August - 2023

Can soil microbes survive in a changing climate?

Organisms across the globe are facing unprecedented levels of stress from climate change, habitat destruction, and many other human-driven changes to the environment. Predicting and mitigating the effects of this increasing stress on organisms, and the environmental services on which we depend, requires understanding why some species can exist in a wide range of environments while others exist in only a few habitats. In the scientific world of ecology, researchers often try to sort organisms on our planet into two categories: specialists and generalists. Generalists can survive across various environmental conditions and habitats, while specialists are more restricted or limited to specific conditions for survival. The panda bear, for example, feeds only on bamboo within a specific habitat. Not only is their habitat range-restricted, but so is their diet, and if the bamboo plant became extinct, panda bears might become extinct as well. Source: Phys

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Microbe-stuffed soil crusts menaced by climate change

Using a novel method to detect microbial activity in biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, after they are wetted, a Penn State–led research team in a new study uncovered clues that will lead to a better understanding of the role microbes play in forming a living skin over many semi-arid ecosystems around the world. The tiny organisms—and the microbiomes they create—are threatened by climate change. The researchers published their findings in Frontiers of Microbiology. "Biocrusts currently cover approximately 12% of Earth's terrestrial surface, and we expect them to decrease by about 25% to 40% within 65 years due to climate change and land-use intensification," said team leader Estelle Couradeau, Penn State assistant professor of soils and environmental microbiology. "We hope this work can pave the way to understanding the microbial functions supporting biocrust resilience to the rapidly changing climate patterns and more frequent droughts." Source: Phys

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Microbial influences on fermented beans

Fermented foods are deeply seated in global food culture. Many recipes are highly guarded, passed through generations and shrouded in mystery. The microbial communities that make up fermented foods are often diverse, but typically only a few species contribute significantly to the final product. Additionally, fermented foods and drinks (termed ferments in this article) with similar flavor profiles are often fermented by similar microbes, or at least microbes that carry out similar metabolic processes. By exploring the variety of fermentations from essentially the same starting material we can observe the impact microbes have on the final product. Source: Phys

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Scientists use supercomputer to learn how cicada wings kill bacteria

Over the past decade, teams of engineers, chemists and biologists have analyzed the physical and chemical properties of cicada wings, hoping to unlock the secret of their ability to kill microbes on contact. If this function of nature can be replicated by science, it may lead to development of new products with inherently antibacterial surfaces that are more effective than current chemical treatments. Source: Phys

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July - 2023

Scientists use supercomputer to learn how cicada wings kill bacteria

Over the past decade, teams of engineers, chemists and biologists have analyzed the physical and chemical properties of cicada wings, hoping to unlock the secret of their ability to kill microbes on contact. If this function of nature can be replicated by science, it may lead to development of new products with inherently antibacterial surfaces that are more effective than current chemical treatments. Source: Phys

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Scientists enrich nitric oxide-reducing microbes in bioreactor

Nitric oxide (NO) is a fascinating and versatile molecule, important for all living things as well as the environment. It is highly reactive and toxic, organisms use it as a signaling molecule, it depletes the ozone layer in our planet's atmosphere, and it is the precursor of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Moreover, NO might have played a fundamental role in the emergence and evolution of life on Earth, as it was available as a high-energy oxidant long before there was oxygen. Source: Phys

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Flowing fluids shape the social life of gut microbes

A groundbreaking study reveals that the flow of fluids influences the spatial organization of bacterial communities that inhabit our intestines, revealing an overlooked factor potentially mediating our microbiome and gut health. Our gut is home to a diverse community of bacteria known as the gut microbiota. These bacteria play a crucial role in our health by supporting digestion, producing essential nutrients, maintaining a balanced immune system and even affecting our mood and behavior. Source: Phys

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Warming waters spark 'evolution at super speed' in marine sponges, study finds

Marine heat waves caused by the warming climate are capable of sparking rapid changes in sea sponges with scientists describing the pace of change as "evolution at super speed." Research by marine biologists at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington found sponges that survive marine heat wave conditions can undergo significant changes in their microbial make-up within one generation. Source: Phys

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June - 2023

New study traces amino acids synthesized by gut microbes in wild animals

The role of the gut microbiome in our health has become an important topic in recent years, but a new study out of The University of New Mexico is the first of its kind to look at how it supports animals in the wild who are dealing with variable food resources. Source: Phys

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Tectonics matter: Geoscientists probe geochemistry, microbial diversity of Peruvian hot springs

South America's Andes Mountains, the world's longest mountain range and home to some of the planet's highest peaks, feature thousands of hot springs. Driven by plate tectonics and fueled by hot rock and fluids, these thermal discharges vary widely in geochemistry and microbial diversity. Source: Phys

