Extremophilic Bacterium Metabolic Characteristics

A team of microbiologists is investigating a newly isolated bacterium from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. Preliminary tests indicate that this bacterium possesses a unique metabolic pathway that enables it to thrive in extreme temperatures and pressures. Further genetic analysis reveals that this bacterium has genes coding for enzymes that are not typically found in other known bacterial species. These enzymes are hypothesized to participate in the synthesis of novel biomolecules, which could have potential applications in biotechnology. Given this context, which of the following features is most likely to be exhibited by this newly isolated bacterium?