<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\na. Proteins <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n- The enzymes and other proteins in these organisms are much more stable to heat than those in mesophiles.<\/li>
- It is seen that a critical amino acid substitution on one or a few locations in the enzymes allows them to fold in such a way that it is consistent with heat stability.<\/li>
- Besides, certain solutes such as diinositol phosphate and monosylglycerate are produced in significant quantities that help to stabilize the proteins against thermal degradation.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
b. Cell membrane<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n- In addition to enzymes and other components of the cell, cytoplasmic membranes of thermophiles need to be stable.<\/li>
- Thermophiles typically have lipid-rich in saturated fatty acids, thus allowing the membrane to remain stable and functional at high temperatures.<\/li>
- Saturated fatty acids form a stronger hydrophobic environment than unsaturated fatty acids, which also increases membrane stability.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
c. Nucleic acid<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n- Thermophiles contain special DNA binding proteins that arrange the DNA into globular particles that are more resistant to melting.<\/li>
- Also, another factor that is common in all thermophiles is the presence of a unique DNA gyrase enzyme that acts to introduce positive supercoils in DNA, providing considerable heat stability.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Thermophile Examples<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n- Some of the common examples of thermophiles include Methanosarcina thermophila, Methanobacterium wolfei, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, Archaeglobus profundus, Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris, A. acidocaidarius<\/em>, etc.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Hyperthermophile <\/strong>Definition and Characteristics<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n- Hyperthermophiles are organisms that can survive and grow at extremely high temperatures (above 80\u00b0C).<\/li>
- Hypothermophiles are a type of thermophiles that can endure even higher temperatures than other thermophiles.<\/li>
- The optimum temperature of growth for hyperthermophiles is 80\u00b0C, but they can survive at temperatures higher than 100\u00b0C.<\/li>
- Most hyperthermophiles are capable of withstanding other extreme conditions like higher pH and higher pressure.<\/li>
- Most hyperthermophilic organisms are found in hot springs and boiling steam vents where even moderate thermophiles cannot survive or thrive.<\/li>
- Hyperthemophiles mostly belong to the archea group with very few species being bacterial species.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Hyperthermophile Mode of adaptation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\na. Proteins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n- Hyperthermophilic archaea used structure-based physical mechanisms to increase the thermostability of its proteins in the process of its thermophilic adaptation.<\/li>
- The stability of proteins and enzymes in hyperthermophiles is improved as a result of an increased number of salt bridges (cations that bridge charges between amino acid residue) in the structure.<\/li>
- Besides, an increase in the number of ionic bonds between the positive and negative charges of various amino acids also stabilizes proteins.<\/li>
- The increased ionic bonds create a densely packed highly hydrophobic interior of the proteins, which resists the unfolding of proteins under high temperatures.<\/li>
- Some hyperthermostable proteins even employ an alternative, sequence-based mechanism of their thermal stabilization.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n