Microbiology

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Can Bacteria Left Behind During Intercourse Serve as Forensic Evidence?

Microbial signatures transferred during intercourse offer a new forensic tool, detectable even with condom use, enhancing evidence in sexual assault cases.

21 Feb 2025

Engineered Phages Deliver Therapeutic Proteins to Intestines

Engineered phages transform gut bacteria into drug delivery systems, releasing therapeutic proteins that reduce inflammation and promote satiety in obesity.

19 Feb 2025

Computational Modeling Streamlines Antiviral Discovery

Viruses, such as those responsible for COVID-19 and HIV, present significant challenges once they enter the human body. Antiviral therapies aim to obstruct a virus or prevent its replication.

17 Feb 2025

Hospital Sink Drains: A Hidden Bacteria Hotspot Despite Cleaning

Researchers from Spain conducted a study on sink drains across various wards in a contemporary university hospital that follows advanced cleaning protocols.

17 Feb 2025

Could Pea-Derived Oligosaccharides Be a Faster, More Sustainable Option For Sour Beer Production?

Raffinose-family oligosaccharides from peas boost sour beer production, improving fermentation efficiency and sensory qualities in the brewing process.

17 Feb 2025

Study Reveals Mechanisms Behind Bacterial Flagellar Motor Movement

When speaking of motors, most people think of those powering vehicles and human machinery. However, biological motors have existed for millions of years in microorganisms.

14 Feb 2025

Study Reveals How Dead Bacteria Provide Nutrients to Neighbors

Darwin's theory of natural selection provides an explanation for why organisms develop traits that help them survive and reproduce.

14 Feb 2025

Infant Cystic Fibrosis Linked to Stunted Microbiome Development

Findings from a new Dartmouth-led study, published in the journal mBio, highlight key differences in the gut microbiome (communities of bacteria) of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to that of healthy infants, and how these alterations may adversely affect their health.

14 Feb 2025

How Bacteriophages Build a Protein-Based Nucleus to Outsmart Bacteria

Jumbo phages utilize a complex protein import system, with Imp1 as a key gatekeeper, to transport proteins into their protective nucleus-like compartment.

14 Feb 2025

Researchers Cultivate an Ultrasmall Bacterial Strain Parasitizing Archaea

AIST researchers, in collaboration with JAMSTEC, Hokkaido University and Tohoku University, have succeeded in cultivating an ultrasmall bacterial strain parasitizing archaea and classified the strain PMX.108T as new species and genus of Minisyncoccus archaeiphilus.

11 Feb 2025

Novel Biorecycling Method Transforms Nylon Waste into Bioplastics

A group of researchers from the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences – Biotechnology at Forschungszentrum Jülich, in collaboration with the company Novonesis, has successfully engineered a bacterium capable of “eating” individual building blocks of various types of nylon and converting them into value-added products.

11 Feb 2025

New Study Explains Why Flu Virus Forms Filaments

Influenza A virus particles strategically modify their shape becoming either spheres or larger filaments to enhance their ability to infect cells based on environmental conditions, according to a new study conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

11 Feb 2025

The Antibiotic Arms Race: Can Science Stay Ahead of Rapidly Evolving Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?

A study reveals alarming rates of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, highlighting the urgent need for innovative strategies to combat this crisis.

10 Feb 2025

New Technique Simplifies Search for Life Beyond Earth

Researchers have long investigated what type of life exists beyond Earth and how we can find it. A new method focuses on looking for one of the most basic signs of living microbes – movement.

8 Feb 2025

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 Technology for Visualizing Gene Activity in Single Cells

How do bacteria whether harmless ones residing in human bodies or those causing diseases coordinate their activities?

6 Feb 2025

Nutrient Starvation Impedes Antibiotic Efficacy in Salmonella Infections

A new study from the University of Basel, published in Nature, challenges the conventional understanding of antibiotic treatment failure. Rather than attributing such failures to a small population of highly resistant bacteria, the research suggests a different explanation.

6 Feb 2025

The Link Between Climate Change and Salmonella Incidence

Research links specific weather conditions to salmonellosis outbreaks, emphasizing the need for weather-based models in food safety and public health planning.

6 Feb 2025

New Genomic Toolkit Offers Hope Against Superbugs

Amid growing concerns about antibiotic-resistant infections, an international team of microbial experts has introduced a robust and versatile free online genomic toolkit designed to accelerate the development of phage therapy.

5 Feb 2025