Thermophile

Thermophile

A Thermophile is an organism — a type of extremophile — that thrives at relatively high temperatures, between 41 and 122 °C (106 and 252 °F). Many thermophiles are archaea, though there are also bacterial thermophiles.

Classification

Thermophiles can be classified into three main categories:

• Obligate thermophiles (also called extreme thermophiles): These organisms can only function at high temperatures and are found in various geothermally heated regions of the earth, such as deep sea hydrothermal vents and hot springs.
• Facultative thermophiles: These organisms can thrive at high temperatures, but also at lower temperatures (below 40 °C).
• Hyperthermophiles: These organisms grow optimally at temperatures above 80 °C.

Adaptation

Thermophiles have unique adaptations that allow them to survive in extreme heat. These include protein stability, membrane stability, and the presence of chaperone proteins.

Applications

Thermophiles have many applications in biotechnology, including their use in PCR, a DNA amplification technique, and in enzyme production.

See also

• Psychrophile
• Mesophile
• Acidophile
• Alkaliphile

External links

• MicrobeWiki page on Thermophiles

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  Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring

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  Thermophilic bacteria