ax ▁med iter ran ei , ▁can ▁similarly ▁under go ▁gen etic ▁exchange ▁with ▁each ▁other . ▁ ▁H . ▁vol can ii ▁has ▁an ▁average ▁nucle ot ide ▁sequence ▁identity ▁with ▁H . ▁med iter ran ei ▁of ▁ 8 6 . 6 %. ▁ ▁At ▁a ▁reduced ▁frequency , ▁cells ▁of ▁these ▁two ▁species ▁may ▁also ▁interact ▁to ▁under go ▁gen etic ▁exchange . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁process ▁a ▁dip lo id ▁cell ▁is ▁formed ▁that ▁contains ▁the ▁full ▁gen etic ▁re per toire ▁of ▁both ▁parent al ▁cells , ▁and ▁gen etic ▁recom bin ation ▁is ▁facil itated . ▁ ▁Sub sequently , ▁the ▁cells ▁separate , ▁giving ▁rise ▁to ▁recom bin ant ▁cells . ▁ ▁Ast ro bi ology ▁The ▁conditions ▁H alo fer ax ▁vol can ii ▁surv ives ▁in , ▁high ▁sal inity ▁and ▁high ▁radiation , ▁are ▁very ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁conditions ▁found ▁on ▁Mars ' ▁surface . ▁Con sequently , ▁the ▁organ ism ▁is ▁currently ▁being ▁used ▁to ▁test ▁the ▁surv iv ability ▁of ▁earth ▁native ▁extrem oph iles ▁on ▁Mars . ▁Adv ances ▁in ▁this ▁field ▁could ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁greater ▁understanding ▁of ▁the ▁possibility ▁and ▁time ▁line ▁of ▁extr ater rest rial ▁life . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Arch ae a ▁ ▁Hom olog ous ▁recom bin ation ▁ ▁Ext rem oph ile ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁Scient ific ▁books ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Type ▁stra in ▁of ▁H alo fer ax ▁vol can ii ▁at ▁Bac D ive ▁- ▁ ▁the