M. Pester

Broad diversity of human gut bacteria accessible via a traceable strain deposition system

The paper establishes a publicly available collection of 340 human gut bacterial strains, including 29 newly described species, and identifies plasmids and megaplasmids within these isolates.

Succession of bacteria and archaea within the soil micro-food web

This study examines how bacterivorous nematodes and maize litter amendments influence bacterial and archaeal population dynamics in soil over 32 days.

Global diversity and inferred ecophysiology of microorganisms with the potential for dissimilatory sulfate/sulfite reduction

This study redefines the global diversity of sulfate/sulfite-reducing microorganisms using metagenomic data and identifies genetic markers for their ecophysiology.

Quantification of archaea-driven freshwater nitrification: from single cell to ecosystem level

The paper quantifies the role of Nitrososphaeria archaea in freshwater nitrification, showing they oxidize 12% of annual N-biomass in Lake Constance.

Long-term transcriptional activity at zero growth by a cosmopolitan rare biosphere member

This study shows a rare biosphere microbe is metabolically active without growing, challenging assumptions about low abundance and metabolic activity.

Pyrite formation from FeS and H2S is mediated by a novel type of microbial energy metabolism

This paper demonstrates that microbial communities can directly transform FeS and H2S into pyrite and CH4, using this reaction as a novel energy metabolism linked to methanogenesis.

Peatland Acidobacteria with a dissimilatory sulfur metabolism

The paper identifies novel Acidobacteria in peatlands with sulfur metabolism capabilities, including both sulfate respiration and sulfur oxidation, and highlights their ecological roles in organic matter decomposition.

Rice paddy Nitrospirae encode and express genes related to sulfate respiration: proposal of the new genus Candidatus Sulfobium

The paper identifies a novel Nitrospirae genus, Candidatus Sulfobium, in rice paddy soil that encodes and expresses genes for sulfate respiration and nitrate reduction, suggesting its role in sulfur cycling.