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'Really Unique' Amoeba Thrives in California's Hot Springs
Newser • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers from Syracuse University discovered a heat-resistant amoeba, named Incendiamoeba cascadensis, in geothermal steam at Lassen Volcanic National Park, capable of growing at 145°F and surviving temperatures up to 158°F.
- This "fire amoeba" surpasses the previously believed thermal limit for eukaryotic life, which includes organisms with membrane-bound cell structures like humans.
- The amoeba adapts to extreme heat by changing shape and forming a protective coat, and genetic analysis reveals it enhances cellular protection, DNA repair, and protein stabilization mechanisms similar to those in heat-tolerant bacteria.
- Scientists believe this organism is not unique and are searching other hot-spring environments to find more heat-resistant eukaryotic microbes.
