Climate action
Today we are seeing climate change in action, increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases have led to a rise in sea levels, temperatures, and extreme weather patterns. Researchers have acknowledged the pivotal role microorganisms in producing sustainable biofuels, increasing carbon sequestration via soil microbes and reducing methane emissions in landfill sites. Microbial innovation will be vital in moving towards a low carbon economy.
News
Tiny organisms play a big role in transporting carbon to the depths of the Baltic Sea
Tiny photosynthetic organisms in the Baltic Sea can contribute substantially to the transport of carbon from surface waters to deeper parts of the sea. A new study shows that their ability to form colonies and aggregates is an important factor determining how much of their biomass sinks.
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NewsScientists use bacteria to produce muconic acid from plants
Researchers have engineered a soil bacterium to synthesize muconic acid, a valuable chemical in the manufacturing industry, from plant matter.
NewsItching for a solution: Addressing mosquito-borne disease as climate change bites
Prevention measures, including vector control, vaccine deployment and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming are critical to counter the growing burden of mosquito-borne diseases in a changing climate, according to a new review.
NewsHow and where mcrobes die in soil influences residues, organic matter, and soil health
Healthy soils depend not just on plant inputs, but also on the remains of microbes. A new study found that microbial residues build up when they bind to fine-textured, non-crystalline minerals that are rich in reactive iron.
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Video
Soil Stars Heligan Summit Highlights
Watch highlights from the Soil Stars Heligan Summit and hear from those involved about the ideas, discussions and ambitions that shaped the meeting.
NewsIn African lakes, microbes living on algae reduce a powerful greenhouse gas
Lakes emit as much methane as agriculture. Researchers have shown that, in 79 African lakes, bacteria living on the surface of microalgae act as a natural filter. The greener the water becomes, the more these methanotrophs break down this powerful greenhouse gas.
NewsHow straw is returned to soil can make a major difference in nitrous oxide emissions
Returning crop straw to farmland is widely used to recycle nutrients and improve soil quality. But new research shows that the way straw is returned to soil can strongly influence how effectively it limits emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas.
NewsNew insights into coral reproductivity could help protect our reefs
Scientists have uncovered an important missing piece in the puzzle of how some coral reefs can recover from climate events, providing critical information that could help guide future conservation and restoration efforts.
NewsCurrents in an Arctic sea accelerate the sinking of carbon-carrying phytoplankton
Documenting the seasonal fate of these tiny marine organisms is a step toward understanding how ecosystems in the world’s fastest-warming region may change as ice recedes.
NewsHow human impacts increase risk of emerging infectious disease outbreaks
Global fragmentation of ecosystems and changing patterns of rainfall have increased the risk of diseases spreading to humans from animals, mosquitoes and ticks, finds a study.
NewsScientists develop microbially produced adhesive materials from glucose instead of petroleum
Researchers have demonstrated the potential of using microorganisms to produce a bio-based alternative to petroleum-derived materials for hot-melt adhesives.Using Escherichia coli, the team produced a new polymer from glucose and demonstrated performance and properties that support its potential use as a hot-melt adhesive.
NewsMolecular insight into biological nitrogen fixation close to the boiling point
Scientists have purified a nitrogen-fixing enzyme from a deep-sea microorganism that shows extreme heat-stability and is possibly of ancient origin. The molybdenum-containing enzyme has been captured in a “turnover” state, highlighting a universal mechanistic principle among nitrogenases.
NewsThat sinking feeling: Testing for ocean health and carbon storage
Our oceans are in trouble and new research shows how changes in diatoms could further undermine the foundation of aquatic life’s food webs – as well as vital deep-sea carbon capture or sequestration.
NewsResearchers find plastic-degrading enzymes in nature
Danish researchers have found 12 new polyurethane- and nylon-degrading enzymes by bioprospecting bacteria at the largest scale and broadest range of environments so far: in a compost heap, in a landfill in Kenya, a tropical zoo and in guts of larvae.
NewsLong-term biochar use may help conserve nitrogen deep in alkaline paddy soils
Five years of biochar amendment shifted nitrate transformation toward a nitrogen-retaining pathway in deeper soil layers, revealing why soil depth matters when biochar is used to manage nitrogen in rice fields.
NewsProfessor Jack Gilbert leaves a lasting legacy of collaboration and global engagement at AMI
As Professor Jack Gilbert steps down as President of Applied Microbiology International, he leaves a legacy of collaboration, generosity and an unwavering commitment to strengthening our global community.
NewsCo-digestion of waste and wastewater from biomanufacturing for energy recovery
Researchers have developed the Anaerobic Baffled Continuous Stirring (ABCS) reactor, a device capable of simultaneously treating solid waste and wastewater from biomanufacturing processes while recovering methane for energy self-sufficiency.
NewsAMI calls for marine microbes to be at the heart of Europe’s future ocean policy
Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the proposed EU Ocean Act, highlighting the essential contribution of marine microorganisms to ocean health, climate regulation, biodiversity and the blue bioeconomy.
NewsHeatwaves inhibit antibiotic resistance in soils - but at a price
Heatwaves temporarily reduce the amount of resistance genes in the soil, but heat and droughts are also causing significant damage to soils and ecosystems. The temporary dip in resistance therefore does not mean that the health risks from antibiotic resistance disappear.
NewsFrom soil to outer space: our interview with JAM Systems Microbiology Lead Editor Janet Jansson
We get to know Janet Jansson, who has been appointed as new Lead Editor in Systems Microbiology at the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
NewsLess UV light may mean less carbon storage in Antarctic tundra
As the ozone layer heals, less ultraviolet radiation reaches the Antarctic surface—a change usually viewed as beneficial for living organisms. But researchers have found that reduced ultraviolet radiation can substantially weaken the ability of Antarctic tundra to absorb carbon dioxide.
NewsProbiotic and postbiotic treatments revive heat-stressed corals
Researchers have established that both live probiotic and inactivated postbiotic treatments improve coral health—while the animals are under thermal stress during a natural marine heatwave.
NewsSulfur-reducing mechanism of bacterial selenoprotein discovered
A newly discovered multiheme enzyme in Geobacter sulfurreducens contains selenocysteine, which is encoded by a recoded UGA stop codon in the bacterial genome. This enzyme uses a unique selenium–sulfur–heme catalytic center to reduce polysulfides during elemental sulfur respiration.