Hypogastrura nivicola is a species of dark blue springtail. Its English name in the United States is snow flea, but there are also additional springtails[1] (and insects) called by that name. They are often seen jumping about on the surface of snow on a warm winter's day in North America.[2]
| Hypogastrura nivicola | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Collembola |
| Order: | Poduromorpha |
| Family: | Hypogastruridae |
| Genus: | Hypogastrura |
| Species: | H. nivicola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hypogastrura nivicola (Fitch, 1846)
| |
Researchers at Queen's University (Canada) have sequenced and synthesised the anti-freeze-like protein that allows H. nivicola to operate in sub-zero environments,[3] and found it to be glycine-rich. There are hopes that similar proteins may be useful for storing transplant organs and for producing better ice cream.[4] By preventing the formation of ice crystals in tissues, organs could be stored at lower temperatures, increasing the time of their viability outside a living body. Unlike proteins with similar functions in other species, the protein found in H. nivicola breaks down easily at higher temperatures.[5]
It is not the only
See also
edit- Snow scorpionfly - a group of insects also (Boreidae) known as snow fleas including:
References
edit- ^ Valle, Barbara; Porco, David; Skarżyński, Dariusz; Frati, Francesco; Caccianiga, Marco; Rodriguez-Prieto, Ana; Zeni, Michele; Gobbi, Mauro. "Alpine blooming of "snow fleas": the importance of snow for Alpine springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) ecology and biodiversity".
{{cite web}}:|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help) - ^ John R. Meyer (September 5, 2006). "Collembola". General Entomology. North Carolina State University. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ Lin FH, et al. (1 March 2007). "Structural modeling of snow flea antifreeze protein". Biophysical Journal. 92 (5): 1717–1723. Bibcode:2007BpJ....92.1717L. doi:10.1529/biophysj.106.093435. PMC 1796811. PMID 17158562.
- ^ Simonite, Tom (11 January 2008). "Edible antifreeze promises perfect ice cream". New Scientist. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ "New antifreeze protein may allow longer storage of transplant organs". Queen's University (Canada). 2005-10-21. Archived from the original on 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2006-12-16. (Press release.)
External links
edit- Pictures and information from Fairfax County Public Schools