Novel sources of antimicrobials from pristine and poorly explored environments. The Patagonia microbiota case

Antimicrobial compounds are molecules widespread in life forms to mediate competition, and their industrial production could be important for potential use as preservatives in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Pathogen resistance causes high mortality rates in hospitals and important economic losses in health institutions. Pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, and beta-lactam-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most common examples. This worldwide problem requires the discovery of new molecules with antibiotic activity, effective therapeutics strategies, and research of promising targets. Most antibiotics come from screening programs of natural sources, including the isolation of new microorganisms. Extremophile microorganisms are a valuable source for novel biomolecules with unusual properties, including antimicrobial activity. Because of their harsh conditions, the Patagonian, sub-Antarctic, and Antarctic environments are ideal places for bioprospecting. Patagonia is a sparsely populated region located at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. The overall climate is cool and dry; the east coast is warmer than the west, especially in summer, because a branch of the Southern Equatorial Current reaches its shores, whereas the west coast is washed by a cold current. Cold environments could be a suitable source of microorganisms with ability to produce cold-active antimicrobial compounds with potential use in biotechnology.