Mar. 10, 2010

Antifreeze Proteins Can Stop Ice Melt

The same antifreeze proteins that keep organisms from freezing in cold environments also can prevent ice from melting at warmer temperatures, according to a new Ohio University and Queen's University study published in the Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Antifreeze proteins are found in insects, fish, bacteria and other organisms that need to survive in cold temperatures. These proteins protect the organisms by arresting the growth of ice crystals in their bodies. more