacteria has a higher content of α helix relative to β sheet to maintain flexibility under low temperature?
In which industry is the amylase enzyme extracted from Pyrococcus sp. mainly used?
In which industry is the amylase enzyme extracted from Pyrococcus sp. mainly used?
Which product is Protease enzyme being used in?
Which product is Protease enzyme being used in?
Which enzyme extracted from Bacillus thuringiensis is being used in biofungicide and bioinsecticide?
Which enzyme extracted from Bacillus thuringiensis is being used in biofungicide and bioinsecticide?
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Which type of bacteria produces anti-freezing proteins as an adaptation strategy?
Which type of bacteria produces anti-freezing proteins as an adaptation strategy?
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In which range of temperature can Psychrophiles survive and grow optimally?
In which range of temperature can Psychrophiles survive and grow optimally?
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What is the main application of Taq DNA polymerase from thermophilic bacteria?
What is the main application of Taq DNA polymerase from thermophilic bacteria?
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Which region is Psychrophiles generally found in due to their ability to survive in cold conditions?
Which region is Psychrophiles generally found in due to their ability to survive in cold conditions?
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'Adaptation strategies' for Psychrophilic bacteria include:
'Adaptation strategies' for Psychrophilic bacteria include:
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'Chances of contamination are extremely low' is a characteristic of which type of bacteria?
'Chances of contamination are extremely low' is a characteristic of which type of bacteria?
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Study Notes
Extremophiles
- Microorganisms that survive in highly fluctuating physical conditions like temperature, pH, pressure, nutrient availability, radiation, salinity, etc.
- They not only tolerate extreme conditions but require these environments for their survival and growth.
Types of Extremophiles
- Hyperthermophiles: Withstand temperatures above 80°C, mainly from Archaea domain, found in deep sea hydrothermal vents, hot springs, and Yellowstone National Park.
- Thermophiles: Optimum temperature for survival and growth is around 60–80°C, represented by a higher number of species including enterobacteria, photosynthetic bacteria, and Archaea bacteria.
- Mesophiles: Optimum temperature for survival and growth is around 15–40°C.
- Psychrophiles: Survive and grow optimally at very low temperatures ranging from -20°C to 20°C, found in permanently cold places like polar regions and deep oceans.
- Acidophiles: Survive in extremely acidic environments.
- Alkalophiles: Survive in extremely alkaline environments.
- Halophiles: Survive in extremely salty environments.
- Radiophiles: Survive in environments with high levels of radiation.
- Capnophiles: Survive in environments with high CO2 levels.
- Oligotrophes: Survive in environments with low nutrient levels.
- Xerophiles: Survive in extremely dry environments.
- Barophiles: Survive in environments with high pressure.
Adaptation Strategies
Hyperthermophiles
- Molecular adaptation: High GC content to stabilize intramolecules and RNA modifications in nucleoside sequence.
- Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) for DNA repair.
- Proteins: Less frequent amino acids, involved in imposing thermal stability in the form of heat shock proteins.
- Membrane: Lipid branched hydrocarbon chains bonded by ether linkage with glycerol phosphate to maintain rigidity.
Thermophiles
- Molecular: High concentration of binding proteins with positively charged DNA and high GC content provides resistance towards DNA denaturation.
- Cell membrane: Structural changes in membrane lipids, such as acylation, branching, saturation, and unique hydrocarbon chains.
- Protein: High molecular weight heat shock proteins (HSP) are observed.
Psychrophiles
- Protein: Higher content of α-helix relative to β-sheet to maintain flexibility under low temperature.
- Anti-freezing proteins are produced.
- Membrane: Modified by an increased ratio of saturated to polyunsaturated fatty acid to maintain membrane fluidity.
- Genes responsible for cell membrane biogenesis are over-expressed.
Biotechnological Applications
- Thermophiles and their products are used in industry due to their catalytic activity and thermodynamic reactions at high temperatures.
- Applications include production of Taq DNA polymerase, amylase enzyme, protease enzyme, and chitinase.
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Description
Test your knowledge on extremophiles, microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions like temperature, pH, and pressure. Learn about their adaptive strategies and importance in biotechnology.
