Ciliates in extreme environments

Abstract

As eukaryotic microbial life, ciliated protozoan may be found actively growing in some extreme condition where there is a sufficient energy source to sustain it because they are exceedingly adaptable and not notably less adaptable than the prokaryotes. However, a crucial problem in the study of ciliates in extreme environments is the lack of reliable cultivation techniques. To our knowledge, only a tiny fraction of ciliates can be cultured in the laboratory, even for a very limited period, which can partly explain the paucity of our understanding about ciliates diversity in various extremes although the interest in the biodiversity of extremophiles increased significantly during the past three decades. This mini-review aims to compile the knowledge of several groups of free-living ciliates that can be microscopically observed in extreme environmental samples, although most habitats have not been sufficiently well explored for sound generalizations.

Keywords: Aquatic environment; ciliated protozoan; extremophiles; free-living; heterotroph; terrestrial habitat.