A novel species of ultramicrobacterium has been isolated from a 120,000-year-old, 3042-meter-deep Greenland glacier ice core by researchers at Pennsylvania State University. The scientists have provisionally called the new species Herminiimonas glaciei and suggested that it may hold clues to possible life forms on other planets. "These extremely cold environments are the best analogues of possible extraterrestrial habitats," said Dr. Jennifer Loveland-Curtze, lead author of the report. "The exceptionally low temperatures can preserve cells and nucleic acids for even millions of years. H. glaciei is one of just a handful of officially described ultra-small species and the only one so far from the Greenland ice sheet; studying these bacteria can provide insights into how cells can survive and even grow under extremely harsh conditions, such as temperatures down to -56˚C, little oxygen, low nutrients, high pressure, and limited space." The small size of H. glaciei probably helped it to survive in the liquid veins among ice crystals and the thin liquid film on their surfaces. Small cell size is considered to be advantageous for more efficient nutrient uptake, protection against predators, and occupation of micro-niches, and it has been shown that ultramicrobacteria are dominant in many soil and marine environments. This report was published in the June issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. [Press release] [IJSEM abstract]Login Or Register To Read Full Story