archaea features

Question

Which adaptation enables many archaea to survive extreme high-temperature environments?

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

1. **Archaebacteria**: These differ from other bacteria (Eubacteria) primarily in their cell wall and membrane structures.
2. **Membrane Adaptation**: Instead of typical ester-linked fatty acids, archaeal membranes are composed of **ether-linked branched-chain isoprenoid lipids**.
3. **Advantage**: The ether linkage and branched chains are much more chemically stable and resistant to heat and extreme $pH$ than the ester linkages found in bacteria and eukaryotes.
4. **Result**: This structural stability is the key to their survival as extremophiles (thermophiles, thermoacidophiles).

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archaea features

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