Antarctic bacteria share ‘life-support’ genes to survive extreme conditions
New research indicates that Antarctic bacteria survive extreme conditions by sharing 'life-support' genes through horizontal gene transfer. This communal strategy allows microbes to harvest energy from atmospheric gases, a process known as aerotrophy.
Why it matters
Understanding how life adapts to extreme environments provides insights into biological resilience and the potential for life in harsh conditions elsewhere.
Ry Holland , CC BY Antarctic bacteria share ‘life‑support’ genes to survive extreme conditions Published: August 23, 2026 10:54pm EDT https://theconversation.com/antarctic-bacteria-share-life-support-genes-to-survive-extreme-conditions-289150 https://theconversation.com/antarctic-bacteria-share-life-support-genes-to-survive-extreme-conditions-289150 Link copied Share article Share article
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Antarctica is one of the driest, coldest places on Earth. Very little life survives its extremes.
In the soils dotted around the frozen ice sheets, however, communities of microbes do survive. And one of the keys to their success is a surprisingly communal strategy.
Unrelated organisms share the tools for survival by transferring genes among themselves, including genes that allow them to make energy from the air itself.
In new research, we studied the genomes of 676 microbe species and discovered that almost all of them (around 98%) showed evidence of swapping genes with other microbes. The study is published in Nature Communications.
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