Montana State University scientists have found a new lineage of
microbes living in Yellowstone National Park's thermal features that sheds
light on the origin of life, the evolution of archaeal life and the importance
of iron in early life.
The scientists called the new archaeal lineage Marsarchaeota
after Mars, the red planet, because these organisms thrive in habitats
containing iron oxides. Within Marsarchaeota, they discovered two main
subgroups that live throughout Yellowstone and thrive in hot, acidic water
where iron oxide is the main mineral. One subgroup lives in water above 122
degrees Fahrenheit, and the other lives in water above 140 to 176 degrees. The
water is about as acidic as grapefruit juice. Their microbial mats are red
because of the iron oxide.
Archaea is one of the three domains of life, the others being
bacteria and eukaryotes. Like bacteria, archaea are single-cell organisms. The
eukaryote domain contains more cellularly complex organisms, such as humans,
other animals, plants and fungi.
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Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle