MAWLANA BHASHANI SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

SANTOSH,TANGAIL -1902

Department of: BIOTECHNOLOGY & GENETIC ENGINEERING

Assignment NO: 2

Course Code: BGE-2019

Course Title: Basic Microbiology

Name of Assignment: Archaea

Date of performance: 26.04.2020 Date of Submission: 15.07.2020

From, To,
Nishat Nuzhat Shahin Mahmud
Student ID: BG-19033 Lecturer
Session: 2018-19 Department of Biotechnology & Genetic
Engineering,
Mawlana Bhashani Science &
Technology University
 ARCHAEA
Prior to 1969,biologist classified cellular life into two kingdom – plant &
animal. Then become the comprehensive classification system , the “Five
Kingdom” system. In 1990, Professor Dr. Carl Woese revealed “Three Domain”
concept – Archaea, Bacteria & Eukareyotes.

Domain:
The highest level of Classification.
Higer than Kingdom, top level
groupings Of micro-organisms

Fig:The Three Domain System

Archaea
Archaea is originated from the Greek word “Archaio” means “Ancient”;
These unique cells are thought to be modern descendants of a very ancient
linkage of bacteria. Archaea is known as living fossils for representing one of the
earliest form of life.
Either Archaea a Prokaryote or Eukaryote?
Archaea show certain characteristics of bacteria & some eukaryotes
& some characteristics unique to themselves.
Similar to Bacteria in:
- size, shape
- cellular organization
- metabolism
 Similar to Eukaryote in:
- Replicating DNA
- Protein synthesis

Fig: The common and dissimilar features of Archaea

Classification of Archaea
Three major types of Archaea.

Archaea

Methanogens Halophiles Thermoacedophiles

Methanogens
Unique features:

  They are obligate anaerobes

 Nutritionally “autotrophs” ; that means it obtain both energy &
carbon from decomposed products
  Form methane as a metabolic by product
 Reproduce asexually by “unzipping” form parent.
 Habitat:
- Under kilometers of ice in Greenland
- In hot,dry,desert soil
- In guts of animals.
Usefulness:

  In production of methane fuel gas of bio-gas plants.

 Ex- Methanobacterium, Methcinococcus, Methanspirillum
 Helpful to the ruminants (cow, buffalo) in fermentation of cellulose.

Fig: Some examples of Methanogens

Halophiles
Unique features:
o They are basically salt loving ; usually occure in salt rich substrate
o Having special lipids & mucilage covering in cell membrane that’s why
able to live under high salt concentration.
o In anaerobic condition it synthesis ATP.
o Get their food from dissolved organic matter
o Reproduce by binary fission, fragmentation, budding.
 Habitats:

  Great salt lake ,California

  Dead sea
 Evaporation ponds etc
Ex- Halobacterium, Halococcus solinarum.
Usefulness:

  Cleanup & remove organic pollutants from environment.

 Remove poisonous chemical like ‘Phenol’

Fig: Some examples of Halophiles

Thermoacedophiles
Unique features:
Have dual ability to tolerate high temperature as well as high
acidity, because of having branched lipid chain in cell membrane &
special enzymes resistant to acidic condition.
Often chemosynthetic; that means gain energy from oxidized Sulphur &
from sunlight.
Use asexual reproduction, binary fission, budding, fragmentation

Habitat:

In hot springs (>90℃) & solfataric environment

In polluted environments; Ex: acid mine drainage
Ex – Pyrococcus, Thermococcus, Thermoproteus.

Fig: Some examples of Thermoacedophiles

  No archaeal pathogens have yet been identified.

The archaeal linage may be the most ancient that exists on earth. This super
domain reveals a path to know the diversity of biological system.