A thermophile is an organism—a type of extremophile—that thrives at relatively high temperatures, between 41 and 122 °C (106 and 252 °F).[1][2] Many thermophiles are archaea, though they can be bacteria or fungi. Thermophilic eubacteria are suggested to have been among the earliest bacteria.[3]
Thermophiles can survive at high temperatures, whereas other bacteria or archaea would be damaged and sometimes killed if exposed to the same temperatures.
The enzymes in thermophiles function at high temperatures. Some of these enzymes are used in molecular biology, for example the Taq polymerase used in PCR. "Thermophile" is derived from the Greek: θερμότητα (thermotita), meaning heat, and Greek: φίλια (philia), love.
Thermophiles can be classified in various ways. One classification sorts these organisms according to their optimal growth temperatures:[4]
Simple thermophiles: 50–64 °C (122-147.2 °F)
Extreme thermophiles 65–79 °C (149-174.2 °F)
Hyperthermophiles 80 °C and beyond, but not < 50 °C. (176+ °F)
In a related classification, thermophiles are sorted as follows:
Facultative thermophiles (also called moderate thermophiles) can thrive at high temperatures, but also at lower temperatures (below 50 °C (122 °F)), whereas
Obligate thermophiles (also called extreme thermophiles) require such high temperatures for growth.
Hyperthermophiles are particularly extreme thermophiles for which the optimal temperatures are above 80 °C (176 °F).
A colony of thermophiles in the outflow of Mickey Hot Springs, Oregon, the water temperature is approximately 60 °C (140 °F).
Many of the hyperthermophilic Archaea require elemental sulfur for growth. Some are anaerobes that use the sulfur instead of oxygen as an electron acceptor during cellular respiration (anaerobic). Some are lithotrophs that oxidize sulphur to create sulfuric acid as an energy source, thus requiring the microorganism to be adapted to very low pH (i.e., it is an acidophile as well as thermophile). These organisms are inhabitants of hot, sulfur-rich environments usually associated with volcanism, such as hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles. In these places, especially in Yellowstone National Park, zonation of microorganisms according to their temperature optima occurs. These organisms are often colored, due to the presence of photosynthetic pigments.
Thermophile versus mesophile
Thermophiles can be discriminated from mesophiles from genomic features. For example, the GC-content levels in the coding regions of some signature genes were consistently identified as correlated with the temperature range condition when the association analysis was applied to mesophilic and thermophilic organisms regardless of their phylogeny, oxygen requirement, salinity, or habitat conditions.[5]
Fungal thermophiles
Fungi are the only group of organisms in the Eukarya kingdom that can survive at temperature ranges of 50–60 °C.[6] Thermophilic fungi have been reported from a number of habitats, with most of them belonging to the fungal order Sordariales.[7] Thermophilic fungi have great biotechnological potential due to their ability to produce industrial-relevant thermostable enzymes, in particular for the degradation of plant biomass.[8]
Gene transfer and genetic exchange
Sulfolobus solfataricus and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius are hyperthermophilic archaea. When these organisms are exposed to the DNA damaging agents UV irradiation, bleomycin or mitomycin C, species-specific cellular aggregation is induced.[9][10] In S. acidocaldarius, UV-induced cellular aggregation mediates chromosomal marker exchange with high frequency.[10] Recombination rates exceed those of uninduced cultures by up to three orders of magnitude. Frols et al.[9][11] and Ajon et al.[10](2011) hypothesized that cellular aggregation enhances species-specific DNA transfer between Sulfolobus cells in order to provide increased repair of damaged DNA by means of homologous recombination. Van Wolferen et al.,[12] in discussing DNA exchange in the hyperthermophiles under extreme conditions, noted that DNA exchange likely plays a role in repair of DNA via homologous recombination. They suggested that this process is crucial under DNA damaging conditions such as high temperature. Also it has been suggested that DNA transfer in Sulfolobus may be a primitive form of sexual interaction similar to the more well-studied bacterial transformation systems that are associated with species-specific DNA transfer between cells leading to homologous recombinational repair of DNA damage [see Transformation (genetics)].
^Madigan MT; Martino JM (2006). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (11th ed.). Pearson. p. 136. ISBN0-13-196893-9.
^Takai T; et al. (2008). "Cell proliferation at 122°C and isotopically heavy CH4 production by a hyperthermophilic methanogen under high-pressure cultivation". PNAS. 105 (31): 10949–51. Bibcode:2008PNAS..10510949T. doi:10.1073/pnas.0712334105. PMC2490668. PMID 18664583.
^Horiike T; Miyata D; Hamada K; et al. (January 2009). "Phylogenetic construction of 17 bacterial phyla by new method and carefully selected orthologs". Gene. 429 (1–2): 59–64. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2008.10.006. PMC2648810. PMID 19000750.
^Stetter, K. (2006). "History of discovery of the first hyperthermophiles". Extremophiles. 10 (5): 357–362. doi:10.1007/s00792-006-0012-7. PMID 16941067. S2CID 36345694.
