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Archaebacteria Facts

Archaebacteria Facts
Archaebacteria is the name given to archaea when it was classified as bacteria. This classification became outdated when it was determined that archaea are actually distinct from bacteria and eukaryote, which were previously thought to be the only domains of life on earth. Archaea is very similar to bacteria in shape and in size, but some have very bizarre shapes such as square and flat. Archaea are considered to be single cell microorganisms, classified as prokaryotes because they lack a cell nucleus and organelles. Although originally thought to live in harsh environments archaea have been found in marshlands, skin, and even the human colon.
Interesting Archaebacteria Facts:
Archaebacteria are believed to have emerged approximately 3.5 billion years ago.
The Archaebacteria kingdom is divided into three different types including methanogens, halophiles, and thermophiles.
Methanogens are a type of Archaebacteria that produce methane gas, and are found in environments with no oxygen such as in lake sediment, animals' digestive tracts, and marshes. They are useful in sewages plants to breakdown the incoming sewage.
Halophiles are a type of Archaebacteria found in water such as the Dead Sea in the Middle East and the Great Salt Lake in Utah - where salt is found in very high concentrations.
Thermophiles are a type of Archaebacteria that prefer hot and acidic sulfur water, and environments as they are anaerobic such as in the ocean floor's deepest cracks.
Archaebacteria are able to reproduce through binary fission (making a copy of itself and splitting into two) which is asexual, or through conjugation (two Archaebacteria reproduce) which is sexual.
Archaebacteria move with the help of cilia which are small hair-like structures, or with the help of flagella which is a tail-like whip at one end of the Archaebacteria that provides a sense of direction. Some Archaebacteria have two flagella.
It is believed that Archaebacteria may play an important role in the nitrogen cycle and carbon cycle on earth.
The molecules of archaeal membranes are very different from that of bacteria and eukaryotes. They have membranes made of glycerol-ether lipids instead of glycerol-ester lipids. They use different enzymes for the synthesis of phospholipids. Their tails are different and are used to make phospholipids. Their membranes are more rigid.
Some Archaebacteria are considered Phototrophs (energy derived from the sun), or Lithotrophs (energy derived from inorganic compounds), or organotrophs (energy derived from organic compounds).
Archaebacteria make up approximately 20% of the oceans' microbial cells.
Archaebacteria can be found in oil wells, geysers, acidic water, alkaline water, swamps, marshes, sewage, soil, and the intestinal tract of animals.
Archaebacteria are considered to be one of the earth's oldest forms of life. They survived the extinction events that killed off the dinosaurs.
Archaebacteria can be found in scorching hot deserts and in semi-frozen Arctic waters.
There are no malicious Archaebacteria species known to exist.
In sewage treatment plants there is enough Archaebacteria to commercially manufacture methane gas.
While scientists are excited by the discovery that Archaebacteria are a new primary kingdom of life, it is the information Archaebacteria may be able to provide about early life on earth that they are most excited about.


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