The Variety and Inscrutability of Polar Environments as a Resource of Biotechnologically Relevant Molecules

• Published in: Microorganisms
• Main Authors: Carmen Rizzo, Angelina Lo Giudice
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2020
• Subjects: cold-adapted bacteria; cold-enzymes; biosurfactants; antibiotics; extracellular polymers; Antarctica; Arctic; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8091422

The application of an ever-increasing number of methodological approaches and tools is positively contributing to the development and yield of bioprospecting procedures. In this context, cold-adapted bacteria from polar environments are becoming more and more intriguing as valuable sources of novel biomolecules, with peculiar properties to be exploited in a number of biotechnological fields. This review aims at highlighting the biotechnological potentialities of bacteria from Arctic and Antarctic habitats, both biotic and abiotic. In addition to cold-enzymes, which have been intensively analysed, relevance is given to recent advances in the search for less investigated biomolecules, such as biosurfactants, exopolysaccharides and antibiotics.