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Psychrobacter is
a member of the gamma Proteobacteria family. This genera is commonly isolated
from cold environments, including soil, sea-ice [1], and the skin and gills of
fish [2]. It has also been
associated with food spoilage and is often resistant to irradiation used for
food preservation
[3]. Psychrobacters have also been identified from a variety of human sources[4].
The sequenced strain, Psychrobacter 273-4
was isolated from a 20-40 thousand-year-old Siberian permafrost core[5].
The permafrost samples were obtained from the Kolyma-Indigirka lowland,
Siberia by David Gilichinsky (Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino,
Russia).
Psychrobacter 273-4
is a small, non-motile coccoid rod often found in pairs. On TSA it
produces smooth, non-pigmented colonies. This strain was selected for
sequencing based on its excellent survival after exposure to a long-term
freeze, rapid growth at low temperatures and age of the permafrost
sediment from which it was cultured.
Through analysis
of the transcriptome, experiments can be designed to study microbial
survival under a variety of harsh conditions. The issue of long-term
survival is of interest in the field of astrobiology. Organisms that
survive such hostile environments may be used as models for understanding
cellular responses on astral bodies.
- Bowman, J.P.,
et al., Diversity and association of Psychrophilic bacteria in
Antarctic sea ice. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1997.
63(8): p. 3068-3078.
- Scholes, R.B.
and J.M. Shewan, The present status of some aspects of marine
microbiology. Advances in Marine Biology, 1964. 2: p. 133-169.
- Firstenberg-Eden,
R., D.B. Rowley, and G.E. Shattuck, Factors affecting inactivation
of Moraxella- Acientobacter cells in an irradiation process. Applied
and Environmental Microbiology, 1980. 40: p. 480-485.
- Moss, C.W., et
al., Cultural and chemical characterization of CDC groups EO-2,
M-5 and M-6, Moraxella(Moraxella) species, Oligella urethralis, Acientobacter
sp. and Psychrobacter immobilis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology,
1988. 26: p. 484-492.
- Vishnivetskaya,
T., et al., Low temperature recovery strategies for the isolation
of bacteria from ancient permafrost sediments. Extremophiles,
2000. 4. 165-173.
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