A thermophilic microorganism from Deception Island, Antarctica with a thermostable glutamate dehydrogenase activity.

Background: The Antarctic continent is a source of extreme microorganisms. Millions of years of isolation have produced unique biodiversity with adaptive responses to its extreme environment. Although the Antarctic climate is mainly cold, the presence of several geothermal sites, including thermal springs, fumaroles, hot soils and hydrothermal vents, provides ideal environments for the development of thermophilic and hyperthermophilic microorganisms.

Ionic liquids increase the catalytic efficiency of a lipase (Lip1) from an antarctic thermophilic bacterium.

Lipases catalyze the hydrolysis and synthesis of triglycerides and their reactions are widely used in industry. The use of ionic liquids has been explored in order to improve their catalytic properties. However, the effect of these compounds on kinetic parameters of lipases has been poorly understood.

Lipid composition of thermophilic Geobacillus sp. strain GWE1, isolated from sterilization oven.

GWE1 strain is an example of anthropogenic thermophilic bacterium, recently isolated from dark crusty material from sterilization ovens by Correa-Llantén et al. (Kor. J.

Gold nanoparticles synthesized by Geobacillus sp. strain ID17 a thermophilic bacterium isolated from Deception Island, Antarctica.

Background: The use of microorganisms in the synthesis of nanoparticles emerges as an eco-friendly and exciting approach, for production of nanoparticles due to its low energy requirement, environmental compatibility, reduced costs of manufacture, scalability, and nanoparticle stabilization compared with the chemical synthesis.

Results: The production of gold nanoparticles by the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus sp. strain ID17 is reported in this study.

Production, purification and partial characterization of four lipases from a thermophile isolated from Deception Island.

Four lipases were purified from ID17, a thermophilic bacterium belonging to Geobacillus genus isolated from Deception Island, Antarctica. Lipase activity was detected by opacity test and p-nitrophenyl laurate methods. Lipase production was better in a medium containing tryptone as the carbon and nitrogen source, without non-ionic detergents and pH 7.

Antioxidant capacity of novel pigments from an Antarctic bacterium.

In Antarctica microorganisms are exposed to several conditions that trigger the generation of reactive oxygen species, such as high UV radiation. Under these conditions they must have an important antioxidant defense system in order to prevent oxidative damage. One of these defenses are pigments which are part of the non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms.