Front Microbiol. 2026 Feb 27;17:1754802. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1754802. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in environments previously thought to be uninhabitable, including extreme temperature, salinity, pH, pressure, and radiation. These organisms, found in Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya, exhibit distinct structural, metabolic, and genetic adaptations, such as enhanced enzyme stability, efficient DNA repair mechanisms, and robust stress-response systems that enable survival under extreme conditions. Understanding these adaptation mechanisms is key to engineering similar traits in mesophilic organisms. This review discusses the diversity of extremophiles and presents phylogenetic and comparative genomic insights which may provide insights into the origins and evolution of early life on Earth We highlight recent advances in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, genome-scale metabolic modeling (GEM), and synthetic biology that have expanded the use of extremophiles in sustainable industrial biotechnology. The exceptional stability and catalytic efficiency of extremozymes under harsh conditions underscore their potential in various biotechnological applications. Finally, we discuss the ecological significance of extremophiles in climate change mitigation and outline current challenges and future directions in extremophile research.

PMID:41834871 | PMC:PMC12982187 | DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2026.1754802