Extremophile, an organism that is tolerant to environmental extremes and that has evolved to grow optimally under one or more of these extreme conditions, hence the suffix phile, meaning “one who loves.”The use of extremophilic microorganism in industry has grown rapidly.
To get a close, look at the documents below,
1- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166914000755
2- http://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/4/1/117/htm
3- http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijaeb&volume=7&issue=2&article=025
Hope this is useful.
Extremozymes-biocatalysts with unique properties from extremophilic microorganisms.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24780224
Extremophiles in the area of mineral biotechnology are gaining momentum. A lot of papers are availbale in the open source literature.
As mention above, exttremophiles has a lot a potential in mineral biotechnology. In particular, extremly termophilic microorganisms as Sulfolobus metallicus and Metallosphaera spp. has a unique capacity for bioleaching of copper bearing sulphide ores. You can take a look at this article -
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258356624_Bioleaching_of_a_cooper_sulphide_ore_at_different_temperatures?ev=prf_pub
Article Bioleaching of a cooper sulphide ore at different temperatures
There are many potential uses for extremophiles in industrial processes. However, if you want to know where extremophiles or their products (enzymes, pigments, etc.) are actually currently used in industry then that is a pretty short list.
DNA-polymerases (Taq, Pfu, Vent) - automated PCR would not be possible without these enzymes from (hyper)thermophiles. Automated PCR is used (probably) everyday by bench scientists as well as forensic scientists. Automated PCR earned its rights holders over $2 billion in royalties.
Biofuel production - methanogens (note: some debate that they are extremophiles) are used in the production of methane. GreenBiologics is producing biobutanol from corn stock using a thermophilic Clostridium sp.
Biomining - accounted for 10% of world-wide copper production in 1992. Now accounts for 15% of copper and 5% of gold mining. Also used for mining of silver, zinc, nickel and uranium. Organisms typically used here are Acidithiobacillus and Ferroplasma; however, Sulfolobus and Metallopharea are also used
Carotenoid production - specifically bacteriorhodopsin, canthaxanthin and beta-carotene. All three are isolated from archaeal halophiles
http://f1000research.com/articles/5-396/v1
For information on adaptation strategies and applications of psychrophiles (adapted to the cold) see the following publication:
Article Psychrophilic lifestyles: mechanisms of adaptation and biote...
Psychrophilic lifestyles: mechanisms of adaptation and biotechnological tools, 2019, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. For access via Springer see: https://rdcu.be/blDtX or https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-019-09659-5
For information specifically related to application of cold-adapted enzymes see:
Chapter Biotechnological Aspects of Cold-Active Enzymes
Biotechnological Aspects of Cold-Active Enzymes, 2017, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-57057-0_19
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Microbiology
- Microorganisms