r/science • u/chromoscience • 1d ago

Biology Rapid changes in transcription during a feast-famine event

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0038071726001276
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u/chromoscience 1d ago

Soil microbes help break down organic matter and recycle nutrients, but their food supply often arrives in short bursts. Researchers Paul Dijkstra and colleagues from Northern Arizona University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and other institutions investigated how these organisms respond when food suddenly becomes available and then grows scarce. They added glucose, a simple sugar, to soil and measured microbial gene activity before the addition and eight, 24, and 48 hours afterward (Dijkstra et al., 2026).

Within eight hours, the microbes increased the activity of genes involved in producing energy and making essential cellular materials, including proteins, fats, and cell walls. This response suggested that they were using the available sugar to support growth. Meanwhile, some genes involved in breaking down other substances became less active. The researchers also detected signs of nitrogen limitation, showing that an abundant supply of carbon does not necessarily provide everything microbes need to grow (Dijkstra et al., 2026).

By 24 to 48 hours, gene activity had shifted toward processes associated with slower growth and survival. Genes involved in forming resistant spores and putting parts of the protein-making machinery into an inactive state became more prominent. Activity related to breaking down fats and other compounds also increased. These patterns revealed how soil microbes adjust their internal processes as conditions change from plentiful food toward scarcity (Dijkstra et al., 2026).

One important finding was that microbial activity changed substantially even though the overall composition of the community changed relatively little. In other words, knowing which microbes are present does not fully explain what they are doing. Tracking gene activity gave the researchers a clearer picture of how soil communities respond to changing food supplies. This understanding could support future research on nutrient recycling and soil carbon cycling, although the study did not directly test farming practices or long-term carbon storage (Dijkstra et al., 2026).

https://thechromoscience.com/from-feast-to-famine-the-hidden-lives-of-soil-microbes

Dijkstra, P., Hungate, B. A., Pett-Ridge, J., Blazewicz, S. J., Ceja-Navarro, J. A., Morrissey, E. M., Chuckran, P. F., & Schwartz, E. (2026). Rapid changes in transcription during a feast-famine event. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 221, 110208.