Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics of Microorganisms

Permafrost rocks in the Arctic have been a natural reservoir of ancient microbiota for hundreds of thousands of years, including symbionts and pathogens of animals and humans. The process of extracting paleomicroorganisms or their genetic material from permafrost, which is degrading due to global climate changes, is associated with the risk of new or activation of forgotten infectious diseases. The main objective of the project is a comprehensive assessment of the pathogenic potential of bacterial communities from ancient (since the Pleistocene period) permafrost samples based on metagenomic analysis, as well as analysis of the genomes of cultivated paleobacteria. This project is planned as one of the most extensive studies on the study of ancient microbial DNA in terms of time and territorial scope. During the implementation of the project, a search is being carried out for patterns reflecting the preservation and evolutionary history of pathogenicity determinants in various types of biomaterials (frozen soils in sites of primitive man, animal remains of the Pleistocene period, teeth of indigenous inhabitants of Siberia since the Early Middle Ages).