Coleine Claudia, Stajich Jason E, Selbmann Laura
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
Trends Ecol Evol. 2022 Jun;37(6):517-528. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.02.002. Epub 2022 Mar 1.
Extreme environments on Earth are typically devoid of macro life forms and are inhabited predominantly by highly adapted and specialized microorganisms. The discovery and persistence of these extremophiles provides tools to model how life arose on Earth and inform us on the limits of life. Fungi, in particular, are among the most extreme-tolerant organisms with highly versatile lifestyles and stunning ecological and morphological plasticity. Here, we overview the most notable examples of extremophilic and stress-tolerant fungi, highlighting their key roles in the functionality and balance of extreme ecosystems. The remarkable ability of fungi to tolerate and even thrive in the most extreme environments, which preclude most organisms, have reshaped current concepts regarding the limits of life on Earth.
地球上的极端环境通常没有大型生命形式，主要栖息着高度适应和特化的微生物。这些极端微生物的发现和存续为模拟地球上生命的起源提供了工具，并让我们了解生命的极限。特别是真菌，它们是最耐受极端环境的生物之一，具有高度多样的生活方式以及惊人的生态和形态可塑性。在这里，我们概述了极端嗜菌和耐胁迫真菌的最显著例子，突出它们在极端生态系统的功能和平衡中的关键作用。真菌能够在排除大多数生物的最极端环境中耐受甚至繁衍，这一非凡能力重塑了目前关于地球生命极限的概念。
