Fungal diversity of Antarctic and potential degradation of diesel fuel artic

Abstract

Antarctic soil is considered oligotrophic, with low humidity, high salinity, high incidence of ultraviolet radiation and subjected to prolonged periods of low temperature. Due to these extreme conditions, low abundance and diversity of the microbial community is attributed when compared to tropical and temperate soils. Among the microorganisms isolated and identified so far in Antarctica, fungi are the ones with the greatest diversity, being identified as symbionts (lichens), mycorrhizals and saprophytes. Accidents with oil spills, during transport and storage, have attracted the attention of researchers in search of alternatives for remediation, and the use of microorganisms is a viable, cheap and environmentally correct practice. Knowing the microorganisms capable of degrading these organic pollutants is extremely important to help establish protocols for remediation processes, as well as to increase knowledge of the diversity of these organisms in an extreme environment such as Antarctica. In this sense, the present study had as general objectives to evaluate the diversity of cultivable fungi in the soil of Antarctica, as well as to evaluate the degradation capacity of toluene, xylene, hexadecane, heptane and dodecane by autochthonous species and also to characterize the protein profile of the isolates in the presence of these hydrocarbons.