At one time, it was thought that living things could be found only where a moderate range of abiotic factors (such as temperature & pH) existed. Since the discovery of extremophiles, micro-organisms that thrive in extreme environments, our understanding of where life can exist has changed. Some extremophiles live in hot, acidic sulfur springs and some even live near the openings of deep ocean hydrothermal vents. Based on our current knowledge of extremophiles that exist on planet Earth, what does the existence of life in such extreme environments say about the possibility of life on other planets

At one time, it was thought that living things could be found only where a moderate range of abiotic factors (such as temperature & pH) existed. Since the discovery of extremophiles, micro-organisms that thrive in extreme environments, our understanding of where life can exist has changed. Some extremophiles live in hot, acidic sulfur springs and some even live near the openings of deep ocean hydrothermal vents. Based on our current knowledge of extremophiles that exist on planet Earth, what does the existence of life in such extreme environments say about the possibility of life on other planets

Biology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (MindTap Course List)

5th Edition

ISBN:9781305117396

Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr

Publisher:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr

Chapter4: Energy And Metabolism

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1DID: The genus Ferroplasma consists of a few species of acid-loving archaea. One species, F. acidarmanus,...

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Discuss the possibility of life on Mars. In reference to extremophiles. Defend or refute this statement: The upper-temperature limit to life is unrelated to the stability of proteins or nucleic acids. How influential is microbial activity on the geological processes of mineral formation and deposition compared to biological processes? (argue both sides of this one). What challenges and advantages do you see with the use of extremeophiles in industrial or bioremediation applications?
Most ecosystems on Earth rely on sunlight as the primary energy source for the synthesis of organic compounds that living organisms need. Sunlight does not penetrate deep enough in the ocean to provide energy for organisms living near hydrothermal vents. How can these densely populated communities survive without energy from the sun? A. chemoheterotrophic bacteria convert organic compounds into carbon dioxide which is used by other organisms as an energy source B. chemoautotrophic bacteria harvest chemical energy from hydrogen sulfide and then provide the basis of food for the vent communities C. chemoheterotrophic bacteria harvest chemical energy from hydrogen sulfide and then provide the basis of food for the vent communities D. chemoautotrophic bacteria fix nitrogen which then is used as a source of energy for other organisms
A new bacterial species is discovered and classified as an endolith, an extremophile that lives inside rock. If the bacteria were discovered in the permafrost of Antarctica, describe two extremophile features the bacteria must possess.
The thermoacidophile Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is an archaean organism that can tolerate environments that are high in temperature and low in pH. It lacks peptidoglycan, but still possesses a cell wall. Which of the following statements is likely to be an accurate description of this species? A. It is a bacterium. B. The optimal pH of its enzymes will lie above pH 7. C. It could inhabit hydrothermal springs. D. It could inhabit alkaline hot springs.
Antibiotics enter the environment in wastewater from pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, in wastes from farms where they are used in animals, and in sewage from human populations. (Many antibiotics are excreted in their active form.) The influx of antibiotics into the environment is a concern because the presence of these compounds in the environment selects for antibiotic resistance. As pollutants, antibiotics can also have ecological effects. Describe some of the ecological roles of bacteria, and explain why disruption of these roles by antibiotic pollution would have a negative impact.
Oftentimes, scientists face unexpected challenges as they work on resolving a certain problem. As you were working on resolving this environmental issue, you received a report from a group of environmental engineers who are working with you on this project showing that the bacteria you are intending to use is not found in high quantities in that area of the sea. Find a solution to this shortage by researching. In your answer be sure to discuss the role of the enzyme hydroxylase.
Based on our current knowledge of biology on Earth, above what temperature (in °C) would biological activity become impossible, and why? Based on our current knowledge of extremophiles, below what temperature (in °C) would the last surviving organisms cease their activity?
Compare photo litho autotrophy with chemo-organo heterotrophy. Sun light is the ultimate source of energy and all living organisms obtain their energy directly or indirectly from the sun. However in deep-sea vents (where there is no sun light) life has originated and the many groups of microorganisms are flourishing in such environment. How? Explain your reasoning
Denitrification is which of the following? a. Organisms like algae, cyanobacteria and plants are capable of using light energy which is trapped by chlorophyll, to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose b. The first step in the synthesis of virtually all nitrogenous compounds c. The decomposers - certain soil bacteria and fungi e.g. ammonifying bacteria - break down proteins in dead organisms and animal wastes, releasing ammonium ions d. Nitrates are reduced to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria e. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen
discuss at least five different examples of extremophiles on Earth and discuss how they thrive in their special environments (or, each person can choose one extremophile to research and share with the rest of the group). Extrapolate these extreme survival abilities to the kinds of life that might be able to survive in the very different environments throughout our Solar System? Do you think that watery places like Europa or Enceladus would be a better environment to search for life as opposed to somewhere like the clouds of Venus? Why or why not? For more information on possible life in Venus' atmosphere,
The genus Ferroplasma consists of a few species of acid-loving archaea. One species, F. acidarmanus, was discovered to be the main component of slime streamers (a type of biofilm) deep inside an abandoned California copper mine (Figure 4.11A). F. acidarmanus cells use an ancient energy-harvesting pathway that combines oxygen with ironsulfur compounds in minerals such as pyrite. This reaction dissolves the minerals, so groundwater that seeps into the mine ends up with extremely high concentrations of metal ions such as copper, zinc, cadmium, and arsenic. The reaction also produces sulfuric acid, which lowers the pH of the water around the cells to zero. Despite living in an environment with a composition similar to hot battery acid, F. acidarmanus cells maintain their internal pH at a cozy 5.0. Thus, researchers investigating Ferroplasma metabolic enzymes were surprised to discover that most of the cells enzymes function best at very low pH (Figure 4.11B). A. Deep inside one of the most toxic sites in the United States: Iron Mountain Mine, in California. The water in this stream, which is about 1 meter (3 feet) wide in this photo, is hot (around 40C, or 104F), heavily laden with arsenic and other toxic metals, and has a pH of zero. Slime streamers growing in it are a biofilm dominated by a species of archaea, Ferroplasma acidarmanus. B. pH profiles of four enzymes isolated from F. acidarmus. Researchers had expected these enzymes to function best at the cells cytoplasmic pH (5.0). What does the dashed line signify?
Your lab supervisor asks you to grow a new bacterium they got from a collaborator. You grow them in the suggested nutrient-rich media, and you notice that as the log phase growth progresses, the bacteria seem to turn purple. You mention it to your supervisor and ask whether it is the gradient from very high to low nutrient bioavailability that induces metabolic changes which induces the production of a purple pigment. Your supervisor tells you that is unlikely. What is a more plausible conclusion