Polar Microbes and Climate Change: A Molecular Understanding for Sustainable Future

Many current extremophile studies have been undertaken on species suited to extreme temperatures. In contrast, thermophiles (hot temperature-loving microbes) have received far more attention than psychrophiles (cold-loving microbes). On the other hand, scientific research on cold-adapted microbes (precisely polar microbes) has surged by a factor of ten in the last decades. Regarding the size of cold habitats, psychrophiles, or cold-loving creatures, thermophiles should outnumber thermophiles because a considerable percentage of the Earth's biosphere never sees temperatures beyond 5°C. Oceans span over three-quarters of the planet, with deep water masses between 2 and 4°C regardless of latitude. In addition to providing a constantly frigid terrestrial habitat, Antarctica also provides an aquatic niche in the surrounding ice that melts throughout the summer. Examples of cold ecosystems include permafrost soils, high alpine soils, cold deserts, cold caverns, marine sediments, snow, glaciers, and sea ice.

This book discusses the different aspects of microbial diversity and their adaptations to extreme polar regions, with a view to their biotechnological exploitation for future research. The chapters cover the complete atlas of up-to-date information. The contents offer molecular diversity and molecular and genetic adaptations of polar inhabitant microbes with a focus on low-temperature-adapted microorganisms. It describes representative groups, the habitats in which they live, and the strategies they employ to cope with the cold. The book will be of interest to all scientists interested in how life copes in deep freezers.

It is warranted to mention that for survival in frigid environments and climate change, these organisms have established specific regulatory mechanisms to overcome environmental cues. Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made to uncover microbial adaptation to anthropogenic activities such as high irradiance, nutritional deprivation, UV-B radiation, heat, cold, desiccation, heavy metals, and radiation. However, studies have opened the doors for a basic understanding of gene regulatory pathways for morphological, physiological, metabolic, and genetic adaptations to various environmental stresses.

Unfortunately, the polar regions' adaptation mechanisms and molecular diversity are primarily unexplored. Even research is scattered for a long time, and researchers are looking for a common platform to have a complete snapshot in one place. Hence, the present book content has been designed to discuss the different aspects of microbial diversity and their adaptations to extreme polar regions for their biotechnological exploitation for future research. In addition, chapters have been designed to deal with the complete atlas of up-to-date information. Hence, the book will offer molecular diversity and molecular and genetic adaptations of polar inhabitant microbes. 

The book will focus on low-temperature-adapted microorganisms. With cutting-edge knowledge, it will describe representative groups, the habitats in which they live, and the strategies they employ to cope with the cold. Furthermore, the book will offer valuable information to all those scientists interested in knowing how life manages in deep freezers.

Prof. Alysson Duarte is an Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Alagoas, Arapiraca Campus. Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Alagoas (2007), Master in Human Nutrition - UFAL (2009) and PhD in Biotechnology - USP (2015). He completed a Postdoctoral internship at the Microbial Resources Division Laboratory - at the Multidisciplinary Center for Chemical, Biological and Agricultural Research - UNICAMP in 2015-2016. Participated as a researcher in November/December 2013 of the XXXII OPERANTAR (Brazilian Antarctic Research Expedition). Has experience in Microbiology, with emphasis on Food Microbiology, Microbiology of the Antarctic environment, Microbial ecology, Taxonomic evaluation of yeasts, Enzyme prospecting using cultivable (culture-dependent) and non-cultivable microorganisms (metagenomic libraries), Construction of metagenomic libraries, Heterologous expression of microbial enzymes and experimental planning aiming at the optimization of processes and products.

Prof. Michel Rodrigo Zambrano Passarini, Graduated and completed his PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology of Microorganisms at the State University of Campinas. He has vast research experience in biotechnology, emphasizing molecular and microorganism genetics. His current research areas are microbial ecology and microbial bioprospecting of extreme environments in the search for enzymes and metabolites of industrial interest applicable to the production of biofuel and degradation processes of environmental pollutants, as well as Metagenomic and metabarcoding. He has published more than 60 research articles and book chapters of international repute.

Prof. Josef Elster, is a full professor at the Centre for Polar Ecology at the University of South Bohemia. His research focuses on the Polyphasic diversity of phototrophic microorganisms from cold environments and their bioprospection potential. He has published over 200 research articles and completed many cryobiology-related projects. He is also a fellow and member of various scientific societies.

Dr Prashant Kumar Singh, works at the Department of Biotechnology, Mizoram University (A Central University), Pachhunga University College Campus, Aizawl, Mizoram. He completed his PhD degree from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. In his 14 years of research career, he has published more than 80 articles and book chapters and four books. Dr Singh has also been exposed to various national and international institutes. The Young Scientist Award, UGC and Start-up research grant award. Dr Singh and lifetime members of different scientific societies and reviewers of various peer-reviewed journals.

Dr Ajay Kumar, is a visiting scientist in the Agriculture Research Organization, Volcani Centre, Rishon Leziyon, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Israel. Dr Kumar completed his doctoral research from Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. He has published over seventy-five research papers, including research articles, review papers, and book chapters in leading International and National journals or books. He has a wide area of research experience, especially in Plant -Microbiome, Plant-Microbe Interactions, and microbe-mediated environmental contamination management. In addition, he is an invited member of the editorial committee of “The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences” and “Journal of Plant Science and Agriculture Research. He also reviews journals like PLOS ONE, Postharvest Biology and Technology; Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment, Biological Control, Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 3Biotech, etc. He has already edited several books with “Elsevier” like “PGPR Amelioration in Sustainable Agriculture”, “Climate Change and Agriculture Ecosystem”, “Role of Plant growth-promoting bacteria in sustainable Agriculture and Nanotechnology”, “Microbial Endophytes: Prospects for Sustainable Agriculture”, “Abatements of Environmental Pollutants” Fungi Bio-prospects in Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Nanotechnology (volume 1-3) and several are under the production.