That made it tricky to use fluorescent protein tags for tracking single molecules, the group reported in a preprint in July 7. So, first, the team deleted a gene involved in synthesizing that pigment, creating colourless but otherwise normal microbes.

The search for microbial dark matter. Then, the researchers tackled the genetic milieu of H. Like many halophiles, H. Furthermore, genes that use the same codons will be expressed at higher levels. Versions of the crimson-coloured protein mCherry and the green-to-red photoswitchable tag Dendra2 were especially useful for single-molecule tracking.

Indeed, with perseverance, scientists interested in extremophiles can make impossible-seeming experiments work.

Tighe, S. PubMed Article Google Scholar. Flusberg, B. Nature Methods 7 , — Riley, L. Walker, J. Pulschen, A. Eun, Y. Nature Microbiol. Turkowyd, B. Download references. News 11 NOV Technology Feature 09 NOV Thermophilic microorganisms, though known since the beginning of the 20th century, were intensively studied in its last three decades.

Natural terrestrial and submarine thermal environments were found to be populated by moderate, extreme and hyperthermophilic microorganisms representing diverse metabolic groups. However, during the past few years this knowledge has been extended, and new metabolic groups of thermophilic prokaryotes described. Among these are ammonia-oxidizing archaea, thermoacidophilic methanotrophs of the phylum Verrucomicrobia , microorganisms gaining energy for growth from the disproportionation of sulfur species, and archaea and bacteria metabolizing one carbon C1 compounds.

Other novel metabolic groups, such as thermophilic anammox bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing thermophiles, and microorganisms performing anaerobic methane oxidation in thermal ecosystems, have been detected using molecular or geochemical approaches. These data will, certainly, stimulate further cultivation and isolation efforts. Cellulolytic Microorganisms from Thermal Environments.

Vishnivetskaya, B. Raman, T. Phelps, M. Podar and J. Conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to liquid fuels using biological processes offers a potential solution to partially offset the world's dependence on fossil fuels for energy. In nature, decomposition of organic plant biomass is brought about by the combined action of several interacting microorganisms existing in complex communities. Bioprospecting in natural environments with high cellulolytic activity for example, thermal springs may yield novel cellulolytic microorganisms and enzymes with elevated rates of biomass hydrolysis for use in industrial biofuel production.

In this chapter, various cellulose-degrading microorganisms in particular, thermophilic anaerobic bacteria , their hydrolytic enzymes, and recent developments in the application of biomass fermentations for production of sustainable bioenergy are reviewed. In this context, results from ongoing research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the isolation and subsequent phylogenetic and metabolic characterization of thermophilic, anaerobic, cellulolytic bacteria from the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park are presented.

Extreme to the 4th Power! What Secrets Can They Reveal? In the deep biosphere, extraordinary new types of microorganisms, sedimented or buried - million years ago, can be found. These organisms can be identified and characterized. The information obtained can be developed into novel tools for searching for new oil in sensitive regions like the Arctic, Antarctica and jungle areas.

Relatively few enzymes are used in large-scale industrial applications. They may furnish new incentives for the development of entirely new technical processes. These microbes provide opportunities for new technologies in second generation biofuel production. Several companies are working on alternative routes for the production of fuels using biomass as the raw source material.

Traditional heavy oil extraction methods have major difficulties in justifying their high energy usage, CO 2 emissions and soil and environment pollution. The first company implementing a large-scale process based on biotechnology principles in enhanced oil recovery will gain huge strategic and economic benefits. The knowledge of this huge subsurface population of diverse microorganisms provides excellent opportunities for bioprospecting.

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Postberg, F. Sodium salts in E-ring ice grains from an ocean below the surface of Enceladus. Macromolecular organic compounds from the depths of Enceladus. Price, P. Extremophiles are categorized according to conditions in which they grow. Sometimes, multiple stresses are present in the niche simultaneously and extremophiles which are able to thrive in such habitats are defined as polyextremophiles such as thermoacidophiles, haloalkaliphiles and so on.

There are innumerous examples of these fascinating organisms which have been discovered now and these include primarily prokaryotes bacteria and archaea and some eukaryotes algae, yeast and fungi. Thermophilic methanogens, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii and Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus are examples of barophilic microbes which have been isolated from high pressure niches of deep sea beds.

Thiobacillus , Sulfolobus and Thermoplasma are some common genera that are considered to be very acidophilic in nature. Recently, Picrophilusoshimae and Picrophilustorridus have been included as the most acidophilic archaea from hot spring in Noboribetsu, Japan, which can grow at pH as low as 0. Metallophiles which are able to resist high concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, zinc and so on, have been isolated from volcanic areas, geothermal and hydrothermal vents and from industrially polluted sites.

Xerotolerant and radiation tolerant archeae, Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1 isolated from a salt mine is another important example of extremophilic microbe.

The aforementioned are only a few striking examples of these amazing group of microbes and there are still myriad of possibilities of finding many novel species from the extreme habitats on Earth. Extremophilic microorganisms not only are of ecological importance but are also gaining significance in biotechnological research and industrial uses.

These microbes also maintain their membrane fluidity and stability under extreme conditions and protect their genetic system in such environment. This means extremophiles possess unique genes and know how to multiply under extreme conditions. Because of these characteristics extremophiles are unique and are now being extensively used for production of important biomolecules which are stable at high or low temperature, pH extremities, very high pressure and even in presence of deadly pollutants.

These microbes or their metabolites are exceptional and can perform exclusive tasks in nature and at industrial level. For example they can provide stable enzymes at temperature and pressure extremes, can be used for biodegradation and bioremediation purposes in extreme habitats, source of biofuel and bioenergy, source of specialized pigments for solar cells able to work in extreme conditions such as polar caps and so on.

Extremophilic microbes can thus play a very important role in future to achieve the targets of sustainability and bio-based economy.