Researchers have discovered a unique endosymbiotic relationship where a bacterium provides energy to its unicellular host by breathing nitrate, complementing or replacing mitochondrial functions. This finding opens the possibility of simple eukaryotes hosting energy-providing endosymbionts.
Researchers found a microalgal sugar that is resistant to microbial degradation, forming particles that sink to the ocean floor and store carbon. This discovery challenges the assumption that sugars are rapidly degraded by bacteria, making them an important carbon sink.
Researchers developed phyloFlash to analyze SSU rRNA from raw metagenome data, overcoming limitations of traditional methods. The user-friendly software identifies organisms in simple communities with high reliability.
The deep-sea food web is significantly disrupted by deep-seabed mining, especially the microbial part of the carbon cycle. Microbes are found to be more than one-third less active in cycling carbon.
Researchers discovered the mechanism of an enzyme called F420-oxidase that converts oxygen into water, allowing methanogens to thrive in oxygen-free environments. The enzyme uses a gas channel and gating system to control the reaction, preventing oxygen from being transformed into superoxide.
Researchers uncover the production of nitric oxide by methane-eating microbes when they co-metabolize ammonia, a process previously thought to be toxic. This finding has significant implications for understanding the survival and growth of methanotrophs in environments with increasing fertilizer input.
Researchers discovered that brown algae's cell wall contains the long-chained sugar fucoidan, which is only partially degraded by microbial communities. However, specific highly specialized bacteria can break down fucoidan using over 100 enzymes, sequestering carbon in the ocean.
Deep-sea mining disturbs seabed ecosystems, affecting microorganisms and their biogeochemical functions for extended periods. The study found that even after 26 years, disturbance effects persisted, highlighting the need for sustainable technologies to avoid removing densely populated surface layers.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology have discovered a new microbe, Ethanoperedens thermophilum, that eats ethane and grows faster than previously known microbes. The discovery sheds light on the mechanism of ethane degradation and its potential for biotechnological applications.
Researchers found that laminarin plays a central role in the marine carbon cycle, storing an average of 12 gigatons of carbon annually. The study also revealed that laminarin comprises 50% of organic carbon in sinking diatom-containing particles.
Marine bacteria, such as Polaribacter, develop distinct niches with respect to algal polysaccharides, avoiding direct competition. Closely related clades partition available resources through unique sugar utilization strategies.
Researchers discovered Woeseiales bacteria, thriving in deep-sea environments, with an estimated 5 x 10^26 cells worldwide. These microbes likely facilitate protein degradation and nitrogen cycling in marine sediments.
Researchers have solved the mystery of marine nitrogen cycling, discovering that abundant nitrite oxidizing bacteria, Nitrospinae, are more active and efficient than previously thought. This reveals a key to their low abundance despite being crucial in the process.
Researchers have identified a novel protein involved in the anammox process, which converts ammonium and nitric oxide to hydrazine. This protein has a unique four-amino-acid structure that was overlooked in previous studies.
A new group of bacteria, Thiobarba, has been discovered in deep-sea mussels that fix carbon using the Calvin cycle. This is a surprise as most Epsilonproteobacteria use the reverse TCA-cycle instead.
Scientists have found a new metabolic pathway that recycles glycolic acid, a key compound in the ocean's ecosystem. This discovery challenges current understanding of the global carbon cycle and highlights the importance of microorganisms in recycling biomass.
Researchers discovered a diverse range of bacterial symbionts in deep-sea mussels, with each strain fulfilling different functions and enabling the mussel to adapt quickly to changing environments. This diversity challenges current evolutionary theories and suggests that similar symbionts can coexist.
Researchers observed flavobacteria forming tubes and then strings of pearls, which capture and break down laminarin sugar for nutrition. This ecological strategy appears successful, as the bacteria are found in large numbers after algal blooms.
A new microbe called Methanoliparia has been found to degrade long-chain hydrocarbons into methane and carbon dioxide. This discovery provides an alternative to the previously thought complex partnership between archaea and bacteria.
A microbial community with small diversity was found to efficiently clean up algal blooms through the bacterial degradation of specific polysaccharide substrates. The study revealed a limited spectrum of important polysaccharide classes, primarily alpha- and beta-glucans, which are made up of basic components.
Researchers discovered a third fewer cells in surface waters of South Pacific Gyre compared to Atlantic ocean gyres. They found familiar microbes like Prochlorococcus and SAR11, but also an unexpected species AEGEAN-169 in surface waters.
Researchers found a novel sulfur-oxidizing symbiont, Kentron, which upcycles waste products from its host and environment into biomass. This discovery contradicts traditional descriptions of symbiotic bacteria's carbon sources.
Trichoplax harbors two unusual bacterial symbionts that live in specific host cells, with Grellia residing in the endoplasmic reticulum and Ruthmannia in cells used for digestion. This discovery reveals a sophisticated level of complexity in Trichoplax.
A single bacterium supplies the gutless Paracatenula worm with lipids, proteins, sugars, fatty acids, vitamins, and other substances for energy and biomass production. The bacteria use chemosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds, which are then delivered to the host in small droplet-like vesicles.
Scientists have discovered anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria that directly use nitric oxide to grow, producing harmless dinitrogen gas instead of potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. This finding has significant implications for our climate and the earth's nitrogen cycle.
Researchers have identified new key players in the methane cycle, discovering widespread metabolic pathways in archaea. The study found that different variants of methane metabolism are common in these microorganisms, suggesting a greater importance in global carbon balancing than previously thought.
Researchers directly measured calcium, carbonate and pH at coral calcification sites using microscopy and microsensor measurements. They found that parameters are higher in corals than in surrounding seawater, highlighting the importance of calcium and carbon concentrating mechanisms.
Thaumarchaeota, a key player in the marine nitrogen cycle, can now be shown to utilize organic nitrogen sources like cyanate and urea. This discovery may explain their exceptional success in the oceans. The specific mechanisms behind these organisms' ability to use cyanate are still unknown.
A long-term study reveals that microbes can remove up to 90% of emitted methane, but only after decades. The unique community on the Håkon Mosby mud volcano plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
A recent study published in Science Advances found that CO2 leakage from storage sites can drastically alter seabed ecosystems, leading to the disappearance of animals and disruption of the food chain. The researchers also discovered that some microorganisms can adapt to increased CO2 levels, but most species struggle to cope.