^Zheng H; Wu H (December 2010). "Gene-centric association analysis for the correlation between the guanine-cytosine content levels and temperature range conditions of prokaryotic species". BMC Bioinformatics. 11: S7. doi:10.1186/1471-2105-11-S11-S7. PMC3024870. PMID 21172057.
^Rajasekaran, A. K.; Maheshwari, R. (1993-09-01). "Thermophilic fungi: An assessment of their potential for growth in soil". Journal of Biosciences. 18 (3): 345–354. doi:10.1007/BF02702992. ISSN 0973-7138.
^Patel, Hardi; Rawat, Seema (2021), "Thermophilic fungi: Diversity, physiology, genetics, and applications", New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Elsevier, pp. 69–93, retrieved 2022-06-02
^van den Brink, Joost; Facun, Kryss; de Vries, Michel; Stielow, J. Benjamin (December 2015). "Thermophilic growth and enzymatic thermostability are polyphyletic traits within Chaetomiaceae". Fungal Biology. 119 (12): 1255–1266. doi:10.1016/j.funbio.2015.09.011. ISSN 1878-6146.
^ abFröls S; Ajon M; Wagner M; Teichmann D; Zolghadr B; Folea M; et al. (November 2008). "UV-inducible cellular aggregation of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is mediated by pili formation" (PDF). Mol. Microbiol. 70 (4): 938–52. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2008.06459.x. PMID 18990182.
^ abcAjon M; Fröls S; van Wolferen M; Stoecker K; Teichmann D; Driessen AJ; et al. (November 2011). "UV-inducible DNA exchange in hyperthermophilic archaea mediated by type IV pili" (PDF). Mol. Microbiol. 82 (4): 807–17. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07861.x. PMID 21999488.
^Fröls S; White MF; Schleper C (February 2009). "Reactions to UV damage in the model archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus". Biochem. Soc. Trans. 37 (Pt 1): 36–41. doi:10.1042/BST0370036. PMID 19143598.
^van Wolferen M; Ajon M; Driessen AJ; Albers SV (July 2013). "How hyperthermophiles adapt to change their lives: DNA exchange in extreme conditions". Extremophiles. 17 (4): 545–63. doi:10.1007/s00792-013-0552-6. PMID 23712907. S2CID 5572901.
thermophile, confused, with, thermopile, thermophile, organism, type, extremophile, that, thrives, relatively, high, temperatures, between, many, thermophiles, archaea, though, they, bacteria, fungi, thermophilic, eubacteria, suggested, have, been, among, earl. Not to be confused with Thermopile A thermophile is an organism a type of extremophile that thrives at relatively high temperatures between 41 and 122 C 106 and 252 F 1 2 Many thermophiles are archaea though they can be bacteria or fungi Thermophilic eubacteria are suggested to have been among the earliest bacteria 3 Thermophiles produce some of the bright colors of Grand Prismatic Spring Yellowstone National Park Thermophiles are found in various geothermally heated regions of the Earth such as hot springs like those in Yellowstone National Park see image and deep sea hydrothermal vents as well as decaying plant matter such as peat bogs and compost Thermophiles can survive at high temperatures whereas other bacteria or archaea would be damaged and sometimes killed if exposed to the same temperatures The enzymes in thermophiles function at high temperatures Some of these enzymes are used in molecular biology for example the Taq polymerase used in PCR Thermophile is derived from the Greek 8ermothta thermotita meaning heat and Greek filia philia love Contents 1 Classification 2 Thermophile versus mesophile 3 Fungal thermophiles 3 1 Gene transfer and genetic exchange 3 2 See also 3 3 References 3 4 External links Classification Edit Thermophiles can be classified in various ways One classification sorts these organisms according to their optimal growth temperatures 4 Simple thermophiles 50 64 C 122 147 2 F Extreme thermophiles 65 79 C 149 174 2 F Hyperthermophiles 80 C and beyond but not lt 50 C 176 F In a related classification thermophiles are sorted as follows Facultative thermophiles also called moderate thermophiles can thrive at high temperatures but also at lower temperatures below 50 C 122 F whereas Obligate thermophiles also called extreme thermophiles require such high temperatures for growth Hyperthermophiles are particularly extreme thermophiles for which the optimal temperatures are above 80 C 176 F A colony of thermophiles in the outflow of Mickey Hot Springs Oregon the water temperature is approximately 60 C 140 F Many of the hyperthermophilic Archaea require elemental sulfur for growth Some are anaerobes that use the sulfur instead of oxygen as an electron acceptor during cellular respiration anaerobic Some are lithotrophs that oxidize sulphur to create sulfuric acid as an energy source thus requiring the microorganism to be adapted to very low pH i e it is an acidophile as well as thermophile These organisms are inhabitants of hot sulfur rich environments usually associated with volcanism such as hot springs geysers and fumaroles In these places especially in Yellowstone National Park zonation of microorganisms according to their temperature optima occurs These organisms are often colored due to the presence of photosynthetic pigments Thermophile versus mesophile Edit Thermophiles can be discriminated