Abstract:
Microbes growing in extreme environments can be a useful source of genetic material for biodiscovery projects. Over the past two years we have both collected metagenomic DNA and isolated bacteria from sample points between 41 and 56° S during both summer and winter cruises of the SA Agulhas II. The metagenomic samples have been used to analyse species diversity using next generation sequencing from 16S RNA gene amplicons. In addition, we have identified the species of the bacterial isolates also using 16S RNA gene analysis. In the future we plan to create metagenomic libraries and use them to screen for a number of activities, including hydrocarbon degradation and biopolymer formation. We will also functionally analyse the isolates using Biolog nutrient utilisation plates to examine their potential roles in nutrient cycling within the Southern Ocean. Finally, we will examine the isolates to identify if they can degrade hydrocarbons to identify species that can be used for pollution alleviation. - Abstract as displayed in the - Abstract booklet. The presentation on the day may differ from the - Abstract.
