Extremophiles

From Biology to Biotechnology

Ravi V. Durvasula, D. V. Subba Rao, Ravi V. Durvasula, D. V. Subba Rao

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781351650731
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Biotechnology in Medicine

Highly recommended by CHOICE, Oct 2018

Extremophiles are nature's ultimate survivors, thriving in environments ranging from the frozen Antarctic to abyssal hot hydrothermal vents. Their lifeforms span bacteria to fishes, and are categorized as halophiles from hypersaline environments, acidophiles from acidic waters, psychrophiles from cold habitats, and thermophiles from warm waters. Extremophiles: From Biology to Biotechnology comprehensively covers the basic biology, physiology, habitats, secondary metabolites for bioprospecting, and biotechnology of these extreme survivors. The chapters focus on the novel genetic and biochemical traits that lend these organisms to biotechnological applications.

Couples studies of marine extremophile biology/genomics and extremophile culture for biotechnological applications with the latest advances in bio-prospecting and bio-product development

Includes practical experiments that a laboratory can use to replicate extreme habitats for research purposes

Presents latest advances in extremophile genomics to give the reader a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of extremophiles

Offers insights into the production of commercially important extremozymes, carotenoids, bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites of medicinal value.

This unique guide serves as a resource for biotechnologists who wish to explore extremophiles for their commercial potential, as well as a valuable reference for teaching undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

1ExtremophilesNature’s Amazing Adapters

Ravi Durvasula and D. V. Subba Rao

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Tree of Life: Extremophiles

1.1.2Categories of Extremophiles

1.1.3Extremophile Biota

1.1.4Growth and Photosynthetic Vigor

1.1.5Mechanisms: Enzymes

1.1.6Evolution of Strategies

1.1.7Extracellular Polymeric Substances

1.1.8Extremophiles and Utility: Selected Examples

1.1.9Genomics and Genetic Engineering

1.1.10Biotechnology

References

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Tree of Life: Extremophiles

The tree of life has three main trunks: (1) bacteria, (2) Archaea, and (3) Eukarya, each represented by a large number of extremophiles known for their remarkable diversity of morphology, biochemistry, genomics, and biosynthesis of many adaptive compounds (Table 1.1).

Table 1.1Comparison of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

	Bacteria (Eubacteria)a	Archaeaa	Eukarya
Domain	Large domain of prokaryotes	Domain or kingdom of single-celled biota	Multicellular
Phylogenetically	Different	Different from bacteria but similar to Eukarya	Different
Habitat	Ubiquitous Flourished on earth for >3.5 Ga	Extreme harsh environment	Ubiquitous Appeared in the past 2 Ga
Shape	Larger surface area to volume, leading to higher growth rate, shorter generation time	Similar to bacteria Larger surface area to volume, leading to higher growth rate, shorter generation time	Varied
Organisms	bacteria and microorganisms	Microorganisms	Plants, animals, and microorganisms such as fungi and protists
Cell	Single	Single	Multicellular
Nucleus and organelles	Absent	Absent	True nucleated
Cell	Prokaryote	Prokaryote	Eukaryote
Cell wall	Peptidoglycan/lipopolysaccharide	Pseudopeptidoglycan Unique membrane lipids with branched fatty chains composed of repeating units of isoprene	Have cell walls, but do not contain peptidoglycan Mitochondria and chloroplasts present
Reproduction	Asexual, binary fission, budding but form spores	Asexual, binary fission, budding	Meiosis
Metabolism		Diverse
		Do not use glycolysis pathway to break down glucose Functional Krebs cycle pathway absent
Protein synthesis (first amino acid formed)	Formylmethionine	Methionine	Methionine
DNA	Mostly circular chromosome and plasmids	Circular chromosome and plasmids	Linear chromosome, rarely plasmids DNA wrapped around proteins called histones
DNA replication, transcription, and translation		Similar to eukaryotes
RNA		Complex, polymerases similar to bacteria and eukaryotes
Histones	Not present	Present	Present
Organelles	Not present	Not present	Present
Ribosomes	70S	70S	80S
Antibiotic sensitivity	Sensitive	Not sensitiv...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Series Page
• Front Matter Part
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• About the Editors
• About the Contributors
• Chapter 1 ExtremophilesNature’s Amazing Adapters
• Chapter 2 Microbial Diversity and Biotechnological Potential of Microorganisms Thriving in the Deep-Sea Brine Pools
• Chapter 3 Extremophile Diversity and Biotechnological Potential from Desert Environments and Saline Systems of Southern Tunisia
• Chapter 4 Culture Studies on a Halophile Dunaliella salina from Tropical Solar Salterns, Bay of Bengal, India
• Chapter 5 Heterotrophic Production of Phycocyanin in Galdieria sulphuraria
• Chapter 6 Biology and Applications of Halophilic and Haloalkaliphilic Actinobacteria
• Chapter 7 Adaptation Strategies in Halophilic Bacteria
• Chapter 8 Deep-Sea Vent ExtremophilesCultivation, Physiological Characteristics, and Ecological Significance
• Chapter 9 Physiological and Biochemical Adaptations of Psychrophiles
• Chapter 10 Denitrification in Extreme Environments
• Chapter 11 Extremophile Enzymes and Biotechnology
• Chapter 12 Carbonic Anhydrases of Extremophilic Microbes and Their Applicability in Mitigating Global Warming through Carbon Sequestration
• Chapter 13 Carotenoid Production in Extremophilic Microalgae and Biotechnological Implications
• Chapter 14 Secondary Metabolites from Microalgal Extremophiles and Their “Extreme-Loving” Neighbors
• Chapter 15 Medicinal Utility of Extremophiles
• Chapter 16 Extremophile Case StudiesGenomic Organization and Optimized Growth
• AppendixCulturing Extremophiles: Progress to Date
• Additional Sources of Information
• Glossary
• Index