The Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, is the world’s southernmost insect and the only true insect found on the continent of Antarctica. Larvae take 2 years to develop in this harsh climate and can withstand a number of environmental stresses, including freezing, extreme desiccation, anoxia, UV exposure, and submergence in water. Our lab is interested in studying the mechanisms of stress tolerance in B. antarctica, as well as the role of photoperiod in coordinating development and stress tolerance. Previous studies in our lab include the transcriptional responses to environmental stress in B. antarctica, as well as the role of calcium signaling in coordinating the cellular response to low temperature. Current projects underway include characterization of the molecular clock in B. antarctica, the role of aquaporins and dehydrins in desiccation and freeze tolerance, a next-generation sequencing project of the Belgica genome, and a population genetics study looking at the genetic relatedness of populations of B. antarctica scattered around the various islands along the Antarctic peninsula.
Figure 1. Changes in gene expression during dehydration in B. antarctica (left), and the role of calcium during cellular-level rapid cold-hardening in B. antarctica tissues (right).