ABSTRACT
Extremophilic microbes have been intensively investigated in last decade and many prospective extremophiles have been found with various industrial applications as producers of extremozymes and unique biomolecules. Different extremophiles have been isolated from extreme environments in various regions of the globe. Despite its small territory, Armenia is rich by ecosystems characterized by extreme conditions, microbial diversity, and their biotechnological potential that still remains unexplored. Numerous geothermal springs of different geotectonic origins, various saline and hypersaline environments, polymetallic mines, and solutional (karst) caves are found on the territory of Armenia. Microbial communities thriving in extreme environments of Armenia have been explored following both cultivation-based and culture-independent approaches. Many thermophilic, halophilic, acidophilic, metallophilic and endolithic microbes, belonging to different phylogenetic groups of Bacteria and Archaea, have been isolated and studied. This chapter summarizes the results of microbial diversity analyzes of Armenian geothermal springs, saline-alkaline soils, subterranean salt deposits, polymetallic mines, and karst caves with special emphasis to its distribution, ecological significance, and biotechnological potential.
