Special Issue "Polar Microbiology: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto
Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, Federal University of Pampa, Antônio Trilha Avenue, P.O.Box 1847, 97300-000, São Gabriel – RS, Brazil
Website: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-5752-2009
E-Mail: pabulo@lacesm.ufsm.br

Dear Colleagues,

Polar microbiology is a promising field of research that can tell us much about the fundamental features of life. The microorganisms that inhabit Arctic and Antarctic environments are important not only because of the unique species they represent, but also because of their diverse and unusual physiological and biochemical properties. Furthermore, microorganisms living in Polar Regions provide useful models for general questions in ecology and evolutionary biology given the reduced complexity of their ecosystems, the relative absence of confounding effects associated with higher plants or animals, and the severe biological constraints imposed by the polar environment. In terms of applied science, the unique cold-adapted enzymes and other molecules of polar microorganisms provide numerous opportunities for biotechnological development.  Another compelling reason to study polar microbial ecosystems is the fact that they are likely to be among the ecosystems most strongly affected by global change. For these reasons, polar microbiology is a thriving branch of science with the potential to provide new insights into a wide range of basic and applied issues in biological science. In this context, it is timely to review and highlight the progress so far and discuss exciting future perspectives. In this special issue, some of the leaders in the field describe their work, ideas and findings.

Prof. Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto
Guest Editor

Submission

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• biodiversity
• biogeochemistry
• biogeography
• biotechnology
• evolutionary biology
• genetics, genomics and proteomics
• microbiology
• molecular biology
• molecular ecology
• physiology and metabolism

