July- 2024

How Staphylococcus slips around between biological environments

	It's an unpleasant fact that most of us are happy to ignore: Our mouths and noses are the natural homes to infectious and antibiotic resistant bacteria. The good news is that our nasal and oral environments are usually equipped to keep these germs in check, said Gemma Reguera, a professor in the Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology at Michigan State University. It's when these microbes, such as Staphylococcus aureus and its antibiotic-resistant variant MRSA, move deeper into the airways or into other body sites, like the heart, that they can cause serious, even fatal, infections. Source: Phys

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Scientists publish first experimental evidence for new groups of methane-producing organisms

	A team of scientists from Montana State University has provided the first experimental evidence that two new groups of microbes thriving in thermal features in Yellowstone National Park produce methane—a discovery that could one day contribute to the development of methods to mitigate climate change and provide insight into potential life elsewhere in our solar system. The journal Nature this week published the findings from the laboratory of Roland Hatzenpichler, associate professor in MSU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Letters and Science and associate director of the university's Thermal Biology Institute. Source: Phys

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Microbial structures in Antarctic lake could reveal more about how life evolved

	In the depths of remote Antarctic lakes, communities of microorganisms are thriving where few life forms can survive. Scientists are studying structures formed by these communities to understand more about microscopic life in these extreme environments, which can offer clues about how life evolved. With a surface constantly buried beneath several meters of ice and limited exposure to sunlight for much of the year, the lake is void of larger organisms like plants and animals. But in its depths, a rich ecosystem is helping scientists to understand more about how life evolved on our early planet. Source: Phys

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Climate change may cause lake phytoplankton to become predatory, putting more CO₂ into the atmosphere

	Plankton—tiny organisms that are present in salt and freshwater—account for about half of the photosynthesis on the planet. But what scientists have assumed for many years to be plant plankton (phytoplankton) may actually be voracious predators. In lakes, plankton prey on single-celled bacteria that are in turn responsible for recycling nutrients that keep lake food webs functioning. Source: Phys

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June- 2024

Newly-discovered bacterial regulatory mechanism has implications for antibacterial control measures

	Research spearheaded by four biologists within the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington has uncovered a new regulatory mechanism shared by many bacteria, which may have profound implications for anti-bacterial control measures in medical and agricultural settings. In addition, this novel regulatory mechanism also has significant commercial potential in the production of bioadhesives—nontoxic, biological alternatives to petroleum-based, synthetic adhesives which have multiple uses in medicine and other sensitive applications. Source: Phys

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Mashed up purple marine bacteria makes an excellent eco-friendly fertilizer

	New research published in npj Sustainable Agriculture reports that biomass made from the purple photosynthetic marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum is an excellent nitrogen fertilizer. Led by Keiji Numata from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) and Kyoto University, the study shows that this biomass is as effective as common inorganic synthetic fertilizers but avoids several side effects that harm the environment. Source: Phys

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New study helps disentangle role of soil microbes in the global carbon cycle

	When soil microbes eat plant matter, the digested food follows one of two pathways. Either the microbe uses the food to build its own body, or it respires its meal as carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Now, a Northwestern University-led research team has, for the first time, tracked the pathways of a mixture of plant waste as it moves through bacteria's metabolism to contribute to atmospheric CO2. The researchers discovered that microbes respire three times as much CO2 from lignin carbons (non-sugar aromatic units) compared to cellulose carbons (glucose sugar units), which both add structure and support to plants' cellular walls. Source: Phys

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Researchers identify potential microbes and genes that impact forever chemicals

	A new study identifies microbes that potentially play important roles in breaking down harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals—also known as forever chemicals—and points to functional genes that may be involved in biologically transforming these compounds. Although microorganisms are known to facilitate PFAS transformation, the key microorganisms and genes responsible for these processes have been largely unknown. Source: Phys

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May- 2024

Researchers find unique adaptations of fungus associated with bee bread

	The past attempts of honey bee researchers to inventory the fungal diversity in honey bee colonies revealed that Aspergillus flavus is frequently found in hives. In a new study, researchers have discovered that this fungus is uniquely adapted to survive in bee colonies. The study "An Aspergillus flavus strain from bee bread of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) displays adaptations to distinctive features of the hive environment" was published in Ecology and Evolution. Source: Phys

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Genetic analyses show how symbiotic bacteria in termite gut has changed over course of evolution

	Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, have analyzed the evolutionary development of symbiotic bacteria in the intestines of termites with regard to their metabolic capabilities. The results, now published in mBio, show that some strains of bacteria may in fact have already started on the path from being beneficial to becoming parasites. Source: Phys

