Research | Forskning - peer review

New approaches to microbiology education are needed to ensure equitable representation in microbiology and to build literacy in microbiology and science broadly. To address this goal, we developed a course held at the collegiate level that uniquely integrated microbiology, Indigenous studies, scienc… New approaches to microbiology education are needed to ensure equitable representation in microbiology and to build literacy in microbiology and science broadly. To address this goal, we developed a course held at the collegiate level that uniquely integrated microbiology, Indigenous studies, science and technology studies, and arts and performance. The course participants included students in 12 majors across science, engineering, humanities, and arts. The different disciplines of the course intersected around Inuit fermented foods as the basis for discussions on fundamental microbiological principles, the scientific method, food sovereignty, and Indigenous peoples’ rights. A diverse array of activities was included, ranging from lectures in microbiology and fermentation, a sauerkraut-making lab, a walk through the Native American contemplative garden, a workshop on Inuit drum making and dance, as well as a performance by Inuit-soul group Pamyua. We propose that a radically interdisciplinary approach and a human rights framework in microbiology education can be a way to enhance microbiology and science literacy for a diverse group of students. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

‘Mushy halibut syndrome’ (MHS) affects the quality of Greenland halibut fillets. Fillets affected by MHS are jelly-like and turn mushy when cooked. Different severities of MHS occur in commercial catches, and cause food wastage and economic losses due to a lack of detection tools. In this study, we… ‘Mushy halibut syndrome’ (MHS) affects the quality of Greenland halibut fillets. Fillets affected by MHS are jelly-like and turn mushy when cooked. Different severities of MHS occur in commercial catches, and cause food wastage and economic losses due to a lack of detection tools. In this study, we combined sensory evaluation, microscopy and chemical analysis to characterize and grade MHS in Greenland halibut fillets, and assessed hyperspectral imaging (HSI) as a non-invasive detection method. Fillets (n = 100) were sampled and sorted into five categories based on assessment of MHS severity using a sensory MHS grading system. Twenty fillets were assigned to each category. Fillets underwent HSI analysis (n = 100), chemical analysis (n = 40) and microscopy (n = 25). Microscopy revealed myofiber degeneration progressing with MHS severity. Average dry matter and oil content for normal fillets were 26.6%, and 10.4%, respectively, compared to 14.6% and 2.0% for fillets severely affected by MHS. The sensory evaluations demonstrated good consensus on MHS criteria but highlighted the challenges of relying on limited manual detection. Two hyperspectral models were tested: one model estimated chemical composition of fillets, while the other predicted the fillet area affected by MHS. Both showed high accuracy for detecting and grading MHS. Future work should involve larger data sets and sensory panels, fewer MHS categories and commercially relevant threshold values for dry matter and oil content. Effective grading of MHS-products could contribute to optimized utilization, development of new side-streams and reduced wastage in the fisheries. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The consumption of prey intestines and their content, known as gastrophagy, is well-documented among Arctic Indigenous peoples, particularly Inuit. In Greenland, Inuit consume intestines from various animals, including the ptarmigan, a small herbivorous grouse bird. While gastrophagy provides the po… The consumption of prey intestines and their content, known as gastrophagy, is well-documented among Arctic Indigenous peoples, particularly Inuit. In Greenland, Inuit consume intestines from various animals, including the ptarmigan, a small herbivorous grouse bird. While gastrophagy provides the potential to transfer a large number of intestinal microorganisms from prey to predator, including to the human gut, its microbial implications remain to be investigated. This study addresses this gap by investigating the microbial composition of the Greenlandic rock ptarmigan’s gastrointestinal tract by analyzing the crop, stomach, and intestines while also comparing it with the microbiota found in garum, a fermented sauce made from ptarmigan meat and intestines. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we assessed whether garum made from ptarmigan intestines provides access to microbial diversity otherwise only accessible through gastrophagy. Our findings reveal that garum made from ptarmigan intestines displayed distinct flavors and microbial composition similar to that found in the ptarmigan gut and intestines, highlighting the potential role of fermented products in mediating food microbial diversity associated with Indigenous food practices. Furthermore, our study underscores the broader importance of understanding microbial diversity in different food systems, particularly in the context of shifting dietary patterns and concerns about diminishing food microbial diversity. By elucidating the microbial richness gained through gastrophagy this research contributes to a deeper understanding of traditional and Indigenous foodways and their implications for human gut health. