Stanislava Bezdíček Králová has participated in polar research in the past. Five years ago, she collected samples in Antarctica for bacterial cultivation. This year, however, she will focus on researching the environmental DNA of microorganisms that survive in extreme conditions. “The goal is to understand how Antarctic bacteria produce bioactive peptides and whether these peptides are specific to the Antarctic environment. We will also investigate how they are modified to function in given abiotic conditions,” explains the scientist.

Bioactive peptides are antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic substances, but their use can be much broader. “They can also function as antifungal agents and find their use, for example, in protective sprays,” says Bezdíček Králová. In addition to peptide chemistry, the scientist will also focus on enzymology. “Specific enzymes are needed for peptides to form, and they can be modified to function in Antarctic conditions. Potentially, these enzymes could also be used in cold conditions here,” she adds.

The main task will be to isolate what is known as environmental DNA. This contains information about the evolution of the substances mentioned. “Ideally, we would dry the samples from which we collect DNA on site and transport them in this state. Unfortunately, we do not have a lyophilizer that could function long-term at the research station. We will therefore freeze the samples and transport them frozen to the laboratories, where we will dry them and continue working with them,” Bezdíček Králová describes the process.

It is currently Antarctic summer, providing ideal conditions for research. Temperatures there are typically between 0 ±10 °C. However, microorganisms survive here throughout the year in extreme cold. “Temperatures here drop to -30 °C and below. Now, as it warms up, the bacteria thaw, their metabolism starts up for a while, but then they freeze again. The repetition of these cycles is the worst thing a living cell can survive. The fact that bacteria survive in this way in Antarctica is one of the most fascinating things in biology,” the scientist describes the survival process.

Obtaining information from environmental DNA will help scientists understand how cold chemistry works in bacteria in Antarctica. “Knowledge of these processes can be applied in the elimination of certain pathogens or in chemistry that will only be active at low temperatures. We will isolate DNA from the imported permafrost and its active layer in Czechia, colleagues from the Faculty Hospital in Brno will sequence it, and in cooperation with the Brno University of Technology team, we will then process the data and look for specific patterns,” Bezdíček Králová explains the entire process. This will be the first time that a scientific team has examined the genetic information of Antarctic microorganisms in this way.

Photo: Archive of the Czech Antarctic Research Program