Archaea in the genus Methanoperedens produce methane and are found in places with low or no oxygen POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
A strange new genetic entity has been discovered in methane-eating microbes, and it could help fill in a gap in our understanding of Earth’s climate.
Named “Borgs” after Star Trek aliens that assimilate the biology of other creatures, these enigmatic stretches of DNA inhabit single-celled organisms called archaea, where they appear to acquire and swap genes and potentially boost their hosts’ ability to consume methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.
“These Borgs …
source: newscientist.com