Extreme Halophiles Are Models for Astrobiology

Studying extremophiles on Earth may provide helpful metrics in our search for life elsewhere in the universe. Species that thrive in hypersaline environments are among the most fascinating models for studying mechanisms of survival away from our planet. The genomic sequences of six such extreme halophiles and post-genomic studies of these microorganisms are providing insights about what it takes to live in environments that were once thought uninhabitable.