Last weekend, a street artists was at work on a science-inspired mural collaborating one-on-one with early career scientists to create these artworks to celebrate their research and discoveries. Postgrad student with the IAE, Berenice Talamantes was one such early career scientist. The work was spectacular, giving new meaning to the concept of SNPs. See more.

Have you thought that there might be micro-organisms living deep beneath your feet? Some can be living happily at temperatures close to 100C, one kilimetre below the surface. Deep artesian bores in Australia have allowed Berenice to access these habitats and identify these novel micro-organisms.

How are these micro-organisms identified? We use a DNA sequencing technology with restriction enzymes. These enzymes work like sissors to cut the genome into thousands of well-defined reproducible fragments from across the bacterial genome.

These fragments are compared to the profiles for known organisms, like DNA fingerprinting only more powerful. In some cases, the organisms found are new to science.

Micro-organisms that live in extreme environments have been very important for studies involving DNA manipulations in the laboratory, and so the discovery of new micro-organisms living in the depths of the earth are of broad interest.

And here this all is, depicted in a work of street art!!

Artist: Houl Scientist: Berenice Talamantes.