[Archaeal diversity in permafrost deposits of Bunger Hills Oasis and King George Island (Antarctica) according to the 16S rRNA gene sequencing].

Archaeal communities of permafrost deposits of King George Island and Bunger Hills Oasis (Antarctica) differing in the content of biogenic methane were analyzed using clone libraries of two 16S rRNA gene regions. Phylotypes belonging to methanogenic archaea were identified in all horizons.

[Fungal diversity in the Antarctic active layer].

Taxonomic diversity of fungi in the samples of the active layer of Antarctica was investigated using conventional microbiological techniques and metagenomic analysis of total DNA extracted from environmental samples. The list of Antarctic microscopic fungi was expanded, including detection of the species representing a portion of the fungal complex, which is nonculturable or sterile on conventional nutrient media.

[Novel halotolerant bacterium from cryopeg in permafrost: description of Psychrobacter muriicola sp. nov].

A novel halotolerant psychrotrophic gram-negative bacterium, strain 2pS, was isolated from lenses of water brine in Arctic permafrost (cryopeg). The optimal growth of the new strain was observed at 16-18 degrees C; the maximal and minimal growth temperatures were 37 degrees C and -2 degrees C, respectively. The pH growth range was 5.

[The structure of micromycete complexes in permafrost and cryopegs of the Arctic].

A comparative study of the structure of micromycete complexes has been performed. The samples of micromycetes were taken by boring from unique habitats: cryopegs (lenses of non-freezing hypersaline water in ancient permafrost horizons) and permafrost Arctic sediments of different age enclosing these cryopegs. The possibility of characterizing the above habitats by the structure of specific complexes of microscopic fungi using qualitative and quantitative indices at extremely low numbers of these organisms was demonstrated.