Molecular adaptations in Antarctic fish and marine microorganisms

The Antarctic marine environment is one of the most extreme on Earth due to its stably low temperature and high oxygen content. Here we discuss various aspects of the molecular adaptations evolved by Antarctic fish and marine microorganisms living in this environment. This review will in particular focus on: (i) the genetic/genomic bases of adaptation in Antarctic notothenioid fish; (ii) the role of neuroglobin recently identified in the brain of Antarctic icefish; (iii) the structural and functional features of globins of the Antarctic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125.

► We discuss the genetic/genomic bases of cold adaptation in fish. ► We present the functional properties of neuroglobin in icefish. ► We provide a short overview on the molecular adaptations in cold-adapted bacteria