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Archaea Flashcards

1
Q

What are archaea?

A

Prokaryotic and unicellular organisms

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2
Q

Where are archaea found?

A

Thrive in earthos ecological niches. Extreme environments.

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3
Q

What was rRNA used for?

A

Subunit of ribosome which was used as a molecular chonometer

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4
Q

Why was ssrRNA a ood molecular chronometer?

A

Universal. Conserved. Abundant.

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5
Q

What does the phlya Crenarchaeota include?

A

thermophiles (extreme), psychrophiles

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6
Q

What does the phlya Euryarchaeota include?

A

halophiles, methanogens, thermophiles

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7
Q

What does the phlya Nanoarchaeota include?

A

has one single organism

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8
Q

What does the phlya

Korarchaeota include?

A

know they exist due to rRNA but haven’t been able to culture them

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9
Q

What does the phlya Thaumarchaeota include?

A

originally in open ocean, non extreme, adapted where nitrogen in short supply, soil

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10
Q

What is an extremophile?

A

Organism that thrives in an extreme environment

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11
Q

What are obligate extremophiles?

A

Must have conditions

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12
Q

What are facultative extremophiles?

A

Can tolerate conditions

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13
Q

Where do thermophilic archaea live?

A

Fumaroles, hot springs, deep sea vents

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14
Q

What issues do thermophilic archaea face?

A

Denaturation of molecules (proteins). Membrane fluidity (more fluid). Solubility of gases in liquids.

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15
Q

How do thermophilic archaea survive?

A
  • Monolayer membranes
  • Link using an ether link (stronger)
  • Thermostable proteins
  • Chaperonins
  • Mecahnisms to protect DNA
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16
Q

What is a monolayer membrane?

A

Single phospholipd layer - uses biphytanyl and crenarchaeol

17
Q

What are thermostable proteins?

A

highly hydrophobic core - increases internal ‘sticking’ - more salt bridges (ionic interactions) so proteins remain folded

18
Q

What are chaperonins?

A

Specialist proteins. Function is to refold partially denatured proteins.

19
Q

What mechanisms are there to protect DNA from heat?

A
  • Increased cellular solute levels prevents chemical damage to DNA
  • Reverse DNA gyrase - positive supercoils - prevents unwinding
  • DNA binding proteins in Euryarchaeota - highly basic proteins that wind and compact DNA into nucleosome like structures
20
Q

Where do you find halophilic archaea?

A

Salt lakes. Dead seas. Hypersaline habitats.

21
Q

What issues do halophilic archaea face?

A

Osmotic forces - need to maintain water balance and compatible solutes

22
Q

How might halophilic archaea solve their issues?

A
  • Pumping inorganic ions into the cell from the environment

- Synthesis organic solutes

23
Q

What are Comptabile Solutes?

A

Compounds that adjust the water balance

24
Q

What are the most studied halophilic archaea?

A

Halobacterium

25
How do halobacterium survive in the dead sea?
- Pumps K+ inside the cell so that the concentration of K+ in the cell is greater than outside -Water therefore flows into the cell -Glycoprotein cell wall -Stabilised by Na+ - Cytoplasmic proteins are also acidic Lower levels of hydrophobic amino acids
26
What would happen to the halobacterium if there was a loss of Na+?
Loss of cell wall integrity
27
Where would you find Psychrophilic Archaea?
Antarctica. Icy seas. Alpine and polar environments. Temps 1 to -10. Metabolize at -40. Sruvive at -45
28
What problems do Psychrophilic Archaea face?
Decreased membrane fluidity | Issue of solute chemistry
29
How do Psychrophilic Archaea survive?
- Cell membranes, unsaturated lipids, double bonds (won't pack) - more proteins containing noncharged amino acids - lower content of hydrophobic amino acids - Antifreeze proteins
30
Where would you find Methanogenic Archaea?
Where there is no oxygen - swamps, ocean, lake sediments and animal digestive tracts
31
What are the different pathways of the Methanogenic Archaea?
1. CO2 reduction pathway 2. Methylotrophic pathway 3. Acetoclastic pathway
32
Describe the CO2 reduction pathway?
CO2 Form HCOO- CO - carbon monoxide
33
What are the substrates of the Methylotrophic pathway?
Methanol Methylamine Dimethylamine
34
What are the substrates of the Acetoclastic pathway?
Acetate | Pyruvate
35
What can cell walls of archaea be composed of?
Pseudomurein. Polysaccharide. Glycoprotein.
36
What biotechnology are archaea used in?
- PCR and thermostable DNA - wouldn’t be able to do this without archaea - Biodegradation of toxic compounds - Biomining - use and produce unusual compound - Thermostable enzymes
37
What does archaea raise the possibility of?
Life on other planets
38
How is the cell envelope of Archaea different from bacteria?
Monolayer - biphytanylu. Surrounded by a layer of protein or pseudomurein.

Microbiology (8 decks)

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