Diversity and Bioprospecting Potential of Bacteria Isolated from the Arctic: A Preliminary Study

• Published in: Mapana - Journal of Sciences
• Main Author: Sabu Thomas, Wilson P Abraham
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Centre for Publications, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore 2021
• Subjects: Arctic; North Pole
• Online Access: https://journals.christuniversity.in/index.php/mapana/article/view/1702; https://doi.org/10.12723/mjs.27.3

Bioprospecting is a search for new or better bioproducts from biological sources preferably from novel biodiversity. Molecules derived from natural products, particularly those produced by plants and microorganisms, have an excellent record of providing novel chemical structures for development as new pharmaceuticals. Bacteria living under stress are best sources for bioprospecting and also these organisms are least explored. This paper focuses on the bioprospecting and biotechnological potential of bacteria isolated from the Polar Regions. In this context, let us have a glance through the major cold adaptations of psychrophiles and their application potentials with special reference to psychrophilic enzymes. Our lab focus on identifying the biofilm inhibitors against bacterial pathogens and novel molecules of medical importance from bacteria and actinomycetes isolated from Arctic, the North Pole. We are also interested in profiling the diversity, multidrug resistance pattern and the molecular mechanisms involved in bacteria isolated from the pristine environment.