Publications by authors named "M Schoelmerich"
Unlabelled: Borgs are huge extrachromosomal elements of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea. They exist in exceedingly complex microbiomes, lack cultivated hosts and have few protein functional annotations, precluding their classification as plasmids, viruses or other. Here, we used structure prediction methods to investigate potential roles for ∼10,000 Borg proteins.
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- Scientists studied a group of tiny creatures called Asgard archaea to see how they affect soil ecosystems, especially in wetland soils.
- They found two new genomes of these organisms and discovered that they can use different processes to break down substances.
- The findings suggest that Asgard archaea could help with carbon cycling in the soil by breaking down materials without producing methane.
Article Synopsis
- - Borgs are large extrachromosomal elements associated with "Candidatus Methanoperedens" archaea, and researchers used nanopore sequencing to validate and reconstruct genomes, revealing 13 complete and four near-complete genomes that share 40 key genes.
- - These conserved genes helped identify new Borgs in peatland soil and map their evolutionary relationships, showing two main clades; importantly, Borg genes related to electron transfer and cell surface proteins are more highly expressed than those of the host.
- - The study also reconstructed the first complete genome of a Methanoperedens thought to host Borgs, revealing unique methylation patterns that may help distinguish their genomes, and suggests that Borgs could exist independently from
Article Synopsis
- - Methanoperedens, a type of archaea, helps reduce methane emissions and hosts unique extrachromosomal genetic elements (ECEs) called Borgs, which influence their activity; however, the diversity of these ECEs has not been thoroughly explored.
- - New research identifies small linear ECEs, circular viruses, and other unclassified ECEs associated with Methanoperedens, with linear ECEs sharing characteristics with Borgs, prompting the term "mini-Borgs."
- - Mini-Borgs show significant genetic diversity across at least five groups and are linked to various Methanoperedens viruses, suggesting a complex network of genetic exchange that may affect the functioning and evolution of their host
Article Synopsis
- Microbial hydrogen cycling is critical for the variety and function of anoxic ecosystems, traditionally linked to [FeFe] hydrogenases found in bacteria and eukaryotes.
- Recent research shows that anaerobic archaea also possess diverse and active [FeFe] hydrogenases, indicating a broader evolutionary history than previously understood.
- The study reveals new metabolic adaptations in archaea, introduces a simple hydrogenase in DPANN archaea, and uncovers hybrid hydrogenases formed by mixing [FeFe] and [NiFe] types, suggesting a complex evolutionary relationship between these enzyme groups.