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| Scanning electron micrograph. (Chivian et al, 2008) |
Article by IfuM
Desulforudis the full name is Desulforudis audaxviator, fascinating name isnt it? But the characteristics of the organism is more fascinating than the name. They have been isolated from Earth's surface for several million years, because analyses of the water that they live in showed that it is very old and has not been diluted by surface water. They have survived for millions of years on radioactive decay of minerals. It is a gram positive bacteria which was found in water samples obtained from 2.8 km underground in the Mponeng gold mine in South Africa.
The most fascinating fact about this bacteria is that it can not only survive under absence of oxygen but also at very high pH of 9.3 and temperatures as high as 60°C. D. audaxviator gets energy from the radioactive decay of uranium in the surrounding environment. It has genes to extract carbon from dissolved carbon dioxide and other genes to fix nitrogen, which comes from the surrounding rocks.
The name Desulforudis audaxviator has its own fascinating origin.
Desulforudis because it is a sulfate-reducing bacterium. And the name 'audaxviator' comes from the novel 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' by Jules Verne.
Latin: "Descende, audax viator, et terrestre centrum attinges"
English: "Descend, bold traveller, and you will attain the center of the Earth"
Combine these two and you will get the name Desulforudis audaxviator, nick named 'the bold traveller'.
The organism belongs to a taxonomic group which has only one biological type i.e. Monotypic taxon. It also has the ability to encyst itself to protect its DNA from heat and high pH.
The most fascinating fact about this bacteria is that it can not only survive under absence of oxygen but also at very high pH of 9.3 and temperatures as high as 60°C. D. audaxviator gets energy from the radioactive decay of uranium in the surrounding environment. It has genes to extract carbon from dissolved carbon dioxide and other genes to fix nitrogen, which comes from the surrounding rocks.
The name Desulforudis audaxviator has its own fascinating origin.
Desulforudis because it is a sulfate-reducing bacterium. And the name 'audaxviator' comes from the novel 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' by Jules Verne.
Latin: "Descende, audax viator, et terrestre centrum attinges"
English: "Descend, bold traveller, and you will attain the center of the Earth"
Combine these two and you will get the name Desulforudis audaxviator, nick named 'the bold traveller'.
The organism belongs to a taxonomic group which has only one biological type i.e. Monotypic taxon. It also has the ability to encyst itself to protect its DNA from heat and high pH.
