Archaea

Archaea

Archaea is a domain of single-celled organisms. These microorganisms lack cell nuclei and are therefore prokaryotes. They were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria. This classification is obsolete. Archaeal cells have unique properties separating them from the other two domains, Bacteria and Eukaryota.

About Archaea in brief

Summary ArchaeaArchaea is a domain of single-celled organisms. These microorganisms lack cell nuclei and are therefore prokaryotes. Archaea were initially classified as bacteria, receiving the name archaebacteria. This classification is obsolete. Archaeal cells have unique properties separating them from the other two domains, Bacteria and Eukaryota. archaea are a major part of Earth’s life. They are part of the microbiota of all organisms. In the human microbiome, they are important in the gut, mouth, and on the skin. Their morphological, metabolic, and geographical diversity permits them to play multiple ecological roles: carbon fixation; nitrogen cycling; organic compound turnover; and maintaining microbial symbiotic and syntrophic communities, for example. No clear examples of archaeal pathogens or parasites are known. The word archaea comes from the Ancient Greek �ρχαῖ, meaning ‘ancient things’. For a long time, archaea were seen as ‘primitive’ organisms, reflecting Earth’s primitive atmosphere and atmosphere. It was assumed that their metabolism reflected their primitive metabolism and it was assumed they were methanogens. Extreme halophilic microbes were also included in Archaea, but as new habitats were discovered, more organisms were discovered as “extreme halophiles’ Archaea are particularly numerous in the oceans, and the archaea in plankton may be one of the most abundant groups of organisms on the planet.

They use more energy sources than eukaryotes: these range from organic compounds, such as sugars, to ammonia, metal ions or even hydrogen gas. Salt-tolerant archaea use sunlight as an energy source, and other species of archaea fix carbon, but unlike plants and cyanobacteria, no known species of Archaea does both. Archaea reproduce asexually by binary fission, fragmentation, or budding; unlike bacteria, noknown species of archaeologistsa form endospores. The archaea that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract in humans and ruminants, where their vast numbers aid digestion, are called methanogen. Methanogens are also used in biogas production and sewage treatment, and biotechnology exploits enzymes from extremophile Archaea that can endure high temperatures and organic solvents. For more information, visit the Woesian Revolution, a book by Mark Wheelis and Mark Woesle, published by Oxford University Press, in which they discuss the history of the archaean revolution and how archaea have changed over the last 100 years. The book is also published by the University of Oxford Press in a special edition called ‘The Archaean Revolution’, which is available in hard copy for £10.99 ($16.99) or £15.99 (with a p&p of £3.99). To order a copy of the book, visit: http://www.oled.co.uk/the- archaean-revolution/ The Archaean-Revolution.