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[Virex]

But why peroxide and not, say ethylene glycol (would only work in the hotter regions)  or ammonia (works almost over the full range)? It's not like peroxide is the only thing that can be used for freezing point depression.

[smjjames]

I don't know. I'm sure there are hypothesises around those, it's just the hydrogen peroxide-water thing that I was remembering.

[SolarShado]

I read something saying that the lake they were found in had been isolated from fresh water for around 50 years. The wording wasn't entirely clear if it had been purposefully isolated because of the arsenic content, or if the increase in arsenic was caused by the isolation. As I read it, it suggested the latter.

Assuming that, I can totally see how this could've evolved. A slow-but-steady arsenic increase would make mutations that allow it to be metabolized very favorable, even if it isn't quite as efficient as using phosphorous, the increased availability should make up for it.

IMO, fascinating proof that where there's a way, life will find it.

[Virex]

that's quite similar to what happened in the E. coli long-term evolution experiment. One strain grown on a medium low in normal food but high in citric acid developed the ability to transport citric acid into the cell where it would enter the normal metabolic cycle. The ability to grow on citric acid is often used to differentiate E. coli and Salmonella.