''Cryomyces antarcticus'' is a

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from t ...

of uncertain placement in the class Dothideomycetes, division Ascomycota. Found in

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

, it was described as new to science in 2005. It has been found to be able to survive the harsh outer space environment and cosmic radiation. A proposed mechanistic contributor to the unique resilience observed in ''C. antarcticus'' is the presence of its thick and highly melanized cell walls. This melanin may act to protect DNA from damage while ''C. antarcticus'' is exposed to conditions that are unsuitable for typical

DNA repair DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. In human cells, both normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as radiation can cause DNA da ...

systems to function.

References

External links

* Dothideomycetes enigmatic taxa Fungi described in 2005 Fungi of Antarctica {{astrobiology-stub