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), accumulate in the Arctic environment and the food web. The diet of the Indigenous Peoples of North Greenland includes locally sourced foods that are central to their nutritional, cultural, and societal health but these foods also contain high concentrations… Contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), accumulate in the Arctic environment and the food web. The diet of the Indigenous Peoples of North Greenland includes locally sourced foods that are central to their nutritional, cultural, and societal health but these foods also contain high concentrations of heavy metals. While bacteria play an essential role in the metabolism of xenobiotics, there are limited studies on the impact of heavy metals on the human gut microbiome, and it is so far unknown if and how Arctic environmental contaminants impact the gut microbes of humans living in and off the Arctic environment. Using a multiomics approach including amplicon, metagenome, and metatranscriptome sequencing, we identified and assembled a near-complete (NC) genome of a mercury-resistant bacterial strain from the human gut microbiome, which expressed genes known to reduce mercury toxicity. At the overall ecological level studied through α- and β-diversity, there was no significant effect of heavy metals on the gut microbiota. Through the assembly of a high number of NC metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of human gut microbes, we observed an almost complete overlap between heavy metal-resistant strains and antibiotic-resistant strains in which resistance genes were all located on the same genetic elements. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), a self-governing country within the Danish Realm with a majority Indigenous population, has one of the most far-reaching self-determination arrangements of all Indigenous peoples worldwide. A close look at the food system in Kalaallit Nunaat, however, reveals a situatio… Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), a self-governing country within the Danish Realm with a majority Indigenous population, has one of the most far-reaching self-determination arrangements of all Indigenous peoples worldwide. A close look at the food system in Kalaallit Nunaat, however, reveals a situation in which Indigenous foods are marginalized and imported foods are promoted even when incompatible with the local context. Here, I ask why Danish foods are so prevalent in Kalaallit Nunaat and argue that an unacknowledged factor in dietary transitions, well-known to be the cause of major public health issues, is a biased view of foodways that favors imported foods and questions Indigenous foods. The conclusion is that there is a lack of Indigenous food sovereignty in Kalaallit Nunaat such that Indigenous views of food and health are not prioritized in the public food system. The significance of this conclusion is that without Indigenous food sovereignty, Indigenous health, wellbeing and thriving cannot be achieved. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Reports on fermented, animal-sourced foods made by Inuit around the circumpolar North have lacked consideration for their unique microbiota and the geo-socio-cultural contexts in which they are made, often resulting in reinforced negative stereotypes. Deficit-based approaches to studying Inuit ferme… Reports on fermented, animal-sourced foods made by Inuit around the circumpolar North have lacked consideration for their unique microbiota and the geo-socio-cultural contexts in which they are made, often resulting in reinforced negative stereotypes. Deficit-based approaches to studying Inuit fermented foods overlook the fact that they have long been considered healthy and integral to Inuit diets. Inuit have deep knowledge on the harvesting, preparation, sharing, and consumption of fermented foods that research efforts must learn from and acknowledge. Our preliminary research into Inuit animal-sourced fermented foods expands current knowledge about the microorganisms needed to make them, and points to a potential to understand how these and other fermented foods impact the human gut microbiome. We provide recommendations for microbiological research on Inuit fermented foods that centers Inuit knowledge within the specific geographic, social, and cultural contexts in which these foods are made. