Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks
Endolithic microorganisms, ranging from microeukaryotes to bacteria and archaea, live within the cracks and crevices of rocks. Deception Island in Antarctica constitutes an extreme environment in which endoliths face environmental threats such as intense cold, lack of light in winter, high solar rad...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/18/13824 |
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| author | Andrea Hidalgo-Arias Víctor Muñoz-Hisado Pilar Valles Adelina Geyer Eva Garcia-Lopez Cristina Cid |
| author_facet | Andrea Hidalgo-Arias Víctor Muñoz-Hisado Pilar Valles Adelina Geyer Eva Garcia-Lopez Cristina Cid |
| author_sort | Andrea Hidalgo-Arias |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Endolithic microorganisms, ranging from microeukaryotes to bacteria and archaea, live within the cracks and crevices of rocks. Deception Island in Antarctica constitutes an extreme environment in which endoliths face environmental threats such as intense cold, lack of light in winter, high solar radiation in summer, and heat emitted as the result of volcanic eruptions. In addition, the endolithic biome is considered the harshest one on Earth, since it suffers added threats such as dryness or lack of nutrients. Even so, samples from this hostile environment, collected at various points throughout the island, hosted diverse and numerous microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, diatoms, ciliates, flagellates and unicellular algae. These endoliths were first identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). To understand the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of these endoliths to their environment, genomics techniques were used, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms were identified by metabarcoding, sequencing the V3–V4 and V4–V5 regions of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. Subsequently, the sequences were analyzed by bioinformatic methods that allow their metabolism to be deduced from the taxonomy. The results obtained concluded that some of these microorganisms have activated the biosynthesis routes of pigments such as prodigiosin or flavonoids. These adaptation studies also revealed that microorganisms defend themselves against environmental toxins by activating metabolic pathways for the degradation of compounds such as ethylbenzene, xylene and dioxins and for the biosynthesis of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione. Finally, these Antarctic endolithic microorganisms are of great interest in astrobiology since endolithic settings are environmentally analogous to the primitive Earth or the surfaces of extraterrestrial bodies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:41:16Z |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:41:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-709a3a94eeb24012ba8cb33fb219f0552023-11-19T11:03:41ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-09-0124181382410.3390/ijms241813824Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic RocksAndrea Hidalgo-Arias0Víctor Muñoz-Hisado1Pilar Valles2Adelina Geyer3Eva Garcia-Lopez4Cristina Cid5Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainCenter for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainMaterials and Structures Department, National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainGeosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN), CSIC, Lluís Solé Sabarís s/n, 08028 Barcelona, SpainCenter for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainCenter for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainEndolithic microorganisms, ranging from microeukaryotes to bacteria and archaea, live within the cracks and crevices of rocks. Deception Island in Antarctica constitutes an extreme environment in which endoliths face environmental threats such as intense cold, lack of light in winter, high solar radiation in summer, and heat emitted as the result of volcanic eruptions. In addition, the endolithic biome is considered the harshest one on Earth, since it suffers added threats such as dryness or lack of nutrients. Even so, samples from this hostile environment, collected at various points throughout the island, hosted diverse and numerous microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, diatoms, ciliates, flagellates and unicellular algae. These endoliths were first identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). To understand the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of these endoliths to their environment, genomics techniques were used, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms were identified by metabarcoding, sequencing the V3–V4 and V4–V5 regions of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. Subsequently, the sequences were analyzed by bioinformatic methods that allow their metabolism to be deduced from the taxonomy. The results obtained concluded that some of these microorganisms have activated the biosynthesis routes of pigments such as prodigiosin or flavonoids. These adaptation studies also revealed that microorganisms defend themselves against environmental toxins by activating metabolic pathways for the degradation of compounds such as ethylbenzene, xylene and dioxins and for the biosynthesis of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione. Finally, these Antarctic endolithic microorganisms are of great interest in astrobiology since endolithic settings are environmentally analogous to the primitive Earth or the surfaces of extraterrestrial bodies.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/18/13824endolithic microorganismsDeception Islandextremophilesvolcanic rock16S/18S rRNA sequencingbioinformatics |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Hidalgo-Arias Víctor Muñoz-Hisado Pilar Valles Adelina Geyer Eva Garcia-Lopez Cristina Cid Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks International Journal of Molecular Sciences endolithic microorganisms Deception Island extremophiles volcanic rock 16S/18S rRNA sequencing bioinformatics |
| title | Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks |
| title_full | Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks |
| title_fullStr | Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks |
| title_short | Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks |
| title_sort | adaptation of the endolithic biome in antarctic volcanic rocks |
| topic | endolithic microorganisms Deception Island extremophiles volcanic rock 16S/18S rRNA sequencing bioinformatics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/18/13824 |
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