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Ancient organisms discovered in Canadian gold mine

Scientists have found evidence that archaea and other life domains coexisted for at least 2.7 billion years, challenging current understanding of the history of life on Earth. The discovery was made in a deep Canadian gold mine, where oily lipid remains of ancient archaea were analyzed using advanced techniques.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 20, 2007

Ammonia-loving archaea win landslide majority

A recent study has found that crenarchaeota, a group of single-celled microbes, are the Earth's most abundant land-based creatures capable of oxidizing ammonia. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that bacteria were solely responsible for nitrogen cycles.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature·DateAug 16, 2006

Sequencing the genome of a new kind of methane producer

Researchers from Max Planck Institute successfully sequenced the genome of a methane-producing Rice Cluster I Archaeon, revealing unique enzymatic mechanisms that enable them to thrive in oxygen-rich environments. This breakthrough could pave the way for developing methods to monitor and potentially reduce methane emissions from floode...

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience·DateAug 3, 2006

Undersea microbes active but living on the slow side

Researchers found a sizeable and active archaeal community in deep sediment layers using energy from breaking down methane molecules. These microbes live on the slow side, requiring less energy to maintain and taking longer to divide than expected.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 20, 2006

Life in deadly conditions

The study of Natronomonas pharaonis reveals its unique ability to thrive in extremely alkaline and salty environments. The organism's genome encodes the synthesis of 2,843 proteins, which are stable even at high salt concentrations.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalGenome Research·DateOct 17, 2005

International research group led by UMass scientist sequences genome of ubiquitous microbe

A UMass-led international research group has successfully sequenced the genome of Halobacterium species NRC-1, a salt-loving microorganism. The achievement promises to reveal insights into cell regulation, gene expression, and potential biomedical applications, including vaccine development and antibiotic design.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 1, 2000