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The Inuit ancestors of the Greenlandic people arrived in Greenland close to 1,000 years ago.1 Since then, Eu- ropeans from many different countries have been present in Greenland. Consequently, the present-day Greenlandic population has $25% of its genetic ancestry from Europe.2 In this study, we in… The Inuit ancestors of the Greenlandic people arrived in Greenland close to 1,000 years ago.1 Since then, Eu- ropeans from many different countries have been present in Greenland. Consequently, the present-day Greenlandic population has $25% of its genetic ancestry from Europe.2 In this study, we investigated to what extent different European countries have contributed to this genetic ancestry. We combined dense SNP chip data from 3,972 Greenlanders and 8,275 Europeans from 14 countries and inferred the ancestry contribution from each of these 14 countries using haplotype-based methods. Due to the rapid increase in population size in Greenland over the past $100 years, we hypothesized that earlier European interactions, such as pre-colonial Dutch whalers and early German and Danish-Norwegian missionaries, as well as the later Danish colonists and post-colonial immigrants, all contributed European genetic ancestry. However, we found that the European ancestry is almost entirely Danish and that a substantial fraction is from admix- ture that took place within the last few generations. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The lifestyle of Inuit in Greenland and worldwide is undergoing a transition from a fisher-hunter to a westernized society and meanwhile the prevalence of type-2 diabetes (T2D) has increased dramatically. Stud- ies have shown that a common nonsense p.Arg684Ter variant in TBC1D4, which is frequent in… The lifestyle of Inuit in Greenland and worldwide is undergoing a transition from a fisher-hunter to a westernized society and meanwhile the prevalence of type-2 diabetes (T2D) has increased dramatically. Stud- ies have shown that a common nonsense p.Arg684Ter variant in TBC1D4, which is frequent in Greenland, con- fers genetic susceptibility towards high risk of T2D. The aim of the study is to investigate whether a traditional marine diet, with high fat and low carbohydrate, will improve glycemic control in Greenland Inuit compared to a western diet. Moreover, we want to examine if the response is more pronounced in carriers of the p.Arg684Ter variant. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The foods we eat contain microorganisms that we ingest alongside the food. Industrialized food systems offer great advantages from a safety point of view, but have also been accused of depleting the diversity of the human microbiota with negative implications for human health. In contrast, artisanal… The foods we eat contain microorganisms that we ingest alongside the food. Industrialized food systems offer great advantages from a safety point of view, but have also been accused of depleting the diversity of the human microbiota with negative implications for human health. In contrast, artisanal traditional foods are potential sources of a diverse food microbiota. Traditional foods of the Greenlandic Inuit are comprised of animal-sourced foods prepared in the natural environment and are often consumed raw. These foods, some of which are on the verge of extinction, have not previously been microbiologically character- ized. We mapped the microbiota of foods stemming from traditional Inuit land-based hunting activities. The foods included in the current study are dried muskox and caribou meat, cari- bou rumen and intestinal content as well as larval parasites from caribou hides, all traditional Inuit foods. This study shows that traditional drying methods are efficient for limiting micro- bial growth through desiccation. The results also show the rumen content of the caribou to be a highly diverse source of microbes with potential for degradation of plants. Finally, a number of parasites were shown to be included in the biodiversity of the assessed traditional foods. Taken together, the results map out a diverse source of ingested microbes and para- sites that originate from the natural environment. These results have implications for under- standing the nature-sourced traditional Inuit diet, which is in contrast to current day diet recommendations as well as modern industrialized food systems. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumpt… The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumption, harbor an insofar undescribed microbiome. The food-associated microbiomes have implications not only with respect to disease risk, but might also positively influence host health by transferring a yet unknown diversity of live microbes to the human gastrointestinal tract. Here we report the first study of the microbial composition of traditionally dried fish prepared according to Greenlandic traditions and their industrial counterparts. We show that dried capelin prepared according to traditional methods have microbiomes clearly different from industrially prepared capelin, which also have more homogenous microbiomes than traditionally prepared capelin. Interestingly, the locally preferred type of traditionally dried capelin, described to be tastier than other traditionally dried capelin, contains bacteria that potentially confer distinct taste. Finally, we show that dried cod have comparably more homogenous microbiomes when compared to capelin and that in general, the environment of drying is a major determinant of the microbial composition of these indigenous food products. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

