Toxin News and Research

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Soil Bacteria Use Umbrella Toxins to Fight Back

Scientists have found that soil bacteria called Streptomyces secrete toxic protein particles in the shape of umbrellas that are meant to suppress competitors, particularly those that belong to their species.

18 Apr 2024

Role of Candidalysin in Gut Microbiome Dynamics

The fungus Candida albicans commonly inhabits the human gastrointestinal tract. This versatile species can switch between existing as single-celled yeast and multicellular hyphae to adjust to its surroundings.

22 Mar 2024

New Cost-Effective RNA Sequencing Method for Legionella Detection

Legionnaires' disease (LD), a rare and severe type of pneumonia, is a respiratory infection caused by species of Legionella bacteria.

22 Mar 2024

Using Genomic Methods to Track Pesticide Resistance

Pesticides are used by farmers to manage agricultural pests. However, pesticide-resistant insects frequently become immune to their toxins.

19 Mar 2024

Algal Blooms May Pose More Health Risks Than Previously Thought

Florida's 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon (IRL) borders five different counties and has five inlets that connect the lagoon with the Atlantic Ocean.

16 Jan 2024

National Korea Maritime and Ocean University Researchers Explore the Impact of Microplastics and Toxin Exposure on Goldfish

Microplastic particles can travel long distances in oceans and are known to carry with them harmful and persistent organic pollutants like benzo[α]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.

11 Jan 2024

Bacterial “Barcode” Deciphers the Fate of Proteins, Impacting Pathogen Behavior

Researchers at McMaster University have found a molecular “barcode” system that pathogenic bacteria use to identify harmful from beneficial molecules.

9 Jan 2024

Novel Peptides from South American Bushmaster and Pit Viper

The venom of the South American bushmaster, a resident of tropical rainforests, and the pit viper Cotiara, which lives in southern Brazil, both contain fragments of hemorrhagic toxins that may be used to treat high blood pressure.

8 Jan 2024

Toxic Plant Toxin Gets a Safety Upgrade for New Drugs and Pesticides

Picrotoxinin, a plant-derived toxin that Asian fishermen traditionally have used to paralyze and catch fish, has long been seen as a possible starting point for new human therapeutics and other neuroactive products.

26 Dec 2023

Wilmot Researchers Uncover a "Genomic Tug of War" That Influences Decitabine's Effectiveness

Some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, like acute myeloid leukemia, benefit from a chemotherapy drug called decitabine that stunts cancer growth. But many others are resistant to decatibine's effects or become resistant over time.

17 Nov 2023

New Findings Suggest Endosymbiotic Origin of Apoptosis

Apoptosis, frequently described as programmed cell death, is a fundamental mechanism essential for the growth and development of multicellular organisms.

13 Oct 2023

Researchers Develop Bio-Inspired Drug to Boost Efficacy of Cancer Immunotherapy

A new, bio-inspired drug restores the effectiveness of immune cells in fighting cancer, a team led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has found.

10 Oct 2023

The Astute White Blood Cell Defense

Neutrophils, the most prevalent kind of white blood cell, are able to block Candida albicans toxin, according to study from Umeå University. EMBO Reports has published the findings.

6 Oct 2023

A New Toxin from Aetokthonos hydrillicola Shows Potential Anticancer Properties

The cyanobacterium Aetokthonos hydrillicola has been found to produce not one, but two highly potent toxins.

27 Sep 2023

Newly Discovered Fungus Helps Destroy a Harmful Food Toxin

Patulin is a harmful mycotoxin produced by fungi typically found in damaged fruits, including apples, pears, and grapes.

1 Sep 2023

New Mechanism of Cannibalism Discovered in Bacillus velezensis SQR9

When considering a bacterial population as a multicellular community, it is imperative to understand the inherent roles of maintaining homeostasis and viability in response to environmental factors.

3 Aug 2023

Whitespotted Eagle Rays Have a Broader Diet Than Previously Thought

With mighty jaws and plate-like teeth, the whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) can pretty much crunch on anything.

2 Aug 2023

New Toxin Found to Enhance Pathogen Infection and Disease Spread in Wheat

Although wheat was among the first domesticated food crops, it remains a global dietary staple several millennia later.

14 Jul 2023

Fragile Symbiosis Between Fungus and Bacteria Revealed

A new study on the coexistence of bacteria and fungi shows that a mutually beneficial, functioning symbiosis can be very fragile.

7 Jul 2023

Unraveling the Link Between Environmental Toxins and Lymphoma in Dogs

Lymphoma is a common cancer in dogs, but unlike human studies, which have associated the disease with environmental toxins, little is known about how it originates in dogs.

2 Jun 2023