<P> A thermoacidophile is an extremophilic microorganism that is both thermophilic and acidophilic; i.e., it can grow under conditions of high temperature and low pH . The large majority of thermoacidophiles are archaea (particularly the crenarchaeota and euryarchaeota) or bacteria, though occasional eukaryotic examples have been reported . Thermoacidophiles can be found in hot springs and solfataric environments, within deep sea vents, or in other environments of geothermal activity . They also occur in polluted environments, such as in acid mine drainage . </P> <P> An apparent tradeoff has been described between adaptation to high temperature and low pH; relatively few examples are known that are tolerant of the extremes of both environments (pH <2, growth temperature> 80 ° C). Many thermoacidophilic archaea have aerobic or microaerophilic metabolism, although obligately anaerobic examples (e.g. the Acidilobales) have also been identified . </P> <P> Sequencing the genome of a thermoacidophilic eukaryote, the red algae Galdieria sulphuraria, revealed that its environmental adaptations likely originated from horizontal gene transfer from thermoacidophilic archaea and bacteria . </P>

How do thermoacidophiles live under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions