Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2025

Removal of Exogenous Materials from the Outer Portion of Frozen Cores to Investigate the Ancient Biological Communities Harbored Inside
Published on: July 3, 2016
Ancient environmental microbiomes and the cryosphere
Alexander D Williams1, Vivian W Leung2, Julian W Tang3
1Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited (D(2)4H), 12/F, Building 19W, 19 Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
Abstract:
In this review, we delineate the unique set of characteristics associated with cryosphere environments (namely, ice and permafrost) which present both challenges and opportunities for studying ancient environmental microbiomes (AEMs). In a field currently reliant on several assumptions, we discuss the theoretical and empirical feasibility of recovering microbial nucleic acids (NAs) from ice and permafrost with varying degrees of antiquity. We also summarize contamination control best practices and highlight considerations for the latest approaches, including shotgun metagenomics, and downstream bioinformatic authentication approaches. We review the adoption of existing software and provide an overview of more recently published programs, with reference to their suitability for AEM studies. Finally, we summarize outstanding challenges and likely future directions for AEM research.
More Related Videos
13:38Laser-Induced Fluorescence Emission L.I.F.E. as Novel Non-Invasive Tool for In-Situ Measurements of Biomarkers in Cryospheric Habitats
Published on: October 26, 2019
14:38Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
Published on: April 20, 2012
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Factors Influencing Microbial Growth: Temperature
Diversity of Archaea I
Green Algae
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms