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At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
USGS2026

Status of round goby invasion fronts in New York and Quebec: Implications for Lake Champlain

Invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus have advanced eastward through the state of New York and provinces of Ontario and Quebec over the past two decades and are approaching Lake Champlain, one of the largest lakes in North America. This manuscript describes international efforts to monitor round goby populations during 2021–2025 on (a) the southern approach to Lake Champlain via the Hudson River and Champlain Canal, and (b) the northern approach to Lake Champlain via the Saint Lawrence River and Richelieu River. Monitoring utilized environmental DNA (eDNA), backpack electrofishing, beach seining, benthic trawling, and viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) testing. In the Champlain Canal, round goby were captured as far north as the downstream side of the C1 dam (97 kilometers [km] from Lake Champlain) while eDNA detections occurred as far north as the upstream side of the C2 dam (90 km from Lake Champlain). In the Richelieu River, round goby were captured as far south as Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu (82 km from Lake Champlain) while the southern-most eDNA detections occurred near the Canadian side of the international border (4 km from Lake Champlain). Water temperature influenced habitat usage of round goby in the Champlain Canal, with catch rates in near-shore areas declining at < 10 °C. All VHSV test results were non-detections at the mouth of the Richelieu River, while one positive and two inconclusive results occurred along the Champlain Canal. Together, these data have informed multiple mitigation measures and have implications for management of aquatic invasive species across North America.

BioRxiv↗
USGS2024

Metabarcoding is (usually) more cost effective than seining or qPCR for detecting tidewater gobies and other estuarine fishes

Many studies have shown that environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling can be more sensitive than traditional sampling. For instance, past studies found a specific qPCR probe of a water sample is better than a seine for detecting the endangered northern tidewater goby, Eucyclogobius newberryi . Furthermore, a metabarcoding sample often detects more fish species than a seine detects. Less consideration has been given to sampling costs. To help managers choose the best sampling method for their budget, I estimated detectability and costs per sample to compare the cost effectiveness of seining, qPCR and metabarcoding for detecting endangered tidewater gobies as well as the associated estuarine fish community in California. Five samples were enough for eDNA methods to confidently detect tidewater gobies, whereas seining took twice as many samples. Fixed program costs can be high for qPCR and seining, whereas metabarcoding had high per-sample costs, which led to changes in relative cost-effectiveness with the number of locations sampled. Under some circumstances (multiple locations visited or an already validated assay), qPCR was a bit more cost effective than metabarcoding for detecting tidewater gobies. Under all assumptions, seining was the least cost-effective method for detecting tidewater gobies or other fishes. Metabarcoding was the most cost-effective sampling method for multiple species detection. Despite its advantages, metabarcoding has gaps in sequence databases, can yield vague results for some species, and can lead novices to serious errors. Seining remains the only way to rapidly assess densities, size distributions, and fine-scale spatial distributions.

PeerJ↗
USGS2018

Distribution and seasonal differences in Pacific Lamprey and Lampetra spp eDNA across 18 Puget Sound watersheds

Lampreys have a worldwide distribution, are functionally important to ecological communities and serve significant roles in many cultures. In Pacific coast drainages of North America, lamprey populations have suffered large declines. However, lamprey population status and trends within many areas of this region are unknown and such information is needed for advancing conservation goals. We developed two quantitative PCR-based, aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) assays for detection of Pacific Lamprey ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) and Lampetra spp, using locked nucleic acids (LNAs) in the probe design. We used these assays to characterize the spatial distribution of lamprey in 18 watersheds of Puget Sound, Washington, by collecting water samples in spring and fall. Pacific Lamprey and Lampetra spp were each detected in 14 watersheds and co-occurred in 10 watersheds. Lamprey eDNA detection rates were much higher in spring compared to fall. Specifically, the Pacific Lamprey eDNA detection rate was 3.5 times higher in spring and the Lampetra spp eDNA detection rate was 1.5 times higher in spring even though larval lamprey are present in streams year-round. This significant finding highlights the importance of seasonality on eDNA detection. Higher stream discharge in the fall likely contributed to reduced eDNA detection rates, although seasonal life history events may have also contributed. These eDNA assays differentiate Pacific Lamprey and Lampetra spp across much of their range along the west coast of North America. Sequence analysis indicates the Pacific Lamprey assay also targets other Entosphenus spp and indicates the Lampetra spp assay may have limited or no capability of detecting Lampetra in some locations south of the Columbia River Basin. Nevertheless, these assays will serve as a valuable tool for resource managers and have direct application to lamprey conservation efforts, such as mapping species distributions, occupancy modeling, and monitoring translocations and reintroductions.

