PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Microbes swap for tiny goods in minuscule markets, researchers find

2014-01-15
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Eric Dieterle
eric.dieterle@nau.edu
928-523-9230
Northern Arizona University
Microbes swap for tiny goods in minuscule markets, researchers find A closer look at microbes reveals there is big business going on in their very small world, and sometimes we are part of the transaction.

An international team of researchers, including Northern Arizona University scientist Nancy Collins Johnson, argue in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that microbes, like many animals, can evolve into savvy traders, selling high and buying low.

"Although hidden from the naked eye, microorganisms are active in complex networks of trade, swapping nutrients, hoarding resources and bartering deals using many of the same strategies humans use to dominate markets," Johnson said. "While we know such 'biological markets' exist in nature between cognitive organisms—for example, when primates groom each other in exchange for food—it is difficult to imagine markets emerging on a micron-scale."

Yet all organisms, including humans, cooperate with beneficial microbes. "For example, our gut bacteria give us vitamins and nutrients, and are crucial to our well-being," Johnson said.

Microbes also cooperate with plants. Johnson and the other authors discuss diverse economic strategies employed by microbes, including avoiding bad trading partners, saving for a rainy day and building local business ties.

### The paper, "Evolution of Microbial Markets," arose from a working group of scientists at the Lorentz Center in Leiden, The Netherlands, in January 2012. Johnson, a professor in the School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability and the Department of Biological Sciences, was invited to participate in the workshop during her sabbatical while she was a Fulbright Scholar living in Prague.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Colin coming 'unwound'

2014-01-15
NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Colin coming 'unwound' Tropical Cyclone Colin is not as tightly wrapped as it was a day ago. Satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua and TRMM satellites show Colin is not as organized as it was, and most of the strongest precipitation was occurring ...

New patent mapping system helps find innovation pathways

2014-01-15
New patent mapping system helps find innovation pathways What's likely to be the "next big thing?" What might be the most fertile areas for innovation? Where should countries and companies invest their limited research funds? What technology areas are a company's ...

Top scientists ask UN leaders to act on nuclear weapons, climate change

2014-01-15
Top scientists ask UN leaders to act on nuclear weapons, climate change Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: It is still 5 minutes to midnight and much too close to doomsday The Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists today called on the ...

Bacterial 'syringe' necessary for marine animal development

2014-01-15
Bacterial 'syringe' necessary for marine animal development If you've ever slipped on a slimy wet rock at the beach, you have bacteria to thank. Those bacteria, nestled in a supportive extracellular matrix, form bacterial biofilms—often slimy substances ...

Researchers identify key components linking circadian rhythms and cell division cycles

2014-01-15
Researchers identify key components linking circadian rhythms and cell division cycles CINCINNATI—Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have identified key molecular components linking circadian rhythms and cell division cycles ...

In dyslexia, less brain tissue not to blame for reading difficulties

2014-01-15
In dyslexia, less brain tissue not to blame for reading difficulties WASHINGTON — In people with dyslexia, less gray matter in the brain has been linked to reading disabilities, but now new evidence suggests this is a consequence of poorer reading experiences and ...

Should we make a film that audiences enjoy or nab an Oscar nomination?

2014-01-15
Should we make a film that audiences enjoy or nab an Oscar nomination? UCLA researchers reveal the logic behind the tough decisions studios make What do Hollywood moguls holding their breath this week for an Oscar nomination have in common with ...

Seafloor, sea-level, shear zones, subduction, sedimentation, and seismology

2014-01-15
Seafloor, sea-level, shear zones, subduction, sedimentation, and seismology New Geology articles posted online ahead of print Jan. 10, 2014 Boulder, Colo., USA – Geology adds 19 new articles online, covering locations in China, the Atacama Desert, the Himalaya, Kilauea volcano, ...

Wild sparrow study traces social behaviors in the field to specific gene

2014-01-15
Wild sparrow study traces social behaviors in the field to specific gene A unique study of the white-throated sparrow has identified a biological pathway connecting variation in the birds' aggression and parenting behaviors in the wild to variation in their genome. The ...

Argonne scientists discover new pathway for artificial photosynthesis

2014-01-15
Argonne scientists discover new pathway for artificial photosynthesis ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 13, 2014) -- Humans have for ages taken cues from nature to build their own devices, but duplicating the steps in the complicated electronic dance of photosynthesis remains ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Parched soils can spark hot drought a nation away

Uncovering new physics in metals manufacturing

Sped-up evolution may help bacteria take hold in gut microbiome, UCLA-led research team finds

The dose-dependent effects of dissolved biochar on C. elegans: Insights into the physiological and transcriptomic responses

New research reveals genetic link to most common pediatric bone cancer

Research conducted during 2024 eclipse reveals importance of light on bird behavior

Why does female fertility decline so fast? The key is the ovary

Total solar eclipse triggers dawn behavior in birds

Europe’s largest bats hunt and eat migrating birds on the wing, high in the sky

China’s emerging AI regulation could foster an open and safe future for AI

The secret to naked mole-rat’s longevity: Enhanced DNA repair

Acidic tumor environment promotes survival and growth of cancer cells

New biosensor tracks plants’ immune hormone in real time

New study finds gaps in REDD+ forest carbon offsets with most overstating climate impacts

Mystery solved: How Europe’s largest bat catches and eats passerines mid-air

Pan-disease atlas maps molecular fingerprints of health, disease and aging

New clinical trial to target cancer’s elusive growth switch

Ochsner Health launches Genetic Wellness Assessment to identify cancer risks early

Researchers find potential link between chronic pain, immune condition

A study by UPF reveals discrimination on grounds of ethnic background in Spain’s leading online second-hand marketplace, especially when buying

Research examines the good, bad and ugly of true crime media

Research shows National Living Wage has reduced labor mobility across firms, but at what cost?

New technique detects genetic mutations in brain tumors during surgery within just 25 minutes

UMass Amherst researchers create nanoparticle vaccine that prevents cancer in mice

Animal behavior: Dogs pawsitively hooked on toys

The ISSCR launches roadmap for developing pluripotent stem cell-derived cellular therapies

Parasite paparazzi take millions of photos of secret malaria proteins

Lung cancer incidence after September 11, 2001, among World Trade Center responders

City of Hope Research Spotlight, September 2025

Streamlining the consciousness debate, from trees to hermit crabs

[Press-News.org] Microbes swap for tiny goods in minuscule markets, researchers find