Biodiversity and enzymes bioprospection of Antarctic filamentous fungi

MARTORELL MM; RUBERTO L; FERNANDEZ P; CASTELLANOS DE FIGUEROA L; MAC CORMACK W.P

ANTARCTIC SCIENCE

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2018

0954-1020

Antarctica is one of the most suitable places for the bioprospecting of psychrotrophic fungi, which play a key role in the nutrient cycle and organic material mineralization in cold environments. These actions are mainly done by the production of several cold-active extracellular enzymes. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of filamentous fungi from 25 De Mayo Island, Antarctica and their ability to produce extracellular hydrolytic enzymes at low temperature. A total of 51 fungal isolates were obtained from 31 samples. We identified twelve genera, seven among the Ascomycota phylum (Cadophora, Helotiales, Monographella, Oidodendron, Penicillium, Phialocephala, Phialophora, Phoma and Pseudogymnoascus), one Basidiomycota phylum (Irpex) and two Mucoromycota phylum (Mortierella and Mucor). Monographella lycopodina, Mucor zonatus and Penicillium kojigenum, not previously reported in Antarctica, were identified. Nine isolates could not be identified to genus level and could be representing novel species. Most of the studied fungi were psychrotrophic (76.5%). Nevertheless, only five isolates were able to grow at 35ºC, being 15ºC the optimal growth temperature for 65% of the fungal isolates. Results from enzymes production at low temperature revealed that theAntarctic environment contains metabolically diverse fungi, which represent potential tools for biotechnological applications in cold regions.