K. K. Sand

Reconciling the importance of minerals for propagation of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment

This study investigates how mineral surfaces affect the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes in biofilms by examining DNA uptake, viability, and transformation efficiency.

Two-million-year-old microbial communities from the Kap Kobenhavn Formation in North Greenland

This paper reconstructs microbial communities from 2-million-year-old permafrost in Greenland, finding similarities to modern thawing permafrost microbes and suggesting microbial communities may signal climate change impacts before plants and animals.

Recurrence and propagation of past functions through mineral facilitated horizontal gene transfer

The paper shows that fragmented ancient DNA on mineral surfaces can be incorporated by bacteria, suggesting a non-random mechanism for genetic variation and evolutionary innovation.

Importance of eDNA taphonomy and provenance for robust ecological inference: insights from interfacial geochemistry

This paper examines how eDNA taphonomy and provenance affect ecological inference from sedimentary DNA, showing that sediment mineralogy and particle loading influence DNA retention and interpretation.

Efficient long-range conduction in cable bacteria through nickel protein wires

This study identifies nickel-ligated proteins as the conductive core of cable bacteria's periplasmic wires, revealing a novel mechanism for long-range electron transport.

Survival of environmental DNA in sediments: Mineralogic control on DNA taphonomy

This study investigates how mineral composition affects DNA preservation in sediments using atomic force microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations.

Mineral facilitated horizontal gene transfer: A new principle for evolution of life?

The paper proposes that mineral-mediated horizontal gene transfer could have significantly influenced the evolution of life by facilitating genetic material exchange across environments and timescales.