horizontal gene transfer

Comparative Genomics and Phylogenomics of Novel Radiation-Resistant Bacterium Paracoccus qomolangmaensis sp. nov. S3-43T, Showing Pyrethroid Degradation

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Scientists discovered a new type of bacteria called Paracoccus qomolangmaensis living on Mount Everest at extreme altitude where radiation is 10-20 times stronger than at sea level. This remarkable bacterium can survive intense radiation, oxidative stress, and can degrade harmful pesticides called pyrethroids. The bacteria’s genome contains special genes for repairing DNA damage and protecting itself from oxidative stress, making it a valuable resource for understanding how life survives in extreme conditions and potentially cleaning up pesticide contamination.

Microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes as rising threats: Their interaction represents an urgent environmental concern

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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are spreading through our environment and creating a dangerous partnership with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When these plastics accumulate in soil, water, and even food, they carry bacteria with genes that resist antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. This combined threat to human health can spread through wind, water, and the food chain, requiring urgent action to reduce plastic pollution and antibiotic overuse.

Bacterial Heavy Metal Resistance in Contaminated Soil

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Heavy metals from industrial activities contaminate soil, threatening both environment and human health. Certain bacteria have evolved remarkable abilities to tolerate and neutralize these toxic metals through various mechanisms like trapping them in cell walls, pumping them out of cells, and converting them to harmless forms. By harnessing these bacterial abilities, scientists can develop sustainable and cost-effective methods to clean contaminated soils, offering hope for restoring polluted environments.

Comprehensive whole metagenomics analysis uncovers microbial community and resistome variability across anthropogenically contaminated soils in urban and suburban areas of Tamil Nadu, India

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Researchers analyzed soil samples from eight polluted locations in India to understand how microbes adapt to heavy metal and chemical contamination. They discovered that contaminated soils harbor many bacteria with antibiotic resistance genes and genes that help them survive toxic metals. The most common resistance mechanism was through special pumps that bacteria use to expel antibiotics. This research highlights how polluted environments become reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, emphasizing the need for targeted cleanup strategies to protect human and environmental health.

Horizontal gene cluster transfer increased hallucinogenic mushroom diversity

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Scientists discovered that distantly related hallucinogenic mushrooms produce psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, through a shared set of genes that were likely transferred between species living in similar environments like dung and decaying wood. By sequencing the genomes of three different hallucinogenic mushroom species, researchers found nearly identical gene clusters responsible for making psilocybin, and evidence showing these genes jumped between unrelated fungal lineages. This discovery suggests that fungi in dung and wood environments may be rich sources of other bioactive compounds with potential medical applications.

The impact of novel bacterial strains and their consortium on diflufenican degradation in the mineral medium and soil

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Scientists isolated four types of bacteria from agricultural soil that can break down diflufenican, a persistent weed-killer chemical that normally takes years to degrade. When these four bacteria work together as a team, they can eliminate over 82% of the herbicide in soil within four weeks. This discovery could provide a practical solution for cleaning up farmland contaminated with this stubborn chemical pollutant.

Nocardia mangyaensis NH1: A Biofertilizer Candidate with Tolerance to Pesticides, Heavy Metals and Antibiotics

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Scientists studied a soil bacterium called Nocardia mangyaensis NH1 as a potential natural fertilizer for farms. The bacteria can survive exposure to common pesticides and heavy metals in contaminated soils, making it useful for sustainable agriculture. It has few antibiotic resistance genes, which is important for preventing the spread of resistant bacteria, and its genome is relatively stable and lacks harmful genes, making it safe for agricultural use.

Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Agricultural Soils: A Comprehensive Review of the Hidden Crisis and Exploring Control Strategies

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Antibiotics used in farming and medicine are creating resistant bacteria that accumulate in soil, threatening food safety and human health through the food chain. This review explains how these resistant genes spread through soil microorganisms and presents practical solutions including special soil treatments, chemical processes, and beneficial microorganisms to reduce the problem. The authors emphasize the need for stricter regulations on antibiotic use in agriculture and better management of farm manure to protect both soil health and public health.

Roles of mobile genetic elements and biosynthetic gene clusters in environmental adaptation of acidophilic archaeon Ferroplasma to extreme polluted environments

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Scientists discovered how a special acid-loving microorganism called Ferroplasma survives and thrives in highly polluted mine drainage environments rich in dangerous heavy metals. The study revealed that these microorganisms use special genetic elements like jumping genes and metabolite-producing genes to adapt to these extreme conditions, enabling them to help clean up pollution. This discovery could lead to better biological methods for treating contaminated environments and making water safer near old mining sites.

Plastic-Microbial BioRemediation DB: A Curated Database for Multi-Omics Applications

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Scientists have created a new database called Plastic-MBR that catalogs bacteria capable of breaking down plastic waste. Using computer analysis of genetic information from soil and river samples, researchers identified numerous bacterial species and enzymes that could potentially help eliminate plastic pollution. This database serves as a starting point for selecting promising bacteria that could be tested in laboratories and eventually used to develop practical plastic-cleaning solutions for contaminated environments.

Research Keyword: horizontal gene transfer