We have reexamined the question of extant microbial life on Mars in light of the most recent information about the planet and recently discovered nonphotosynthetic microbial ecosystems on Earth--deep sea hydrothermal vent communities and deep subsurface aquifer communities. On Mars, protected subsurface niches associated with hydrothermal activity could have continued to support life even afte...

A minimum mathematical model of the marine pelagic microbial food web has previously shown to be able to reproduce central aspects of observed system response to different bottom-up manipulations in a mesocosm experiment Microbial Ecosystem Dynamics (MEDEA) in Danish waters. In this study, we apply this model to two mesocosm experiments (Polar Aquatic Microbial Ecology (PAME)-I and PAME-II) con...

there are significant challenges associated with qualitative and quantitative nucleic acid tests performed in diagnostic laboratories. the development of internationally available certified reference materials which can be traced to reference measurements will contribute to a better understanding of the performance characteristics of nucleic acid tests and enhance reliability and comparability ...

among the synthetic polymers, poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (phbv) microbial polyester is one of the biocompatible and biodegradable copolymers in the nanomedicine scope. phbv has key points and suitable properties to support cellular adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of nanofibers. nanofibers are noticeably employed in order to enhance the performance of biomaterials,...

throughout history, many different cultures have recognized the potential use of garlic for prevention and treatment of different diseases. recent studies support the effects of garlic and its extracts in a wide range of applications. these studies raised the possibility of revival of garlic therapeutic values in different diseases. different compounds in garlic are thought to reduce the risk f...

We model the competition between homologous recombination and point mutation in microbial genomes, and present evidence for two distinct phases, one uniform, the other genetically diverse. Depending on the specifics of homologous recombination, we find that global sequence divergence can be mediated by fronts propagating along the genome, whose characteristic signature on genome structure is el...

Vertebrates engage in symbiotic associations with vast and complex microbial communities that colonize their gastrointestinal tracts. Recent advances have provided mechanistic insight into the important contributions of the gut microbiome to vertebrate biology, but questions remain about the evolutionary processes that have shaped symbiotic interactions in the gut and the consequences that aris...

Mucosal damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with resulting microbial translocation is hypothesized to significantly contribute to the heightened and persistent chronic inflammation and immune activation characteristic to HIV infection. Here we employ a non-human primate model of chemically induced colitis in SIV-uninfected rhesus macaques that we developed using dextran sulfate sodium (DS...

Understanding microbial partnerships with the medicinally and economically important crop Cannabis has the potential to affect agricultural practice by improving plant fitness and production yield. Furthermore, Cannabis presents an interesting model to explore plant-microbiome interactions as it produces numerous secondary metabolic compounds. Here we present the first description of the endorh...