Life Under Extreme Conditions

A description of the way in which subcellular structures, lipid membranes and proteins have been engineered in order to meet the biochemical requirements of extreme conditions, such as extreme temperature or salt concentrations. The contributors discuss biochemical mechanisms.

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In their vbery first lecture biochemists learn that biomolecules, namely nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, are extremely temperature sensitive and will denature and lose their function easily. Then how do 'Archaebacteria' survive in hot springs or Antartic fishes which live in ice-cold water?. The way nature engineered subcellular structures, lipid membranes or proteins to meet the biochemical requirements of extreme conditions - like extreme temperature or salt concentrations - is described in this text.