Bacteria in low humidity - (Nov/30/2013 )

For a science project, I was looking for a bacteria that would last on surfaces for a long time, in low humidity, relatively lower temperatures (20-40 degrees Fahrenheit), low pressure (5000 feet elevation), and less oxygen. Do you know of any bacteria that will survive and thrive under conditions similar the the ones aforementioned?

-anu2016-

Do you mean ones that will grow under those conditions or ones that would survive in spore form or similar?

-bob1-

The ones that would survive.

-anu2016-

spore formers will survive in that form. Might be easier to find fungi that would "thrive" under such conditions.

-Phil Geis-

I read once a paper about aerial or air-borne bacteria in higher portions of the atmosphere where they found many different types that are viable and involved in processes such as serving as cloud condensation nuclei or contributing to the degradation of organic pollutants (but for this they surely need sufficient humidity to be active).

A short google search result: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/05/microbes-make-rain/

Anyway I've no idea if this are specialised bacteria of if they were dispersed there by chance.

-hobglobin-

Define low humidity...

What do you mean?

Water activity of how much?

anu2016 on Sat Nov 30 19:11:00 2013 said:

For a science project, I was looking for a bacteria that would last on surfaces for a long time, in low humidity, relatively lower temperatures (20-40 degrees Fahrenheit), low pressure (5000 feet elevation), and less oxygen. Do you know of any bacteria that will survive and thrive under conditions similar the the ones aforementioned?

-pito-

Could you specify a little bit more?

Those that will survive and those that will thrive are not the same. Many will survive even without spores but thriving under those conditions you'll need some psycrophylic/psycrotolerant bug, and that just regarding temp. By the way, try to use SI units please.

Pressure, not a problem the altitude you specify is not that high.

How much less oxygen (%)?

If you take a look to any work about McMurdo valley or any other Antarctic ecosystem... they will live in the conditions you ask about

If you are also interested in fungi you can take a look to these:

Selbmann L, De Hoog GS, Mazzaglia A, et al. (2005) Fungi at the edge of life: cryptoendolithic black fungi from Antarctic desert. Stud Mycol 51:1–32.

Selbmann L, De Hoog GS, Zucconi L, et al. (2008) Drought meets acid: Three new genera in a Dothidealean clade of extremotolerant fungi. Stud Mycol 61:1–20. doi: 10.3114/sim.2008.61.01

-El Crazy Xabi-