Microbiology

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New antimicrobial peptide proves more effective in fighting drug-resistant bacteria

Through serendipity, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health considerably reduced the toxicity of a potential antibiotic against the most feared drug-resistant bacteria, while also improving its stability in fighting infections.

4 May 2020

Modifications to gut microbiome could slow cancer growth in smokers

Changes to the gut microbiome interacted with the immune system to slow the growth of cancer in mice exposed to cigarette smoke, according to research that was selected for presentation at Digestive Disease Week 2020.

30 Apr 2020

New framework for understanding and combating antibiotic resistance

In a study that could offer further insights into antimicrobial resistance, researchers from the University of Sheffield have generated the first high-resolution images of the cell wall structure of bacteria.

30 Apr 2020

New rapid, sensitive test can detect COVID-19 cases

With the number of COVID-19 cases reducing in the United States and elsewhere, public health officials are attempting to understand the proportion of people who have been infected by coronavirus.

30 Apr 2020

Study traces molecular connections between genetics, gut microbiome and memory

A new study is among the first to trace the molecular connections between genetics, the gut microbiome and memory in a mouse model bred to resemble the diversity of the human population.

29 Apr 2020

Genome analyses explain the reemergence of bluetongue virus in Europe

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a livestock disease that can lead to devastating health and economic outcomes, but despite this fact, it can be challenging to establish its origin.

29 Apr 2020

Study develops a novel approach to fight against bunyaviruses

A study published recently in eLife reports that synthetic antibodies developed with bacterial superglue have the potential to protect against deadly viruses.

29 Apr 2020

Researchers study the evolution of multidrug-resistant bacteria

Although antibiotics are known to save lives, their use also supports the evolution and spread of antibiotic-resistant strains.

29 Apr 2020

Study shows how DNA mimic protein helps phages to attack their victims

A research team from the Severinov Laboratory at Skoltech, together with their collaborators from Israel and Switzerland, has analyzed a bacterial BREX defense mechanism that was poorly studied to date.

29 Apr 2020

Syphilis bacterium likely uses a single gene to escape the immune system

The bacterium that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum, likely uses a single gene to escape the immune system, research from UW Medicine in Seattle suggests.

27 Apr 2020

Innovative antibody test developed for COVID-19 pandemic

Many tests have been formulated for identifying the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that is responsible for causing the COVID-19 pandemic.

27 Apr 2020

Study identifies role of interferon-stimulated genes in defense against hepatitis C viruses

The immune system responds immediately when a virus enters the cell, producing interferon—the signaling protein.

27 Apr 2020

Research on sweet potato microbiome can improve its yield

Sweet potatoes are cultivated worldwide and are considered a major source of nutrition, especially in Asian and sub-Saharan African diets.

24 Apr 2020

Study reveals the mechanism used by tuberculosis bacteria for their growth

The structure of a protein that plays a role in importing vitamin B12 into the cells of a tuberculosis (TB)-causing bacterium has been revealed by scientists from the Netherlands, Russia, the United States, and Sweden.

23 Apr 2020

Preventing viral infections by protein shell misassembly

A study published recently in eLife reports new understanding of conditions that govern self-assembly in the protective shell of viruses.

23 Apr 2020

A new solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice fields

A collaboration between researchers have come up with a solution to the huge climate impact caused by global rice production. Click here to read more.

21 Apr 2020

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy offers first molecular view inside cells

Medical scientists from UNSW Sydney have successfully detected the interactions that occur between individual molecules located inside intact cells, thus achieving unparalleled resolution capabilities in single-molecule microscopy.

From The University of New South Wales (UNSW) 21 Apr 2020

Genetic variability of immune system affects severity of COVID-19

Genetic variations in the immune system of humans may have an impact on the vulnerability to, and severity of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

20 Apr 2020

Study shows how vulnerable cells armor themselves against infection

Cells in some of the body's most vulnerable entry routes to bacterial infection buffer themselves when the immune system detects danger by reorganizing the cholesterol on their surfaces, a new study led by UTSW scientists suggests.

16 Apr 2020

New method images proteins in 3D with nanoscale resolution

A research team, which also included scientists from the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), has reported a novel method for imaging proteins in three dimensions (3D) with nanoscale resolution.

16 Apr 2020