The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology
54 strains of viable green algae and 26 strains of viable cyanobacteria were recovered from 128 and 56 samples collected from Siberian and Antarctic permafrost, respectively, with ages from modern to a few million years old. Although species of unicellular green algae belonged to Chlorococcales were...
Published in: | International Journal of Astrobiology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2003
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550403001575 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550403001575 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s1473550403001575 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s1473550403001575 2023-05-15T14:11:22+02:00 The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology Vishnivetskaya, T.A. Spirina, E.V. Shatilovich, A.V. Erokhina, L.G. Vorobyova, E.A. Gilichinsky, D.A. 2003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550403001575 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550403001575 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms International Journal of Astrobiology volume 2, issue 3, page 171-177 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2003 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550403001575 2022-11-07T16:24:48Z 54 strains of viable green algae and 26 strains of viable cyanobacteria were recovered from 128 and 56 samples collected from Siberian and Antarctic permafrost, respectively, with ages from modern to a few million years old. Although species of unicellular green algae belonged to Chlorococcales were subdominant inside permafrost, green algae Pedinomonas sp . were observed in Antarctic permafrost. Filamentous cyanobacteria of Oscillatoriales , Nostocales were just found in Siberian permafrost. Algal biomass in the permanently frozen sediments, expressed as concentration of chlorophyll a , was 0.06–0.46 μg g −1 . The number of viable algal cells varied between <10 2 and 9×10 3 cfu g −1 , but the number of viable bacterial cells was usually higher from 10 2 to 9.2×10 5 cfu g −1 . Frozen but viable permafrost algae have preserved their morphological characteristics and photosynthetic apparatus in the dark permafrost. In the laboratory, they restored their photosynthetic activity, growth and development in favourable conditions at positive temperatures and with the availability of water and light. The discovery of ancient viable algae within permafrost reflects their ability to tolerate long-term freezing. In this study, the tolerance of algae and cyanobacteria to freezing, thawing and freezing–drying stresses was evaluated by short-term (days to months) low-temperature experiments. Results indicate that viable permafrost microorganisms demonstrate resistance to such stresses. Apart from their ecological importance, the bacterial and algal species found in permafrost have become the focus for novel biotechnology, as well as being considered proxies for possible life forms on cryogenic extraterrestrial bodies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic permafrost Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) Antarctic International Journal of Astrobiology 2 3 171 177 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Vishnivetskaya, T.A. Spirina, E.V. Shatilovich, A.V. Erokhina, L.G. Vorobyova, E.A. Gilichinsky, D.A. The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
topic_facet |
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
54 strains of viable green algae and 26 strains of viable cyanobacteria were recovered from 128 and 56 samples collected from Siberian and Antarctic permafrost, respectively, with ages from modern to a few million years old. Although species of unicellular green algae belonged to Chlorococcales were subdominant inside permafrost, green algae Pedinomonas sp . were observed in Antarctic permafrost. Filamentous cyanobacteria of Oscillatoriales , Nostocales were just found in Siberian permafrost. Algal biomass in the permanently frozen sediments, expressed as concentration of chlorophyll a , was 0.06–0.46 μg g −1 . The number of viable algal cells varied between <10 2 and 9×10 3 cfu g −1 , but the number of viable bacterial cells was usually higher from 10 2 to 9.2×10 5 cfu g −1 . Frozen but viable permafrost algae have preserved their morphological characteristics and photosynthetic apparatus in the dark permafrost. In the laboratory, they restored their photosynthetic activity, growth and development in favourable conditions at positive temperatures and with the availability of water and light. The discovery of ancient viable algae within permafrost reflects their ability to tolerate long-term freezing. In this study, the tolerance of algae and cyanobacteria to freezing, thawing and freezing–drying stresses was evaluated by short-term (days to months) low-temperature experiments. Results indicate that viable permafrost microorganisms demonstrate resistance to such stresses. Apart from their ecological importance, the bacterial and algal species found in permafrost have become the focus for novel biotechnology, as well as being considered proxies for possible life forms on cryogenic extraterrestrial bodies. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Vishnivetskaya, T.A. Spirina, E.V. Shatilovich, A.V. Erokhina, L.G. Vorobyova, E.A. Gilichinsky, D.A. |
author_facet |
Vishnivetskaya, T.A. Spirina, E.V. Shatilovich, A.V. Erokhina, L.G. Vorobyova, E.A. Gilichinsky, D.A. |
author_sort |
Vishnivetskaya, T.A. |
title |
The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
title_short |
The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
title_full |
The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
title_fullStr |
The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
title_full_unstemmed |
The resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
title_sort |
resistance of viable permafrost algae to simulated environmental stresses: implications for astrobiology |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550403001575 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550403001575 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic permafrost |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic permafrost |
op_source |
International Journal of Astrobiology volume 2, issue 3, page 171-177 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550403001575 |
container_title |
International Journal of Astrobiology |
container_volume |
2 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
171 |
op_container_end_page |
177 |
_version_ |
1766283502038286336 |