Environmental datasets help researchers double the number of microbial phyla known to be infected by viruses
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 - 12:01
in Biology & Nature
The number of microbes in, on, and around the planet - on the order of a nonillion, or 1030 - is estimated to outnumber the stars in the Milky Way. Microbes are known to play crucial roles in regulating carbon fixation, as well as maintaining global cycles involving nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus and other nutrients, but the majority of them remain uncultured and unknown. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is targeting this "microbial dark matter" to better understand the planet's microbial diversity and glean from nature lessons that can be applied toward energy and environmental challenges.
