The third domain: the untold story of archaea and the future of biotechnology

313 Pages·2007·3.04 MB·English

by  Tim Friend

Joseph Henry Press 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
The Joseph Henry Press, an imprint of the National Academies Press,
was created with the goal of making books on science, technology, and
health more widely available to professionals and the public. Joseph
Henry was one of the founders of the National Academy of Sciences
and a leader in early American science.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed
in this volume are those of the author and do not reflect the views of
the National Academy of Sciences or its affiliated institutions.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Friend, Tim.
The third domain : the untold story of archaea and the future of
biotechnology / Tim Friend.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-309-10237-7 (hardcover)
1. Archaeobacteria—History. 2. Archaeobacteria—Biotechnology.
I. Title.
QR82.A69F75 2007
579.3′21—dc22
2007006291
Cover design by Michele de la Menardiere.
Cover image © Eye of Science/Science Photo Library.
Copyright 2007 by Tim Friend. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
To Robin, for a new path.

1 Life in the Outer Limits 1
2 Bug Hunt 32
3 What the Heck Is It? 59
4 The Witch’s Garden 97
5 Rust Never Sleeps 129
6 Us . . . and Them 162
7 Carpe Diem 191
8 Money for Nothin’, Bugs for Free 228
Notes 255
Acknowledgments 273
Index 277
vii

And now for something completely different.
Monty Python
The microbial stench of the Harlem Meer is soaked into our wetsuits,
even our skin. Long green strands of algae cling to our heads, shoul-
ders, and arms as we rise from the water, giving the appearance and
presumably the odor of sea monsters. Ever see Creature from the Black
Lagoon? “Not since the beginning of time has the world beheld terror
like this!” Yeah, well. Go scuba diving in Central Park.
I have just finished collecting from the Harlem Meer the last
samples of microorganisms for this mostly science and partly adven-
ture tale about the discovery of a strange form of microbial life called
the archaea. The Harlem Meer is a small lake in the northeast corner of
Central Park. It is by far the nastiest water in which I’ve had the plea-
sure to dive. Water leaking around the mouthpiece of my regulator has
left a lingering, tangy taste, and perhaps a burning sensation in the
back of my throat. The palate suggests hydrocarbons, metals, and
something awfully organic. No doubt the samples of filthy sludge and
turbid water collected into ziplock baggies and plastic bottles will con-
tain many interesting microbes.
The archaea—pronounced “ar-kee-ah”—have been found thriv-
1