Research status and challenges of polar microbial resources

Abstract:

There are diverse geological landforms such as tundras, frozen soils, oceans, glaciers, lakes, and mountains in the Antarctic and Arctic regions. The low temperatures, dryness, strong radiation, and barren environments shape unique and diverse microbial communities, which are a treasure trove of microbial resources. This article introduces the functions and applications of low-temperature enzymes, polysaccharides, and metabolites (antimicrobial substances, surfactants, pigments, volatile organic compounds, etc.) of polar microorganisms, the diversity and collection of polar microbial resources and type strains, and the current status of polar microbial patent applications and related research institutions. Furthermore, this paper briefs the challenges of culturability, metagenomic analysis, and digital sequence data in polar microbial prospecting.