Permafrost Bacteria in Biotechnology: Biomedical Applications

Mechanisms of survival and growth capacities of microorganisms trapped in permafrost are still under discussion, but the very fact of their existence for thousands of years is evidence of their phenomenal viability. One of these nonpathogenic bacteria, identified as Bacillus cereus strain BF, was found in Yakutia and was capable of enhancing longevity and immunity in Drosophila and mice and showed probiotic activity on the mice Salmonella enterica model. In developing Drosophila melanogaster, the application of Bacillus cereus strain BF resulted in a dose-dependent increase of the growth rate of Drosophila and in a decrease of larval mortality, whereas in adult imagoes gaseous exchange (VO2 and VCO2), spontaneous motor activity, and stress resistance were enhanced.