title: Composition and thermal properties of membrane lipids in cryptoendolithic lichen microbiota from antarctica.
abstract: In Antarctica there exists a cryptoendolithic microbiota which survives extremely low temperatures. Fatty acid analysis of the membrane phospholipids of this microbial community showed a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Artificial membranes made from the purified community phospholipids remained fluid to below -20 degrees C and had unusual hydration properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada ; Department of Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama 35294 ; and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Finegold
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Federle
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vestal