Archaea and Their Characteristics

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to Archaea, their types, and their unique characteristics.

Archaea

Microorganisms more closely related to Eukarya than to bacteria, lacking peptidoglycan in cell walls and having distinct lipids in their membranes.

Extremophiles

Organisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions, such as high salinity or temperature.

Halophiles

Salt-loving Archaea that live in highly saline environments, with some able to withstand alkaline conditions up to pH 11.5.

Bacteriorhodopsin

A light-absorbing molecule in many halophiles that enables them to produce ATP, essentially functioning like a photosynthetic pigment.

Thermophilic Archaea

Archaea that can thrive in high-temperature environments, such as hot sulfur springs.

Acidophilic Archaea

Archaea that can survive in highly acidic conditions, often found in environments with pH levels as low as 0.

Methanogens

A group of Archaea that produce methane (CH₄) as a metabolic byproduct, found in marshlands and the guts of grazing mammals.

Chemosynthetic hydrothermal vent communities

Ecosystems based on the metabolism of H₂ and CO₂ into organic compounds, serving as the base of the food chain in deep-sea environments where sunlight does not penetrate.