Metagenomics untangles potential adaptations of Antarctic endolithic bacteria at the fringe of habitability

Abstract

Survival and growth strategies of Antarctic endolithic microbes residing in Earth's driest and coldest desert remain virtually unknown. From 109 endolithic microbiomes, 4539 metagenome-assembled genomes were generated, 49.3 % of which were novel candidate bacterial species. We present evidence that trace gas oxidation and atmospheric chemosynthesis may be the prevalent strategies supporting metabolic activity and persistence of these ecosystems at the fringe of life and the limits of habitability.

Keywords: Adaptation; Antarctica; Extremophiles; Habitability; MAGs; Metagenomics.