Microbiology

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Study unravels the mysteries of variation in microbiome composition

Oregon State University researchers have made a key advance in understanding how timing impacts the way microorganisms colonize plants, a step that could provide farmers an important tool to boost agricultural production.

17 Jul 2020

Scientists gain insights into how parasitic bacterium gives rise to lesions

Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are parasites that can be transmitted to humans via insect bites and animal scratches, resulting in an infection known as "bartonellosis." Cat-scratch disease and trench fever are forms of bartonellosis caused by different Bartonella species infecting humans.

17 Jul 2020

New method reveals the dynamics of HIV Gag-protein lattice structure

Viruses are scary. They invade our cells like invisible armies, and each type brings its own strategy of attack. While viruses devastate communities of humans and animals, scientists scramble to fight back.

17 Jul 2020

Study uncovers virus-specific T cell immunity in recovered COVID-19 and SARS patients

The T cells, along with antibodies, are an integral part of the human immune response against viral infections due to their ability to directly target and kill infected cells.

17 Jul 2020

Microbiologists identify bacteria which feed on manganese

Caltech microbiologists have discovered bacteria that feed on manganese and use the metal as their source of calories. Such microbes were predicted to exist over a century ago, but none had been found or described until now.

16 Jul 2020

Combination of western-style high-fat diet with antibiotic can increase the risk of pre-IBD

Researchers have found that combining a Western-style high-fat diet with antibiotic use significantly increases the risk of developing pre- inflammatory bowel disease.

16 Jul 2020

Viral load peaks in early stages of COVID-19, study shows

In a retrospective study, investigators from New York University Langone Health found that the quantity of SARS-CoV-2 (viral load) collected from patients in the emergency department is significantly higher in patients with fewer or milder symptoms who did not require hospitalization--the opposite of what might be expected.

15 Jul 2020

Psychological distress may indicate the penetration of COVID-19 virus into the central nervous system

Depressed mood or anxiety exhibited in COVID-19 patients may possibly be a sign the virus affects the central nervous system, according to an international study led by a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researcher.

15 Jul 2020

Healthy microbiome can reduce severity of chickungunya disease

Chikungunya virus, once confined to the Eastern Hemisphere, has infected millions of people in the Americas since 2013, when mosquitoes carrying the virus were discovered in the Caribbean.

15 Jul 2020

Researchers test the efficiency of F2X Entry library to expedite the quest for active compounds

For drugs to be effective, they usually have to dock to proteins in the organism. Like a key in a lock, part of the drug molecule must fit into recesses or cavities of the target protein.

14 Jul 2020

Researchers explore the reproduction of adenoviruses in cells

An adenovirus infection can be potentially life-threatening, especially for children after a stem cell transplant.

14 Jul 2020

New, evidence-based guideline for treating patients suffering from NTM pathogens

NTMs are closely related to tuberculosis bacteria and can (but do not need to) cause infectious diseases in humans. They are called "nontuberculous mycobacteria" (NTMs) to distinguish them from tuberculosis bacteria.

14 Jul 2020

Analysis of nearly 300 new SARS-CoV-2 antibodies reveals a common feature

An analysis of nearly 300 recently identified human SARS-CoV-2 antibodies uncovered a gene frequently used in antibodies that most effectively target the virus. The results contribute to growing structural insight that will be needed for successful vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2.

14 Jul 2020

Severely injured donor lungs can be recovered using cross-circulation platform

Respiratory disease is the third leading cause of death worldwide, and lung transplantation is still the only cure for patients with end-stage lung disease.

14 Jul 2020

Study shows gut microbiota can predict the development of type 2 diabetes

The individual mix of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract provides vital clues as to how any future incidence of type 2 diabetes can be predicted, prevented and treated. This is demonstrated in a population study led from the University of Gothenburg. Sweden.

14 Jul 2020

Researchers evaluate role of zinc in COVID-19 prevention

Researchers from Sechenov University in collaboration with colleagues from Germany, Greece and Russia reviewed scientific articles on the role of zinc in the prevention and treatment of viral infections and pneumonia, with projections on those caused by SARS-CoV-2. The results were published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine.

14 Jul 2020

Common molecular feature in SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies discovered

A team led by scientists at Scripps Research has discovered a common molecular feature found in many of the human antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

14 Jul 2020

Human papilloma viruses may play a causal role in prostate cancer

Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) - a common group of viruses known to cause cervical cancers - may also have a causal role in prostate cancer, according to a literature review published in the open access journal Infectious Agents and Cancer, supporting the case for universal HPV vaccination.

14 Jul 2020

Bird poop may pose more health risks than people realize, shows study

Bird poop may pose more health risks than people realize, according to Rice University environmental engineers who study antibiotic resistance.

14 Jul 2020

Study shows a causal link between individual microbiota and survival of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is a growing challenge in the treatment of infectious diseases worldwide. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics by acquiring or mutating genes that allow them to survive the administration of antibiotics, which otherwise would kill them.

14 Jul 2020