Adaptation of microorganisms to Arctic environments

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The vast majority (>75%) of Earth's biosphere exists in permanently cold environments, including polar regions (14% of surface area) and deep ocean (90% by volume). However, the mechanisms by which organisms adapt to survive and thrive in these widespread environments are not well understood. These systems are being disproportionately affected by global climate change and the impact of these changes on their microbial inhabitants is unclear. Understanding how these microorganisms adapt to these conditions is critical for predicting and comprehending the effects of climate change on Northern ecosystems and will provide insight into fundamental molecular and evolutionary adaptation mechanisms. Furthermore, enzymes and microorganisms that are adapted to these conditions have been of great interest for industry and biotechnology. My research program will focus on examining the diversity and dynamics of microorganisms and their mechanisms of adaptation to these extreme environments. I will use advanced molecular biology and genomics based methods to obtain gene sequences from uncultured microorganisms from the Kaskawulsh Glacier in the Icefield Ranges of the St. Elias Mountains in southwest Yukon. One approach, stable isotope probing, will allow me, for the first time, to link the identity of the microorganisms to their environmental function. I will analyse gene sequences to determine microbial diversity, function, and evolutionary adaptations to the cold. These studies will provide insights into microbiology of extreme environments and adaptation to temperature extremes.