Nutrients News and Research

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Speeding Up Forest Restoration Using New Biotechnological Approaches

Investigators from Brazil reveal that Amazonian dark earth (ADE), soils enriched by Amerindian people thousands of years ago, enhances the establishment and growth of seedlings of tree species vital for reforestation.

8 May 2023

Zinc Biofortification in Microgreens Could Help to Mitigate Global Malnutrition

When the seeds of plants such as pea and sunflower are biofortified with zinc, the seedlings they quickly produce -; harvested as microgreens -; could both help to mitigate global malnutrition and boost the odds of people surviving a catastrophe.

5 May 2023

The Efficiency of AI in Microbial Experiments

An artificial intelligence system facilitates robots to perform independent scientific experiments—as many as 10,000/day—possibly taking a big step ahead in the speed of discovery in fields from medicine to environmental science to agriculture.

5 May 2023

How Bacteria Take Action to Break Out of Dormancy

Solving a riddle that has confounded biologists since bacterial spores -; inert, sleeping bacteria -; were first described more than 150 years ago, researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered a new kind of cellular sensor that allows spores to detect the presence of nutrients in their environment and quickly spring back to life.

2 May 2023

Previously Unknown Group of Bacteria Plays Key Role in the Ocean's Energy Cycle

A team of international researchers led by Federico Baltar of the University of Vienna and José M González of the University of La Laguna has identified a previously unknown group of bacteria, called UBA868, as key players in the energy cycle of the deep ocean.

26 Apr 2023

Cellophane Bees Found to be Brew Masters of the Insect World

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have made a remarkable discovery about cellophane bees – their microbiomes are some of the most fermentative known from the insect world.

21 Apr 2023

Microalgae Grown in the Lab for Producing Biofuel

A group of researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have grown microalgae under controlled conditions in a laboratory in order to use their metabolites, especially lipids, with the prime purpose of producing biofuel.

20 Apr 2023

Adding Few Cell Layers Inside a Corn Kernel Could Increase the Grain's Nutrient Content

What if, by adding a couple of cell layers inside a corn kernel, the grain could become significantly richer in essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and protein? Such an improvement could benefit people who rely on corn for a large portion of their diet, as in many parts of the global south.

20 Apr 2023

New Method Uses Light to Activate Protein Functions

Scientists can now use light to activate protein functions both inside and outside of living cells. The new method, called light-activated SpyLigation, can turn on proteins that are normally off to allow researchers to study and control them in more detail.

18 Apr 2023

Research Identifies Protective Drugs that may Lessen the Collateral Damage Caused by Antibiotics

Antibiotics help to fight bacterial infections, but they can also harm the helpful microbes living in the gut, which can have long-lasting health consequences.

17 Apr 2023

Microbial Drought Resistance Could Result in Soil Carbon Losses

Soil stores more carbon than plants and the atmosphere combined, and soil microbes are largely responsible for putting it there.

13 Apr 2023

Promoting Gut Health in Mice with Broccoli Consumption

It is well known that broccoli is good for human health. For instance, studies have indicated that increasing the intake of cruciferous vegetables lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.

7 Apr 2023

Lab-Grown Fat Could Give a More Realistic Texture and Flavor to Cultured Meat Grown from Cells

Researchers at Tufts University have successfully bulk-produced fat tissue in the lab that has a similar texture and make-up to fat tissue naturally occurring in animals.

6 Apr 2023

The “Hangry” Stage of Bacteria Cells

The word “hangry” describes individuals who become angry due to hunger. According to a recent study by Adam Rosenthal, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of microbiology and immunology, some bacteria cells experience hangry and release toxic substances into the body when they are denied certain nutrients.

5 Apr 2023

Surface Structure Impacts Quorum Signaling of Bacteria Across Biofilms

Similar to how cells within human tissues communicate and function together as a whole, bacteria are also able to communicate with each other through chemical signals, a behavior known as quorum signaling (QS).

5 Apr 2023

Using better probiotics to maintain a healthy gut microbiome

Bacteria have thousands of genes and functions that we, the human host, do not have. For instance, bacteria can help us digest fiber, provide support to our immune systems, and absorb important nutrients. But reaping the benefits of "good bacteria" is easier said than done.

29 Mar 2023