Puget Sound↗
USGS2013

ECALS: Loading studies interim report July 2013

Since the initial detection of Asian carp moving up the Mississippi Basin, the potential for invasion of the Great Lakes by Silver Carp and Bighead Carp has been a major concern to stakeholders. To combat this problem, sampling for environmental DNA (eDNA) is used to monitor the waterways near Lake Michigan. This monitoring area includes the Chicago Area Waterways System (CAWS) and the Des Plaines River. By sampling waters that may be inhabited by Asian carp, the extraction and amplification of carp DNA from the collected cellular debris is possible. This technique has been successfully used in several other contexts (Ficetola et al., 2008; Foote et al., 2008) and is believed to be a highly sensitive method for species detection (Dejean et al., 2012). Compared to traditional methods for surveying aquatic invasive species (fishing, rotenone application, and electrofishing), the increased sensitivity of this method could be a valuable asset. Early detection could lead to a more rapid response to the threat of a Great Lakes invasion by Asian carp.

Report↗
USGS2018

Assessing the risk of dreissenid mussel invasion in Texas based on lake physical characteristics and potential for downstream dispersal

ebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) and quagga mussels ( Dreissena bugensis ) were likely introduced from Ponto-Caspian Eurasia to the Laurentian Great Lakes inadvertently via ballast water release in the 1980s and have since spread across the US, including Texas. Their spread into the state, including reservoirs in both Brazos River and Colorado River basins, has resulted in a need to delimit suitable dreissenid habitat and dispersal potential in Texas. The objective of our research was to assess invasion risk in Texas by 1) predicting distribution of suitable habitat of zebra and quagga mussels using Maxent models; 2) refining lake-specific predictions for present zebra mussels via collection of physicochemical data; and 3) assessing the potential for downstream spread of zebra mussels by applying environmental DNA (eDNA) methods in the Leon and Lampasas Rivers downstream from the invaded Lakes Belton and Stillhouse Hollow, respectively. Maxent models did not predict the occurrence of suitable habitat for quagga mussels within Texas. However, our models accurately identified global zebra mussel habitat (AUC = 0.919), and Bioclim layers representing temperature and precipitation data both strongly influenced predictions. Predicted “hotspots” of suitable zebra mussel habitat in Texas occurred along the Red and Sabine Rivers of north and east Texas, as well as patches of suitable habitat in central Texas between the Colorado and Brazos Rivers and extending inland along the Gulf Coast. Most of the Texas panhandle, west Texas extending toward El Paso, and the Rio Grande valley were predicted to provide poor habitat suitability. Collection of physicochemical data (dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and temperature on-site as well as laboratory analysis for Ca, N, and P) from zebra mussel invaded lakes and a subset of identified high-risk lakes of North and Central Texas, did not aid predictions. Visual inspection of biplots of the first three components of a principle component analysis, which together accounted for ~80% of data variability, did not reveal separation between invaded and uninvaded lakes, and logistic regression analysis also failed to identify predictive relationships between measured variables and invasion status. Using eDNA analysis, we detected the presence of zebra mussel eDNA at 11 of 12 sites and up to at least 90.7 river km downstream from a pair of infested reservoirs. Rate of positive detection among water samples at each site ranged from 1/5 to 5/5, and within positive water samples, rate of detection among technical replicates ranged from 1/8 to 8/8, suggesting considerable heterogeneity in the zebra mussel eDNA signal in both rivers. Furthermore, no clear spatial pattern in detection rate occurred. Thus, a monitoring strategy that combines traditional sampling (e.g. settlement substrate samplers and microscopy) at sites immediately below a dam, and transitioning to more sensitive eDNA analysis at distances further from the dam may represent the most successful strategy for detection of dreissenid mussel downstream dispersal. Overall, we have demonstrated that while quagga mussels do not appear to represent an invasive threat in Texas, suitable habitat for continuing zebra mussel invasion exists within Texas, and stream and river connections may contribute to their spread. The threat of continued expansion of this poster-child for negative invasive species impacts warrants further prevention efforts, management, and research.

