Important Extremophilic Model Microorganisms in Astrobiology

Abstract

Humankind has been curious about the sky and beyond since its existence. Since the most primitive times, we have been trying to find answers to this curiosity. In recent years, a relatively new field of astrobiology has emerged to answers to frequently asked questions. Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field that tries to explain not only beyond the sky and extraterrestrial life but also where we came from, evolution, and the big bang. Extremophiles draw attention as the only creatures that will enlighten us in understanding extraterrestrial conditions and the mechanisms of creatures living in these conditions. This review examines the recent discoveries and the principal advances concerning both model bacteria (Chroococcidiopsis, Colwellia psychrerythraea, Planococcus halocryophilus) and archaea (Halorubrum lacusprofundi and Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1) species which have potentials to examine in astrobiology as model organisms. Obtaining findings from different studies open new perspectives and strategies to unresolved several questions in astrobiology.