Echinamoeba thermarum

Echinamoeba thermarum
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Phylum:	Amoebozoa
Class:	Tubulinea
Order:	Echinamoebida
Family:	Echinamoebidae
Genus:	Echinamoeba
Species:	E. thermarum
Binomial name
	Echinamoeba thermarum; Baumgartner et al. 2003

Echinamoeba thermarum is an extremely thermophilic amoeba species discovered in various hot springs worldwide. It is notable for its ability to thrive at high temperatures, with an optimal growth temperature of 50°C (122°F).

Taxonomy

E. thermarum is classified within the genus Echinamoeba based on morphology and SSU rRNA comparisons.^[1] Its species name, "thermarum," refers to its highly thermophilic lifestyle and hydrothermal habitat.

The phylogenetic analysis places Echinamoebida as a clade of thermophilic amoebae within Lobosa (Amoebozoa).^[2]

Habitat and distribution

E. thermarum was isolated from hot springs in multiple locations^[1], including:

Additional locations have been identified by other researchers:

Black Canyon geothermal springs of the Colorado River, USA^[3]
Geothermal springs of Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand^[2]
Karymsky Volcano and Valley of Geysers, Russia^[2]

The species has adapted to live in hydrothermal environments with temperatures ranging from 33°C (91.4°F) to 57°C (134.6°F).^[1]

Morphology and characteristics

E. thermarum morphological features are as follows:^[1]

Flat cells with irregular triangular or elongated shapes
Fine spine-like sub pseudopodia
Average size: 22 μm long and 11 μm wide
Single nucleus with a central nucleolus

The amoeba can be cultured monoxenically on a thermophilic alpha-proteobacterium.

Evolution and adaptation

E. thermarum as an example of adaptation to extreme environments^[2] suggests that the evolution of thermophily in amoebae has occurred across multiple distantly related lineages, indicating that the amoeboid form may be particularly well-suited for high-temperature environments.

E. thermarum and other thermophilic amoebae can provide insights into: adaptations enabling survival in hot conditions. The relationship between morphological form and thermophilic lifestyle. Functional contributions of thermophilic amoebae to extreme environment ecology.

Ecological significance

E. thermarum identified as a potential host for Legionella pneumophila, a pathogenic bacterium known to cause Legionnaires' disease.^[4] This relationship highlights the importance of understanding the ecology of thermophilic amoebae in both natural and engineered water systems.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Baumgartner, Manuela; Yapi, Ahoua; Gröbner-Ferreira, Regina; Stetter, Karl O. (2003-08-01). "Cultivation and properties of Echinamoeba thermarum n. sp., an extremely thermophilic amoeba thriving in hot springs". Extremophiles. 7 (4): 267–274. doi:10.1007/s00792-003-0319-6. ISSN 1431-0651.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rappaport, Hannah B.; Oliverio, Angela M. (2023-08-16). "Extreme environments offer an unprecedented opportunity to understand microbial eukaryotic ecology, evolution, and genome biology". Nature Communications. 14 (1). doi:10.1038/s41467-023-40657-4. ISSN 2041-1723.
^ Moreno, Ivan J.; Brahamsha, Bianca; Donia, Mohamed S.; Palenik, Brian (2023-02-09). "Diverse Microbial Hot Spring Mat Communities at Black Canyon of the Colorado River". Microbial Ecology. 86 (3): 1534–1551. doi:10.1007/s00248-023-02186-x. ISSN 0095-3628.
^ Delafont, Vincent; Bouchon, Didier; Héchard, Yann; Moulin, Laurent (2016-09). "Environmental factors shaping cultured free-living amoebae and their associated bacterial community within drinking water network". Water Research. 100: 382–392. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.044. ISSN 0043-1354. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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[:0-1] Baumgartner, Manuela; Yapi, Ahoua; Gröbner-Ferreira, Regina; Stetter, Karl O. (2003-08-01). "Cultivation and properties of Echinamoeba thermarum n. sp., an extremely thermophilic amoeba thriving in hot springs". Extremophiles. 7 (4): 267–274. doi:10.1007/s00792-003-0319-6. ISSN 1431-0651.

[:1-2] Rappaport, Hannah B.; Oliverio, Angela M. (2023-08-16). "Extreme environments offer an unprecedented opportunity to understand microbial eukaryotic ecology, evolution, and genome biology". Nature Communications. 14 (1). doi:10.1038/s41467-023-40657-4. ISSN 2041-1723.

[3] Moreno, Ivan J.; Brahamsha, Bianca; Donia, Mohamed S.; Palenik, Brian (2023-02-09). "Diverse Microbial Hot Spring Mat Communities at Black Canyon of the Colorado River". Microbial Ecology. 86 (3): 1534–1551. doi:10.1007/s00248-023-02186-x. ISSN 0095-3628.

[4] Delafont, Vincent; Bouchon, Didier; Héchard, Yann; Moulin, Laurent (2016-09). "Environmental factors shaping cultured free-living amoebae and their associated bacterial community within drinking water network". Water Research. 100: 382–392. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.044. ISSN 0043-1354. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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