Microbial community composition of terrestrial habitats in East Antarctica with a focus on microphototrophs.

ABSTRACT: The Antarctic terrestrial environment harbors a diverse community of microorganisms, which have adapted to the extreme conditions. The aim of this study was to describe the composition of microbial communities in a diverse range of terrestrial environments (various biocrusts and soils, sands from ephemeral wetlands, biofilms, endolithic and hypolithic communities) in East Antarctica using both molecular and morphological approaches. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the dominance of Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes, while sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene showed the prevalence of Alveolata, Chloroplastida, Metazoa, and Rhizaria. This study also provided a comprehensive assessment of the microphototrophic community revealing a diversity of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic

SUBMITTER: Pushkareva E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10797080 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature