DNA swapping is prevalent in microbes thriving in Antarctica's lake, according to a new study. This odd survival technique is allowing microorganisms to prolong its chance to survive in the extreme environment.
The Antarctica's Deep Lake in Vestfold Hills is 165 feet or 50 meters below sea level. It is a fresh water lake with temperature reaching even negative 20 degrees Celsius (-4F). It is Antarctica's saltiest lake.
Rick Cavicchioli, lead author of the study from University of South Wales, and his colleagues found that the single-celled microbes haloarchaea, residing in the lake, swap DNA with each other to stay alive.
Haloarchaea, a single-celled microbe, is known for its interesting survival in this extremely salty and cold condition. They are different in biological characteristics from similarly extreme survivors like algae and bacteria.
Despite the diverse species of haloarchaea and each established niche in its sustenance, they gather to swap DNA of as much as 35,000 genetic codes. The genetic trade is more extensive than what was previously believed and observed in an ordinary environment.
Extreme cold environments are also less conducive for reproduction. These microbes can only reproduce six times every year.
"Long stretches of virtually identical DNA are exchanged between different genera, not just species. Despite this rampant gene swapping, the different species are maintained and can co-exist because they have evolved to exploit different niches and consume different food sources," Cavicchioli wrote.
There are other studies trying to find out more about how these one-celled microorganisms acclimatize and survive in such harsh and seemingly inhabitable environment. This pursuit of study in survival and endurance in extreme environments could also be very significant in the belief that extraterrestrial life is not impossible.
This study was published in the Sept. 30 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
