Definition
Acidophiles are microorganisms that thrive under acidic conditions, usually at very low pH (<3). Natural niches where acidophiles can be found are volcanic areas (Yellowstone), hydrothermal sources, deep-sea vents, metal mining activities (Iron Mountain, Río Tinto), or in the stomachs of animals. Acidophilic organisms can be found in the different domains of the tree of life (Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya).
Overview
The best characterized acidophiles belong mainly to Bacteria and Archaea domains (Madigan and Martinko 2005). These microorganisms normally are associated to sulfuric pools, acid mine drainage, or hydrothermal sources, that is, environments where sulfur compounds are present. The origin of extreme acidic conditions is related with the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds which determines the strong relationship between acidophiles and sulfur chemistry. But also some eukaryotes as the green algae Dunaliella acidophila and the red algae Cyanidium caldarium(both...
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References and Further Reading
Amaral Zettler LA, Gómez F, Zettler E, Keenan BG, Amils R, Sogin ML (2002) Microbiology: eukaryotic diversity in Spain’s River of Fire. Nature 417:137. doi:10.1038/417137a
Botuyan MV, Toy-Palmer A, Chung J, Blake RC 2nd, Beroza P, Case DA, Dyson HJ (1996) NMR solution structure of Cu(I) rusticyanin from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: structural basis for the extreme acid stability and redox potential. J Mol Biol 263(5):752–767. doi:10.1006/jmbi.1996.0613. PMID 8947573
Gómez F, Amils R, Marín I (1997) Microbial ecology studies for the desulfurization of Spanish coals. Fuel Process Technol 52(1–3):183–189
Kelch BA, Eagen KP, Erciyas FP, Humphris EL, Thomason AR, Mitsuiki S, Agard DA (2007) Structural and mechanistic exploration of acid resistance: kinetic stability facilitates evolution of extremophilic behavior. J Mol Biol 368(3):870–883. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2007.02.032. PMID 17382344
López-Archilla AI, Marin I, Amils R (2001) Microbial community composition and ecology of an acidic aquatic environment: the Tinto River. Spain Microb Ecol 41:20–35. doi:10.1007/s002480000044
Madigan M, Martinko J (eds) (2005) Brock biology of microorganisms, 11th edn. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. ISBN 0-13-144329-1
Mohapatra S, Bohidar S, Pradhan N, Kar RN, Sukla LB (2007) Microbial extraction of nickel from Sukinda chromite overburden by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Aspergillus strains. Hydrometallurgy 85:1–8
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Gomez, F. (2014). Acidophile. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_22-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_22-2
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