Psychrophiles
Two years ago a team from the University of
Georgia tried to assess the number of bacteria on the planet, the
number they estimated had 30 zeros on it. The mass of all the
carbon in the bacteria would weigh more than the land mass of the
United Kingdom. Among those bacteria are psychrophiles
which are microorganisms that fall into the category of
extremophiles.
Extremophiles are bacteria that are adapted to extreme
environments. Psychrophiles in particular are bacteria that are
adapted to live in very cold environments, from between 150Celcius
(590F) to about minus 150celcius (5OF).
They can survive at even colder temperatures than this, and researchers
often store them in the lab at minus 800celcius (-1120F)
and they are able to survive. Very little is known
about these extreme microorganisms because they do not grow at
conditions where they are easy to study. Many of the
psychrophiles known today have been studied from Antarctic ice.
They can be classified as either Bacteria or Archaea. Even
though psychrophiles live in extreme temperatures they still need
available water to function at an optimal level.There are several
reasons psychrophiles are important to study.
Psychrophiles
are one of the organisms that can live at refrigeration temperatures,
and these little monsters are responsible for making milk go sour. Psychrophiles are also studied as organisms that could thrive in the
extreme environments like those seen in other planets and Europa, one
of Jupiter's moons. There are also some other fun practical
applications that scientists are researching about psychrophiles to
help with every day life.
Psychrophiles or should we say
psychophiles?
Ngoc-Thuy Nguyen
Lori Brown
Melissa Johnson
Massy Ahmadpour
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