The importance of subterranean microbes

Here we apply terabase-scale cultivation-independent metagenomics to aquifer sediments and groundwater, and reconstruct 2,540 draft-quality, near-complete and complete strain-resolved genomes that represent the majority of known bacterial phyla as well as 47 newly discovered phylum-level lineages. Metabolic analyses spanning this vast phylogenetic diversity and representing up to 36% of organisms detected in the system are used to document the distribution of pathways in coexisting organisms.

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Thousands of microbial genomes shed light on interconnected biogeochemical processes in an aquifer system : Nature Communications

Bacteria 'eats' plastic

The plastic is one of the new materials that humans use extensively worldwide... Is no really 'compatible' with nature but there is a 'bacteria' (Ideonella Sakaiensis) that seems to put this new material into the biodegradation scheme...

It could be a viable remediation or recycling strategy.

Bacteria isolated from outside a bottle-recycling facility can break down and metabolize plastic. The proliferation of plastics in consumer products, from bottles to clothing, has resulted in the release of countless tons of plastics into the environment.

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A bacterium that degrades and assimilates poly(ethylene terephthalate) | Science

Micropia

Another type of zoo...

Asmterdam has created a new museum-zoo of microbes.

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Home - Micropia

Design and hack synthetic biology

Make fun programming bacteria DNA.
Accessible biotech allows biology education and practice to the community.

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Synthetic biology