Question

A new bacterial species is discovered and classified as an endolith, an extremophile that lives inside rock. If the bacteria were discovered in the permafrost of Antarctica, describe two extremophile features the bacteria must possess.

Answer 1

It has to be a psychrophilic and spore-forming bacteria.

Step-by-step explanation:

The bacteria must have the ability to grow or maintain at very low temperatures, this characteristic is called psychrophilic. These organisms have the ability to use unsaturated fatty acids in their membranes to avoid freeze or has cold-shock proteins that help bacteria to survive in cold conditions. Another characteristic is to be spore-forming bacteria. The bacterial spore is a resistant structure in stress conditions. Bacterial spores are highly resistant to desiccation ( in freezing conditions there is no free-water to use), are tolerant to salt conditions and can be in a dormant state for years.