Genome sequence analysis provides first evidence that linked, locally adapted alleles exist first, and subsequently are captured within a new, selectively-favored inversion. The Science A team of scientists investigated the pathway by which chromosomal inversions – in which a segment of the chromosome was removed, flipped and then re-inserted – contribute to speciation in nature…. [Read More]

Finding a grass gene impacting stomatal morphology underscores importance of developing mutant gene index. The Science The evolution of adjustable pores, stomata, allows plants to control the amount of CO2 that enters the plant and water that escapes by modifying the stomatal pore size. Plants have evolved two kidney shaped guard cells that swell to… [Read More]

Improve on existing biological computer-aided design and manufacture (bioCAD/CAM) tools The Science Synthetic DNA allows scientists to expand the breadth and depth of their genomic research. In this study researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) have developed a suite of build-optimization software tools (BOOST) to streamline the design-build transition in… [Read More]

Fungal and plant gene expression provides clues to nitrogen pathways. The Science Orchids are an example of an experimentally tractable plant that is highly dependent on its relationship with its mycorrhizal fungal partners for nutrient supply. In this recent study, researchers for the first time identified some genetic determinants potentially involved in nitrogen uptake and… [Read More]

First CRISPR-Cas9 system in archaea discovered The Science Through metagenomic data generated by the DOE Joint Genome Institute, researchers analyzed 155 million protein coding genes from uncultivated microbial communities, leading to the discovery of the first CRISPR-Cas9 protein in the archaeal domain, and of two previously unknown simple bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems. The Impact Microbes play… [Read More]

Novel mechanism in bacterial-fungal symbiosis could have biodiesel production applications The Science To answer the challenge of producing renewable, sustainable alternative fuels, researchers aren’t just looking at developing candidate bioenergy crops but are also reviewing other natural sources of energy-dense oils such as fungi. To learn more about how bacteria interact with fungi in a… [Read More]

The Science In a series of four articles published in the Database issue of the Nucleic Acids Research journal, DOE JGI researchers report on the latest updates to several publicly accessible databases and computational tools that benefit the global community of microbial researchers. One report focuses on a new database dedicated global viral diversity. [Read More]

UBC team develops predictive marine microbiome math model. The Science With help from two DOE national user facilities, a team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has developed a math model that could help researchers and policy makers track the impact of climate change on the microbial networks that drive the world’s marine ecosystems…. [Read More]

Team finds surface microbes are colonizing the deep subsurface. The Science Through a collaborative science program involving two DOE national user facilities, DOE-supported researchers have been able to reconstruct microbial genomes for the first time from shale formations that are being drilled to extract natural gas. Coupled with microbial metabolic information, the data shed light… [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]