A NATURAL antifreeze found in the blood of Antarctic fish can now be
manufactured in large quantities. The biological antifreeze is non-toxic, so it
could be used to preserve human tissues at low temperatures or make crops
frost-resistant.
Several groups of Arctic and Antarctic fish, including icefish and Antarctic
cod, produce antifreeze glycoproteins to help them survive in the icy water.
Normally, ice crystals would form in the creatures’ blood and tissues, rupturing
the delicate membranes and internal structures of their cells, but the AFGPs
bind to the surface of the ice crystals and prevent them from growing.
AFGPs could…
