PROPERTIES OF COLD-ADAPTED MICROORGANISMS AND THEIR POTENTIAL ROLE INBIOTECHNOLOGY

Cold-adapted (psychrophilic and psychrotrophic) microorganisms are dis tinguished from mesophiles by their ability to grow at low temperature s. They are widely distributed in nature. Their response to high tempe ratures was shown to be disruption in protein synthesis by inability o f RNA formation, alterations of the structure of nucleic acids, inacti vation of thermolabile enzymes, activation of lytic enzymes, alteratio ns of the cell morphology, inhibition of cell division and induction o f heat shock proteins. At low temperatures, among other physiological characteristics. psychrophiles and psychrotrophs have slower metabolic rates and higher catalytic efficiencies than mesophiles. The genetic basis of cold adaptation is not cleared up. Cold-adapted microorganism s have a considerable potential in biotechnological application (waste treatment at ambient temperatures, enzymology, food industry, medicin e).