Exploring research frontiers in microbiology: recent advances in halophilic and thermophilic extremophiles.
Extremophilic prokaryotes inhabit ecosystems that are, from a human perspective, extreme, and life in these environments requires far-reaching cellular adaptations. Here, we will describe, for two examples (Thermus thermophilus, Halobacillus halophilus), how thermophilic or halophilic bacteria adapt to their environment; we will describe the molecular basis of sensing and responding to hypersalinity and we will analyze the impact and basis of natural competence for survival in hot environments.
Averhoff
Beate
B
Molecular Microbiology & Bioenergetics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. averhoff@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Müller
Volker
V
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006216:Halobacteriaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016931:Halobacteriales / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D016963:Thermus thermophilus / Q000502:physiology*