A bacterial ice-binding protein from the Vostok ice core

Extremophiles. 2008 Sep;12(5):713-7. doi: 10.1007/s00792-008-0178-2. Epub 2008 Jul 12.

Abstract

Bacterial and yeast isolates recovered from a deep Antarctic ice core were screened for proteins with ice-binding activity, an indicator of adaptation to icy environments. A bacterial strain recovered from glacial ice at a depth of 3,519 m, just above the accreted ice from Subglacial Lake Vostok, was found to produce a 54 kDa ice-binding protein (GenBank EU694412) that is similar to ice-binding proteins previously found in sea ice diatoms, a snow mold, and a sea ice bacterium. The protein has the ability to inhibit the recrystallization of ice, a phenotype that has clear advantages for survival in ice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antarctic Regions
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cytophaga / classification
  • Cytophaga / genetics
  • Cytophaga / metabolism
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Ice / analysis*
  • Ice Cover
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Shewanella / classification
  • Shewanella / genetics
  • Shewanella / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Ice
  • Recombinant Proteins