Living on the edge: survival strategies, biofilm, metabolites, and applications of aquatic extremophilic bacteria adaptation

Aquatic extremophilic bacteria from polar, deep-sea, and hypersaline environments reveal how life persists at physicochemical limits. Biofilm matrices act as dynamic interfaces that stabilize cells and organize metabolic cooperation, while specialized metabolites extend stress tolerance. Comparing these systems highlights a convergence on matrix-mediated strategies alongside environment-specific adaptations, positioning extremophilic biofilms as key models for microbial resilience and sources of novel biotechnological potential.