All Ecology & Evolution articles – Page 3
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NewsAncient tooth reveals the bacterium responsible for scarlet fever was not introduced to the Americas by Europeans
A research team has identified the Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium in a pre-Columbian Bolivian mummy and, for the first time, reconstructed the genome of this centuries-old pathogen.
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NewsFirst continent-wide map of dominant avian influenza strain explains its spread
Scientists provided the most complete view of bird flu’s spread through wild bird populations across North America, explaining how the dominant strain advanced, maintaining the risk of human infections.
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NewsHow soil microbes adapt to life in lakes
Researchers have analyzed the genome of bacteria living in Lake Zurich to conclude that microbes employ two different strategies to colonize new habitats. Some acquire new traits – but others reduce the size of their genome and lose some functions in order to successfully move to a new home.
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NewsA built-in ‘hairpin’ prevents rogue CRISPR RNAs
A new study reveals that many CRISPR-Cas13 systems utilize an RNA to prevent the formation of extraneous CRISPR RNA. With the first repeat, this protective RNA forms a stable structure resembling a hairpin. It points to a remarkable case of convergent evolution.
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NewsFrom Asgard to Earth: tiny discoveries hold clues to life’s greatest leap
Stromatolites may hold insights into how complex life began. Researchers have identified a previously unknown microbe living in close partnership with another organism inside these ‘living fossils’.
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NewsHow cholera bacteria swap defenses against viruses
To survive viral attack, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems. Vibrio cholerae carries a large genetic element called a sedentary chromosomal integron (SCI). A new study investigates whether the SCI might capture gene cassettes from genetic material entering the cell from the outside.
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NewsTropical trees are more neighborly, study suggests
Tropical trees are better neighbors than trees in temperate forests, according to a new study. Trees growing closer to the equator have more positive interactions with their neighbors, which may help explain why tropical forests are home to so many tree species.
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NewsCorner-loving single-celled microorganism uses geometry to sense its world
A surprising observation in the lab has revealed a remarkable ability in Stentor coeruleus, a single-celled organism about one millimeter long. Sometimes nicknamed the “platypus” of microorganisms for its trumpet-like shape, this tiny creature appears to have a distinct preference for corners.
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NewsA world within the leaves: Sign up for our fascinating free webinar
A single tree can harbour hundreds of species - yet few people will realise that some of those species live within the very leaves themselves. A fascinating free webinar will explore the fascinating world of fungal communities that live inside leaves.
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NewsMillions-of-years-old insect symbioses are surprisingly fragile
An introduced bacterium displaces the sawtoothed grain beetle’s symbiotic partner, leading to the complete collapse of a previously stable symbiosis within a few generations.
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NewsOne of cholera’s great enemies is found in the human gut
Cholera-causing bacteria are locked in an evolutionary arms race with a viral nemesis, according to a new genomic study. Researchers found that in the Ganges Delta, cholera bacteria rapidly gain and lose special armour that protects against attacks from the virus, known as bacteriophage ICP1.
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NewsViruses ‘eavesdrop’ on each other – but it can backfire
Viruses can “eavesdrop” on each other using chemical signals – but it can backfire for the eavesdropper, new research shows. Scientists studied chemical communication by phages, viruses that infect bacteria.
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NewsUnexpected potential bacterial symbiosis found in fungus that causes angular leaf spot
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected microbial relationship that could help explain differences in the severity of a major disease affecting common beans. The discovery sheds light on how the pathogen evolves and may point to new strategies.
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NewsMedieval DNA reveals trans-Saharan connections, rapid genetic mixing, and leprosy in Islamic Ibiza
An international research team has revealed that the population of medieval Ibiza was remarkably diverse. One individual was found to be infected with Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium responsible for leprosy, marking the first genetically confirmed case from medieval Islamic Iberia.
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NewsGenetic breakthrough uncovers evolutionary limits of the COVID-19 virus
A new paper indicates that while the COVID-19 virus has developed rapidly since 2019, it has done so within limited genetic channels. These genetic limits have remained unchanged.
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NewsStolen chloroplasts maintained by host-made proteins offer clues to plant cell origins
The single-celled predator Rapaza viridis temporarily retains chloroplasts from prey algae and imports its own proteins into them, new research has shown.
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NewsNeanderthals may have used birch tar for its anti-bacterial properties
Scientists extracted tar from modern birch tree bark, specifically targeting species known from Neanderthal sites. When exposed to different strains of bacteria, all tar samples were found to be effective at hindering the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria known to cause wound infections.
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NewsFantastic fungi found with ability to freeze water
An international group of researchers has discovered the identity of fungal proteins that can catalyze ice formation at high subzero temperatures. One potential application of this discovery could be to engineer weather.
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NewsNew African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms
A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world’s most widely cultivated ’magic mushroom’ – Psilocybe cubensis – may now have been settled. Scientists describe the discovery of a new species of magic mushroom from the grasslands of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
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NewsStudy investigates how microbes use ancient carbon
Researchers investigated a hydrothermal vent system at a depth of about ten meters off the coast of Kueishantao island in Taiwan. They tracked the path of this carbon in the surrounding sea and its uptake by microorganisms and other living things.