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Why evolution often favors small animals and other organisms

	Small really does seem to be beautiful in evolutionary terms. The largest dinosaurs, pterosaurs and mammals may look impressive but these giants are vastly outnumbered by microscopic bacteria and single-celled algae and fungi. Small organisms are also ancient and incredibly resilient. The first evidence of single-cell organisms dates from around 3.8 billion years ago, soon after the newly formed Earth had cooled enough for organic life to emerge. Multicellular animals evolved less than a billion years ago, with bigger and more complex animals appearing a little over half a billion years ago. For most of Earth's history, the planet has been dominated by organisms no larger than the diameter of a single human hair. Source: Phys

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Unraveling isopods' culinary secrets and why it matters for ecosystems

	New research on desert isopods' dietary preferences is the revelation of the complex factors influencing their food choices. By understanding how these animals meticulously regulate their nutrient intake and prefer biological soil crusts over plant litter, the study highlights the intricate dynamics of trophic interactions. Understanding the dietary preferences of desert isopods sheds light on the intricate interplay between organisms and their environment, informing ecosystem management and conservation strategies. Source: Phys

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April- 2024

Bacteria for climate-neutral chemicals of the future

	Researchers at ETH Zurich have engineered bacteria in the laboratory to efficiently use methanol. The metabolism of these bacteria can now be tapped into to produce valuable products currently made by the chemical industry from fossil fuels. To produce various chemicals such as plastics, dyes or artificial flavors, the chemical industry currently relies heavily on fossil resources such as crude oil. "Globally, it consumes 500 million tons per year, or more than one million tons per day," says Julia Vorholt, Professor at the Institute of Microbiology at ETH Zurich. Source: Phys

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Marine microbial populations: Potential sensors of the global change in the ocean

	Animal and plant populations have been extensively studied, which has helped to elucidate ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. However, this has not been the case with microbial populations, due to the impossibility of isolating, culturing and analyzing the genetic content of the different species and their individuals in the laboratory. Therefore, although it is known that populations of microorganisms include a great diversity, it remains largely uncharacterized. Now, a new study from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) recently published in the journal Microbiome highlights the potential of marine microbial populations as indicators of global change. Specifically, the work analyzes the knowledge generated to date on marine microbial populations and their role in the ecosystem, concluding that their analysis through space and time could reflect the effects of global change. Source: Phys

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Could microbes be the answer to detoxifying Scottish water sources?

	Scottish researchers are discovering new ways of combating environmental damage caused by acid mine drainage in Scotland by studying bacteria that can degrade dangerous waste products. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, are sequencing the DNA of bacteria found in areas polluted by acid mine drainage. They have discovered that the bacteria not only survived but had the potential to detoxify the environment by removing polluting heavy metals. Source: Phys

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First-of-its-kind integrated dataset enables genes-to-ecosystems research

	A team of Department of Energy scientists led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has released the first-ever dataset bridging molecular information about the poplar tree microbiome to ecosystem-level processes. The project aims to inform research regarding how natural systems function, their vulnerability to a changing climate, and, ultimately, how plants might be engineered for better performance as sources of bioenergy and natural carbon storage. Source: Phys

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March- 2024

Research suggests natural electrical grid deep inside Earth enables many types of microbes to survive

	To "breathe" in an environment without oxygen, bacteria in the ground beneath our feet depend upon a single family of proteins to transfer excess electrons (produced during the "burning" of nutrients) to electric hairs called nanowires projecting from their surface. This family of proteins, in essence, acts as plugs that power these nanowires to create a natural electrical grid deep inside the Earth, which enables many types of microbes to survive and support life, said co-senior authors of the new study published in the journal Nature Communications. Source: Phys

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Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil

	Some soil bacteria can acquire sets of genes that enable them to pump the heavy metal nickel out of their systems, a study has found. This enables the bacteria to not only thrive in otherwise toxic soils but help plants grow there as well. A Washington State University-led research team pinpointed a set of genes in wild soil bacteria that allows them to do this in serpentine soils which have naturally high concentrations of toxic nickel. The genetic discovery, detailed in the journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, could help inform future bioremediation efforts that seek to return plants to polluted soils. Source: Phys

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Valorization of depolymerized lignin using microorganisms

	Lignin is an abundant natural polymer which is eliminated as a byproduct in the pulp and paper industry. A recent review article explored different microbial processes available for sustainable lignin valorization, yielding not only environmental but also economic benefits. The article was published in the journal BioDesign Research.Researchers highlight the current advancements as well as challenges faced while using naturally occurring and engineered microbes to transform depolymerized lignin into valuable high-value products. Source: Phys

