Review
Genetics & Heredity
Nahui Olin Medina-Chavez, Michael Travisano
Summary: Archaea are a unique system for investigating the diversity of life, with the longest evolutionary history and the most diverse group of organisms. They exist in various environments, providing insight into the basis of survival under extreme conditions. Archaea are frequently found in microbial communities and have played a central role in the evolution of Eukaryotes. They can also be used as a proxy for studying life on other planets. Future advances will require both phylogenomic studies and improved techniques for isolation and cultivation.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sarah L. Schwartz, L. Thiberio Rangel, Jack G. Payette, Gregory P. Fournier
Summary: In this study, comprehensive phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses were conducted on a class of enzymes capable of degrading cyanide. The results revealed that the diversity and evolution of these enzymes are not well explored, and bacterial cyanide-reducing nitrilases were present by the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic era and subsequently horizontally transferred into eukaryotes. These findings suggest the potential for utilizing a wide range of microbial enzymes for cyanide bioremediation.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sage Albright, Stilianos Louca
Summary: Common culturing techniques bias the discovery of microbial diversity. This study compares culture-independent metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) to the RefSeq genome database to examine these biases. The distribution of gene orthologs in MAGs and RefSeq genomes is compared, revealing significant biases. This systematic analysis provides a resource for addressing these biases in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zihao Li, Tantan Wang, Xu Yang, Xin Wen, Wenhao Chen, Yubo He, Zhigang Yu, Chang Zhang
Summary: This study compares the microbial communities and their functions in oxygen-depleted and oxygen-limited paddy soil. It finds that oxygen-limited soil has a higher concentration of methylmercury and enhances microbial activity, especially in metabolic pathways related to methylation. The research suggests that insufficient oxygen input in flooded paddy soil increases the risk of human exposure to methylmercury from rice consumption.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
R. Daniela Feregrino-Mondragon, Michel Geovanni Santiago-Martinez, Mayel Silva-Flores, Rusely Encalada, Adrian Reyes-Prieto, Jose S. Rodriguez-Zavala, Betsy Anaid Pena-Ocana, Rafael Moreno-Sanchez, Emma Saavedra, Ricardo Jasso-Chavez
Summary: This study reports that the marine archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans can co-metabolize lactate and acetate under intermittent oxygen conditions, with associated oxygen consumption by triggering the transcription and synthesis of D-iLDH and a putative cytochrome bd: methanophenazine (quinol) oxidoreductase. This suggests a potentially new oxygen detoxification mechanism coupled to energy conservation in this methanogen.
ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Abdulaziz Anas, Balu Tharakan, Baby Divya, Shijin Ameri, Saravanane Narayanan
Summary: This study investigated the microbial distribution and diversity in the Arabian Sea Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The results revealed a diverse group of bacteria in the OMZ that were capable of metabolizing complex molecules under hypoxic conditions. This research highlights the potential biotechnological applications of these microorganisms.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tony Tien, Samuel C. Saccomano, Pilar A. Martin, Madeleine S. Armstrong, Robert K. Prud'homme, Kevin J. Cash
Summary: Flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) is an efficient and scalable method for nanoparticle synthesis that has been successfully applied to fabricate nanosensors for measuring oxygen concentration in microbial metabolism. FNP improves replicability and consistency, enabling the production of sensors that respond to oxygen concentration in gas-bubbled solutions and microbial environments.
Article
Microbiology
Tanmoy Debnath, Sushanta Deb, Subrata K. Das
Summary: This study described the microbial community composition and function in tropical hot springs and their relationship with environmental variables. The metagenomic analysis revealed differences in dominant phyla among hot springs with different temperatures, and identified genes related to various metabolic pathways.
CURRENT MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Helin Wang, Ping Li, Xiaohan Liu, Jing Zhang, Lisa Y. Stein, Ji-Dong Gu
Summary: This study investigated the influence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) in redox-fluctuating aquifers through field investigation and in-lab verification. The results showed that ROS played an important role in regulating AOMs, with ammonia-oxidizing archaea dominating in aquifers with lower ROS levels, and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and heterotrophic nitrifying aerobic bacteria predominating in areas with higher ROS levels.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Samuel C. Saccomano, Kevin J. Cash
Summary: A ratiometric oxygen-sensitive nanosensor was developed and used to monitor metabolic oxygen consumption in microbial samples. The nanosensor system overcomes imaging issues in biological systems and is reversible, allowing for the temporal monitoring of oxygen levels in response to external stimuli.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Maria C. Fernandes-Martins, Lisa M. Keller, Mason Munro-Ehrlich, Kathryn R. Zimlich, Madelyn K. Mettler, Alexis M. England, Rita Clare, Kevin Surya, Everett L. Shock, Daniel R. Colman, Eric S. Boyd
Summary: Research on a high-temperature, circumneutral hot spring in Yellowstone National Park showed that water column and sediment habitats are different, with the former largely hosting aerobic/aerotolerant autotrophs and the latter primarily hosting anaerobic heterotrophs. This ecological dichotomy is attributed to the influx of atmospheric oxygen into deep hydrothermal spring waters.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Daniel B. Mills, Richard A. Boyle, Stuart J. Daines, Erik A. Sperling, Davide Pisani, Ip C. J. Donoghu, Timothy M. Lenton
Summary: The origin of mitochondria and the oxygenation of Earth have been found to be decoupled by recent research. The authors review the literature and conclude that eukaryogenesis and the rise of oxygen were separate events, and that obligate aerobiosis in eukaryotes only became widespread in the past 1 billion years.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
N. V. Patin, Z. A. Dietrich, A. Stancil, M. Quinan, J. S. Beckler, E. R. Hall, J. Culter, C. G. Smith, M. Taillefert, F. J. Stewart
Summary: Exploration of oxygen-depleted marine environments has led to the discovery of novel microbial taxa and metabolic capabilities, expanding our understanding of microbial evolution and ecology. The study of Amberjack Hole on the Florida continental shelf revealed stable microbial communities with extensive biochemical capabilities for sulfur and nitrogen cycling. Overall, the blue hole habitat provides a natural marine laboratory for sampling taxa with potentially important roles in redox-stratified microbial processes.
Article
Microbiology
Jian Sheng Boey, Redmond Mortimer, Agathe Couturier, Katie Worrallo, Kim M. Handley
Summary: The study found that estuarine prokaryotic communities and nitrogen cycling fractions are highly sensitive to changes in sedimentary mud content, with significant impacts even with just a 3% increase in mud. Expression of nitrogen cycling genes was higher in muddier sediments, indicating an increased potential for coupled nitrification-denitrification.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Luping Zeng, Yunv Dai, Xiaomeng Zhang, Ying Man, Yiping Tai, Yang Yang, Ran Tao
Summary: The co-occurrence network of bacteria in HSSF CW was complex, while both VF and SF CW had simple functional topological structures. The VF CW reduced functional redundancy by niche differentiation, while the SF CW had bacterial niche overlap protecting a single function.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)