Impact of Climate Change on Polar Polyextremophilic Diversity, with a Focus on Genetics and Proteomics

Notwithstanding its largely lifeless appearance, Antarctica hosts considerable biodiversity and is home to multiple polyextremophilic organisms. However, increased temperature fluctuations in recent times owing to climate change enormously impact the diversity and survival of these species in polar regions. This chapter takes a closer look at cold adaptation in general and molecular mechanisms and cellular cross-talk involved in polyextremophilic adaptation mechanisms toward extreme cold stress in particular. It also reviews various physiological adaptation strategies of these organisms, such as slower cellular growth, the activity of proteins, and genomic functions like regulation of various genes such as LnA and Lon. In addition, other physiological strategies, such as the evolution of anti-freezing proteins, recrystallization inhibition proteins, and various extremozymes that affect protein stability and alter the biochemistry of membrane lipids, are also deliberated herein. We argue that investigating adaptative strategies of polyextremophilic microorganisms warrants the dire attention of scientific communities around the world, as the ongoing climate change could wipe out many of these unique organisms in the near future.