Modern life at high temperatures

Abstract

A variety of micro-organisms are now known which grow optimally above 65°C, and are defined as extreme thermophiles. As might be expected they are found in both natural and artificial hot environments. Until comparatively recently the upper optimum temperature for the growth of any living organism was about 85°C. Then in 1982 Stetter described an organism, isolated from the hot sea floor of a submarine solfatara field, which grew optimally at 105°C. Since then several other organisms have been found with optimum growth temperatures at 100"C or above and a few are capable of growth at 110*C (e.g. Huber et al., 1987; Fiala and Stetter, 1986; Zillig et al., 1987; Stetter et al., 1990).