Environmental Influences Vocabulary

Flashcards about Environmental Influences on Microbes

Extremophiles

Organisms that inhabit extreme environments.

Psychrophiles

Microbes that thrive in temperatures around 0°C-20°C.

Mesophiles

Microbes that thrive in temperatures around 15ºC-45°C.

Thermophiles

Microbes that thrive in temperatures around 40°C-80°C.

Hyperthermophiles

Microbes that thrive in extremely high temperatures, around 65°C-121°C.

Taq DNA polymerase

Enzyme utilized by thermophiles that can withstand very hot temperatures. Used in biotechnology.

Barophiles

Microbes that can grow up to 1000 atm or 14600 psi.

Aquaporins

Membrane-channel proteins that allow water to traverse the membrane faster than by diffusion, helping to protect the cell from osmotic stress.

Halophiles

Microbes that prefer a high salt concentration, typically 10-20% sodium chloride.

Halotolerant

Can be cultured in media up to 10% NaCl

Aerobe

Grows in presence of atmospheric oxygen (O2)( 20%)

Obligate aerobe

Requires O2

Microaerophile

Requires O2 at low conc. ( 2-10%)

Anaerobe

Grows in the absence of O2

Obligate anaerobe

O2 is toxic

Facultative anaerobe

Does not require O2 but grows better with it

Aerotolerant anaerobe

Grow equally well with or without O2

Neutralophiles

Grow at pH 5-8

Acidophiles

Grow at pH 0-5

Alkaliphiles

Grow at pH 9-11