cmcclain | September 18, 2007
The son of famous Lucha Libre wrestler is tackling enemies of the environment. The aptly name El Hijo del Santo, already a success in the ring, is positioning to take on 'Sewage Man' among others in the ring. In partnership with Wildcoast, El Hijo is launching a new campaign to raise awareness about environmental issues.
cmcclain | September 16, 2007
How do you find squid in the dark depths if you are a toothed whale or dolphin? Lindberg an expert on molluscs and Pyenson an expert on whale evolution propose that ecolocation in the ondontocetes, or toothed whales, arose as mechanism to locate squid buffets. To view this story we need to go back, way back.
45 million years ago the land mammals entered freshwater and evolved the necessary equipment to survive in an aqueous medium except obviously the ability to breath underwater. These first whales did not echolocate, which is known because their foreheads were not scooped to allow for "…
cmcclain | September 16, 2007Presumably if you are reading this you enjoy my ramblings about the deep sea. What if you could get more of me? What if I was on your TV? Wouldn't that be great! Recently, I found out about an opportunity with a production company that is developing a show on the deep sea for a major cable channel. Sorry I can't be more specific. They are looking for hosts and there is a little talk about yours truly potentially filling the spot. At this point they have my tape and I am in the running with a bunch of others that frankly might be better looking than me. That is why I need your help...I…
cmcclain | September 14, 2007CK in garbage bag darkroom, credit Stéphane HourdezThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy advises that it is always useful to have your own towel. Sea-going microscopists are similarly advised to bring a large black garbage bag and duct tape.
Viral particles are very small, often less than 200 nm. For perspective, the diameter of a human hair is about 50,000 nm. In the past, the only way to see and count marine viruses was by using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), an expensive and complicated device that uses electrons instead of light to visualize small objects. However,…
cmcclain | September 14, 2007
Radiolaria are marine protists that are most abundant in tropical waters. The remains of their beautiful houses can be found on the bottom of the ocean as well as in fossilised rock.
Direct link: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/micropolitan/index.html
From the Institute for the Promotion of the Less than One Millimeter's
Micropolitan Museum (the marine collection)
Link: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/micropolitan/index.html
cmcclain | September 13, 2007
Move over Angelina Jolie-according to University of Delaware marine biologists, the Pompeii worm is "Earth's Hottest Animal." And how could it not be...an invertebrate with a pimp-tastic bacteria fur coat?! Well that, and it can survive even when its butt is bathed in hydrothermal vent fluids as hot as 176ËC.
"While some bacteria thrive at higher temperatures, the Pompeii worm ranks as the most heat-tolerant among complex life forms. The former record holder was the Sahara Desert ant, at 131°F. Discovered in the early 1980s by French scientists, the Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana)…
cmcclain | September 13, 2007A garden of healthy, orange-coloured Eunicella verrucosa (sea fans) providing habitat for fish off Plymouth in the UK. Photographer: Sally Sharrock
It's great that you're having a Microbial Week on your blog; makes for a change from those pesky charismatic invertebrates hogging all the lime-light! Its good timing too, as we've just been able to complete some work which looks like microbes are getting the upper-hand in a battle with a very pretty species of gorgonian called Eunicella verrucosa. Off southwest Britain these pink seafans are not looking so pretty now, especially at Lundy Marine…
cmcclain | September 12, 2007
One of the challenges of doing research in the deep-sea is the expense of getting down there and staying down there long enough (i.e., needing ships, ROVs, and submersibles). One way around that is to leave sensors on the bottom to collect data even when nobody is around. However, then you run into a power supply problem--can't exactly run out and change the batteries every couple of weeks. The solution? Microbial fuel cells. Clare Reimer's group at OSU have been working on seafloor fuel cells that exploit the naturally-occurring bacteria and geochemistry to generate power for deep-sea…
cmcclain | September 12, 2007Photosynthesis, that is. Get your mind out of the gutter! This admittedly sexy anaerobic green sulfur bacterium is capable of photosynthetic growth in the dark ocean depths. It's able to use geothermal radiation from black smoker hydrothermal vents as a light source, making it the only photosynthetic organism known to use a light source other than sunlight.