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Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi may use similar molecular tools to manipulate plants

Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and don't share many genetic similarities. Comparing plant pathogenic fungi and plant symbiotic fungi, scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) have discovered that these remote relatives are using a similar group of proteins to manipulate and live within plants. Source: Phys

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Warming climate could turn ocean plankton microbes into carbon emitters

New research finds that a warming climate could flip globally abundant microbial communities from carbon sinks to carbon emitters, potentially triggering climate change tipping points. The findings are published in Functional Ecology. Mixotrophic microbes are organisms that can switch between photosynthesizing like plants (absorbing carbon dioxide) and eating like animals (releasing carbon dioxide). They are globally abundant, commonly found in freshwater and marine environments, and estimated to make up the majority of marine plankton. Source: Phys

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May - 2023

A perfect 'pathogen' storm: Vibrio bacteria, Sargassum and plastic marine debris

A new study uncovers how the interplay between Sargassum spp., plastic marine debris and Vibrio bacteria creates the perfect "pathogen" storm that has implications for both marine life and public health. Vibrio bacteria are found in waters around the world and are the dominant cause of death in humans from the marine environment. For example, Vibrio vulnificus, sometimes referred to as flesh-eating bacteria, can cause life-threatening foodborne illnesses from seafood consumption as well as disease and death from open wound infections. Source: Phys

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Researchers chart oilcane microbiome

In a new collaboration, scientists at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) have identified the types of microbes that associate with engineered oilcane. Further exploration of the oilcane microbiome may reveal opportunities to leverage plant-microbial interactions in these feedstocks, which could increase oil yields for sustainable bioenergy production. Source: Phys

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An epic global study of moss reveals it is far more vital to Earth's ecosystems than we knew

Mosses are some of the oldest land plants. They are found all over the world, from lush tropical rainforests to the driest deserts, and even the wind-swept hills of Antarctica. They are everywhere; growing in cracks along roads and pathways, on the trunks of trees, on rocks and buildings, and importantly, on the soil. Source: Phys

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Why mosses are vital for the health of our soil and Earth

Some people see moss growing in their gardens as a problem, but what they may not realize is this ancient ancestor of all plants is bringing lots of benefits to our green spaces, such as protecting against erosion. Now a massive global study led by UNSW Sydney has found mosses are not just good for the garden, but are just as vital for the health of the entire planet when they grow on topsoil. Not only do they lay the foundations for plants to flourish in ecosystems around the world, they may play an important role mitigating against climate change by capturing vast amounts of carbon. Source: Phys

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April - 2023

Researchers describe mechanisms that could prevent infections with the influenza A and Ebola viruses

Viruses like influenza A and Ebola invade human cells in a number of steps. In an interdisciplinary approach, research teams from Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital investigated the final stages of viral penetration using electron tomography and computer simulations. In the case of influenza A, they were able to determine how the immune system fights off the virus using a small protein. Source: Phys

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Type VI secretion systems: Weapons of bacterial destruction

Bacteria can be quite aggressive. Armed with an impressive array of mechanical and biochemical weapons, they don't mess around when it comes to combating their foes. Notable among these armaments is the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS), a membrane-embedded nanomachine found in many gram-negative bacteria. The needle-like system helps bacteria antagonize prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by injecting them with harmful proteins (effectors), such as pore-forming toxins and nucleases. Source: Phys

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The sound of restored soil: Measuring soil biodiversity with eco-acoustics

U.K. and Australian ecologists have used audio technology to record different types of sounds in the soils of a degraded and restored forest to indicate the health of ecosystems. Non-invasive acoustic monitoring has great potential for scientists to gather long-term information on species and their abundance, says Flinders University researcher Dr. Jake Robinson, who conducted the study while at the University of Sheffield in England. Source: Phys

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Looming behind antibiotic resistance is another bacterial threat—antibiotic tolerance

Have you ever had a nasty infection that just won't seem to go away? Or a runny nose that keeps coming back? You may have been dealing with a bacterium that is tolerant of, though not yet resistant to, antibiotics. Source: Phys

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March - 2023

How the gut creates a cozy home for beneficial microbiome species

The digestive tract of fruit flies remodels itself to accommodate beneficial microbiome species and maintain long-term stability of the gut environment, according to new research led by William Ludington and Allan Spradling of the Carnegie Institution for Science. Their findings are published in Nature Communications. Source: Phys

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A quick new way to screen virus proteins for antibiotic properties

As conventional antibiotics continue to lose effectiveness against evolving pathogens, scientists are keen to employ the bacteria-killing techniques perfected by bacteriophages, the viruses that infect bacteria. One major challenge standing in their way is the difficulty of studying individual bacteriophage (phage) proteins and determining precisely how the virus wields these tools to kill their host bacteria. New research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) could help speed things along. Source: Phys

