Environmental datasets help researchers double the number of microbial phyla known to be infected by viruses. The number of microbes in, on, and around the planet – on the order of a nonillion, or 1030 – is estimated to outnumber the stars in the Milky Way. Microbes are known to play crucial roles in regulating… [Read More]
New genome sequences target next generation of yeasts with improved biotech uses The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was a part of human civilization before history was recorded. It is essential for making bread, beer and wine, and it is ubiquitous. It is not, however, typical of the more than 1,500 yeast species found around the world…. [Read More]
Novel lineages of SAR11 clade reveal adaptations to oxygen-poor ocean zones. The Science Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) extend over about 8 percent of the oceanic surface area, but account for up to 50 percent of the total loss of bioavailable nitrogen and thus play an important role in regulating the ocean’s productivity by substantially impacting… [Read More]
Their unassuming appearances may cause them to be overshadowed by the plants or animals in their natural habitats, but fungi play key roles in maintaining their ecosystems. From breaking down leaf litter and decaying wood in forests to cleaning contaminated soils and waters, fungal enzymes are being characterized for potential use in a wide variety… [Read More]
New high-throughput and cost-effective approaches provide a better understanding of microbiome functioning Many uncultured microbes play unknown roles in regulating Earth’s biogeochemical processes; everything from regulating plant health to driving nutrient cycles in both terrestrial and marine environments, processes that can impact global climate. While researchers are harnessing multiple approaches to identify these microbes, referred to… [Read More]
Researchers find rare sulfate reducers substantially affect methanogenesis in peatlands. The Science Utilizing microcosms of peat soil, researchers mimicked naturally fluctuating conditions to study sulfate-reducing microbes and how they regulate methane production in peat microbial communities. The Impact Numbers by themselves don’t tell the whole story. Microbes found in low abundance can play key roles… [Read More]
Genome sequences provide clues to the evolution of sensory perception Fungi can sense environmental signals and react accordingly, changing their development, direction of growth, and metabolism. Sensory perception lies at the heart of adaptation to changing conditions, and helps fungi to improve growth and recycle organic waste, and to know when and how to infect… [Read More]
A National Microbiome Data Center is essential for enabling exploration of all the environmental genomic data. Massive amounts of data require infrastructure to manage and store the information in a manner than can be easily accessed for use. While technologies have scaled to allow researchers to sequence and annotate communities of microorganisms within an environment,… [Read More]
Researchers perform benchmark study for improving microbial community profiling. The Science Researchers use synthetic and natural microbial lake communities to compare the microbial community profiles generated from high throughput short-read sequencing and high throughput long-read sequencing approaches. The Impact Microbes play key roles in maintaining the planet’s biogeochemical cycles, but only a fraction of them… [Read More]
Genome sequences of early-diverging fungi help track origins of white rot fungi. The Science Researchers utilized draft genome sequences of 10 white rot and brown rot fungi representing early-diverging groups to help refine the timeline that dates the enzymatic origins of lignocellulose decomposition. The Impact Fungi are natural degraders of plant material and contain enzymes… [Read More]