You are a scientist on board on a mission exploring undersea volcanic vents arou
ID: 83115 • Letter: Y
Question
You are a scientist on board on a mission exploring undersea volcanic vents around the Hawaiian Islands. On your expedition ship you have a fully equipped laboratory (like our new building will be) where you can do advanced microscopy, cellular biology and biochemical characterization of the life forms you encounter You encounter a NEW unicellular EUKARYOTIC organism This organism thrives in the following conditions: -The temperature is 78° C -The Oxygen content is extremely low -The sulfur content is very high, and it lives in complete darkness. -The organism and is capable of producing abundant ATP (but the mitochondria seem odd….) -The organism is capable of maintaining a resting potential of about -60 mV, and it also quickly eliminates xenobiotics using a co-transport mechanism depending on Na gradients. -This organism has the ability to “creep “ on the bottom of culture dishes using amoeboid like movements, and seems to be attracted to decaying organic matter (It creeps towards it !!!!) However if you constantly change the sea-water around the cells, they become “disoriented” and move randomly instead of towards the decaying piece of fish… Based on these observations, and what you have learned in this course and please discuss the following
1) Speculate on how these microorganisms detect the decomposing piece of shrimp…(or fish…)?
Explanation / Answer
The microorganisms in the water will decompose the piece of shrimp or fish and due the phenomenon of chemoreception; the mechanism the unicellular eukaryotic organism will respond to a concentration gradient of chemicals in their medium of growth. Since the concentration of the gases like Co2 and methane will be more towards the decaying shrimp or fish the unicellular eukaryote e will move towards it.
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