Archaea Ancient Oddities

Archaea Ancient Oddities

Death in Yellowstone

If the waters of Yellowstone are so deadly, can anything survive in them? Animal Bones in hot spring Dead Trees in Mammoth Hot Springs

Yes, but how?

A History of Archaea Purported to be the oldest life forms on Earth (based on fossilized lipid evidence from 3.8 bya in Greenland) Up to 20% of Earth s biomass http://www.microbiologyonline.org.uk/aboutmicrobiology/introducing-microbes/archaea

Domain Archaea Kingdom Archaea/Archaebacteria General Characteristics: - Unicellular - Prokaryotes - No Membrane-Bound Organelles - Cell Walls in some, not all - Ferroplasma & Thermoplasma lack them - No peptidoglycan in cell wall (unlike Eubacteria) - Ether lipids in cell walls (single lipid bilayer) - Reproduce asexually by binary fission http://www. microbiology online.org.uk /aboutmicrobiology /introducingmicrobes/arc haea

Q1: Which characteristic does NOT describe Archaea? A) Unicellular B) Use Binary Fission to Reproduce C) Prokaryotic D) Double-membraned Mitochondria E) Ancient life forms

Cell Membrane Structure http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/archaea - Differences: - 1) Glycerol-ether lipids - 2) Different glycerol arrangement leads to different enzymes used for phospholipids - 3) Branched lipid tails prevent leakage at high temps - 4) Fused lipid tails make them more rigid & able to withstand high temps

Q2: Describe 2 characteristics of Archaea that enable them to live in strange environments.

Morphology Range from 0.1 μm to.15 μm Spheres, rods, spirals, or plates May form aggregates or biofilms

Lifestyle CAN live in extreme environments (hot springs, salt lakes, volcanic vents), but are also found in marshes, soils, oceans, intestines Unlike Eubacteria, none are known parasites or pathogens (are often mutualists or commensalists)

Q3: Which of these is a likely environment to find Archaea? A) Hot Springs B) Cow Intestines C) Deep-sea Vents D) Salt Lakes E) All of these are Suitable locations.

Q4: Archaea are responsible for causing human diseases such as strep throat and food poisoning. A. True B. False

Domain Comparison Shared with Bacteria Shared with Eukarya Unique to Archaea No nucleus or membrane-bound organelles No peptidoglycan Cell wall structure (for example, some archaeal cell walls contain pseudomurein) Circular genome Genes grouped in operons DNA associated with histones Translation initiated with methionine Cell membrane containing etherlinked lipids Flagellin protein structure No introns or RNA processing Similar RNA polymerase, promoters, other transcriptional machinery [39][40][41] Ribosomal structure (characteristics shared with both Bacteria and Eukarya) Polycistronic mrna Similar DNA replication and repair trna sequence and metabolism Cellular size (>100-fold smaller than eukaryotes) Growth not inhibited by streptomycin Ability to grow at temps greater than 100 o C http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/archaea

Q5: Mark whether the following charcteristics describe Bacteria (B), Archaea (A) or Eukarya(E) you may mark more than one letter. 1. No nucleus. 2. Peptidoglycan found in cell wall. 3. Histones present. 4. Circular genome. 5. Ether-linked lipids in cell membrane.

Archaea Phyla Crenarchaeota Sulfolobus Euryarchaeota Methanogens, Thermoplasma Korarchaeota Hot springs, hydrothermals Nanoarchaeota Marine environments Thaumarchaeota Chemolithotrophic ammonia oxidizers (nutrient cyclers)

Metabolic Methods Phototrophs sunlight Halobacteria Lithotrophs inorganic compounds Ferroglobus, Methanobacteria, Pyrolobus Organotrophs organic compounds Pyrococcus, Sulfolobus, Methanosarcinales

Q6: Which of the following Archaea uses a metabolic method most like that of plants? A. Methanobacteria B. Pyrolobus C. Ferroglobus D. Pyrococcus E. Halobacteria

Halophiles Colorful Salt Lovers https://sites.google.com/ site/halophileproject2011 /halophiles http://serc.carleton.edu/im ages/microbelife/aphanoth ece.jpg

Thermophiles Some Like it Hot!

Acidophiles

Alkaliphiles

Q7: Which of the following Archaea are most likely to be found living in the Dead Sea? A. Alkaliphiles B. Acidophiles C. Halophiles D. Thermophiles

Food Webs Dependent on Archaea Ephydra brusei on mat of cyanobacteria - Flies feed on algae living with the thermophilic mat community & lay their eggs in clumps of algae - Spiders & mites eat the eggs & flies - Killdeer eat the flies

Food Webs Dependent on Archaea - Biomagnification of Methyl Mercury may be seen in these mats

Q8: Draw a food web of these thermal communities.

What makes the rainbow? Blue = Refracted sunlight

What makes the rainbow? Orange/Yellow = Presence of Carotenoids in the Archaea - Help Protect Against Harsh Sun in Summer Tend to darken in Winter when Chlorophyll becomes the dominant pigment Again

Q9: A more brilliant rainbow would be seen in the summer rather than the winter at a thermal pool in Yellowstone National Park. A. True B. False

Bioprospecting Some of the Archaea found in YNP were used to develop gene technology (used in PCR enzymes). No benefits-sharing system was in place when they were discovered no money was paid to the federal government for its use. The company makes approximately $200 million/year selling PCR supplies.

Q10: Do you think federal lands should be open for bioprospecting? Defend your answer in 2 wellwritten paragraphs (5-7 sentences each).