Not All Dietary Fibers Are Equal – Health Benefits of Dietary Fiber Vary
Researchers revealed in the journal Cell Host & Microbe on April 28th, 2022, that the health benefits of dietary fiber vary between individuals and may…
Metagenomic News
Metagenomics is a field of genetics that involves the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples. This approach allows scientists to analyze the genomic content of entire microbial communities, bypassing the need for isolating and cultivating individual species in the lab. Metagenomics provides insights into the diversity and functions of microbial communities in various environments, such as soil, ocean water, and the human gut. This has significant implications for understanding biodiversity, ecological dynamics, and potential applications in biotechnology and medicine. For example, metagenomics can help identify new enzymes for industrial processes or uncover novel microbes that contribute to human health and disease.
Consuming Artificial Sweeteners During Pregnancy May Affect Baby’s Microbiome and Obesity Risk
Research indicates that sweeteners consumed by pregnant rats lead to higher body fat and altered gut microbes in their offspring, pointing to potential obesity risks…
“Community Genetic Editing” – Using CRISPR To Modify Genes in Multiple Cell Types Simultaneously
Two new methods allow CRISPR editing of genes in multiple cell types simultaneously. To date, CRISPR enzymes have been used to edit the genomes of…
Ancient Poop Shows People in Austria Drank Beer and Ate Blue Cheese 2,700 Years Ago
Human feces don’t usually stick around for long—and certainly not for thousands of years. But exceptions to this general rule are found in a few…
Using Synthetic Biology To Shed Light on “Biological Dark Matter”
A new body of research, published in Nature Communications, suggests synthetic biology could help to better characterize complex microbial communities, unlocking their potential for industrial…
Early Warning: DNA Researchers Develop Critical Shortcut To Detect Known and Emerging Pathogens
Researchers at McMaster University have developed a sophisticated new tool that could help provide early warning of rare and unknown viruses in the environment and…
Can You Lose Weight? Success or Failure May Depend on Your Gut Microbiome
The strongest associations with weight loss success or failure, independent of BMI, are found in the genetic capacity of the gut microbiome, new research from…
Ancient DNA From 1,600-Year-Old Iranian Sheep Mummy Brings History to Life
A team of geneticists and archaeologists from Ireland, France, Iran, Germany, and Austria has sequenced the DNA from a 1,600-year-old sheep mummy from an ancient…
Novel Coronavirus Discovered in British Bats – Related to the Virus That Causes COVID-19
A coronavirus related to the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans has been found in UK horseshoe bats – according to new collaborative research from…
Bats in Switzerland Harbor Diverse Viruses – Some With Risk of Jumping to Humans
New analysis identifies some viruses with potential risk to jump to other animals or humans, including the near-complete genome of a MERS-CoV-related virus. An analysis…
Study Across 60 Cities in 32 Countries and Six Continents Reveals: New Species Are All Around Us!
About 12,000 bacteria and viruses collected in a sampling from public transit systems and hospitals around the world from 2015 to 2017 had never before…
“Unprecedented” New Form of Symbiosis Discovered
Energy-providing bacterial endosymbiont enables its unicellular eukaryotic host to breathe nitrate, demonstrating that unicellular eukaryotes may acquire endosymbionts to complement or replace functions of their…
A Closer Genetic Look at the Incredible, Variable Bacteria Living in Your Mouth
Researchers take a closer look at the genomes of microbial communities in the human mouth. Bacteria often show very strong biogeography — some bacteria are…
Uncovering Novel Genomes From Earth’s Microbiomes – Expands Known Diversity of Bacteria and Archaea by 44%
Despite advances in sequencing technologies and computational methods in the past decade, researchers have uncovered genomes for just a small fraction of Earth’s microbial diversity….
Cruciviruses: Criss-Crossing Viruses Give Rise to Peculiar Hybrid Variants
For millions of years, viruses have participated in a far-flung, import-export business, exchanging fragments of themselves with both viral and nonviral agents and acquiring new…
“Missing Link” Discovered in the Evolutionary History of Carbon-Fixing Protein Rubisco
A team of scientists has discovered an ancient form of rubisco, the most abundant enzyme on Earth and critical to life as we know it….
Missing Link Discovered in the Evolution of Photosynthesis and Carbon Fixation
A team led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, has discovered a missing link in the evolution of photosynthesis and carbon fixation. Dating…
Mysterious Magnetic “Sixth Sense” Some Animals Have May Come From Bacteria
The question is one that has been unresolved despite 50 years of research. A University of Central Florida researcher is co-author of a new paper…