Raikos electra
A 7μm single-celled chemosynthetic marine Palaean. R. electra is somewhat rod-shaped in appearance with extracellular organelles at each end. It gains its energy through iron-oxidation. The extracellular organelles of R. electra are specialized for iron-oxidation and electron storage. At one end of the cell there are paired extracellular organelles that are the site of iron-oxidation and at the other end is a single extracellular organelle where electrons are stored.
As iron-oxidation occurs some electrons are used in the production of ATP and others are transferred to the other end of the cell to be stored. The stored electrons are primarily used for defensive purposes.
R. electra’s genetic material is dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. They have ribosomes and a cell wall. R. electra reproduces by binary fission. It is able to reproduce at a wide range of temperature up to 100°C allowing it to reproduce rapidly around hydrothermal vents. It is able to survive at this temperature thanks to disulfide bonds in R. electra’s proteins that prevent them from denaturing at the high temperature. R. electra is also able to reproduce below freezing in special conditions, if an individual has enough stored electrons it can generate enough heat to allow for reproduction.
