Microbiology News and Research

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International Collaboration Maps Vaginal Microbiome Diversity

Vaginas are home to a complex ecosystem of bacteria and yeasts that can vary over time.

7 Feb 2025

Secret Handshakes Help Jumbo Phages Defend Against Bacterial Attacks

Scientists are learning more about how an intriguing type of virus protects itself. Revealing its strategies could boost the fight against antibiotic resistance.

6 Feb 2025

New Insights into Akkermansia's Role in Gut Health

A microbe found in the lower part of the gut, linked to good health, has been thoroughly analyzed and found to specialize in breaking down sugars hidden in mucus as part of its focused diet.

3 Feb 2025

Studies Reveal Early Resistance to Newly Developed Antibiotics

Researchers from the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged (Hungary), have made a concerning discovery about the future of antibiotics. Two recent studies, published just days apart in Nature Microbiology and Science Translational Medicine found that resistance can develop against new antibiotics even before they are widely used, compromising their effectiveness from the start.

31 Jan 2025

Study Reveals Microbes’ Dual Role in Carbon Cycle of Amazon Peatlands

Complex organisms, thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand, can shape massive ecosystems and influence the fate of Earth's climate, according to a new study.

27 Jan 2025

Study Unveils Key Genetic Mechanism Behind Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

An international collaboration has achieved an important breakthrough in understanding the genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to build resistance to drugs.

24 Jan 2025

Mapping Global Microbial Diversity Using Genomic Sequencing Data

Metagenomic datasets could help map out microbial diversity hotspots. Published January 17, 2025 in Science Advances, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility located at Berkeley Laboratory, have taken stock of the current state of microbial genomic biodiversity.

20 Jan 2025

Study Identifies Five Root-Lesion Nematodes Affecting New Zealand Maize

A new study has lifted the lid on five species of root-lesion nematodes living in maize crops across New Zealand - and suggested the existence of a hitherto-unsuspected cryptic species.

15 Jan 2025

Scientists Uncover Key Plant Metabolite to Block Biofilm Development

If your teeth have ever felt fuzzy after skipping a brushing, you've encountered biofilm-a slimy bacterial layer that clings to surfaces. In medical settings, biofilms make infections harder to treat when they form protective shields for bacteria on devices like catheters and implants.

13 Jan 2025

Fiber Consumption Linked to Reduced Risk of Harmful Gut Bacteria

The group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli and others, is present at low levels as part of a healthy human gut microbiome.

13 Jan 2025

Study Reveals T Cells as Key Players in Complete Viral Infection Control

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the Singapore General Hospital have discovered that T cells-white blood cells that can destroy harmful pathogens-can completely prevent viral infection, to an extent previously thought only possible due to neutralizing antibodies.

13 Jan 2025

Research Shows How Sleep Clears Brain Waste

A good night's sleep does more than just help you feel rested-it might literally clear your mind. A new study published January 8 in the Cell Press journal Cell shows how deep sleep may wash away waste buildup in the brain during waking hours, an essential process for maintaining brain health.

10 Jan 2025

Multi-Site Effort to Understand Viral Influences on Human Health

For more than ten years, researchers have been investigating the microbiome, the ecosystem of microorganisms that inhabit the body, and its impact on health and disease.

10 Jan 2025

Novel Targets for Modulating the Gut Microbiota and Human Health

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität in Würzburg have discovered a protein and a class of small ribonucleic acids (sRNAs) in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that control the metabolism of sugar.

10 Jan 2025

How Streptomyces Uses Iron to Target Competitor Bacteria

Researchers at Indiana University Bloomington have identified a new mechanism by which bacteria can eliminate their competitors within intricate microbial communities, highlighting innovative strategies to utilize viruses for targeting harmful bacteria.

9 Jan 2025