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Bacterial enzyme traps and breaks down PFAS molecules

Highly nondegradable chemicals such as PFAS and pesticides can have useful properties in some situations, but are extremely difficult for nature to remove afterwards. Now researchers from Aarhus University have found that certain bacteria use an enzyme that acts as a molecular nutcracker to crush the harmful substances. Source: Phys

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Too little is known, and done, to tackle rising risks of plastic waste in our seas, warn scientists

As millions of tons a year of microplastic waste mounts in marine environments, Flinders University scientists warn the ramifications to wildlife, food webs and human health are still little understood. A review of how plastic waste and their associated chemicals impact marine food webs, published in Environmental Pollution, warns the impact of this "omnipresent contamination" of marine environments is "not well understood." Source: Phys

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February - 2023

Scientists decipher how non-resistant forms of Staph aureus thwart antibiotics, almost like a superbug

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has a slew of surprises in its bag of dirty tricks and among the most puzzling has been the ability of non-resistant forms of the bacteria to emerge unscathed, even after exposure to high concentrations of chemical warfare from antibiotics that should be able to kill it. That uncanny capability of non-resistant forms of the bacteria is a trick that allows these microbes to rebuff drugs almost as handily as their drug resistant counterparts. Possession of drug-surviving capabilities is just one of many conundrums to vex scientists who've been attempting to tease out how S. aureus finds ways to dodge deadly concentrations of antimicrobials. Source: Phys

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Fleeting interactions between the smallest phytoplankton and bacteria help to shape global ocean productivity

Microorganisms, or microbes, are the engines driving large-scale ecological and biogeochemical processes in the ocean. They process light and nutrients at a massive scale and represent the base of the marine food web. While microbial activity in the ocean has typically been studied at large scales to understand things like global oxygen production and CO₂ sequestration, there's increasing evidence that the intricate small-scale movement of individual cells plays a major role in shaping the productivity of the ocean. Source: Phys

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Microbes are 'active engineers' in Earth's rock-to-life cycle

The name "critical zone" may give off 1980s action thriller vibes, but it's the term scientists use to refer to the area of Earth's land surface responsible for sustaining life. A relatively small portion of the planetary structure, it spans from the bedrock below groundwater all the way up to the lower atmosphere. Source: Phys

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Researchers develop 100% biodegradable paper straws that do not become soggy

The paper straws that are currently available are not entirely made of paper alone. Straws made with 100% paper become too soggy when they come in contact with liquids and cannot function as straws. Accordingly, their surfaces should be coated. The most commonly used coating materials for paper straws are polyethylene (PE) or acrylic resin—the same materials used for making plastic bags and adhesives. Paper cups are also coated with the same materials as paper straws. A large number of previous studies have reported that polyethylene coating on discarded paper cups can disintegrate into small particles without being fully decomposed and become microplastics. Moreover, these paper products are made with paper and plastics (two very different materials) and thus it is difficult to recycle them. Source: Phys

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January - 2023

Stunningly detailed blueprint revealed of viral genome replication machinery

RNA viruses, such as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, are in a life-and-death race the moment they infect a cell. These viruses have only minutes to establish their replication machinery inside the host cell before the genetic instructions contained in their vulnerable RNA genomes—which are more fragile than DNA—would otherwise be destroyed by cellular housekeeping. If successful, the virus can go from just a few copies of its RNA genome to a half-million copies incorporated in new infectious particles in less than 12 hours. If not, the virus dies. Source: Phys

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Microbes could be used by farmers as natural fertilizer for poor soil

A study published in The ISME Journal identified 522 genomes of archaea and bacteria associated with the roots and soil of two plant species native to the Brazilian montane savanna ecoregion known as campos rupestres ("rocky meadows"). Hundreds of microorganisms hitherto unknown to science were identified, showing that the ecoregion is a biodiversity hotspot and that many new organisms have yet to be described and classified in Brazil. Source: Phys

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Chlamydiae expand our view on how intracellular bacteria evolve

All chlamydiae today live inside the cells of hosts ranging from amoeba to animals. A team of scientists from the University of Vienna and the Wageningen University & Research found that the ancestor of chlamydiae likely already lived inside host cells, but that chlamydiae infecting amoeba evolved later in ways unexpected for intracellular bacteria. Source: Phys

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Scientists discover a new way of sharing genetic information in a common ocean microbe

From the tropics to the poles, from the sea surface to hundreds of feet below, the world's oceans are teeming with one of the tiniest of organisms: a type of bacteria called Prochlorococcus, which despite their minute size are collectively responsible for a sizable portion of the oceans' oxygen production. But the remarkable ability of these diminutive organisms to diversify and adapt to such profoundly different environments has remained something of a mystery. Source: Phys

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