Question

Some bacterial cells live in very cold environments (such as the arctic ocean), but they still require membrane fluidity like their cousins from more tropical climates. How would the membrane structure of a bacterial cell from a cold climate be different from the membrane structure of a bacterial cell from a very warm climate? Choose one:

Answer 1

Answer and explanation;

-Arctic microbes would have membranes with more unsaturated fatty acids; increasing the unsaturated fatty acid ratio would make it harder for the fatty acids to pack together. This will keep the membrane fluid at lower temperatures, which will benefit organisms that live in very cold climates.

-Microorganisms are adapted for optimum functioning in their normal physiological environments. Any extreme change in environmental conditions from the optimum inflicts a stress on an organism. For this reason they must accommodate a variety of changing conditions and stresses in their environment in order to survive and multiply.