EGSB News

A Berkeley Lab–led team of scientists has developed a new model that incorporates genetic information from microbes, enabling them to ascertain how soil microbes store carbon supplied by plant roots. The model could inform agricultural strategies to preserve carbon in the soil, supporting both plant growth and climate change mitigation.

Area researchers led a team that examined the microbial, chemical, and geological features of 11 wetland zones in the Bay Area. Their findings indicate that the factors governing how much greenhouse gas is stored or emitted in natural landscapes are more complex and difficult to predict than previously thought.

A team led by Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology (EGSB) staff scientist Vivek Mutalik demonstrated for the first time that they can, on a genome-wide scale, identify phage genes that are essential (or not) to infecting bacteria, and then replace non-essential DNA with distinctive barcode tags. These barcodes could enable investigators and clinicians to quickly identify and track different phages in diverse settings, similar to how product barcodes are used in supermarkets. Brought to scale, the method stands to unlock potent biotechnology applications relevant to agriculture, the environment, human health, and more.

The projects of 21 Biosciences Area scientists and engineers received funding through the FY24 Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program.

The National Microbiome Data Collaborative (NMDC) was founded in 2019 by a diverse group of experts with funding from the Department of Energy to address ongoing data challenges in biology through the creation of new tools and standardized practices. A new article dives into its Ambassador Program and explores how it promotes best practices through community engagement.