New class of antimicrobials discovered in soil bacteria
Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors, especially others of their own species.
Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors, especially others of their own species.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 17, 2024
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152
Prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall—how do desert soil bacteria manage to survive such harsh conditions? This long-debated question has now been answered by an ERC project led by microbiologist Dagmar ...
Ecology
Apr 17, 2024
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74
Soil bacteria help regulate the cycling of carbon and nutrients on Earth. Over time, these bacteria have evolved strategies that determine where they live, what they do, and how they deal with a changing environment. However, ...
Ecology
Apr 17, 2024
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148
Some soil bacteria can acquire sets of genes that enable them to pump the heavy metal nickel out of their systems, a study has found. This enables the bacteria to not only thrive in otherwise toxic soils but help plants grow ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 18, 2024
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52
In agroecosystems where manure is applied as organic fertilizer, these antibiotic residues exert strong selective pressure on soil microbial communities. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) from animal manure would increase ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 31, 2024
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1
Microbial communities are highly diverse, yet the mechanisms underlying microbial community assembly are not well understood. In 1967, Daniel Janzen hypothesized that low climatic variability along elevational gradients results ...
Ecology
Jan 3, 2024
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1
Microorganisms are essential to grassland soil ecosystems and play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles. Microbial communities can be classified into distinct ecological groups based on common life-history traits, which ...
Ecology
Nov 24, 2023
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3
A team of agronomists and biotechnicians at China Agricultural University has found that adding bacteria to simulated lunar regolith increased the amount of phosphate in the soil for use by plants. In their study, published ...
Enzymes are biological nanomachines. They make almost all of life's chemistry happen, when and where required. Because of their versatility and power, enzymes can be very useful for biotechnology. Taken outside of living ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 1, 2023
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29
Plants are among the most intrepid explorers on Earth. Roughly 460 million years ago, the first plants started leaving lakes and rivers and appeared on land. At that time, the surface of Earth was mostly bare rock.
Biotechnology
Oct 6, 2023
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42