Extremophiles – adaptation and biotechnological application (WS2024/25)

Competencies

After completing this module, the students will be able to name extreme conditions (pH, T, pressure, salt, etc.) and microorganisms thriving under these based on the habitats introduced. The students can explain how these extremophiles adapt to their environment along the criteria of cell structure and physiology. The participants will be able to exemplary explain biotechnological processes applying extremophiles or their (cell) products based on the applications mentioned.

At the end of the module the students will apply their gained knowledge in a practical course to set up, monitor and investigate a biotechnological process using extreme microorganisms along a given experimental procedure. They will then be able to analyze these data and discuss the results in the light of the expected outcome of the experiment.

Contents

1. Limits of microbial life
2. Extreme habitats
3. Adaptation to extreme conditions
   • Psychrophiles
   • Thermophiles
   • Alkaliphiles
   • Acidophiles
   • Halophiles
   • Piezophiles
   • Barophiles
   • Multi-extremophiles
4. Extremozymes
5. Drug discovery at the limits of life
6. Nuclear waste storage-subsurface extremophiles
7. Biohydrometallurgy
8. Photosynthesis-based technologies
9. Other applications

Literature

Lee, Natuschka M. (Hg.) (2020): Biotechnological Applications of Extremophilic Microorganisms: De Gruyter.

P.H. Rampelotto (ed.), Biotechnology of Extremophiles, Grand Challenges

in Biology and Biotechnology 1, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-13521-2_9

Sani, Rajesh K.; Krishnaraj Rathinam, Navanietha (Hg.) (2018): Extremophilic Microbial Processing of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks to Biofuels, Value-Added Products, and Usable Power. Cham: Springer International Publishing.