continental United States↗
USGS2019

Annual variations in microcystin occurrence in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, based on high-throughput DNA sequencing, qPCR, and environmental parameters

Cyanobacteria-dominated blooms in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, create poor water quality and produce microcystins that may be detrimental to local wildlife and human health. Genetic tools, including high-throughput DNA sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), have been shown to improve the identification and quantification of key groups associated with these blooms over more traditional techniques. We examined the seasonal and interannual variations in nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) concentrations between 2013 and 2014 to describe the relations between these factors and the growth dynamics of Aphanizomenon and toxigenic Microcystis as described by DNA sequencing and qPCR. Although total nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations were similar between years, qPCR results showed the cyanobacterial populations to be 40 times larger in 2014 and indicated a large shift from an Aphanizomenon -dominant, low microcystin-level regime in 2013 to one dominated later in the season by microcystin-producing Microcystis in 2014. In both years, the transition from Aphanizomenon to Microcystis was coincident with a late-season increase in nitrite-plus-nitrate concentrations and in dissolved inorganic nitrogen to dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIN:DIP) ratios. However, these increases did not explain the large interannual differences in total cyanobacteria abundance. Rather, we hypothesized that year-to-year differences in bioavailable phosphorus, which also manifested as lower total nitrogen to total phosphorus (TN:TP) ratios, were responsible.

Oregon↗
USGS2011

Interlaboratory comparison of real-time pcr protocols for quantification of general fecal indicator bacteria

The application of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) technologies for the rapid identification of fecal bacteria in environmental waters is being considered for use as a national water quality metric in the United States. The transition from research tool to a standardized protocol requires information on the reproducibility and sources of variation associated with qPCR methodology across laboratories. This study examines interlaboratory variability in the measurement of enterococci and Bacteroidales concentrations from standardized, spiked, and environmental sources of DNA using the Entero1a and GenBac3 qPCR methods, respectively. Comparisons are based on data generated from eight different research facilities. Special attention was placed on the influence of the DNA isolation step and effect of simplex and multiplex amplification approaches on interlaboratory variability. Results suggest that a crude lysate is sufficient for DNA isolation unless environmental samples contain substances that can inhibit qPCR amplification. No appreciable difference was observed between simplex and multiplex amplification approaches. Overall, interlaboratory variability levels remained low (<10% coefficient of variation) regardless of qPCR protocol.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2012

Comparison of DNA preservation methods for environmental bacterial community samples

Field collections of environmental samples, for example corals, for molecular microbial analyses present distinct challenges. The lack of laboratory facilities in remote locations is common, and preservation of microbial community DNA for later study is critical. A particular challenge is keeping samples frozen in transit. Five nucleic acid preservation methods that do not require cold storage were compared for effectiveness over time and ease of use. Mixed microbial communities of known composition were created and preserved by DNAgard™, RNAlater ® , DMSO–EDTA–salt (DESS), FTA ® cards, and FTA Elute ® cards. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis and clone libraries were used to detect specific changes in the faux communities over weeks and months of storage. A previously known bias in FTA ® cards that results in lower recovery of pure cultures of Gram-positive bacteria was also detected in mixed community samples. There appears to be a uniform bias across all five preservation methods against microorganisms with high G + C DNA. Overall, the liquid-based preservatives (DNAgard™, RNAlater ® , and DESS) outperformed the card-based methods. No single liquid method clearly outperformed the others, leaving method choice to be based on experimental design, field facilities, shipping constraints, and allowable cost.

