Biodiversity and enzymes bioprospection of Antarctic filamentous fungi

MARTORELL, MARIA M.; RUBERTO, LUCAS; FIGUEROA, LUCIA I. C.; MAC CORMACK, WALTER

Congreso; International Mycological Congress; 2018

Antarctica is one of the most suitable places for the bioprospecting of psychrotrophic fungi. 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 fungi isolates were obtained from 31 different samples. We identified twelve different genera, seven taxa belonged to the Ascomycota phylum (Cadophora, Helotiales, Monographella, Oidodendron, Penicillium, Phialocephala, Phialophora, Phoma and Pseudogymnoascus), one taxa to the Basidiomycota phylum (Irpex) and two taxa to the Mucoromycota phylum (Mortierella and Mucor). Some taxa not previously reported in Antarctica, as Monographella lycopodina, Mucor zonatus and Penicillium kojigenum, were identify. Nine isolates could not be identified to genus level, and could be representing novel species. Most of the fungi were psychrotrophic (76.5%) rather than psychrophilc. Nevertheless, only five isolates were able to grow at 35ºC, and the optimal temperature for growth was 15ºC for 65% of the fungal isolates. Results from enzymes production (amylase, cellulase, xylanase, lipase, esterase, laccase, protease) at low temperatures revealed that the Antarctic environment contains metabolically diverse cultivable fungi, which represent potential tools for biotechnological applications in cold regions.