Globally emitted contaminants accumulate in the Arctic and are stored in the frozen environments of the cryosphere. Climate change influences the release of these contaminants through elevated melt rates, resulting in increased contamination locally. Our understanding of how biological processes int… Globally emitted contaminants accumulate in the Arctic and are stored in the frozen environments of the cryosphere. Climate change influences the release of these contaminants through elevated melt rates, resulting in increased contamination locally. Our understanding of how biological processes interact with contamination in the Arctic is limited. Through shotgun metagenomic data and binned genomes from metagenomes we show that microbial communities, sampled from multiple surface ice locations on the Greenland ice sheet, have the potential for resistance to and degradation of contaminants. The microbial potential to degrade anthropogenic contaminants, such as toxic and persistent polychlorinated biphenyls, was found to be spatially variable and not limited to regions close to human activities. Binned genomes showed close resemblance to microorganisms isolated from contaminated habitats. These results indicate that, from a microbiological perspective, the Greenland ice sheet cannot be seen as a pristine environment. Read more

Research | Forskning - peer review

The microbial abundance and diversity in snow on ice floes at three sites near the North Pole was assessed using quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing. Abundance of 16S rRNA genes in the samples ranged between 43 and 248 gene copies per millilitre of melted snow. A total of 291,331 sequences were… The microbial abundance and diversity in snow on ice floes at three sites near the North Pole was assessed using quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing. Abundance of 16S rRNA genes in the samples ranged between 43 and 248 gene copies per millilitre of melted snow. A total of 291,331 sequences were obtained through 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes, resulting in 984 OTUs at 97 % identity. Two sites were dominated by Cyanobacteria (72 and 61 %, respectively), including chloroplasts. The third site differed by consisting of 95 % Proteobacteria. Principal component analysis showed that the three sites clustered together when compared to the underlying environments of sea ice and ocean water. The Shannon indices ranged from 2.226 to 3.758, and the Chao1 indices showed species richness between 293 and 353 for the three samples. The relatively low abundances and diversity found in the samples indicate a lower rate of microbial input to this snow habitat compared to snow in the proximity of terrestrial and anthropogenic sources of microorganisms. The differences in species composition and diversity between the sites show that apparently similar snow habitats contain a large variation in biodiversity, although the differences were smaller than the differences to the underlying environment. The results support the idea that a globally distributed community exists in snow and that the global snow community can in part be attributed to microbial input from the atmosphere. Read more

Research | Forskning

Rhodonellum psychrophilum GCM71(T), isolated from the cold and alkaline submarine ikaite columns in the Ikka Fjord in Greenland, displays optimal growth at 5 to 10°C and pH 10. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, which may provide insight into the mechanisms of adaptation to th… Rhodonellum psychrophilum GCM71(T), isolated from the cold and alkaline submarine ikaite columns in the Ikka Fjord in Greenland, displays optimal growth at 5 to 10°C and pH 10. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain, which may provide insight into the mechanisms of adaptation to these extreme conditions. Read more

Consultancy | Rådgivning

The West Nordic region holds promising opportunities to improve utilisation, sustainability and value from its biological resources. The region’s major bioresources available for biorefining and biotechnological applications are the focus of this report. It identifies valuable ingredients in the dif… The West Nordic region holds promising opportunities to improve utilisation, sustainability and value from its biological resources. The region’s major bioresources available for biorefining and biotechnological applications are the focus of this report. It identifies valuable ingredients in the different resources, processing technologies which are or may be applied, and possible end products obtained from further processing the raw material. An overview of the current operations and products which are being produced within the region is given. The report divides the available bioresources into biodegradable residues of aquatic or land origin and underutilised biomass. High-north specific opportunities and obstacles are highlighted. Read more