FEMS Microbiology Ecology↗
USGS2023

Validation of a species-specific probe-based qPCR assay for the threatened meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, in environmental samples

A probe-based quantitative real-time PCR assay was developed to detect meltwater stonefly ( Lednia tumana ) environmental (e)DNA in water samples. The limits of detection and quantification, respectively, were 12.1 and 58.4 gene copies for calibration standards and these values were similarly low in a relevant environmental sample matrix (8.6 and 174.2, respectively). The assay’s utility was demonstrated in situ on water samples with concomitant manual invertebrate surveys from a wide range of alpine streams across L. tumana ’s native range.

Conservation Genetics Resources↗
USGS2021

What do you mean by false positive?

Misunderstandings regarding the term “false positive” present a significant hurdle to broad adoption of eDNA monitoring methods. Here, we identify three challenges to clear communication of false-positive error between scientists, managers, and the public. The first arises from a failure to distinguish between false-positive eDNA detection at the sample level and false-positive inference of taxa presence at the site level. The second is based on the large proportion of false positives that may occur when true-positive detections are likely to be rare, even when rates of contamination or other error are low. And the third misunderstanding occurs when conventional species detection approaches, often based on direct capture, are used to confirm eDNA approaches without acknowledging or quantifying the conventional approach's detection probability. The solutions to these issues include careful and consistent communication of error definitions, managing expectations of error rates, and providing a balanced discussion not only of alternative sources of species DNA, but also of the detection limitations of conventional methods. We argue that the benefit of addressing these misunderstandings will be increased confidence in the utility of eDNA methods and, ultimately, improved resource management using eDNA approaches.

Environmental DNA↗
USGS2024

Comparison of seven DNA metabarcoding sampling methods to assess diet in a large avian predator

DNA metabarcoding is a rapidly advancing tool for diet assessment in wildlife ecology. Studies have used a variety of field collection methods to evaluate diet; however, there is a pressing need to understand the differences among sampling methods and the downstream inferential consequences they may have on our ability to document diet accurately and efficiently. We evaluated seven DNA metabarcoding sampling methods to assess the diet of a large avian predator: Buteo lagopus (rough-legged hawk). We collected beak swabs, talon swabs, cheek (buccal) swabs, cloacal swabs, and cloacal loops from captured birds, and collected fecal samples from both captured and uncaptured birds. We described and compared variation in prey recovery within and among the seven sampling methods and identified appropriate analytical methods to compare diet among individuals sampled via different methods. Beak and talon swabs produced the highest prey detection rates, yielded the greatest prey richness per sample, and contributed the most to an individual's total prey richness per sampling occasion compared to other sampling methods. Within individuals sampled using five methods during a single capture occasion, cloacal swabs and cheek swabs positively predicted prey richness and average prey mass, respectively, from fecal samples. While all methods identified similar dominant prey taxa that were consistent with prior diet studies, beak and talon swabs detected greater prey richness at both the individual and population levels. We propose a food residue duration hypothesis whereby methods which sample areas containing food DNA consumed from longer and more continuous pre-sampling time intervals explain variation among sampling methods in observed prey richness. Choice of sampling method can influence predator diet characterization and is particularly important if researchers wish to quantify uncommon diet items or compare diet metrics using samples collected via different methods.

Environmental DNA↗
USGS2019

Great Lakes Cladophora harbors phylogenetically diverse nitrogen-fixing microorganims

