Microorganisms surviving for 5300 years

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1: FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1994 Feb 15;116(2):189-93.

Comment in:

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1994 Jul 1;120(1-2):9-10.

Microorganisms surviving for 5300 years.

Haselwandter K, Ebner MR.

Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Recently, the well-preserved corpse of a prehistoric man with an age

of approximately 5300 years bp was discovered in the Central

European Alps. Analysis of materials associated with the individual

has revealed the presence of microorganisms which are believed to

have survived since the time of death. So far, two fungi have been

isolated and identified as species of the genera Chaetomium and

Absidia, respectively. In addition, we have obtained one bacterial

isolate which we have identified as a Streptomyces species. Our

findings demonstrate that microorganisms can remain viable under

appropriate circumstances for thousands of years. The isolates may

enable us to study evolutionary trends within microorganisms.

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