Researchers have identified an amoeba in a California national park that tolerates temperatures lethal to most complex cells. The microbe, nicknamed the "fire amoeba," can grow at 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 63 degrees Celsius) and survive short exposures up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), according to the team.
The organism was found in hot springs within the park, an environment where few eukaryotic microbes can persist. Its ability to withstand such heat makes it notable among amoebae, which are generally adapted to moderate temperatures.
The discovery adds to the small list of eukaryotes known to thrive in extreme heat and may offer clues about how complex cells manage heat stress. The researchers have not yet published full details on the amoeba's genetics or its exact species classification.
Further study is needed to confirm how the amoeba protects its cellular machinery at these temperatures and whether similar organisms exist in other geothermal sites.
