Many bacteria and archaea have evolved to grow at temperatures spanning from 0°C up to 100°C or even beyond, a range uninhabitable to most eukaryotes. Nevertheless, no single organism can grow over the whole inhabitable temperature range limiting optimal growth to a narrow range. Mechanisms that allow bacteria to grow at extreme growth temperatures are poorly understood because of lack of accurate measurements in live cells. This project conducted at University of Helsinki will investigate different bacterial species to find out what determines their optimal growth temperature. It will utilize single-molecule level measurements inside live bacteria using super-resolution microscopy. The obtained knowledge has the potential to be translated into improved industrial processes, identify novel temperature resistant biological components, and provide understanding on how to mitigate the effects of climate change on microorganisms.

2022

2027