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This cover image for Chem (Volume 8, Issue 10, October 13, 2022) visualizes the chemical diversity produced by microbes in the deep sea. The illustration shows a bacterium surrounded by colorful molecular structures, symbolizing the wide range of bioactive compounds generated in these extreme environments. Illuminated against the dark ocean floor, the glowing molecules highlight the hidden biosynthetic potential of microbial life and its relevance for natural product discovery.
The research featured in this issue explores how marine microbes encode and produce complex molecules, many of which hold promise for applications in medicine, biotechnology, and ecology. The cover emphasizes the idea of the deep ocean as a reservoir of molecular innovation, much of it still waiting to be uncovered.