Microbiology

RSS

Researchers discover a key mechanism used by Zika virus to evade cell’s antiviral response

The world knows SARS-CoV-2 intimately now, but there are more than 200 virus species capable of infecting humans and causing disease.

19 Jan 2022

Targeting the inflamed intestinal wall may be a novel way to prevent inflammation in HIV patients

New UCLA-led research in mice suggests that adding a certain type of tomato concentrate to the diet can reduce the intestinal inflammation that is associated with HIV. Left untreated, intestinal inflammation can accelerate arterial disease, which in turn can lead to heart attack and stroke.

13 Jan 2022

Study analyzes the impact of T cells from common cold coronaviruses against SARS-CoV-2 exposure

A new study has illustrated that people having higher levels of T cells from common cold coronaviruses are not likely to get infected with SARS-CoV-2.

13 Jan 2022

Study says plant microbiome influences health, survival, and fitness

The so-called plant microbiome—the microorganisms in a plant and its immediate environment—impacts plant health, survival, and fitness.

11 Jan 2022

Omicron variant hampers the effectiveness of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, study shows

The Omicron variant was detected for the first time in South Africa in November 2021 and has since spread to many countries.

10 Jan 2022

Cryo-ET reveals mechanisms underlying gene mutations that lead to blindness

Researchers have discovered the structural determinants of the highly specialized rod outer segments membrane architecture of the eye, which plays a crucial role in vision.

7 Jan 2022

Consuming human food lowers microbial diversity in the gut of wild bears

According to a new study, eating human food has a significant impact on the microbiome of black bears.

7 Jan 2022

T cell responses likely to protect against Omicron, says research

T cells are thought to be effective in setting up an immune response against Omicron despite the substantially higher mutations compared to earlier variants of concern.

7 Jan 2022

Study analyzes the role of individual soil microbes to predict climate change

Soil is a very complex ecosystem that is crucial to a healthy climate. It is one of the largest carbon repositories and home to billions of microorganisms.

7 Jan 2022

Research analyzes horizontal gene transfer between viruses and eukaryotes

The level at which viruses can pick up genes from their hosts to hone their infection process is illustrated by the first analysis of viral horizontal gene transfer.

7 Jan 2022

Superbug MRSA emerged in hedgehogs long before the use of antibiotics in humans

Scientists have found evidence that a type of the antibiotic resistant superbug MRSA arose in nature long before the use of antibiotics in humans and livestock, which has traditionally been blamed for its emergence.

6 Jan 2022

New model system reveals how tiny bacteria from the environment have adapted to live inside humans

The microbes that live inside our mouths, collectively known as the oral microbiome, impact our overall health in many ways that are not yet fully understood.

4 Jan 2022

Researchers grow intestinal organoids to study why bats infected with viruses do not succumb to diseases

Experiments attempting to explain why bats can be infected with many viruses at a time without succumbing to diseases such as COVID-19-;knowledge that could help us to reduce the threat to humans of infectious disease-;have struggled until now with the fact that live wild bats make poor research subjects.

30 Dec 2021

‘Smart’ food packaging material kills microbes and keeps food fresh

A team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US, has developed a 'smart' food packaging material that is biodegradable, sustainable and kills microbes that are harmful to humans. It could also extend the shelf-life of fresh fruit by two to three days.

29 Dec 2021

Simple, marine-dwelling creature shines light on cancer resistance

A simple, marine-dwelling creature known as Trichoplax adhaerens has some remarkable properties. The organism can tolerate unusually high doses of radiation that would kill most other forms of life. T. adhaerens has another intriguing characteristic: the ability to resist cancer.

24 Dec 2021