45 Unbelievable Archaebacteria Fun Facts To Teach Your Kids

Archaea is the term used to refer to single-celled microorganisms.

The name given to them partly reflects their existence on Earth for about 3.5 billion years. Archaebacteria are different from other bacteria, which are known as eubacteria.

The domain of archaea was originally discovered by Carl Woese in 1978. Archaea can live in extreme climatic conditions. Most Archaea species are still found living in conditions similar to those of 3.5 billion years ago on Earth, such as sulfuric waters and hydrothermal vents.

Archaea are organisms studied under the field of molecular biology. Archaebacteria are not known to be parasitic or harmful to humans in any other way, according to the studies conducted on the different aspects of these organisms. Read on to explore more interesting facts about Archaebacteria or the Archaea domain.

Introduction To Archaebacteria

Archaebacteria is part of a larger group of organisms called archaea. However, these two terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Archaea is the name of a group of single-celled organisms.

These microorganisms belong to either of the three domains, which are Bacteria, Eukaryota, and Archaea.

According to studies, it has been found that this distinction between the three domains was possible due to the evolutionary descent of these microorganisms.

The term 'archaea' is derived from a Greek word with the meaning 'old ones.'

Archaea were known as extremophiles due to their past existence in extreme environments.

Several species of Archaea are now found living in places all over the world.

The oceans of the world are home to a majority of Archaea species.

These microorganisms live as part of the phytoplankton or within deep-sea vents.

Archaea are also found in oil wells, black smokers, and geysers.

They can also be found in extremely salty lakes as they are known to survive in highly salty, alkaline, or acidic water.

While these microorganisms were previously known to live in either very high or very low temperatures, they are now common in moderate climates too.

Archaea reproduce asexually and have horizontal gene transfer similar to Bacteria.

While the Eukarya have cellular respiration, Archeae may have aerobic as well as anaerobic respiration.

Some Archaea can be found living in big colonies, which can consist of different types of Archaea.

Thermophiles are Archaea species that live in high temperatures, sometimes even above the boiling point of 212 F (100 C).

Those that live in extreme low-temperature climates are known as Psychrophiles.

These Archaea can be found in places such as the polar seas.

Scientists have reached the conclusion that the evolution of eukaryotic cells sprung from Archaea.

This was done after studying the structure of RNA and DNA molecules as well as the enzymes involved in transcription, translation, and various metabolic pathways.

According to the study then, there are more similarities between the domains of Archaea and Eukaryotes than between Archaea and Bacteria.

No species of Archaea are known to photosynthesize or produce spores like Bacteria.

Structure Of Archaebacteria

While for the majority, all three domains may have similar properties, there are certain differences too that help to distinguish them and categorize them into separate domains of life. This includes their structure, among other properties.

Being single-celled organisms, Archaea are not visible to the naked eye.

The shape of the Archaea may resemble a square, a rod, a plate, or a spiral, depending on the different species.

Some Archaea may also appear to have an irregular shape like an amoeba.

While some Archaea have a cell wall, others don't, which makes them have a non-uniform shape.

The cell membrane of Archaea has ether-linked lipids; they are further pseudopeptidoglycan.

The gene structure of Archaea involves circular chromosomes.

Like Bacteria, Archaea are prokaryotes which means they have a single cell without any nuclei and contain eukaryote-type cell organelles.

In order to facilitate movement, some Archaea have appendages that look like long whips.

In terms of internal structure, studies have questioned the existence or lack thereof of membrane-bound organelles within Archaea.

Specialty Of Archaebacteria

Archaea exist in various environments where they serve different purposes. Some amazing facts about the functions and tasks carried out by these microorganisms and their impact are listed below.

Archaebacteria feed themselves just like bacteria, through channels in their outer membranes or protein pumps.

Archaea live in the guts of human beings, where they consume organic compounds.

These Archaea reduce carbon dioxide into methane.

The methane-producing Archaea are thus often utilized in the process of sewage treatment and during the production of biogas which is natural gas.

They are also known as methanogens as they produce a large amount of methane gas.

Ancient methanogens are considered a source of energy as they are known to be sources of natural gas.

Methanogens can be found living in methane-infested areas or inside human beings and animals such as cows and sheep.

Some species of Archaea produce energy from certain inorganic compounds like nitrogen, ammonia, and sulfur compounds.

These Archaea are generally found in places such as hot springs.

Archaea that live in extremely acidic regions are known as Acidophilic Archaea.

They are utilized in the extraction process of metals such as cobalt, gold, and copper from their ores.

Haloarchaea are species of Archaea found living in areas with high concentrations of salt, such as salt lakes and the Dead Sea.

Haloarchaea produces ATP, which is a form of energy.

Scientific Name For Archaebacteria

As part of molecular microbiology, Archaea have been studied for various different reasons. Their classification, including the naming of these microorganisms, is mentioned as follows.

Archaea were previously known as Archaebacteria.

This name was given due to the likening of Archaea to Bacteria.

The shortened term 'archaea' was only later on used to refer to them.

It is also the name used for a domain, part of the three-domain system including the domains of Bacteria and Eukaryotes.

In the field of molecular biology, 'archaea' is the term most frequently used; however, Archaebacteria and Archae refer to the same thing.

Archaea belongs to Neomura, which is a higher classification category.