| Issue |
BIO Web of Conferences
Volume 2, 2014
EPOV 2012: From Planets to Life – Colloquium of the CNRS Interdisciplinary Initiative “Planetary Environments and Origins of Life”
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|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 02001 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | The Diversity of Early Life and Environments | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20140202001 | |
| Published online | 18 February 2014 | |
New insights into microbial adaptation to extreme saline environments
1 Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), F-38027 Grenoble, France
2 CNRS, IBS, F-38027 Grenoble, France
3 CEA, DSV, IBS, F-38027 Grenoble, France
Extreme halophiles are microorganisms adapted to low water activity living at the upper salt concentration that life can tolerate. We review here recent data that specify the main factors, which determine their peculiar salt-dependent biochemistry. The data suggested that evolution proceeds by stage to modify the molecular dynamics properties of the entire proteome. Extreme halophiles therefore represent tractable models to understand how fast and to what extent microorganisms adapt to environmental changes. Halophiles are also robust organisms, capable to resist multiple stressors. Preliminary studies indicated that they have developed a cellular response specifically aimed to survive when the salt condition fluctuates. Because of these properties halophilic organisms deserve special attention in the search for traces of life on other planets.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014
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