Just as hot electric-stove elements radiate light, black smokers glow dimly as 400 degrees C fluid emerges. Most of the glow lies in the infrared spectrum, which the microbes can't absorb, but part of the light reaches the edge of the…
cmcclain | September 12, 2007Diffuse flow vent with microbial mat (white)
Metagenomics is a powerful set of research tools, as well as a field of study in its own right. The purpose of genomics is to determine the DNA sequence of an organism and deduce its functionality and potential interactions with its environment and neighbors based on that information. It follows, then, that metagenomics is concerned with the DNA sequences of a collection of organisms and the various functions and interactions of the group. In principle, metagenomic studies of the deep sea are no different from metagenomic studies of, say, soil…
cmcclain | September 11, 2007The Johnson-Sea-Link manned submersible (Photo courtesy of Chip Baumberger)
Nature provides a treasure-trove of chemicals that can be used in chemical manufacturing processes, or developed into drugs for the treatment of human disease. Since the discovery of penicillin in 1929 and its impact on the treatment of infections, the pharmaceutical industry has used terrestrial microorganisms as a productive source of new therapeutic agents. In fact, the majority of antibiotics currently used in clinical practice are derived from microbial products. The intensity of this research led to a dramatic…
cmcclain | September 11, 2007Guess what?! I got a fever, and the only prescription... is more microbes!* Luckily, there is help for me. That may be a far stretch, but there are some posts. They have the fever over at Tales From the Microbial Laboratory, but they probably always had it. Cesar at Twisted Bacteria is keeping the momentum too with his second contribution of the week, Finding A Needle in Ocean. A cute little bacteria toy complete with flagella will probably be all the rage this holiday season. Do not be the last on your block with one. And don't forget to head over to the dauntingly titled Metagenomics…
cmcclain | September 11, 2007Behind the scenes here at DSN things are frantic to bring you the very best of microbes. We got so much lined up this week that I am developing Carpal tunnel syndrome in my clicky finger. But you the readers are worth all the pain and suffering!
So as you peruse the posts of microbial week, what could be better than a little background music. Good Ol' Kevin Z, DSN's old whipping boy, over at the Other 95% has blessed us with a special song just for Microbial Week-O' Bacteria.
cmcclain | September 10, 2007Bathymodiolus azoricus mussels
Like many bivalves, the deep-sea hydrothermal mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus anchors itself to the bottom using byssal threads. Bacteria have been spotted within these threads and may be responsible for the unusually high metal concentrations of iron, copper, and zinc in the byssus, as demonstrated by X-ray microanalysis of the deposits surrounding bacterial cells. Fluorescent probes, specific to the methanotroph endosymbiont bacteria typically found in the gills of these mussels, also hybridized with the intra-byssal bacteria. This suggests these symbiotic…
cmcclain | September 10, 2007Who says microbes can't be adorable and charismatic? Just look at this cute little devil! This recently identified deep-sea thermoacidophile accounts for about 15% of the archaeal population around hydrothermal vents. That's right, it can grow at temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees C and over a pH range of 3.3 to 5.8 and look precious doing it. These archaea may be playing a key role in iron and sulphur cycling at hydrothermal vents. The bug's provisional name is Aciduliprofundum boonei, but its common name is 'little devil blob.' I personally think that Peter should dress up his new…
cmcclain | September 10, 2007Head on over to Twisted Bacteria who is helping us celebrate microbial week. There is great post about the elusive habitat of some marine bacteria...or are they terrestrial?
But these "marine" bacteria, generally found in shallow waters, were quite similar to their counterparts from land. For this reason, it was assumed that any actinomycetes obtained from the sea were just wash-offs from the shore.
cmcclain | September 10, 2007Here at DSN we give microbes a dedicated week at other blogs it is all microbes all the time. At the wonderfully titled Small Thing Considered, you should check out both Swimming by the Light of the Sun and Gifts From Above. The site has more credentials and awards than can fit on an office wall. It is the blog for the American Microbiology Society and the writing comes from Moselio Schaechter, distinguished professor and emeritus from Tufts.
cmcclain | September 9, 2007What do they all have in common? Deep-sea coral microbial ecology. Coral microbial ecology is the study of the relationship of coral-associated microorganisms to each other, the coral host, and to their environment. Just as we humans have beneficial bacteria living on our skin and in our intestines, corals also have co-habitating, non-pathogenic microbes (and yes, I AM shooting for the most hyphens ever used in a DSN post*). These microbes include bacteria, archaea, and fungi--representing all three of the major domains of life (eubacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes).
What can we learn from…