Abstract Nitrogen‐fixing microorganisms are among the epiphytic communities in Cladophora, potentially benefitting the algae in nutrient‐deficient waters, but their abundance and diversity remain unexplored. In this study, we determined the abundance and taxonomic composition of these nitrogen‐fixing microorganisms in Cladophora growing on rocks, breakwall structures, or submerged dreissenid mussel beds around southern Lake Michigan (N = 33) during the summer 2015, using two complementary genomic techniques: quantitative PCR (qPCR) and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from processed algal pellets, and the nitrogen‐fixing microbes were quantified by qPCR by targeting the nifH gene. Mean nifH concentrations (log10 copy numbers/gram algae fresh weight ± SE) were 5.54 ± 0.09, ranging from 4.31 to 6.57. Mean nifH concentrations in water samples (log10 copy numbers/milliliter of water ± SE) were: 3.25 ± 0.06, ranging from 2.41 to 3.90. Shotgun sequencing of a subset of algal samples representing the four sampling locations (N = 10) revealed as many as 267 nifH reads from among the sequences of the 10 shotgun metagenomes (averaging 27 reads per metagenome), ranging from 5 to 91 reads from Jeorse Park (September) and North Beach (September) locations. Taxonomic assignment of nifH sequences identified members from bacteria and archaea domains showing a clear separation of reads at domain and lower taxonomic levels. Bacteria were relatively more abundant than archaea. Anabaena, Bradyrhizobium, Geobacter, Methylocystis, Oscillatoria sp., and Skermanella (all bacteria), and Methanoregula, Methanothrix, and Methanosarcina (archaea) were among the nitrogen‐fixing genera identified by the MEGAN Community Edition program. Collectively, these findings show that phylogenetically diverse nitrogen‐fixing microbial communities are part of the Cladophora microbiome, likely contributing to the algal nitrogen needs.

Environmental DNA↗
USGS2019

Detecting the undetectable: Characterization, optimization, and validation of an eDNA detection assay for the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel, Alasmidonta heterodon (Bivalvia: Unionoida)

Environmental (e)DNA assays are valuable tools for monitoring presence and distribution of cryptic species. Like many freshwater mussels, the dwarf wedgemussel, Alasmidonta heterodon numbers have dwindled and its range has diminished. As of its listing in 1993, only 10 to 20 locations were known to persist of the 70 Atlantic slope locations known historically. A qPCR assay to detect the presence of A. heterodon was developed that uses two probes to accommodate a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the probe binding site within the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. This SNP defines northern and southern major phylogenetic lineages. The primers match exactly the previously determined cytochrome oxidase I sequences of twenty dwarf wedgemussel individuals representing Atlantic slope populations from North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and New Hampshire. Other than for the qPCR assay described here these primers can be used for sequencing and/or metabarcoding to further delineate dwarf wedgemussel populations phylogenetically. A simple eDNA preparation method is introduced using flocculation to concentrate free DNA in solution as well as cellular material (including shed animal cells, bacteria, virus, and dissolved DNA). In addition to the specific application described here, the methodological approaches used in this study are widely applicable to the study of conservation issues including, but not limited to general aquatic biodiversity, phylogenetic studies, and detection of pathogenic microbes.

North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, New ↗
USGS2019

Adding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network

The costs of invasive species in the United States alone are estimated to exceed US$100 billion per year so a critical tactic in minimizing the costs of invasive species is the development of effective, early-detection systems. To this end, we evaluated the efficacy of adding environmental (e)DNA surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage network, which consists of > 8,200 streamgages nationwide systemically visited by USGS hydrologic technicians. Incorporating strategic eDNA sample collection during routine streamgage visits could provide early detection surveillance of aquatic invasive species with minimal additional cost. For this evaluation, USGS hydrologic technicians collected monthly eDNA water samples, May – September 2018, from streamgages downstream of reservoirs in the Columbia River Basin thought to be vulnerable to invasive dreissenid mussel ( Dreissenidae spp.) establishment. We tested water samples for dreissenid mussel DNA and also for kokanee ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) DNA; the two fishes were used to assess if streamgages are adequately located to provide early-detection eDNA surveillance of taxa known to be present in upstream reservoirs. No Columbia River Basin streamgage samples met our criteria for being scored as positive for dreissenid DNA. We did detect kokanee and yellow perch DNA at all streamgages downstream of reservoirs where these species are known to occur. Field collection, laboratory analyses, and personnel time required for collection of four eDNA samples at a streamgage site cost US$500 -US$600 (net). Given these results, incorporating eDNA biosurveillance into routine streamgage visits might decrease costs associated with an invasion since early detection maximizes the potential for eradication, containment, and mitigation.

