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How can bacteria survive in Yellowstone National Park hot springs?
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ecology
Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) on their nest protected within the prickly branches of a cactus in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, U.S.
Bacteria survive in the extreme heat of Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs because they are thermophiles—a type of extremophile that has evolved to grow optimally in high-temperature environments.12
These microorganisms thrive in hydrothermal features through several key adaptations:
- Heat Tolerance: Thermophilic prokaryotes, including various bacteria and archaea, possess specialized biological structures that allow them to remain functional at temperatures exceeding 60 °C (140 °F). Some species, such as Thermus aquaticus, are specifically adapted to the high temperatures found near the source of hot spring runoffs.31
- Energy Sources: Rather than relying on traditional photosynthesis alone, these organisms often derive energy from chemicals and metals present in the environment, such as molecular hydrogen, dissolved sulfides, methane, iron, ammonia, and arsenic.4
- Extremozymes: These bacteria produce specialized enzymes known as extremozymes, which remain stable and active under the severe heat, pressure, and pH levels that would typically denature the proteins of non-adapted organisms.1
In Yellowstone, these colonies often form thick, colorful mats along the edges of hot springs, which are responsible for many of the features' distinctive hues.24