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Extremophiles
Article . 2006 . Peer-reviewed
License: Springer TDM
Data sources: Crossref
Extremophiles
Article . 2007
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Life at low temperatures: is disorder the driving force?

Authors: Feller, Georges;

Life at low temperatures: is disorder the driving force?

Abstract

The thermodynamic characterization of various biological systems from psychrophiles points to a larger entropic contribution when compared to the corresponding mesophilic or (hyper) thermophilic counterparts, either at the level of the macromolecules (thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities) or of their function (ligand binding, catalytic activity). It is suggested here that in an environment characterized by a low heat content (enthalpy) and at temperatures that strongly slowdown molecular motions, the cold-adapted biological systems rely on a larger disorder to maintain macromolecular dynamics and function. Such pre-eminent involvement of entropy is observed in the experimental results and, from a macroscopic point of view, is also reflected for instance by the steric hindrances introduced by cis-unsaturated and branched lipids to maintain membrane fluidity, by the loose conformation of psychrophilic proteins or by the local destabilization of tRNA by dihydrouridine in psychrophilic bacteria.

Related Organizations
Keywords

Membrane Fluidity, ligand binding, Entropy, Membrane Fluidity/physiology, Bacteria/growth & development/metabolism, Biochimie, biophysique & biologie moléculaire, RNA, Transfer/metabolism, Bacterial Proteins, RNA, Transfer, psychrophiles, RNA, Bacterial/metabolism, Bacteria, Bacterial Proteins/metabolism, stability, Life sciences, Adaptation, Physiological, proteins, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/metabolism, Cold Temperature, RNA, Bacterial, Sciences du vivant, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated, Biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
92
Top 10%
Top 10%
Top 10%
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