archaea
Prokaryotes, not bacteria
Archaea are single-celled microorganisms that form one of the three domains of life, distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes.
Though superficially similar to bacteria, archaea have fundamentally different genetics and cell chemistry.
Many thrive in extreme environments—hot springs, salt lakes, deep-sea vents—though they're found everywhere, including human intestines.
Archaea were once thought to exist only in extreme habitats.
Area of control
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
- systematicsScience of classifying organisms
16S rRNA · monophyletic · taxon · lineage · classification
Heat-adapted living thing
- extremophileLife in harsh conditions
- hydrothermal ventOcean floor hot spring
- hot springNaturally heated groundwater basin
- hypersalineExcessively high salt concentration
anoxic · deep-sea · volcanic · geothermal · salt lake · soda lake
Cell without nuclear membrane
- unicellularOne cell only
- microorganismMicroscopic living entity
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- cell membraneOuter layer of cytoplasm
cytoplasm · plasmid · biofilm · metabolism · replication · DNA · RNA · enzyme
Organism living within another
- phylogeneticsScience of ancestral relationships
- ancientVery old indeed
- primordialExisting from the start
- tree of lifeDiagram of evolutionary connections
divergence · common ancestor · ancestral · Precambrian · evolutionary biology
Biogeochemical element circulation
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- gut microbiomeMicrobial community in digestive tract
- decomposerOrganism breaking down corpses
rumen · biogeochemistry · wetland · rice paddy · wastewater
domain
Area of control
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
systematics · 16S rRNA · monophyletic · taxon · lineage · classification
thermophile
Heat-adapted living thing
- extremophileLife in harsh conditions
- hydrothermal ventOcean floor hot spring
- hot springNaturally heated groundwater basin
hypersaline · anoxic · deep-sea · volcanic · geothermal · salt lake · soda lake
prokaryote
Cell without nuclear membrane
- unicellularOne cell only
- microorganismMicroscopic living entity
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
cell membrane · cytoplasm · plasmid · biofilm · metabolism · replication · DNA · RNA · enzyme · flagellum
endosymbiosis
Organism living within another
- phylogeneticsScience of ancestral relationships
- ancientVery old indeed
- primordialExisting from the start
tree of life · divergence · common ancestor · ancestral · Precambrian · evolutionary biology
nitrogen cycle
Biogeochemical element circulation
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- gut microbiomeMicrobial community in digestive tract
decomposer · rumen · biogeochemistry · wetland · rice paddy · wastewater
- soil microbespseudomonas, bacillus, soil bacteria, mycorrhizae, aspergillus
- life formsorganisms, organism, lifeforms, animal, creatures
- Cladesmammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects
- microbiologybacteria, bacterium, microbe, microbes, microorganisms
- Early Earthprimordial soup, early life, abiogenesis, prokaryotes, single-celled organisms
- Microbesbacteria, bacterium, virus, mold, prokaryote
archaeabacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
eukaryotes · eubacteria · plants · animals · fungi
- archaic languageOutmoded forms of expression
- archaic wordsLanguage fallen from use
- archaic EnglishOutdated form of language
- archaic termsOutdated words and phrases
- Egyptian archaeologyStudy of pharaonic remains
- archaic poetryOutdated literary composition