Single-cell genomics unravels a microbial species’ role in breaking down hydrocarbons. The Science: Researchers sequenced and analyzed a single cell of Colwellia bacteria to understand why these microbes were predominant in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Impact: Understanding the characteristics of the Colwellia bacteria furthers the researchers understanding of… [Read More]

Transposable elements in a genome could make plant pathogens more flexible with their hosts. The Science: Researchers examined a correlation between fungal plant pathogens and the abundance of transposable elements in their genomes. They looked at the mechanisms of transposable elements in symbionts that are similar to those in pathogens. The Impact: Fungal plant pathogens may… [Read More]

Since the generation of the first draft sequence, DOE JGI researchers have been improving a key algal genome. The Science: The high-quality genome sequence of the tiny single-celled alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has proved useful for researchers studying photosynthesis and cell motility. The Impact: In the decade since researchers initiated plans to sequence and now annotate… [Read More]

Researchers highlight the advantages of promoting beneficial plant-microbe relationships.  The Science: The usual response to plant stressors such as low nutrient availability and disease has been to breed or develop cultivars that are tolerant or resistant to these concerns. In recent years, researchers have been paying more attention to the interactions between plants and microbial… [Read More]

Scientists study particular response to environment and its effect upon phenotype. The Science: Scientists grew Boechera stricta plants in soil inoculated with microbes from natural B. stricta habitats to study the flowering time phenotype. The Impact: The technique researchers employed to isolate soil microbes to study their effect on a single plant phenotype can potentially… [Read More]

Genome-wide scan of maize population finds genes affected by long-term artificial selection. The Science: Researchers conducted a genome-wide scan of a long-term maize breeding study to find the genes involved in increasing the number of ears per maize plant. The Impact: The study demonstrates how significantly reduced costs associated with sequencing and the ability to… [Read More]

Microbes disprove long-held assumption that all organisms share a common vocabulary. The Science: Through single-cell genomics and metagenomics, researchers exploring the planet’s microbial diversity have found that not all organisms interpret a series of short genetic sequences to mean the same thing. The Impact: The ability to study microbes in the wild helps researchers realize… [Read More]

A review of studies to better understand effects of climate change on microbial activities. The Science: Researchers are harnessing strategies including metagenomics to learn more about the microbial communities in permafrost and their current and potential responses to climate change. The Impact: Researchers estimate that permafrost covers a quarter of the plant’s land area, and… [Read More]

Fungal genome offers insights into growing crops in salty environments. The Science: Researchers sequenced and analyzed the genome of an extremophilic fungus that has adapted to thrive in the Dead Sea. The Impact: The genome provides information on how the fungus can tolerate extremely salty conditions. As climate change continues to affect agricultural lands and… [Read More]

Functional annotation reveals novel biomass-degrading enzymes from microbial genomes. The Science: Functional annotation allowed researchers to identify biomass-degrading enzymes in the 35 percent of genes in a genome that are considered “genomic dark matter.” The Impact: Identifying 17 putative biomass-degrading cellulases from the content of more than 5,500 microbial genomes is of use to bioenergy… [Read More]