Bacteria are traditionally imagined as single-cell organisms, spread out sparsely over surfaces or suspended in liquids, but in many environments the true bacterial mode of growth is in sticky clusters called biofilms.Biofilm formation can be useful to humans—it is integral, for example, to producing kombucha tea. But it is more often problematic because it makes...
by University of Michigan Credit: CC0 Public DomainBacteria in the mouth may play a role in survival from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), finds a new study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia. The findings come from a larger analysis of the role of the lung microbiome and IPF. Working...
By Paul McClure Researchers have harnessed a bacterial self-defense mechanism to fight infectionRechkoblit et al. A new study has demonstrated that a natural bacterial defense mechanism against invading viruses can be used as a weapon to combat bacterial infection. The finding opens the door to new anti-bacterial therapeutics, particularly important in the face of rising antibiotic...
By CLARE WATSONTomatoes could help fight off bacterial infections in your gut, a new study has found. One of the world’s most widely consumed vegetables (or perhaps fruit?), they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and other compounds – two of which scientists at Cornell University in the US have identified for their potent bacteria-killing properties...
Survey of bacterial genomes highlights the arsenal of enzymes microbes use to produce energy in the oxygen-poor environment of the gutPeer-Reviewed Publication UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO The gut microbiome is so useful to human digestion and health that it is often called an extra digestive organ. This vast collection of bacteria and other microorganisms in the...
Pathogenic bacteria use molecular “shuttle services” to fill their injection apparatus with the right product Peer-Reviewed Publication MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT SINGLE-PARTICLE TRACKING PHOTOACTIVATED LOCALIZATION MICROSCOPY (SPTPALM) IS A TECHNIQUE TO VISUALIZE THE MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL PROTEINS. WHILE SOME OF THE SHUTTLE COMPONENTS OF THE INJECTISOME ARE BOUND TO THE NEEDLES (WHITE, FIRMLY BOUND DOTS ON THE OUTSIDE...
by Shana K. Hutchins, Texas A&M University scherichia coli. Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a rapidly growing threat to public health. Each year, they account for more than 2.8 million infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without new antibiotics, even common injuries and infections harbor the...
Peer-Reviewed Publication UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO A microscopic discovery will not only enable scientists to understand the microbial world around us but could also provide a new way to control CRISPR-Cas biotechnologies. An international team of researchers led by Professor Peter Fineran from the University of Otago and Dr Rafael Pinilla-Redondo from the University of Copenhagen...
Previously “unculturable” bacteria could represent a source of novel antibiotics.Published: August 22, 2023 Sarah Whelan, PhD Credit: Markus Weingarth A study has isolated a powerful new antibiotic – clovibactin – from soil bacteria previously considered “unculturable”, demonstrating that it kills bacteria in a way that is less likely to lead to antibiotic resistance. The research...
by University of California – San Diego Upper: The bacterium A. baylyi can incorporate DNA from its environment through natural competence. This allows horizontal gene transfer and the integration of cell-free DNA into the A. baylyi genome. Lower: Researchers engineered A. baylyi to find the mutated KRAS gene, which helps colorectal cancers grow. Detection of tumor DNA activated...
