Molecular Adaptations And Engineering Of Extremophiles For Synthetic Biology And Biotechnological Applications
Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in environments previously thought to be uninhabitable, including extreme temperature, salinity, pH, pressure, and radiation.
These organisms, found in Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya, exhibit distinct structural, metabolic, and genetic adaptations, such as enhanced enzyme stability, efficient DNA repair mechanisms, and robust stress-response systems that enable survival under extreme conditions. Understanding these adaptation mechanisms is key to engineering similar traits in mesophilic organisms.
This review discusses the diversity of extremophiles and presents phylogenetic and comparative genomic insights which may provide insights into the origins and evolution of early life on Earth We highlight recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, genome-scale metabolic modeling (GEM), and synthetic biology that have expanded the use of extremophiles in sustainable industrial biotechnology. The exceptional stability and catalytic efficiency of extremozymes under harsh conditions underscore their potential in various biotechnological applications.
Finally, we discuss the ecological significance of extremophiles in climate change mitigation and outline current challenges and future directions in extremophile research.
Industrial applications and role in the climate change of different classes of extremophiles. (a) Illustrations in the inner circle are representing the major classification of extremophiles, while the outer circle depicts their associated industrial and biotechnological applications. (b) Representation of key mechanisms by which extremophiles contribute to climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability, highlighting processes that can be harnessed through synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches. — Frontiers
Molecular adaptations and engineering of extremophiles for synthetic biology and biotechnological applications, Frontiers (open access)
Astrobiology,
