Commencing with the latest developments making headlines, our team of scientists at the National Centre for Microbial Resource under National Centre for Cell Science (NCMR-NCCS) in Pune have recently unveiled the discovery of a new archaeon. This intriguing find was made in the renowned Sambhar Salt Lake, situated in Rajasthan.
About The National Centre for Microbial Resource
Established initially as the Microbial Culture Collection (MCC) in 2009, the organization began with a clear mandate in mind – to preserve and catalogue the diversity of bacteria collected from various ecological niches across India. An added objective was to make these bacterial cultures accessible for biotechnological exploration by researchers.
In April 2017, a significant transformation of the MCC took place, and it was established as a Centre of Excellence for the National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR). The NCMR serves a critical function as the guardian of India’s microbial diversity and operates as a part of the National Centre for Cell Science.
The National Centre for Cell Science
Recognized as a national level biotechnology, tissue engineering and tissue banking research centre, the National Centre for Cell Science is located at the Savitribai Phule Pune University in Maharashtra. This premier research centre is renowned for its work on cell-culture, cell-repository, immunology, and chromatin-remodelling.
| Organization | Location | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| National Centre for Microbial Resource | Pune | Preservation and cataloguing of bacteria |
| National Centre for Cell Science | Maharashtra | Biotechnology, tissue engineering and tissue banking research |
Key Points Concerning Archaea
Archaea (singular archaeon) are categorized as a primitive group of microorganisms known to endure in extreme habitats such as hot springs, cold deserts and hypersaline lakes. These slow-growing organisms have also been found in the human gut, indicating a potential relationship with human health.
These organisms are famously recognized for producing antimicrobial molecules and for their antioxidant activity, which can have significant applications in eco-friendly waste-water treatment. Despite the active global research on the taxonomy of archaea, studies specific to archaea are significantly outnumbered. There is still minimal understanding of how archaea behave within the human body.
A mandatory genome analysis led researchers to discover that this particular organism possesses potential gene clusters aiding in the maintenance of the archaea’s metabolism. This allows its survival in considerably harsh conditions. Furthermore, this specific organism exhibits distinct pathways for DNA replication, recombination and repair.
The newly discovered archaeon has been christened as Natrialba swarupiae, in honour of Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, for her exemplary initiative in backing microbial diversity studies within the country.