Earthworms are common soil organisms that influence the fertility of soils by altering the nutrient availability to plants. These nutrients include forms of nitrogen, phosphorous and carbon. The microbial community within earthworms releases nitrous oxide, degrades cellulose, and stimulates the growth of fungi that can break down cellulose. The earthworm egg capsule microbial community represents…
Why sequence functional metagenomics of methane and nitrogen cycles in freshwater lakes?
Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but it is also a potential source of energy. Microbes found in marine or terrestrial environments that are involved in maintaining the levels of greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are of interest to the U.S. Department of Energy for reasons…
Why sequence modern freshwater microbialites?
Microbialites resemble coral reefs but can also be found in freshwater systems. Composed of sediments built up over many hundreds of years and multiple interactions between microorganisms such as diatoms and cyanobacteria and minerals, they can sequester carbon through a process called biologically-mediated carbonate precipitation, though just how this is done is still poorly understood….
Why sequence Synechococcus cyanobacterial isolates?
For several decades, researchers have studied the microbial mat communities in hot springs at Yellowstone National Park. They’ve identified the dominant species in these communities and also found previously-unknown inhabitants of these mats that use light as an energy source. The finding is significant because bioenergy researchers are increasingly tapping microbial communities that perform photosynthesis…
Why resequence Actinobacillus succinogenes?
The development of alternative fuel sources has been driven by factors such as declining oil reserves, reliance on foreign countries for oil, and the environmental impact of oil-based industries. One of the DOE’s Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass is succinate, which could replace an oil-based commodity chemical market for producing bulk chemicals valued at…
Why sequence an atypical Frankia isolate and Non-Frankia Actinobacteria from Actinorhizal Plants?
Nitrogen-fixing plants provide the major biological source of nitrogen for the biosphere, and are particularly important in low-nutrient environments. Actinorhizal symbiosis is a strong contributor to global biological nitrogen fixation process. These soil bacteria are plant symbionts that have a broad host-recognition-specificity. Inter-planting actinorhizal plants with suitable tree crops allows nurse cropping of valuable tree…
Why single cell genome sequencing of mesopelagic bacterioplankton?
Considered one of the largest but least understood marine biomes, the mesopelagic zone starts some 200 meters (650 feet) below the ocean’s surface and extends another 800 meters. The temperatures in this region range from 20° Celsius closer to the surface of the water to 4° Celsius further down and oxygen levels are poor. In…
Why sequence Vibrio fischeri?
Vibrio fischeri is a toxin-producing bacterium that is often found in residing in the light-emitting organ of marine animals such as squid and fishes. It is used as a model system for studying the symbiotic relationships between bacteria and animal. For example, V. fischeri colonizes the light-producing organ on certain squid and fishes and helps…
Why sequence Halorespiring Firmicutes?
Considered the oldest multicellular animals, marine sponges are found in many tropical reef ecosystems. Unable to move from their positions on the seafloor, marine sponges can filter 24,000 liters of seawater per kilogram of sponge daily and as much as 60 percent of their biomass can be composed of microorganisms, many of which are being…
Why sequence Streptomyces viridosporus ATCC 39115 and Streptomyces setonii ATCC 39116?
Streptomyces are soil-dwelling bacteria that break down plant biomass in nature, though they may physically resemble fungi. One advantage of studying Streptomyces species is that their genomes are relatively small (approximately 10 million bases) and are usually localized to a single chromosome. Streptomyces bacteria are among a select group of microorganisms that accumulate triacylglycerols, the…