Diversity of hot environments and thermophilic microbes

Abstract

The existence of life at high temperatures is quite fascinating. At both ends of the temperature range compatible with life, only microorganisms are capable of growth and survival. A great variety of microbes survives and grows at such elevated temperatures. Many thermophilic microbial genera have been isolated from man-made (acid mine effluents, biological wastes and waste treatment plants, and self-heated compost piles) and natural (volcanic areas, geothermal areas, terrestrial fumaroles, terrestrial hot springs, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, geothermally heated oil and petroleum reserves, sun-heated soils/sediments) thermal habitats throughout the world. Both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches have been employed for understanding the diversity of microbes in hot environments. These organisms not only tolerate such high temperatures but also usually require these for their growth and survival and are known as thermophiles/thermophilic microbes, which include a wide variety of prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) as well as eukaryotes. Interest in their diversity, ecology, and physiology and biochemistry has increased enormously during the past few decades. These organisms have evolved several structural and chemical adaptations that allow them to survive and grow at elevated temperatures