Ever since the pre-molecular era, the birth of new genes with novel functions has been
considered to be a major contributor to adaptive evolutionary innovation. Here, I review the …

Dissimilatory sulphate reduction is the unifying and defining trait of sulphate-reducing
prokaryotes (SRP). In their predominant habitats, sulphate-rich marine sediments, SRP have …

DNA viruses are increasingly recognized as influencing marine microbes and microbe-
mediated biogeochemical cycling. However, little is known about global marine RNA virus …

Profiling phylogenetic marker genes, such as the 16S rRNA gene, is a key tool for studies of
microbial communities but does not provide direct evidence of a community's functional …

Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere are the determinants of plant health,
productivity and soil fertility. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are bacteria that can …

Prokaryotes contain short DNA repeats known as CRISPR, recognizable by the regular
spacing existing between the recurring units. They represent the most widely distributed …

A central question in biology is how biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning.
Underlying this is the relationship between organismal phylogeny and the presence of …

John Dupré explores recent revolutionary developments in biology and considers their
relevance for our understanding of human nature and human society. Epigenetics and …

Soil microorganisms that produce the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC)
deaminase promote plant growth by sequestering and cleaving plant-produced ACC, and …

Bacterial genomes are remarkably stable from one generation to the next but are plastic on
an evolutionary time scale, substantially shaped by horizontal gene transfer, genome …