TOMSK, May 17 – RIA Tomsk. Microbiologists of Biological Institute of Tomsk State University (BI TSU) search for new microorganisms in remote ecosystems of Siberia and Asia, and also study two types of bacteria found in 2017; the data obtained can form a basis for the development of new biotechnologies, the press service of the university said on Thursday.
With reference to the head of the Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology of BI TSU Olga Karnachuk it is explained: if in a plant and animal world most species are already opened (only those remain unknown which are in inaccessible places), the situation with microorganisms is completely different – there is only about 5% bacteria which could be isolated from the natural environment.
"We know about the existence of new bacteria, about what characteristics they have ... but we do not know how they look. But if you want to work with these bacteria, you need to keep them in hand, because not all properties can be predicted ... Microbiologists of TSU will look for new bacteria in hard-to-reach remote ecosystems of Siberia and Asia", – is said in the message.
It is specified that TSU scientists will select samples from deep artesian wells located on the border of Transbaikalia and China, in Altai, Kuzbass and in the north of the Tomsk region, and then "separate from them the DNA of microorganisms and add together a full genome from them, as it happens when playing tetris"."The data obtained form a basis for the development of new biotechnologies, for example, for the use of genes of microorganisms in genetic engineering", – is added in the report. The project is supported by the Russian Science Foundation.
Previously it was believed that the underground biosphere, where the temperature reaches 60-70°C above zero, can not surprise with a large number of living organisms. However, TSU reports, recently in the water of artesian wells microbiologists of the university discovered several new microorganisms. Among them there are two bacteria (Ozemobacteria and Sumerlabacteria). Within the framework of the project scientists will study their properties and will try to learn how to cultivate them in the laboratory.