Screen LibraryMicrobes from hell /
At the close of the 1970s, the two-domain classification scheme long used by most biologists -- prokaryotes versus eukaryotes -- was upended by the discovery of an entirely new group of organisms: archaea. Initially thought to be bacteria, these single-celled microbes -- many of which were first fou...
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| Main Authors: | |
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| Group Author: | |
| Published: |
The University of Chicago Press,
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| Publisher Address: | Chicago, Illinois : |
| Publication Dates: | 2016. |
| Literature type: | Book |
| Language: |
English French |
| Subjects: | |
| Summary: |
At the close of the 1970s, the two-domain classification scheme long used by most biologists -- prokaryotes versus eukaryotes -- was upended by the discovery of an entirely new group of organisms: archaea. Initially thought to be bacteria, these single-celled microbes -- many of which were first found in seemingly unlivable habitats like the volcanic hot springs of Yellowstone National Park -- were in fact so different at molecular and genetic levels as to constitute a separate, third domain beside bacteria and eukaryotes. Their discovery sparked a conceptual revolution in our understanding of the evolution of life, and Patrick Forterre was -- and still is -- at the vanguard of this revolution. In Microbes from Hell, one of the world's leading experts on archaea and hyperthermophiles, or organisms that have evolved to flourish in extreme temperatures, offers a colorful, engaging account of this taxonomic upheaval. Blending tales of his own search for thermophiles with discussions of both the physiological challenges thermophiles face and the unique adaptations they have evolved to live in high-temperature environments, Forterre illuminates our developing understanding of the relationship between archaea and the rest of Earth's organisms. From biotech applications to the latest discoveries in thermophile research, from microbiomes to the communities of organisms that dwell on deep-sea vents, Forterre's exploration of life-forms that seem to thrive at the mouth of hell provides a glimpse into the early days of Earth, offering deep insight into what life may have looked like in the extreme environments of our planet's dawn. -- Provided by publisher. |
| Carrier Form: | 273 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages [247]-265) and index. |
| ISBN: |
9780226265827 (cloth : alkaline paper) : 022626582X (cloth : alkaline paper) |
| Index Number: | QR84 |
| CLC: | Q938.1 |
| Call Number: | Q938.1/F737-1 |
| Contents: | A Bit of History : Microbes and Humans -- Hunting Hyperthermophiles and Their Viruses : From the Great Depths to the Laboratory -- How Do You Live in Hell? -- The Universal Tree of Life : Where to Place Microbes from Hell and Their Viruses? -- The Universal Tree of Life : Are Microbes from Hell Our Ancestors? |