The Fungi That Survive In Antarctica

Black fungi are microscopic and mighty. They survive everywhere from Antarctica to Joshua Tree National Park, despite extremely harsh conditions. And their survival secrets could one day help other organisms survive hotter, drier climates. So University of Tuscia researchers Laura Selbmann and Claudia Coleine are working with scientists from around the world – and the JGI – to understand them better.Links from this episode:Find all episode transcripts on our websiteIntegrated Microbial Genomes and MicrobiomesSubmit a proposal to work with the JGIOur contact info:Twitter: @JGIEmail: jgi-comms at lbl dot govGenome Insider is a production of the Joint Genome Institute. Some audio in the opening scene comes from an expedition Laura took to Antarctica. Laura.Selbmann©PNRAAll the sampling activities in Antarctica have been performed in the frame of italian expeditions of the Italian National Program for Antarctic Researches (PNRA),  funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research; all specimens collected and fungi isolated are preserved in the Culture Collection of Fungi from Extreme Environment, the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA-CCFEE)