No one likes the cold. Humans wear scarves, fur boots, quilted coats and woollen hats to keep the harshness of winter out while other creatures grow their own fur or line their bodies with a thick layer of blubber. There are those, too, who have a more subtle approach to dealing with extreme temperatures and, instead of sporting a protective coating of fur or fat, tame the cold by acting upon its actual source. As an example, various species of fish or bacteria who live in arctic environments have evolved systems to keep ice crystals from developing further inside them or sometimes even in the surrounding extracellular medium. For what reason? Because ice crystals can damage cell membranes by puncturing them or causing them to rip, which is life threatening. One particular Arctic yeast known as Leucosporidium has developed a system that - in freezing conditions - hinders the growth of ice crystals by secreting a protein that binds to them and ultimately lowers their freezing point. This particular protein has been coined Leucosporidium ice-binding protein, or more simply LeIBP. Read more
