Bacteria Archives

Microbial diversity in the water of Lake Zurich, Switzerland, analyzed by researchers at the Limnological Station of the University of Zurich. CREDIT Martina Schalch, University of Zurich

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Limited Adaptability Makes Freshwater Bacteria Vulnerable To Climate Change

by Keith CowingMay 8, 2024May 8, 2024

Freshwater resources are limited, accounting for only 3.5% of Earth’s water, with just 0.25% accessible on the surface. Nevertheless, freshwater lakes are essential for ecosystem functioning and global carbon cycling […]

Geographic location and origin of samples. Maps of samples used for metabarcoding of 16S rRNA gene amplicon taxonomic marker genes (A) and shotgun metagenomic analyses of unassembled and de novo assembled taxonomic marker genes (B). Each symbol represents one project, which comprises multiple individual samples. Both terrestrial as well as marine samples may contain rock, sediment, or water samples. Further maps showing sample material, pH and temperature are included in the Supplementary Material (Fig. S1). (C) Overview of sample origins derived from marine and terrestrial biomes, depth realms, and environments. -- biorxiv.org

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Global Atlas Of Subsurface Microbiomes Reveals Phylogenetic Novelty, Large Scale Biodiversity Gradients, And A Marine-terrestrial Divide

by Keith CowingMay 3, 2024May 3, 2024

Subsurface environments constitute one of Earth’s largest habitats for microbial life, yet differences between surface and subsurface microbiomes and between marine and terrestrial microbiomes remain unclear.

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report

Bacteria Found On The International Space Station Are Mutating To Become Functionally Distinct

by Keith CowingApril 20, 2024April 20, 2024

In a new scientific paper funded by an Ames Space Biology grant, Principal Investigator Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory strains of the bacterial species Enterobacter bugandensis isolated […]

Evolution and function of the nitroplast - Multiple organelles in eukaryotic cells, including mitochondria, chloroplasts, and nitroplasts, evolved from the integration of endosymbiotic bacteria. In Braarudosphaera bigelowii, the chloroplast fi xes inorganic carbon to produce glucose, which feeds the respiratory chain in mitochondria that produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which in turn fuels nitrogen fi xation in the nitroplast. Glucose, ammonia, and ATP generated by the organelles, together with externally incorporated compounds (phosphorous, mineral nutrients, and vitamins), are the building blocks for cell metabolism, resulting in cell growth and division. -- Science

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

The Nitroplast Revealed: A Nitrogen-fixing Organelle In A Marine Alga

by Keith CowingApril 20, 2024April 20, 2024

A nitrogen-fixing bacterial endosymbiont of marine algae is evolving into a nitrogen-fixing organelle, or nitroplast, according to a new study, thereby expanding a function that was thought to be exclusively […]

Reflectance spectra of purple and blue-green cyanobacteria (top), PNSB (N = 10) (middle), and, PSB (N = 12) (bottom) where N denotes the number of samples. Labels of main pigments identified: (a) Chl-a Soret band, (b) Carotenoids, (c) Chl-a Qx band, (d) Phycobilins, (e) Chl-a Qy band, (f) BChl-a Soret band, (g) BChl-a, b Qx band, (h) BChl-a Qy band, and (i) BChl-b Qy band. Dry samples (right) show a stronger reflectance than fresh samples (left), water absorption features at 1490 and 1900 nm are stronger in the fresh samples. The reflectance of the culture medium alone is shown as a dotted line for control.

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Purple Is The New Green: Biopigments And Spectra Of Earth-like Purple Worlds

by Keith CowingApril 18, 2024April 18, 2024

With more than 5,500 detected exoplanets, the search for life is entering a new era. Using life on Earth as our guide, we look beyond green landscapes to expand our […]

Using life on Earth as a guide, scientists are cataloging the colors and chemical signatures that a diverse range of organisms and minerals would present in an exoplanet’s reflected light. Credit: Ryan Young/Cornell University

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Plant Biology, Press Release

In The Search For Alien Life, Purple May Be The New Green

by Keith CowingApril 16, 2024April 17, 2024

In the search for life across the cosmos, the familiar green hue we most associate with life on Earth may not be the best indicator. An Earth-like planet orbiting another […]

A bag of collection tubes inside the ISS cupola -- NASA

Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report

OffWorld Microbiology Sampling On The International Space Station

by Keith CowingApril 5, 2024April 5, 2024

A view at the cupola window of collection tubes containing swab samples of microbes for the 3DMM (Three-dimensional Microbial Monitoring of ISS Environment) investigation.

