Microbes
Researchers have discovered that heterotrophic microbes play a larger role in fixing carbon in the deep ocean than previously thought, challenging long-held assumptions. Led by Alyson Santoro at UC Santa Barbara, the study reveals that ammonia-oxidizing archaea contribute less than expected to this process. The findings, published in Nature Geoscience, help explain discrepancies in carbon and nitrogen cycles in dark ocean waters.
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Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have discovered that the common photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris can draw perfluorooctanoic acid, a persistent PFAS chemical, into its cell membrane. In lab experiments, the microbe removed about 44% of the chemical over 20 days, though much of it later returned to the environment. The findings, published in Environmental Science: Advances, suggest potential for engineering microbes to combat PFAS pollution.