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New deep-sea worm discovered at methane seep off Costa Rica

	Greg Rouse, a marine biologist at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and other researchers have discovered a new species of deep-sea worm living near a methane seep some 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Rouse, curator of the Scripps Benthic Invertebrate Collection, co-authored a study describing the new species in the journal PLOS ONE. Source: Phys

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February- 2024

Targeting seed microbes to improve seed resilience

	Fonio (Digitaria exilis), a type of millet, is the oldest indigenous crop in West Africa and one of the fastest-maturing cereals. Despite its low yield, the combination of quick maturation and drought tolerance and its ability to thrive in poor soils make it a useful model for understanding how cereals can adapt to future climate change conditions. Nutritionally, fonio is comparable to other millets, says KAUST researcher Naheed Tabassum, but yields are much lower than the major cereal crops rice, maize, and wheat. Tabassum believes fonio could complement staple crops amid climate change and desertification challenges. Source: Phys

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Microbial comics: RNA as a common language, presented in extracellular speech-bubbles

	Single-celled organisms, such as bacteria and archaea, have developed many ways to communicate with each other. For example, they might use tiny so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs)—membrane-enveloped packages smaller than 200 nm in diameter (0.0002 mm). The organisms produce them by budding from their membrane into the surrounding space. These EVs can contain a variety of molecules such as enzymes, nutrients, RNA and even fragments of DNA. Though it is suspected that they play a key role in microbial communities, little is known about their function or how they are produced. Source: Phys

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Without social distancing, how do bacteria survive a viral epidemic?

	Like humans struggling to get through the COVID-19 pandemic, bacterial cells need social distancing to thwart viruses. But in some situations, such as inside elevators or within the candy-colored bacterial structures known as "pink berries," staying apart just isn't feasible. Looking like spilled Nerds or Pop Rocks, the communal, multicellular pink berries litter the submerged surface of salt marshes in and around Woods Hole. Source: Phys

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If plants can pick fungi to help fight pests and diseases, it opens a door to greener farming and ecosystem recovery

	Just beneath your feet, an ancient and silent alliance endures. This alliance between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is one of the oldest biological partnerships on Earth. Going back almost half-a-billion years, this relationship paved the way for plants to make it onto land. These early plants, simple and without the complex root systems of plants today, forged an alliance with fungi. This alliance has been instrumental to the evolution of plant life and has helped shape our ecosystems. Source: Phys

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January- 2024

Translating nuclear waste site data into microbial ecosystem insights

	A flagship seven-year study led by the University of Oklahoma that explores how environmental stresses influence different ecological processes shaping the composition and structure of microbial communities in groundwater, has been published in the journal Nature Microbiology. Led by Jizhong Zhou, director of the Institute for Environmental Genomics at OU, this research focused on community assembly, which is about dynamic and complex processes that shape the composition and structure of microbial communities. Researchers use this concept to understand how different microbial species come to inhabit an environment, how they interact with each other and the environment, and how these interactions influence the overall functioning of the ecosystem. Source: Phys

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Viruses aren't always harmful. Six ways they're used in health care and pest control

	We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. The 1918 flu pandemic killed around 50 million people. Smallpox claimed 30% of those who caught it, and survivors were often scarred and blinded. More recently, we're all too familiar with the health and economic impacts of COVID. But viruses can also be used to benefit human health, agriculture and the environment. Source: Phys

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Analysis of two decades' worth of antibiotic resistance shows antibiotic use is not the only driver of superbugs by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

	For the first time, researchers have analyzed the impact of antibiotic use on the rise of treatment-resistant bacteria over the last 20 years in the UK and Norway. They show that while the increase in drug use has amplified the spread of superbugs, it is not the only driver. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Oslo, the University of Cambridge, and collaborators conducted a high-resolution genetic comparison of bacteria. They compared over 700 new blood samples with nearly 5,000 previously sequenced bacterial samples to answer questions about what factors influence the spread of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli). Source: Phys

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Scientists sequence full genome of sea cucumber inhabiting hydrothermal vent

	Hydrothermal vents are an unlikely environment for animals to flourish, characterized by rapid changes in temperature and a challenging chemistry: acidic pH, rich in sulfur and methane. Not to mention the high hydrostatic pressure and the darkness of the deep sea. A team of scientists at the Sanya Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering (China) have now sequenced the full genome of a particularly unusual inhabitant of the hydrothermal vent environment: the sea cucumber Chiridota heheva. The research has been accepted for publication in the journal GigaScience. Source: Phys

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