All Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology articles
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Deep-sea corals are home to previously unknown bacteria with extremely small genomes
Scientists have discovered two highly unusual bacterial species in the tissue of deep-sea corals from the Gulf of Mexico. The previously unknown coral symbionts have an extremely reduced genome and lack the ability to obtain energy from carbohydrates.
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A metabolic secret of ethane-consuming archaea unraveled
Scientists have presented a study on the degradation of ethane, the second most abundant alkane in seeps on the deep seafloor. They characterized enzymes involved in the process and found that their reaction breaks an established dogma in the field of anaerobic biochemistry.
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Hijacking the command center of the cell: nuclear parasites in deep-sea mussels
Researchers have revealed how a bacterial parasite thrives inside the nuclei of deep-sea mussels, a remarkable feat given that the nucleus is the control center of the cell.
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Scientists reveal how bacteria in lakes fight climate change
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas frequently produced in the sea and in fresh water. Lakes in particular release large quantities of this climate-killer. Fortunately, however, there are microorganisms that counteract this: They are able to utilize methane to grow and generate energy, thus preventing it from being released into ...
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Long-standing marine mystery solved: How algae get nitrogen to grow
In a new study, scientists have shed light on an unexpected partnership: a marine diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean.
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Sea zombies: Viruses keep the most common marine bacteria in check
The ocean waters surrounding the German island of Helgoland provide an ideal setting to study spring algae blooms, a focus of research at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology since 2009. Source: Jan Brüwer/Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology Sunset over the island of Helgoland in ...
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New Rhizobia-diatom symbiosis discovery solves long-standing marine mystery
Scientists solve a longstanding marine mystery by uncovering a partnership between a diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean, with exciting implications also for agriculture.
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RNA as a common language, presented in extracellular speech-bubbles
Decoding the conversations between microbes of hypersaline environments reveals insights into the origins of complex life.
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Bacteria in the Arctic seabed are active all year round
Despite the pronounced seasonality in their habitat, the bacterial community in Arctic sediments is taxonomically and functionally very stable, a new study finds.
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Researchers reveal how archaea toggle the nitrogen-uptake switch
By tightly regulating nitrogen uptake, microorganisms avoid overeating nitrogen and thus wasting energy. Scientists now reveal how some methanogenic archaea manage to do so.
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Tiny vesicles exchange genetic information between cells in the sea
Extracellular vesicles play a much greater role in horizontal gene transfer in the ocean than previously assumed.
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Bacteria use organic phosphorus and release methane in the process
Researchers have investigated how bacteria inadvertently release methane in order to obtain phosphorus – with significant effects on atmospheric greenhouse gases.
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New microscopy method reveals host-microbe interactions
Researchers are developing a method that reveals the chemical communication between microbes and their host.
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Microbial enzyme captures CO2 with electricity
Scientists isolate a microbial enzyme and branch it on an electrode to efficiently and unidirectionally convert CO2 to formate.
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Researchers reveal sulphate assimilation pathway for methanogen
Study uncovers how a methanogenic microbe reassembles a metabolic pathway piece by piece to transform sulphate into a cellular building block.
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Study of bacterial division yields surprising results
A new study focusing on the number of dividing bacterial cells in the North Sea challenges some dogmas about marine microbial life.
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Bacteria flourish in plumes of deep ocean volcanoes
Deep down in the ocean at tectonic plate boundaries, hot fluids rise from so-called hydrothermal vents. The fluids are devoid of oxygen and contain large amounts of metals such as iron, manganese or copper. Some may also transport sulphides, methane and hydrogen. Source: HACON cruise 2021, REV Ocean ...
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Researchers cultivate ‘impossible’ microbe that can grow on nitrogen while producing methane
Researchers have managed to grow a marine heat-loving methanogen that can turn nitrogen and carbon dioxide into ammonia and methane by using hydrogen.