EVOLVING AT LIFE S LIMITS-MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN CHILE S EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
Abstract
On Earth, many biosystems thrive despite environmental extremes. Normally fatal conditions still harbor colonies of microorganisms called extremophiles, which can survive under conditions such as high levels of salinity, radiation, pressures, as well as high and low temperatures. Extremophiles utilize biomolecules that are catalytically active under extreme conditions and are of particular importance in many biotechnological and industrial processes. Located in the driest desert in the world and UV-irradiated mountains, the salt lakes in Chile are ideal candidates for studying life in extreme environments. The “salt-loving” halophiles that reside in these lakes are considered excellent models for exobiology since they live in environments of multiple extremes (e.g. high levels of salinity and UV radiation). Furthermore, these lakes are surrounded by dried salt crusts, where microbes have been found to survive desiccation, oxygen-deprivation, and thermal extremes for many years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2021
- Source ID
- FA95502010337
Entities
People
- Eduardo Castro Nallar
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Andrés Bello University
- United States Air Force