In situ expression of eukaryotic ice-binding proteins in microbial communities of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) have been isolated from various sea-ice organisms. Their characterisation points to a crucial role in protecting the organisms in sub-zero environments. However, their in situ abundance and diversity in natural sea-ice microbial communities is largely unknown. In this stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The ISME Journal
Main Authors: Uhlig, Christiane, Kilpert, Fabian, Frickenhaus, Stephan, Kegel, Jessica U, Krell, Andreas, Mock, Thomas, Valentin, Klaus, Beszteri, Bánk
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2015
Subjects:
Short Communication
Antarctic
Arctic
Antarc*
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4611500/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25885562
https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.43
Description
Summary:Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) have been isolated from various sea-ice organisms. Their characterisation points to a crucial role in protecting the organisms in sub-zero environments. However, their in situ abundance and diversity in natural sea-ice microbial communities is largely unknown. In this study, we analysed the expression and phylogenetic diversity of eukaryotic IBP transcripts from microbial communities of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice. IBP transcripts were found in abundances similar to those of proteins involved in core cellular processes such as photosynthesis. Eighty-nine percent of the IBP transcripts grouped with known IBP sequences from diatoms, haptophytes and crustaceans, but the majority represented novel sequences not previously characterized in cultured organisms. The observed high eukaryotic IBP expression in natural eukaryotic sea ice communities underlines the essential role of IBPs for survival of many microorganisms in communities living under the extreme conditions of polar sea ice.

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