New Technology Unscrambles the Chatter of Microbes

Feb 5, 2024
This image shows a microscopic view of E. coli bacteria, a species with an intimate relationship with humans. The new microbeMASST search tool can help research better understand how E. coli and other bacteria affect both human health and the global biosphere. Photo credit: Gerd Altmann/Unsplash

Researchers from University of California San Diego, as part of a large collaboration with scientists around the world, have developed a new search tool to help researchers better understand the metabolism of microorganisms. Microbes are key players in virtually all biological and environmental systems, yet limitations in current techniques used to study microbial metabolism make it difficult to decode their interactions and activities.