Tag Archives: beetle

General microbiology and science, August 12, 2014

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Prokaryotic Essential Genes, 10 years of next-generation sequencing, a short podcast on the Hadza microbiome, and Ebola.

 

Metagenomics

Protein Localization Analysis of Essential Genes in Prokaryotes – Chong Peng & Feng Gao – Nature Scientific Reports

“Here, a comprehensive protein localization analysis of essential genes in 27 prokaryotes including 24 bacteria, 2 mycoplasmas and 1 archaeon has been performed. “

Techniques

Review: Ten years of next-generation sequencing technology – Erwin L. van Dijk – Trends in Genetics

“Here we provide an overview of the evolution of NGS and discuss the most significant improvements in sequencing technologies and library preparation protocols.”

More Microbiology

CISAC experts tackle public health & policy questions on Ebola – Beth Duff-Brown – Stanford University

“We ask CISAC biosecurity experts to answer several questions about Ebola and the public health concerns and policy implications. “

Rapid and reagentless detection of microbial contamination within meat utilizing a smartphone-based biosensor – Pei-Shih Liang – Nature Scientific Reports

“An 880 nm near infrared LED was irradiated perpendicular to the surface of ground beef, and the scatter signals at various angles were evaluated utilizing the gyro sensor and the digital camera of a smartphone.”

Academic Minute Podcast: Microbiota of the Hadza Tribe – Alyssa Crittenden, UNLV

“My colleagues and I have, for the first time, characterized the hunter-gatherer gut microbiome– working with a population of foragers in East Africa, the Hadza of Tanzania.”

Women in Science

Why are the media so obsessed with female scientists’ appearance? –  Alice Bell – The Guardian

“Yet another profile of Susan Greenfield feels the need to dwell on her ‘long, youthfully blond hair’. Why are the media so rubbish at covering women in science?”

Bik’s Picks

Under- and over-water halves of Gyrinidae beetle eyes harbor different corneal nanocoatings providing adaptation to the water and air environments – Artem Blagodatski – Nature Scientific Reports

“In this study we analyze the micro- and nanostructure of the split eyes of two Gyrinidae beetles genera, Gyrinus and Orectochilus. “

Antarctic midge’s genome is smallest in insects to date: Bare-bones genome is adaptation to deep freeze – Science Daily

“Scientists who sequenced the genome of the Antarctic midge suspect the genome’s small size — the smallest in insects described to date — can probably be explained by the midge’s adaptation to its extreme living environment.”

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Non-human microbiomes, June 11

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Microbes in mosquitos, beetles and cocoa.

Insect microbiome

Francesco BaldiniEvidence of natural Wolbachia infections in field populations of Anopheles gambiae – Francesco Baldini – Nature Communications

“Here we show evidence of Wolbachia infections in Anopheles gambiae in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene identified Wolbachia sequences in both female and male germlines across two seasons, and determined that these sequences are vertically transmitted from mother to offspring. “

Screen Shot 2014-06-11 at 10.33.17 PMInterspecific communication between pinewood nematode, its insect vector, and associated microbes – Lilin Zhao – Trends in Parasitology

“The causative agent of PWD, the pinewood nematode (PWN), engages in a symbiotic partnership with its insect vector, the Monochamus beetle, as well as associated bacteria and ophiostomatoid fungi, in order to successfully infect and kill its host pine tree.”

Food microbiome

Philpp Adler cocoaThe key to acetate: Metabolic fluxes of acetic acid bacteria under cocoa pulp fermentation simulating conditions – Philipp Adler – Applied and Environmental Microbiology

“Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) play an important role during cocoa fermentation, as their main product acetate is a major driver for development of desired cocoa flavors. Here, we investigated the specialized metabolism of these bacteria under cocoa pulp fermentation simulating conditions.”

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