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Antarctic Psychrophilic Microorganisms and Biotechnology: History, Current Trends, Applications, and Challenges

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Microbial Models: From Environmental to Industrial Sustainability

Part of the book series: Microorganisms for Sustainability ((MICRO,volume 1))

Abstract

The potential use of psychrophilic (i.e., cold-loving) microorganisms as biotechnological tools remained a promise for decades. This vision changed in the early 1990s when scientists began to seriously guess on their usefulness for the industry and the medical field, among many others. Nowadays, most of these expectations have been confirmed, and psychrophiles are considered as sustainable and invaluable resources for the development of diverse biotechnological processes and/or products, many of which have already been patented or are protected by industrial secrecy. Besides, some new and unexpected applications of psychrophiles are starting to emerge as scientists discover new species in the most extreme environments. Antarctica is such an extraordinary place to prospect for this kind of microorganisms: it is the coldest and driest continent on Earth, with different climatic regions and many different ecosystems (both terrestrial and aquatic). Antarctic microbes have been investigated for more than a century. Currently, more than two hundreds patents have been filed related to actual or potential commercial biotechnological applications based on Antarctic genetic resources; many of them concern microorganisms and their metabolites. This chapter highlights recent reports dealing with products and/or processes derived from the study of Antarctic psychrophilic or psychrotolerant microorganisms, with emphasis on their applications in the fields of medicine, nanotechnology, energy production, and agriculture. It also focuses on the specific problems of bioprospecting in Antarctic pristine environments, under the light of past and present experiences

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Acknowledgments

The author is thankful to Drs. Eduardo Chica, David Donoso, and Lenys Buela for their critical reading of the manuscript and many helpful comments. The author also acknowledges Proyecto Prometeo of the National Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation of Ecuador (SENESCYT).

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  1. Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Núcleo de La Hechicera, Universidad de Los Andes, Av. Alberto Carnevalli, Mérida, 5101, Estado Mérida, Venezuela

    Luis Andrés Yarzábal

  2. Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Cuenca, Av. 12 de Octubre, Cuenca, Ecuador

    Luis Andrés Yarzábal

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    Susana Castro-Sowinski

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Yarzábal, L.A. (2016). Antarctic Psychrophilic Microorganisms and Biotechnology: History, Current Trends, Applications, and Challenges. In: Castro-Sowinski, S. (eds) Microbial Models: From Environmental to Industrial Sustainability. Microorganisms for Sustainability, vol 1. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2555-6_5

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