[Temperature range for growth of the Antarctic microorganisms]

The assessment of a temperature range for growth of microorganisms isolated at various temperatures (1-5 degrees C or 30 degrees C) from biotopes of the Antarctic region (soil, grass Deschampcia antarctica, grass Colobanthus, a green moss, crustose black lichens and encrustation biofilm on vertical rocks) is made. From 40 to 70% of the investigated Antarctic microorganisms, irrespective of temperature conditions of their isolation, were capable of growing in a wide temperature range (from 1 degrees C to 30 degrees C), i.e. they are psychrotolerant. In selective conditions (1 degrees C or 5 degrees C) the psychrophilic Antarctic bacteria and yeast are isolated which grew in the range from 1 degrees C to 20 degrees C and did not grow at 30 degrees C. At the same time, among the Antarctic microorganisms isolated in nonselective conditions (at 30 degrees C), almost 50% are capable of growing at the lowest temperature (5 degrees C), and a smaller number of strains--at 1 degrees C. However with a decrease of cultivation temperature the growth lag-phase of the Antarctic bacteria increased. Thus the level of the final biomass of the investigated strains did not depend on cultivation temperature. When comparing the temperature range of growth of the mesophilic Antarctic bacteria and collection strains of the same species isolated more than 10 years ago from the region with a temperate climate, the psychrotolerant forms were also revealed among the latter. So, it is shown that the investigated Antarctic bacteria can exist in the temperature range characteristic of terrestrial biotopes of the Antarctic Region (from 1 degrees C to 10 degrees C).