All Microbial Genomics articles
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NewsHidden DNA in medieval gospels reveal history of deadly livestock virus
New research shows that some of Europe’s most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).
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NewsFirst results published from major algal gene sequencing project
A new study reveals that different species of microscopic algae can behave in strikingly different ways because of their genetics.
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NewsSharpening an essential tool for biotechnology
Scientists develop a database of validated guide RNAs to improve engineering of microbes for manufacturing applications.
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NewsHow the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals
A new study helps determine how Trypanosoma cruzi manipulates its own RNA to alter protein production and invade the host, which could lead to new therapeutic approaches against Chagas disease.
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NewsMouth and gut microbes could help detect gastrointestinal cancers
Researchers report that by analyzing the make-up of oral microbes it may be possible to detect signals associated with stomach and colorectal cancer. These findings could lead to the development of new, less-invasive screening tests for gastrointestinal cancers.
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NewsMapping plant-fungus symbiosis, cell by cell.
Scientists have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, a partnership which help plants absorb nutrients from the soil.
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NewsResearchers identify rapidly spreading genetic variants that make parasites resistant to malaria treatment
New genetics study helps explain declining malaria drug susceptibility and highlights the urgent need to track mutations and improve current therapies.
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NewsStable RNA elements open new possibilities for mRNA therapeutics
New research has discovered compact viral RNA elements that can make mRNA more stable, and could provide a simple way to develop longer-lasting and more efficient mRNA technologies for vaccines and other RNA-based therapeutics.
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NewsDolphin blow may reveal the health status of these marine mammals
An international team of researchers has developed a new methodology to identify potential pathogens in dolphin blow.
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NewsNew platform speeds bacterial gene mapping for better biotech design
A new platform pinpoints genetic triggers that turn microbes into efficient factories for new chemicals and materials.
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NewsNew coastal pathogen database maps microbial risks across global waters
A new platform allows better mapping of global coastal environments to help track pathogens and associated risk factors.
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NewsAiming for more targeted treatment of serious lung infections
Microbial experts are using DNA sequencing readings to provide more accurate identification of microbial infections, which helps to address risks from long-term use of antibiotics in cystic fibrosis patients.
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NewsGenomic upheaval: How grapevine downy mildew builds its weaponry through structural chaos
Researchers have assembled two complete, chromosome-level genomes of Plasmopara viticola from distinct grapevine hosts, revealing that nearly 90% of the pathogen’s effector genes exist as locally duplicated gene clusters.
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NewsIndustrial poultry farming is accelerating the spread of a major foodborne disease
A new study reveals that industrial poultry farming has led to more than 100-fold increase in the movement of Campylobacter, allowing strains that once circulated in wild birds to mix extensively in commercial poultry populations.
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NewsMove over quokkas: Rottnest’s salt lake bacteria could be the island’s next big claim to fame
Scientists have read the full genetic code of bacteria from the salt lakes of Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), giving them their clearest picture yet of how these tiny organisms could be used to make biodegradable plastic.
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NewsEvo 2 brings artificial intelligence closer to reading and writing the language of life
A new artificial intelligence model called Evo 2 can analyze and generate DNA sequences across bacteria, archaea, plants, animals, and other forms of life, marking a major step toward a unified AI system for biology.
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NewsRice-grown chaga reveals genes behind valuable triterpenoids
New study links triterpenoid accumulation in Inonotus obliquus with rising expression of key biosynthetic genes, providing a genetic foundation for future work to improve sustainable production of Chaga-derived compounds.
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FeaturesUnder the microscope: extremophiles of the Earth
Extremophiles are microbial organisms that live in extreme environments normally considered uninhabitable. Over the past few decades, extremophiles have been discovered in increasingly bizarre and unexpected environments around the globe, including within acid lakes, plastic recycling centres and even in radioactive sites such as Chernobyl.
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NewsExploring potential of virovory in combating harmful algal blooms
Toxic cyanobacterial blooms can close lakes, contaminate drinking water and pose risks to human health. A new project is exploring an unlikely tool for mitigating these blooms: virovory, the phenomenon of organisms eating viruses as a food source.
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NewsGenomic analysis redefines the origin of eukaryotic cells
A new genetics study using the MareNostrum supercomputer redefines the genetic origin of the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes, highlighting the contribution of novel bacteria and even giant viruses in the emergence of eukaryotic cells.