from mesophiles from genomic features For example the GC content levels in the coding regions of some signature genes were consistently identified as correlated with the temperature range condition when the association analysis was applied to mesophilic and thermophilic organisms regardless of their phylogeny oxygen requirement salinity or habitat conditions 5 Fungal thermophiles EditFungi are the only group of organisms in the Eukarya kingdom that can survive at temperature ranges of 50 60 C 6 Thermophilic fungi have been reported from a number of habitats with most of them belonging to the fungal order Sordariales 7 Thermophilic fungi have great biotechnological potential due to their ability to produce industrial relevant thermostable enzymes in particular for the degradation of plant biomass 8 Gene transfer and genetic exchange Edit Sulfolobus solfataricus and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius are hyperthermophilic archaea When these organisms are exposed to the DNA damaging agents UV irradiation bleomycin or mitomycin C species specific cellular aggregation is induced 9 10 In S acidocaldarius UV induced cellular aggregation mediates chromosomal marker exchange with high frequency 10 Recombination rates exceed those of uninduced cultures by up to three orders of magnitude Frols et al 9 11 and Ajon et al 10 2011 hypothesized that cellular aggregation enhances species specific DNA transfer between Sulfolobus cells in order to provide increased repair of damaged DNA by means of homologous recombination Van Wolferen et al 12 in discussing DNA exchange in the hyperthermophiles under extreme conditions noted that DNA exchange likely plays a role in repair of DNA via homologous recombination They suggested that this process is crucial under DNA damaging conditions such as high temperature Also it has been suggested that DNA transfer in Sulfolobus may be a primitive form of sexual interaction similar to the more well studied bacterial transformation systems that are associated with species specific DNA transfer between cells leading to homologous recombinational repair of DNA damage see Transformation genetics See also Edit Hyperthermophile Mesophile Psychrophile Anaerobic digestion Archaea SulfolobusReferences Edit Madigan MT Martino JM 2006 Brock Biology of Microorganisms 11th ed Pearson p 136 ISBN 0 13 196893 9 Takai T et al 2008 Cell proliferation at 122 C and isotopically heavy CH4 production by a hyperthermophilic methanogen under high pressure cultivation PNAS 105 31 10949 51 Bibcode 2008PNAS 10510949T doi 10 1073 pnas 0712334105 PMC 2490668 PMID 18664583 Horiike T Miyata D Hamada K et al January 2009 Phylogenetic construction of 17 bacterial phyla by new method and carefully selected orthologs Gene 429 1 2 59 64 doi 10 1016 j gene 2008 10 006 PMC 2648810 PMID 19000750 Stetter K 2006 History of discovery of the first hyperthermophiles Extremophiles 10 5 357 362 doi 10 1007 s00792 006 0012 7 PMID 16941067 S2CID 36345694 Zheng H Wu H December 2010 Gene centric association analysis for the correlation between the guanine cytosine content levels and temperature range conditions of prokaryotic species BMC Bioinformatics 11 S7 doi 10 1186 1471 2105 11 S11 S7 PMC 3024870 PMID 21172057 Rajasekaran A K Maheshwari R 1993 09 01 Thermophilic fungi An assessment of their potential for growth in soil Journal of Biosciences 18 3 345 354 doi 10 1007 BF02702992 ISSN 0973 7138 Patel Hardi Rawat Seema 2021 Thermophilic fungi Diversity physiology genetics and applications New and Future Developments in Microbial Biotechnology and Bioengineering Elsevier pp 69 93 retrieved 2022 06 02 van den Brink Joost Facun Kryss de Vries Michel Stielow J Benjamin December 2015 Thermophilic growth and enzymatic thermostability are polyphyletic traits within Chaetomiaceae Fungal Biology 119 12 1255 1266 doi 10 1016 j funbio 2015 09 011 ISSN 1878 6146 a b Frols S Ajon M Wagner M Teichmann D Zolghadr B Folea M et al November 2008 UV inducible cellular aggregation of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is mediated by pili formation PDF Mol Microbiol 70 4 938 52 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2958 2008 06459 x PMID 18990182 a b c Ajon M Frols S van Wolferen M Stoecker K Teichmann D Driessen AJ et al November 2011 UV inducible DNA exchange in hyperthermophilic archaea mediated by type IV pili PDF Mol Microbiol 82 4 807 17 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2958 2011 07861 x PMID 21999488 Frols S White MF Schleper C February 2009 Reactions to UV damage in the model archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus Biochem Soc Trans 37 Pt 1 36 41 doi 10 1042 BST0370036 PMID 19143598 van Wolferen M Ajon M Driessen AJ Albers SV July 2013 How hyperthermophiles adapt to change their lives DNA exchange in extreme conditions Extremophiles 17 4 545 63 doi 10 1007 s00792 013 0552 6 PMID 23712907 S2CID 5572901 External links Edit Thermoprotei Extreme Thermophile NCBI Taxonomy Browser How hot is too Hot T Limit Expedition Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thermophile amp oldid 1125483579, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