Distribution Of biosynthetic gene clusters identified by antiSMASH for each genome. -- biorxiv.org

Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors

Unveiling the Microbial Realm with VEBA 2.0

by Keith CowingMarch 27, 2024

Unveiling the Microbial Realm with VEBA 2.0: A Modular Bioinformatics Suite For End-to-end Genome-resolved Prokaryotic, (micro)eukaryotic, and Viral Multi-omics From Either Short- or Long-read Sequencing

Rhizobia bacteria residing within a plant’s root nodule tissue. Image captured via scanning electron microscope at a Washington State University. CREDIT Abigail Eaker, Washington State University

Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Space Agriculture

Genes Identified That Allow Bacteria To Thrive Despite Toxic Heavy Metal In Soil

by Keith CowingMarch 21, 2024March 21, 2024

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 […]

Schematic representation of oxygenic photosynthesis and the generation of superoxide during the day inside a Cyanobacterial cell. The thylakoid membrane contains Photosystem II (PSII) connected to phycobilisomes, Photosystem I (PSI), cytochrome b6f (cyt b6f), and electron transporters plastoquinone (PQ) and plastocyanin (PC). Phycobilisomes capture light energy and transfer it to PSII resulting in the hydrolysis of water and transfer of electrons to PQ, with the concomitant generation of molecular oxygen (O2) and protons (H+ ). PQ then transfers the electrons to PSI via cyt b6f and PC, thereby translocating two protons (2H+ ) across the thylakoid membrane, into the lumen. The resulting proton gradient powers the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via ATP synthase. PSI transfers electrons to ferredoxin (Fd), that in turn transfers electrons to ferredoxin NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR) to generate reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Both NADPH and ATP are used to power cellular processes, such as CO2 fixation (Mullineaux, 2014). Increased light exposure may result in excess electrons being fed into the electron transport chain, resulting in the generation of superoxide (O2 •– ) (Latifi et al., 2009). Dismutation of O2 •– to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) potentially occurs in different species via superoxide dimutases (SODs), in the cytoplasm, thylakoid lumen or periplasmic space (Herbert et al., 1992; Li et al., 2002; Napoli et al., 2021; Raghavan et al., 2013; Raghavan et al., 2015). Image generated in Biorender ©. -- biorxiv.org

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Early-branching Cyanobacteria Up-regulate Superoxide Dismutase Activity Under A Simulated Early Earth Anoxic Atmosphere

by Keith CowingMarch 17, 2024

The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis during the Archean (4-2.5 Ga), required the presence of complementary reducing pathways to maintain the cellular redox balance.

Bacteria

Limited Adaptability Makes Freshwater Bacteria Vulnerable To Climate Change

A Global Atlas Of Subsurface Microbiomes Reveals Phylogenetic Novelty, Large Scale Biodiversity Gradients, And A Marine-terrestrial Divide

Bacteria Found On The International Space Station Are Mutating To Become Functionally Distinct

The Nitroplast Revealed: A Nitrogen-fixing Organelle In A Marine Alga

Purple Is The New Green: Biopigments And Spectra Of Earth-like Purple Worlds

In The Search For Alien Life, Purple May Be The New Green

OffWorld Microbiology Sampling On The International Space Station

Unveiling the Microbial Realm with VEBA 2.0

Genes Identified That Allow Bacteria To Thrive Despite Toxic Heavy Metal In Soil

Early-branching Cyanobacteria Up-regulate Superoxide Dismutase Activity Under A Simulated Early Earth Anoxic Atmosphere

Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 11 November 2026: Weather Update And Forecast

Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 10 November 2026: Weather Update Forecast

Dispersal of Bacterial Spores Away From Spacecraft on the Martian Surface is Unlikely to Contaminate Subsequent Life-detection Samples

From Exo-Earth Detection to Atmospheric Characterization: Enabling Phase-Dependent Molecular Detection SNR in EXOSIMS

Ancient Rocks Reveal When Earth’s Tectonic Engine Switched On