Comparative Analysis Shows Petroleum Reduced Species Diversity The Science Researchers used metatranscriptomic analyses to compare the microbial populations in the Gulf of Mexico before and after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to learn more about the impact of adding petroleum to the waters. The Impact Though the oil spill reduced the diversity of the microbial…
Solving the Secrets of Sedimentary Microbes
Microbes from Phylum Chloroflexi Provide Clues to Carbon Cycling, Respiration in Sediments The Science Through metagenomics, researchers sequenced 86 organisms from the phylum Chloroflexi that represent 15 distinct lineages in order to discover the secrets of microbial life within terrestrial aquifer sediment deposits. The Impact These Chloroflexi microbes were found to have metabolic processes involved…
DOE JGI Extends the Capabilities of the Integrated Microbial Genome (IMG) System, Updates the IMG/M Metagenome System, Launches Education Site
WALNUT CREEK, CA—The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) has extended the capabilities of the Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) data management system, updated the content of the IMG/M metagenome data management and analysis system, and has launched its educational companion site, IMG/EDU. Version 2.6 of IMG includes new microbial genomes from Version…
Moss Sequencing “Ennobles” Flagship Genome
Physcomitrella Genome Expected to Provide Help with Global Climate Change The Science An international team of scientists has annotated all 32,275 genes of Physcomitrella patens, a moss sequenced by the DOE Joint Genome Institute that contains about 10,000 more genes than humans. The Impact It is widely believed that the P. patens genome contains information…
Project Management Office: Tootie Tatum
For many people, dogs are life-savers. They keep you busy, provide a source of love and comfort, are always happy to see you, and sometimes allow you to keep your sanity. However, DOE JGI Project Management Office Group Leader Tootie Tatum’s dogs actually save lives. During the workday, Tootie can be found overseeing the group…
Breaking Down Biomass with Thermophilic Bacteria
The deconstruction of biomass is a pivotal process in the biofuel industry, but the enzymes that possess a significant role in the breakdown of biomass remain relatively unexplored. To this end, DOE researchers at several national labs and user facilities are studying thermophilic bacteria, organisms that survive and thrive in high-temperature environments, that contain these…
Advancing soybean science on Iowa Public Radio
““It’s amazing to see the explosion that’s gone on in the plant world,” said Jeremy Schmutz, a plant genomicist at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute in California and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Alabama. In 2010, his team completed the soybean genome sequence, which is a roadmap that shows every piece of soybean DNA.”…
The Importance and Function of Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes
All organisms on Earth require nitrogen to survive, but most cannot use nitrogen unless it is combined with other elements. These compounds are formed by the process known as nitrogen fixation, which can only be carried out in nature with the help of microorganisms. In agriculture, fertilizers are often deployed to supplement nitrogen levels in…
Microbial “who done it?” in R&D magazine
“One of the keys to commercialization of advanced biofuels is the development of cost-competitive ways to extract fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass. The use of enzymes from thermophiles—microbes that thrive at extremely high temperatures and alkaline conditions—holds promise for achieving this. Finding the most effective of these microbial enzymes, however, has been a challenge. That…
Solving Microbial “Dark Matter” With Single-Cell Genomics
Microbes facilitate many of the natural cycles in plant growth and health, and play roles in many processes in nutrient cycles that control certain environments and climates. Though thousands of these microbes have been identified, the majority of these microbes are still a mystery to scientists and are referred to as microbial “dark matter.” Steps…