Author: Darío Sánchez, PhD
The frozen soils of the Arctic hold more than ice. Beneath the permafrost lies a genetic archive spanning thousands of years, preserved in soil and the harshest cold on Earth. And even though it seems unrelated, scientists working on projects like TOLERATE are analyzing this ancient DNA to find a way to protect our crops from the worsening effects of climate change.
What Is Ancient DNA?
Ancient DNA (aDNA) refers to genetic material recovered from organisms that died long ago. Because of evolution, DNA from extinct organisms or those that died millennia ago can be very different from those that live today. DNA degrades with time, and aDNA is often broken and fragmented. Advanced sequencing technologies are needed to analyze it. These fragments come from bones, sediments, pollen, and frozen soils, sometimes dating back millions of years.
Through aDNA, researchers reconstruct genomes and track how species evolved in response to changing climates. This genetic record shows which traits helped organisms survive past environmental extremes. For projects like TOLERATE, ancient DNA provides a blueprint for improving plant resilience today.
Arctic Soil Samples: AWI’s Contribution to TOLERATE
One of TOLERATE’s key partners is the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Germany. If you thought expeditions were a thing of the past, AWI will prove you wrong. They conduct expeditions to some of the most remote Arctic regions. There, scientists collect permafrost and soil samples that have remained frozen for thousands of years.
These samples contain aDNA from plants, bacteria, fungi, and archaea that survived in extreme cold and drought conditions. Using metagenomic sequencing, AWI researchers have catalogued the genetic diversity in these ancient soils and identified which genes associate with stress tolerance and adaptation.
This genetic library extends back up to 700.000 years. It captures how microorganisms adapted to past climate swings, offering a resource for modern agricultural biotechnology.
Plants Have Survived Climate Extremes Before
Earth’s climate has never been stable. Over millennia, plants and their associated microbes faced glaciations, droughts, heat waves, and rapid temperature shifts. Those that survived developed genetic adaptations. Some evolved deeper root systems to access water. Others formed partnerships with soil microorganisms that helped them tolerate heat or conserve moisture.
These adaptations are not theoretical. They are recorded in the genomes of organisms that lived through past climate extremes. TOLERATE is working to identify these ancient genes and test whether they can be reintroduced into modern agricultural systems.
For example, certain genes found in Arctic soils enable bacteria to produce compounds that help plants retain water or tolerate higher temperatures. By engineering these traits into the plant rhizosphere (the soil zone around roots), researchers aim to improve drought and heat tolerance in crops without relying solely on traditional breeding methods.
Engineering Resilience into Agriculture
The TOLERATE project is focused on bio-augmentation. This means enhancing the soil microbiome with bacteria that carry beneficial genes from the past. By introducing these engineered microbes into crop systems, scientists can improve plant performance under stress conditions.
This approach offers practical advantages. It does not require developing entirely new crop varieties, which can take decades. Instead, it works with existing plants by improving their environment at the root level. The result is better resilience to drought, heat, and unpredictable weather patterns, which are all intensifying due to climate change.
Importantly, these are not untested genes. They evolved under real environmental pressures and functioned successfully in the past. TOLERATE is essentially borrowing solutions that nature has already developed.
Follow TOLERATE’s Research
Climate change is a human-made crisis. But the tools to address it may already exist in the genetic memory of the planet. By studying ancient DNA and applying it to modern agriculture, the TOLERATE project is working to future-proof food production in a warming world.
To stay updated on the latest research, field expeditions, and breakthroughs in ancient DNA and climate resilience, follow the TOLERATE project on social media and the project blog. The science is evolving, and you can be part of the conversation.