Ecosphere↗
USGS2021

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of Asian fish tapeworm, Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) [syn. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi]

The Asian fish tapeworm ( Schyzocotyle acheilognathi syn. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi ) (AFT) is an invasive parasite that can infect many species of fish, although most hosts are primarily members of Cyprinidae. Pathogenicity has most often been reported in aquaculture settings in fry and fingerling stages of carp ( Cyprinus spp.). More recently, it has been shown to cause growth retardation in the endangered bonytail chub ( Gila elegans ) and found to be widespread in populations of endangered humpback chub ( Gila cypha ) in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. AFT spreads most often through the transport of infected fish, particularly baitfish. Despite its harmful potential, there is no efficient or accurate ante mortem test to detect AFT in water or fish samples before transport. Herein, we report on the development of a sensitive and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect the parasite in under 30 min from laboratory prepared samples. Six LAMP primers were designed to amplify a variable region of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene in AFT with the detection and quantification of DNA on a real-time fluorometer. The limit of detection was 1 × 10 1 copies/µl of DNA extracted from as few as 2 AFT eggs. Future application of our assay would be a low-cost test to rapidly and accurately detect AFT DNA from environmental samples on-site so that preventive actions can be taken to halt the spread of the AFT through the movement of infected fish.

Journal of Parasitology↗
USGS2008

Potential effects of environmental contaminants on P450 aromatase activity and DNA damage in swallows from the Rio Grande and Somerville, Texas

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and cave swallows (P. fulva) were sampled during the breeding season at several locations in the Rio Grande, Texas, to evaluate the potential effects of environmental contaminants on P450 aromatase activity in brain and gonads and DNA damage in blood cells. The tritiated water-release aromatase assay was used to measure aromatase activity and flow cytometry was used to measure DNA damage in nucleated blood cells. There were no significant differences in brain and gonadal aromatase activities or in estimates of DNA damage (HPCV values) among cave swallow colonies from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) and Somerville. However, both brain and gonadal aromatase activities were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in male cliff swallows from Laredo than in those from Somerville. Also, DNA damage estimates were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in cliff swallows (males and females combined) from Laredo than in those from Somerville. Contaminants of current high use in the LRGV, such as atrazine, and some of the highly persistent organochlorines, such as toxaphene and DDE, could be potentially associated with modulation of aromatase activity in avian tissues. Previous studies have indicated possible DNA damage in cliff swallows. We did not observe any differences in aromatase activity or DNA damage in cave swallows that could be associated with contaminant exposure. Also, the differences in aromatase activity and DNA damage between male cliff swallows from Laredo and Somerville could not be explained by contaminants measured at each site in previous studies. Our study provides baseline information on brain and gonadal aromatase activity in swallows that could be useful in future studies. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Ecotoxicology↗
USGS2016

Functional metagenomic selection of RubisCOs from uncultivated bacteria

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) is a critical yet severely inefficient enzyme that catalyses the fixation of virtually all of the carbon found on Earth. Here, we report a functional metagenomic selection that recovers physiologically active RubisCO molecules directly from uncultivated and largely unknown members of natural microbial communities. Selection is based on CO 2 -dependent growth in a host strain capable of expressing environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), precluding the need for pure cultures or screening of recombinant clones for enzymatic activity. Seventeen functional RubisCO-encoded sequences were selected using DNA extracted from soil and river autotrophic enrichments, a photosynthetic biofilm and a subsurface groundwater aquifer. Notably, three related form II RubisCOs were recovered which share high sequence similarity with metagenomic scaffolds from uncultivated members of the G allionellaceae family. One of the G allionellaceae RubisCOs was purified and shown to possess CO 2 /O 2 specificity typical of form II enzymes. X-ray crystallography determined that this enzyme is a hexamer, only the second form II multimer ever solved and the first RubisCO structure obtained from an uncultivated bacterium. Functional metagenomic selection leverages natural biological diversity and billions of years of evolution inherent in environmental communities, providing a new window into the discovery of CO 2 -fixing enzymes not previously characterized.

Environmental Microbiology↗