Microbiology

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Single Mutation Could Make H5N1 Bird Flu More Dangerous to Humans

Avian influenza viruses typically require several mutations to adapt and spread among humans, but what happens when just one change can increase the risk of becoming a pandemic virus?

6 Dec 2024

Study Evaluates Metrics for Tracking Virus Spread Across Host Populations

Evaluating the speed at which viruses spread and transmit across host populations is critical to mitigating disease outbreaks.

4 Dec 2024

Unveiling the Hidden Role of Deep-Sea Viruses in Global Climate Dynamics

The significance of deep-sea virology and its impacts on global climate and biogeochemical structures is not unknown, though its importance might be understated.

4 Dec 2024

Peat Bog Fungi as a Reservoir of Anti-Tuberculosis Compounds

An analysis of fungi collected from peat bogs has revealed several species that produce substances toxic to the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis in humans.

4 Dec 2024

Unmasking the Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatitis B Virus Entry

An infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which is spread by blood or bodily fluids, is one of the main causes of chronic liver diseases. The World Health Organization reports that there are 1.2 million new HBV infections worldwide each year.

4 Dec 2024

Enterococcus Co-Infection Increases Protective Slime in Pathogenic E. coli

A new study finds that two subtypes of pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) produce five to 16 times more protective capsular "slime" when Enterococcus faecalis (EF) is present.

3 Dec 2024

Study Offers a New Perspective on the Evolution of Large Human Brains

Brain tissue is among the most energetically costly in the body, and as a result, larger-brained mammals require more energy to support brain growth and maintenance.

3 Dec 2024

Bacteria Alter Ribosomes to Resist Common Antibiotics

Bacteria modify their ribosomes when exposed to widely used antibiotics, according to research published today in Nature Communications.

2 Dec 2024

The Role of Trifunctional Enzymes in Antibiotic Production

Biochemists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have identified a new subclass of trifunctional enzymes in gram-positive bacteria that play an important role in the manufacture of an antibiotic lanthipeptide.

2 Dec 2024

The Role of RNA Polymerase and Ribosomes in Gene Expression

DNA within a cell contains the genetic instructions necessary for building proteins.

29 Nov 2024

LysoTRAP Strategy Offers Hope for Clearing Viral Infections Across Variants

Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently developed a novel lysosomal strategy for clearing viruses and their variants.

28 Nov 2024

New Biogel Test Detects Bacteria Through Simple Color Change

A novel new test for bacteria in fluids makes it as easy as observing a color change to confirm the presence of disease-causing pathogens, promising much easier diagnostic tests and greater food safety.

28 Nov 2024

Unveiling the Antimicrobial Potential of 28 Actinomycetes

Researchers from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH's Department Bioresources for Bioeconomy and Health Research, under the direction of Dr. Imen Nouioui and Professor Dr. Yvonne Mast, have characterized 28 actinomycetes and examined their potential for biotechnology.

28 Nov 2024