Type of Paper: Editorial
Title: Polar Microbiology: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives
Author: Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto
Affiliation: Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, Federal University of Pampa, Antônio Trilha Avenue, P.O.Box 1847, 97300-000, São Gabriel – RS, Brazil; E-Mail: pabulo@lacesm.ufsm.br
Abstract: In this Editorial, I will introduce the theme and highlight the importance of the chosen topics.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Cultivation and Metagenomic Analysis of Ancient Ice Core Sections from Greenland and Antarctica
Authors: Caitlin Knowlton ¹, Ram Veerapaneni ¹, Tom D’Elia ² and Scott O. Rogers ¹
Affiliations: ¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, USA; E-Mail: srogers@bgsu.edu
² Biological Sciences, Indian River State College, 32021 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981, USA
Abstract: Ice deposited in Greenland and Antarctica entrap viable and nonviable microbes that becomes a temporal record of atmospheric biological samples. We studied four sections from the GISP2D ice core and four sections from the Vostok 5G ice core at four time points (10,500, 57,000, 105,000 and 157,000 ybp) by microscopy, cultivation and rRNA gene sequencing. Two of the sections (GISP2D at 10,500 and 157,000 ybp) also were examined using metagenomic methods. In general, the number of cultures and sequences were positively correlated to temperature and atmospheric CO2 levels, although age of the core section affected this correlation. Firmicutes and cyanobacteria predominated among the Bacteria, while Rhodotorula was the most common eukaryotic taxon.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Ecology and Evolution of Subglacial Lake Vostok, Antarctica
Authors: Scott O. Rogers ¹, Yury M. Shtarkman ¹, Zeynep A. Koçer ^1,2, Robyn Edgar ¹, Ram Veerapaneni ¹ and Tom D’Elia ^1,3
Affiliations: ¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, USA; E-Mail: srogers@bgsu.edu
² Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Virology, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; 3. Biological Sciences, Indian River State College, 32021 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981, USA
Abstract: Lake Vostok is the largest of more than 200 subglacial lakes and has been continuously buried under ice for at least 15 million years. Extreme cold, heat (from hydrothermal activity), pressure (from the overriding glacier), oxygen (delivered by melting meteoric ice), limited nutrients and complete darkness combine to produce one of the most extreme environments on Earth. We have completed metagenomic and metametabolomic analyses on ice that accreted over a shallow embayment and over the southen main lake basin. The data indicate the presence of thousands of species (94% Bacteria, 6% Eukarya, and only two Archaea). The sequences provide a detailed view of the ecology and evolution of this unique lake.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Biotechnology of Cold-active Proteases
Authors: Swati Joshi and Tulasi Satyanarayana
Affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India; E-Mail: tsnarayana@gmail.com
Abstract: The bulk of the Earth’s biosphere is cold (temperature <5°) and harbors a great diversity of cold-adapted microorganisms particularly useful for biotechnological applications. Enzymes from psychrophiles (psychrozymes) have become interesting for industrial application partly because of ongoing efforts to decrease energy consumption. Proteinases as a class represent the largest category of industrial enzymes. There has been an increasing interest on employing cold-tolerant/cold-active proteases in detergents. With such enzymes, it becomes possible to develop laundry applications at lower temperatures in order to save energy. In view of the present limited understanding and availability of cold active proteases with diverse features, it is essential to explore Earth’s surface in search of cold active proteases. The understanding of molecular and mechanistic details of the cold active proteases will open up new avenues to tailor psychrophilic proteases with the desired properties such as high stability and activity at low temperatures and/or alkaline pH. This review presents an account of features related to cold active proteases such as their sources, types, fermentation conditions for production, molecular properties, metagenomics, enhancement in stability and potential applications.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Decode the Conformational Landscape of Psychrophilic Enzymes
Authors: Elena Papaleo *, Matteo Tiberti, Valeria Ranzani and Gaetano Invernizzi *
Affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; E-Mails: elena.papaleo@unimib.it (E.P.); gaetano.invernizzi@unimib.it (G.I.)
Abstract: The knowledge of the structural determinants of temperature adaptation of enzymes is a mandatory pre-requisite both in terms of fundamental and applied research. In most of the cases, the differences between enzymes adapted at different temperatures are related to subtle changes in structure and sequence which are hard to detect and to correlate with differences in protein activity and stability. In this context, in the last decades molecular dynamics simulations turned out to be a suitable and promising approach to compare psychrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic enzymes. The current scenario agrees with a broad array of mechanisms exploited by different enzymes to adapt to low temperature habitats. Nevertheless, some common features can be highlighted in dynamics and flexibility patterns of these enzymes and in their underlying network of intra- and intermolecular interactions. In fact, a family-centered point of view is necessary to understand enzyme cold-adaptation. Enzymes belonging to the same family or superfamily, thus sharing at least the three-dimensional architecture and conserving functional sites, evolved similar structural and dynamic patterns to overcome the effects induced by low temperature conditions.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Polar Microalgae: Molecular Adaptations to an Extreme and Changing Environment
Authors: Barbara Lyon and Thomas Mock
Affiliation: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK; E-Mail: T.Mock@uea.ac.uk
Abstract: Polar regions are unique and highly prolific ecosystems characterized by extreme environmental gradients. Photosynthetic autotrophs, the base of the food web, as well as heterotrophic bacteria, key to remineralization and sequestration processes, have had to adapt physiological mechanisms to maintain growth, reproduction and metabolic activity despite conditions that would shut-down cellular processes in most organisms. High latitudes are characterized by temperatures below the freezing point, complete darkness in winter, high-UV/continuous-light in the summer, and large salinity fluctuations, limited gas exchange, and highly oxic conditions within sea-ice, an ecological niche exploited by microbes during the long winter seasons when the ocean and land freezes over. The last decade has been an exciting period of insights into the molecular mechanisms behind adaptation to the cyrosphere thanks to the advancement of new scientific tools, particularly “omics” techniques. We review recent insights derived from genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics studies. Genes, proteins and pathways identified from these highly adaptable polar organisms have far-reaching biotechnological applications. Furthermore, they may provide insights into life outside this planet, as well as glimpses into the past. High latitude regions also have disproportionately large inputs into global biogeochemical cycles and are the region most sensitive to climate change.