Thermotrophy Exploratory Study

The question of whether environmental heat energy could be utilized as a source ofenergy for biological metabolism is the center this exploratory research. In 1979, thisauthor postulated hypothesis existence thermotrophs that isothermallyutilize their on Earth. Accordingto hypothesis, first primitive forms life in theearly Earth environment. chemotrophs and phototrophs we currently are allwell familiar with might have been evolved somehow from thermotrophs.Furthermore, all organisms regarded “chemotrophs” “phototrophs”could actually mixed trophy types containing thermotrophic features: thermo-chemotrophs thermo-phototrophs. Energetic analysis thermodynamicfirst law indicated anaerobic acetate-utilizing methanogenic archaea Methanosarcinacould “living fossil specimen” thermotrophs. Experiments enrichedacetate-utilizing methanogen, including Methanosarcina, has, time,demonstrated was indeed associated isothermalenvironmental utilization, resulting liquid culture temperature to change(decrease) by about −0.10 oC sometimes drop much −0.45 observed inthe experiments. mean change (drop) −0.25 ±0.06 oC.