Anaerobic cultures from preserved tissues of baby mammoth

Elena V. Pikuta; Daniel Fisher; Richard B. Hoover

doi:10.1117/12.897080

23 September 2011 Anaerobic cultures from preserved tissues of baby mammoth

Elena V. Pikuta, Daniel Fisher, Richard B. Hoover

Proceedings Volume 8152, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XIV; 81520U (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.897080
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Microbiological analysis of several cold-preserved tissue samples from the Siberian baby mammoth known as Lyuba revealed a number of culturable bacterial strains that were grown on anaerobic media at 3 oC. Lactic acid produced by LAB (lactic acid bacteria) group, usually by members of the genera Carnobacterium and Lactosphera, appears to be a wonderful preservative that keeps other bacteria from colonizing a system. Permafrost and lactic acid preserved the body of this one month-old baby mammoth and kept it in exceptionally good condition, resulting in this mammoth being the most complete sample of the species ever recovered. The diversity of novel psychrophilic anaerobic isolates was expressed on morphological, physiological and phylogenetic levels. Here, we discuss the specifics of the isolation of new psychrophilic strains, differentiation from trivial contamination, and preliminary results for characterization of the cultures.

Citation Download Citation

Elena V. Pikuta, Daniel Fisher, and Richard B. Hoover "Anaerobic cultures from preserved tissues of baby mammoth", Proc. SPIE 8152, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XIV, 81520U (23 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.897080

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