ME - Extremophiles

Mesophiles

An organism that grows best in moderate temperature/salinity/pH/etc, neither too low nor too high

Extremophiles

Are able to survivie in extreme conditions, where not many other organisms are able to survive, they live at the boundary of life. Are adapted and require these extreme conditions to survive

Extremotolerant

Species that can tolerate extremes but growth more optimally in less extreme conditons

Moderate extremophiles

Still do well at extreme conditions but less extreme then the high extremophiles

High extremophiles

Really like the extremest of the extremest

Halophiles

Adapted to high salinity

Thermophiles

Adapted to high temperatures

Acidophiles

Adapted to low pH

Alkaliphiles

Adapted to high pH

Psychrophile

Adapted to low temperatures

Piezophile

Adapted to high presuure (ocean depth)

Xerophile

Adapted to drought

Polyextremophiles

Are adapted to multiple extreme conditions

Alkalihalophiles

Adapted to high pH and high Salinity

Acidothermophiles

Are adapted to low pH and high temperatures

Thermopiezophiles

Are adapted to high pressure and high temperature

Hypersaline ecossytems

• Salt lakes (deep sea and surface)

• On moons of jupiters

• Water on mars would be hypersaline

Water activity (Aw)

Measure for the availability of free water molecules for biological processes (enzyme activity, protein/DNA confirmation, transport of solutes etc.) Reduces by adding solutes and is 1 for pure distilled water

Osmolytes

Are non salt compatible solutes (immitate salts) that do not influence the protein chemistry that will hold on to water

Salt in strategy

Used by halophiles

Allow the salt to enter the cells and shield their proteins by making them negatively charged so they will attracht water. This does not effect the active site of the proteins and only the outside of the protein becomes negatively charged

Bittern

Water with 40% salt, very extreme, show low diversity of life yet still quite high biomass —> extremophiles