Microbial and Virus Communities Found in Glacial Ice

Ohio State University researchers have discovered ice glaciers containing microbes and phages that are as old as 14,500 years 6700 meters above sea level, as reported by CTV News. The two ice glaciers were found in the Himalayas. The discovery was initially announced and reported in 2020, and a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Microbiome has now detailed it. This is only the third time ancient viruses have been discovered in glacial ice, according to the experts. This recent study was published on July 20, 2021. Zhi-Ping Zhong, the lead author, stated that “these glaciers were formed gradually, and along with dust and gases, many, many viruses were also deposited in that ice.”

Image is courtesy of Ohio State University.

About the Microbes

The ice samples contained genetic coding for 33 distinct viruses and, according to the researchers, at least 28 of which had never been found before. They believe that these microbes had previously thrived in cold temperatures, as well as in plants and soil due to environmental clues. “The glaciers in western China are not well-studied, and our goal is to use this information to reflect past environments. And viruses are a part of those environments, ” Zhong said. Melting glaciers and thawing permafrost are two examples of climate change, both of which have the potential to release live viruses that haven’t circulated on Earth for thousands of years. According to some researchers, this poses a genuine and severe risk that one of these defrosted germs would infect humans and cause harm.

Image is courtesy of AFP.

However, the harmful microbes left over had already been identified and fortunately only target bacteria rather than humans and/or animals. Likewise, the viruses detected in Tibetan ice cores would have to be altered to survive in extremely cold temperatures, limiting their capacity to move to other regions on the world.

Conclusions

Researchers from Ohio State University have also discovered an innovative approach to the study of bacteria in ice without contamination. According to the Smithsonian Magazine and as reported by Maddie Bender of Vice in early 2020, the study used a new procedure to eliminate contamination that involved removing the outer layer of ice from each core and then soaking it in a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water to disinfect the surface. Researchers expect to learn more about the rate of viral evolution and the microbial ecosystems of the past in the future. This knowledge is valuable, as it presents insight into how microbes and especially pathogens could respond to climate change, as little is known about microbes in extreme climates.

Article Author: Idil Gure

Article Editors: Victoria Huang, Sherilyn Wen