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Which of the following pairs of microbe classification terms and optimal growth temperatures is mismatched?

A) mesophile-growth at 25 degrees
B) thermophile-growth at 37 degrees
C) hyperthermophiles-growth at 85 degrees
D) psychrotroph-growth at 0 degrees
E) psychrophile-growth at 15 degrees

User Robalb
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Final answer:

The mismatched pair is B) thermophiles-growth at 37 degrees since thermophiles have an optimal growth temperature of 40°C or higher, not 37°C, which is the optimal temperature for mesophiles.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the classification terms for microbes based on optimal growth temperatures provided, the mismatched pair is B) thermophiles-growth at 37 degrees. Thermophiles are adapted to life at high temperatures and typically have an optimal growth temperature of 40°C or higher. A growth temperature of 37°C is generally considered the optimal growth temperature for mesophiles, which are adapted to live at moderate temperatures, commonly found in the human body. Therefore, the correct term for microbes growing at 37°C should be mesophiles, not thermophiles.

Psychrophiles and psychrotrophs are organisms adapted to cold temperatures. Psychrophiles have an optimal growth temperature of 15°C or lower, while psychrotrophs can thrive at slightly higher temperatures, such as 0°C to 25°C, which allows them to grow in refrigerated foods.

Hyperthermophiles prefer even hotter environments than thermophiles, with optimal growth temperatures at 80°C or higher. An example of a hyperthermophilic organism is Pyrolobus fumarii, which can live at temperatures of 113°C.

User Thomas Rushton
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