Open AccessEnhanced thermotolerance by hydrostatic pressure in the deep‐sea hyperthermophile Pyrococcus strain ES4
Author(s) -
Holden James F.,
Baross John A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.1995.tb00161.x
Subject(s) - hyperthermophile , hydrostatic pressure , biology , deep sea , strain (injury) , decompression , heat shock protein , shock (circulatory) , biophysics , bacteria , biochemistry , anatomy , archaea , paleontology , fishery , medicine , gene , physiology , physics , thermodynamics
The combined effect of hydrostatic pressure and heat shock on thermotolerance was examined in the deep‐sea hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus strain ES4. Pressure equivalent to the depth of isolation (22 MPa) enhanced ES4's survival at super‐optimal temperatures (101–108°C) relative to low pressure (3 MPa). Pressure also raised the temperature at which a putative heat‐shock protein (98 kDa) accumulated. ES4 grown at 95°C and 3 MPa displayed immediate enhanced thermotolerance to 105°C after being shifted to 22 MPa. Cultures grown at 95°C and 22 MPa and then heat shocked at 105°C and 3 MPa retained enhanced thermotolerance after decompression. These results suggest that this deep‐sea hyperthermophile has developed pressure‐induced responses that include increased survival to hyperthermal conditions.