Noteworthy — While plants and animals can measure differences in the length of days and nights bacteria, with their short life spans, would not be expected to do so. Read more →
Our Built Environment Microbiomes
by Mechas — There is no doubt that our understanding of microbiomes – those microbial communities in practically any environment – has increased in recent years. Research now covers almost any conceivable niches, from cow rumen or the human gut, to numerous human-made ecosystems. Read more →
A Fungus that Reduces Methane Emissions
Noteworthy — We face unprecedented rising global temperatures, a crisis driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels. But other sectors, like the livestock industry, also contribute by producing large amounts of greenhouse gases. Read more →
Enter the Pirates
by Christoph — Microbiologists know of only a small number of genuine rapacious bacterial species. In scientific terms, they are referred to as "predatory bacteria". Well-known examples are Myxococcus xanthus and its ilk, which practice "wolf pack" swarm hunting, and the more solitary vampires from the Bdellovibrio tribe. Enter the pirates with Captain Aureispira… Read more →
Bdellovibrio–Prey Interactions
Noteworthy — The environmental bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is unique in its capacity to prey and feed on other bacteria. This predatory behavior involves attaching and entering prey cells to consume and grow on cytoplasmic macromolecules, eventually lysing the host. But how do these bacterial predators recognize and invade their prey? Read more →
Bidirectional Plant–Bacterial Gene Exchange
Noteworthy — Plants interact with a broad range of commensal bacteria and often rely on these microbial partners for proper growth and development. In this study, Haimlich et al. analyzed genomes of the fast-growing plant Arabidopsis thaliana and members of its microbiome. Read more →
Microbial Solutions for Climate Change
by Mechas — News media are packed with warnings about climate change – those long–term shifts in temperature and weather patterns that today are largely attributed to human activities. Microbes, inextricably linked and key to planetary health, offer sustainable solutions. Read more →
How to grow shrubs
by Christoph — Exactly eight years ago today, we introduced you to the 'Hedgehogs In Your Garden'. No, we had not turned our backs on the Small Things and became gardeners instead. Again today, it is not about gardening activities, namely, 'How to grow shrubs'. Let me explain... Read more →
Of Terms in Biology: Edaphon
by Roberto — Soil, the material on the surface of the ground on which plants grow, is itself teeming with life. And there's a term that unifies all that life as an interconnected whole: edaphon. Though it is seldom found in the scientific literature, I will argue that it should be more widely taught and used. Read more →
Endophytic Streptomyces & Plant Growth
by Roberto — Because of the deleterious effects on soil due to the prolonged use and overuse of synthetic fertilizers, the quest for bacteria able to promote plant growth is an ongoing pursuit. Yet, these searches are usually focused on members of a few genera, prime amongst these Bacillus and Pseudomonas. What about the Streptomyces? Read more →