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Table 1 Growth Characteristics of Extremophiles

From: Biodiversity of poly-extremophilic Bacteria: Does combining the extremes of high salt, alkaline pH and elevated temperature approach a physico-chemical boundary for life?

Growth Characteristic

Minimum

Optimum

Maximum

Halotolerant

-

[Na+] < 0.2 M

[Na+] > 0.2 M

Halophilic

[Na+] ≥ 0.2 M

0.2 M < [Na+] < 1.7 M

-

   Extreme

[Na+] ≥ 0.2 M

[Na+] ≥ 1.7 M

-

Alkalitolerant

pH ≥ 6.0

pH < 8.5

pH > 9.0

Alkaliphilic

   

   Facultative

pH < 7.5

pH ≥ 8.5

-

   Obligate

pH ≥ 7.5

pH ≥ 8.5

pH ≥ 10.0

Thermotolerant

-

T < 50°C

T > 50°C

Thermophilic

-

T ≥ 50°C

T > 55°C

  1. apH should be measured at optimum growth temperature [25]
  2. b10% added NaCl equals 1.7 M Na+
  3. c - indicates no boundary at this parameter
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Aquatic Biosystems

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