• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Chemistry

Although tiny, peatland microorganisms have a big impact on climate

by
July 17, 2024
in Chemistry
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Polyphenols are a diverse group of organic compounds produced by plants. These compounds are often toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought that microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an enzyme that requires oxygen. However, when there is little or no oxygen, like after flooding due to climate induced thawing, the enzyme is inactive, and polyphenols accumulate. This inhibits microbes’ carbon cycling. In this study, scientists mined data for thousands of microbial genomes recovered from Stordalen Mire, an Arctic peatland in Sweden. They discovered that these microorganisms used alternative polyphenol-active enzymes, with and without oxygen. The study underscores the significance of polyphenols in peatland carbon dynamics. It also suggests that the carbon stored in these ecosystems is at greater risk to be released into the atmosphere by climate change than previously thought.

Although Tiny, Peatland Microorganisms Have a Big Impact on Climate

Credit: Image courtesy of Benjamin Bolduc, The Ohio State University.

The Science

Polyphenols are a diverse group of organic compounds produced by plants. These compounds are often toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought that microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an enzyme that requires oxygen. However, when there is little or no oxygen, like after flooding due to climate induced thawing, the enzyme is inactive, and polyphenols accumulate. This inhibits microbes’ carbon cycling. In this study, scientists mined data for thousands of microbial genomes recovered from Stordalen Mire, an Arctic peatland in Sweden. They discovered that these microorganisms used alternative polyphenol-active enzymes, with and without oxygen. The study underscores the significance of polyphenols in peatland carbon dynamics. It also suggests that the carbon stored in these ecosystems is at greater risk to be released into the atmosphere by climate change than previously thought.

The Impact

Arctic peatlands store vast amounts of carbon. As global temperatures increase and environments change in response, the stability of the carbon stored in these habitats has emerged as a pressing concern. Researchers delved deep into the soil microbiome, scrutinizing the functions of thousands of microorganisms in an Arctic peatland ecosystem. Contrary to previous assumptions, the study revealed that many microorganisms metabolize polyphenols. Scientists had believed that this complex class of carbon compounds was inert and an important part of carbon storage. Armed with this new insight, scientists are better equipped to forecast the impacts of climate change on Arctic ecosystems and devise targeted strategies for mitigating these effects.

Summary

Peatlands have long intrigued scientists as reservoirs of terrestrial carbon, yet the role of microorganisms in carbon cycling has remained enigmatic. Contrary to past assumptions, this new research challenges the notion that peatland microorganisms exclusively degrade polyphenols under oxygenated conditions using phenol oxidase. Drawing from insights derived from other oxygen-limited environments like the human gut and rumen, where alternative enzymes and pathways metabolize polyphenols, the research team developed a novel computational tool to rapidly profile polyphenol metabolisms in microbial genomes. This software, applied to thousands of microbial genomes sampled from an Arctic peatland, unveiled a surprising diversity of polyphenol-transforming biochemical pathways. Remarkably, certain microorganisms encoded a profusion of these genes, signifying a polyphenol degradation prowess. Furthermore, the findings highlight the adaptability of microbial gene expression to shifts in soil redox conditions across the landscape.

By uncovering this hidden biochemistry, this research pioneers a new understanding of carbon cycling in these climate critical ecosystems. These insights not only expand knowledge of microbial metabolism but also underscore the intricate interplay between microorganisms and carbon dynamics in the face of climate change.

 

Funding

This material was based on work supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Program, as well as the National Sciences Foundation Biological Integration Institute. A portion of this research was performed under the DOE Facilities Integrating Collaborations for User Science program and used resources at the Joint Genome Institute and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, both DOE Office of Science user facilities.



Journal

Nature Microbiology

DOI

10.1038/s41564-024-01691-0

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Microbial polyphenol metabolism is part of the thawing permafrost carbon cycle

Article Publication Date

28-May-2024

Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Why Beer Foam Stays So Stable: The Science Behind the Perfect Pour

Why Beer Foam Stays So Stable: The Science Behind the Perfect Pour

August 26, 2025
SwRI Scientist Heads Science Team for New NASA Heliophysics AI Foundation Model

SwRI Scientist Heads Science Team for New NASA Heliophysics AI Foundation Model

August 26, 2025

Expanding Azole Chemistry with Precise N-Alkylation

August 26, 2025

Advancing Green Technology with More Efficient and Reliable SiC Devices

August 26, 2025

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    148 shares
    Share 59 Tweet 37
  • Molecules in Focus: Capturing the Timeless Dance of Particles

    142 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    115 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 29
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    81 shares
    Share 32 Tweet 20

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Exploring Depression’s Impact on Blood Sugar Control

Polyions and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Advancements for Brain Therapies

SLC4A11: Key Marker for Ovarian Cancer Treatment Response

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.