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Screening fungi isolated from historic Discovery Hut on Ross Island, Antarctica for cellulose degradation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2008

Shona M. Duncan ,
Ryuji Minasaki ,
Roberta L. Farrell ,
Joanne M. Thwaites ,
Benjamin W. Held ,
Brett E. Arenz ,
Joel A. Jurgens  and
Robert A. Blanchette
Shona M. Duncan*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Ryuji Minasaki
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Roberta L. Farrell
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Joanne M. Thwaites
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Benjamin W. Held
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
Brett E. Arenz
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
Joel A. Jurgens
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
Robert A. Blanchette
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
*
*[email protected]
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Abstract

To survive in Antarctica, early explorers of Antarctica's Heroic Age erected wooden buildings and brought in large quantities of supplies. The introduction of wood and other organic materials may have provided new nutrient sources for fungi that were indigenous to Antarctica or were brought in with the materials. From 30 samples taken from Discovery Hut, 156 filamentous fungi were isolated on selective media. Of these, 108 were screened for hydrolytic activity on carboxymethyl cellulose, of which 29 demonstrated activities. Endo-1, 4-β-glucanase activity was confirmed in the extracellular supernatant from seven isolates when grown at 4°C, and also when they were grown at 15°C. Cladosporium oxysporum and Geomyces sp. were shown to grow on a variety of synthetic cellulose substrates and to use cellulose as a nutrient source at temperate and cold temperatures. The research findings from the present study demonstrate that Antarctic filamentous fungi isolated from a variety of substrates (wood, straw, and food stuffs) are capable of cellulose degradation and can grow well at low temperatures.

Keywords

cellulolyticendo-14-β-glucanasemicrofungipsychrotolerant
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 20 , Issue 5 , October 2008 , pp. 463 - 470
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2008

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