Bacteria found to produce proteins that act like antifreeze
Certain marine worms in polar waters survive cold temperatures with symbiotic bacteria producing antifreeze-like proteins. Research in Science Advances reveals the worms host bacteria for cryoprotective proteins, preventing freezing. This study showcases microbial assistance in extreme environments.
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Researchers have discovered that certain marine worms in polar waters survive the cold temperatures with the help of symbiotic bacteria that produce antifreeze-like proteins. The study, published in Science Advances, involved collecting marine worms from Antarctic coastal areas and analyzing them in the lab. The team found that the worms did not produce the antifreeze proteins themselves but instead hosted bacteria that did. By conducting DNA analysis, they identified bacteria genera known to produce cryoprotective proteins found in the worms. This symbiotic relationship allows the worms to avoid freezing to death in the subzero waters. The research sheds light on how some organisms adapt to extreme environments through microbial assistance, highlighting the intricate ecological interactions in polar regions.
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1 commentshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moor_frog
Lots of antifreeze out there in the biology world. Most of them aren't useful because ethylene glycol is easy to produce and is quite superior (albeit super toxic) so nobody cares.
Also, the title is wrong. The bacteria is making proteins that produce antifreeze. The protein itself isn't the antifreeze or acting like an antifreeze. Otherwise it would be super wasteful metabolically but would actually make it an interesting evolution adaptation.
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