Microbiology

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Selfish No More: Genetic Elements Give Phages a Competitive Edge

Curious bits of DNA tucked inside genomes across all kingdoms of life historically have been disregarded since they don't seem to have a role to play in the competition for survival.

7 Jul 2024

Pasteurization Effectively Eliminates H5N1 Virus from Milk

In March 2024, dairy cows in Texas were found to be infected with highly pathogenic avian flu, or H5N1 bird flu, in the first known case of the virus spreading to cattle.

4 Jul 2024

Using Mobile Data to Track the Spread and Evolution of Superbugs

Key insights into the global spread, evolution, and resistance patterns of a major bacterium causing pneumonia and meningitis have been revealed through the combination of genomic data and human travel patterns over 14 years in South Africa.

4 Jul 2024

Study Finds Bacteria in Commercial Tattoo and Permanent Makeup Inks

Commercial tattoo and permanent makeup inks have been found to contain both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria by researchers.

3 Jul 2024

Genomic Analysis Reveals Andean Origin and Colombian Migration Route for P. infestans

A recent study casts doubt on the widely held belief that Phytophthora infestans, the deadly potato blight pathogen, originated in Mexico.

2 Jul 2024

Time-Driven Dynamics of Gut Microbiota: Implications for Disease Research

Our bodies are inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, with specific microbes unique to each individual.

2 Jul 2024

Enzymatic Breakdown of Bacterial Cell Wall Facilitates Antibiotic Resistance Gene Transfer

A study at Umeå University, Sweden, provides new clues in the understanding of how antibiotic resistance spreads.

2 Jul 2024

Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cell Wall Stress for Biofilm Control

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are experts in evolving new strategies to avoid being killed by antibiotics.

2 Jul 2024

New Tool IMPRINT Enhances DNA Transformation in Various Bacterial Strains

Bacteria, with their unique capabilities, hold immense promise for improving various aspects of the world.

27 Jun 2024

Flower Bulbs and Compost Carry Hidden Threat of Fungal Infection

That pile of soil you bought at the home improvement store may contain more than just dirt, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

26 Jun 2024

Wild Chimpanzees Found to Consume Medicinal Plants to Combat Illness

Researchers from Africa and Europe observed habituated chimpanzee communities to understand this potentially self-medicating behavior.

26 Jun 2024

Researchers Develop New Way to Simulate Personalized, Microbiome-Mediated Diet Responses

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are beneficial molecules created by the bacteria residing in our gut that are closely tied to improved host metabolism, lower systemic inflammation, better cardiovascular health, lower cancer risk, and more.

25 Jun 2024

Unlocking the Role of Antisense RNA as a Gene Expression Booster

The function of non-coding RNA in the cell has long been a mystery to researchers. Unlike coding RNA, non-coding RNA does not produce proteins – yet it exists in large quantities.

25 Jun 2024

Marine Bacteria Offers Eco-Friendly Nitrogen Source

According to recent research published in npj Sustainable Agriculture, Rhodovulum sulfidophilum, a purple photosynthetic marine bacterium, can be used to make biomass, which is a highly effective nitrogen fertilizer.

24 Jun 2024

Study Provides a New Way to Measure Healthy Microbiomes in the Gut and Soil

Focusing on four common diseases – diabetes, heart disease, depression and bowel cancer – new Flinders University research provides insights into the importance of a healthy microbiome balance in the human gut and in the environment.

22 Jun 2024

The Link Between Climate Change and Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections

In a recent study on fungal diseases in Chinese hospitals, researchers discovered that two individuals were infected by a previously undocumented fungus affecting human health.

20 Jun 2024

Scientists Discover Impact of Mycoviral Infection on Fungicide Sensitivity in Oomycete Pathogens

As detrimental as viruses may sound, they can be helping hands for farmers when it comes to dealing with plant pathogens.

20 Jun 2024

Bacterial Buckling: Filamentous Cyanobacteria Bend Under Pressure

Filamentous cyanobacteria buckle at a certain length when they encounter an obstacle. This was discovered by the research group of Stefan Karpitschka, group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization and professor at the University of Konstanz.

17 Jun 2024

New Method Offers Rapid and Accurate Blood Infection Detection

Researchers have shown that a novel method could identify bloodstream infections precisely and swiftly. The study findings were presented at ASM Microbe, the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

17 Jun 2024

Exploring the Potential of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, viruses that target and destroy bacteria, are ubiquitous in the natural world. They play a crucial role in controlling microbe populations, though the mechanisms behind this regulation are not yet fully understood.

14 Jun 2024