L1 : Introduction

Question 1

What is an extremophile and extremotolerant?

Answer 1

Extremophile:
Organisms that thrive optimally under environmental extremes

Extremotolerant:
Organisms that tolerate extreme environmental conditions

Question 2

What are different types of extremophiles?

Answer 2

Osmophile - high sugar (brines/syrups)
Halophile - >30% NaCl (salt lakes)
Barophiles - high pressure (ocean trench)
Psychrophiles - <=15 deg (polar regions)
Thermophiles - >=50 deg (hot springs/volcanic)
Acidophiles - pH<=3 (sulphur springs)
Alkaliphiles - pH>=9 (soda lakes)
Radioresistant - 5,000 Gy
Metal tolerant - high metal (industrial sewage) abundances (Ni, Zn, Cd, Cu)
Anaerobes - low or no O2
Endoliths - rocks
Xerophiles - desert

Question 3

Why study extremophiles?

Answer 3

Environmental monitoring
Discover new drugs
Study life’s origins and adaptation mechanisms
Understand limits of life
Novel compounds for industrial use
Use as extraterrestrial analogues