Loving the Heat: Thermophiles Explained Quiz

If the Greek word "thermo" means heat and "phile" means love, then thermophiles are scientifically defined as heat-loving organisms that grow best at high temperatures.

If heat normally causes proteins to unfold and stop working, and if certain microorganisms have evolved "heat-stable" proteins that stay folded at high temperatures, then those organisms can survive in environments that would kill other life.

If we are looking for a specific organism that thrives in boiling or near-boiling water, and if Thermus aquaticus was famously discovered in the hot springs of Yellowstone, then it is a primary example of a thermophile.

If a thermophile loves heat, and if the prefix "hyper-" means over or above, then the organisms that live in the most extreme heat (above 80 degrees) are called hyperthermophiles.

If these organisms require high temperatures to grow, then they will live in places like volcanic vents, geothermal springs, or the center of a hot compost pile; however, they cannot survive in the liquid rock of lava or the cold of a fridge.

If DNA testing requires heating samples to separate the strands, and if normal enzymes would be destroyed by that heat, then scientists use heat-resistant enzymes from thermophiles to make the process possible.

If complex multicellular animals and plants cannot survive above 50 degrees Celsius, and if single-celled organisms like those in the Archaea and Bacteria domains have simpler structures that can be reinforced, then most thermophiles belong to these groups.

If a thermophile is a type of "extremophile," and if that term refers to life in extreme environments, then the study of their endurance is focused on extremophile survival.

If human cells function best at 37 degrees Celsius, and if high heat causes biological molecules to break down, then a human cell would be destroyed by the same heat that thermophiles enjoy.

If high heat makes cell membranes too fluid and breaks DNA apart, then thermophiles must have "thicker" fats to keep membranes solid and extra bonds to keep DNA together.

If all known life requires a liquid solvent to move nutrients and perform chemical reactions, and if thermophiles are alive, then they still require liquid water even if that water is extremely hot.

If different thermophiles grow at different temperatures, and if they produce different pigments (colors) for protection or energy, then the colorful rings in a hot spring represent different communities of microorganisms.

If the word "stable" means something stays the same, and if "thermo" means heat, then a protein that remains active in the heat is a thermostable enzyme.

If the boiling point of water is a standard reference for heat, and if that point is 100 degrees Celsius, then hyperthermophiles living near underwater vents can survive at or above this temperature.

If Strain 121 is one of the most extreme thermophiles known, then it can survive at 121 degrees Celsius; if it is adapted to extreme heat, then it might actually "freeze" to death at temperatures humans find comfortable.

If moons like Europa or Enceladus have volcanic activity and hot water under their ice, and if Earth's thermophiles show that life can survive in those conditions, then it is possible that similar life exists elsewhere in the universe.

If sunlight cannot reach the bottom of the ocean, and if volcanic vents release energy-rich chemicals, then thermophiles must use a process called chemosynthesis to turn those chemicals into food.

If scientists want to understand the limits of life to help find life on other planets, and if that field is called astrobiology, then the study of thermophiles is a major part of this science.

If heat naturally causes the two strands of DNA to zip open, then thermophiles must have specialized enzymes and proteins to wind the DNA tighter or shield it from the heat.

If a mesophile loves room temperature (20-40 degrees) and a thermophile loves temperatures between 45 and 80 degrees, then an organism that peaks at 60 degrees is a thermophile.