| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"johac" |
| Date: |
14 Dec 2007 01:58:47 AM |
| Object: |
Bacteria from 'Hell' might be good for the Earth. |
Isn't evolution great?
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Life at Hell's Gate
Based on a University of Calgary news release
³Hellish² hot springs yield greenhouse gas-eating bug
Much of what we knew about microbes is based on information gathered
from single organisms cultured in laboratories. However, many kinds of
microbes cannot be cultured with known methods.
Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
A new species of bacteria discovered living in one of the most extreme
environments on Earth could yield a tool in the fight against global
warming.
In a paper published on Dec. 6 in the journal Nature, University of
Calgary biology professor Peter Dunfield and colleagues describe the
methane-eating microorganism they found in the geothermal field known as
Hellıs Gate, near the city of Rotorua in New Zealand. It is the hardiest
³methanotrophic² bacterium yet discovered, which makes it a likely
candidate for use in reducing methane gas emissions from landfills,
mines, industrial wastes, geothermal power plants and other sources.
³This is a really tough methane-consuming organism that lives in a much
more acidic environment than any weıve seen before,² said Dunfield, who
is the lead author of the paper. ³It belongs to a rather mysterious
family of bacteria (called Verrucomicrobia) that are found everywhere
but are very difficult to grow in the laboratory.²
Methanotrophic bacteria consume methane as their only source of energy
and convert it to carbon dioxide during their digestive process. Methane
(commonly known as natural gas) is 20 times more potent a greenhouse gas
than carbon dioxide and is largely produced by decaying organic matter.
Scientists have long known that vast amounts of methane are produced in
acidic environments, not only geothermal sites but also marshes and peat
bogs. Much of it is consumed by methanotrophic bacteria, which serve an
important role in regulating the methane content of the worldıs
atmosphere.
The new bacteria was discovered in a geothermal field near the town of
Rotorua, New Zealand.
³Scientists are interested in understanding what conditions cause these
bacteria to be more or less active in the environment² says Dunfield,
³Unfortunately, few species have been closely studied. We now know that
there are many more out there.²
Dunfield has tentatively named the new bacterium Methylokorus infernorum
to reflect the hellishı location of its discovery where it lives in
boiling waters filled with chemicals that are toxic to most life forms.
The Maori caretakers of the site, the Tikitere trust, have supported
scientific study of the area. The study was conducted while Dunfield was
working for GNS Science, a geological research institute owned by the
New Zealand government. He recently joined the University of Calgary's
Department of Biological Sciences as a professor of environmental
microbiology.
The bacteriumıs genome has been completely sequenced by researchers at
the University of Hawaii and Nankai University in China, which could
help develop biotechnological applications for this organism.
Dunfield said he plans to pursue his work in Canada by hunting for new
life forms in extreme environments such as northern peatlands, the
oilsands of northern Alberta and the hot springs of Western Canada.
This image shows a pool in the geothermal field known as 'Hell's Gate',
where the methane-eating microbes were discovered.
Credit: University of Calgary
³Hot springs are exotic and extreme habitats, where you find a lot of
bizarre organisms,² he said. ³Bacteria are a fascinating group to work
with because 95 per cent of them have never been studied in a lab and we
have very little idea about what this huge amount of biodiversity is
capable of.²
Studying unique organisms that inhabit extreme environments on Earth is
of great importance to astrobiologists. These organisms can help us
understand how life might adapt to live in similarly harsh environments
on other planets. Dunfieldıs Nature article was published online on
November 14, 2007 and in the Dec. 6 edition of the journal. Full text of
the article is available on Natureıs website at: www.nature.com
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http://tinyurl.com/2oycfn
--
John #1782
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