Microbiology

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Key Protein Switch Activates Leptospira Virulence and Disease Spread

During infection, pathogens must adapt quickly to the conditions to thrive inside the body. A research team at the University of Basel, Switzerland, has uncovered how a key protein switches on the machinery that enables Leptospira pathogens to survive and cause disease.

28 Apr 2026

Influenza D Virus Shows Potential to Infect Human Cells

The influenza D virus that researchers say has been flying under the radar since its detection in animals in 2011 can vigorously make copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, a new study shows.

27 Apr 2026

Structural Insight Into Vibrio Bacteria Opens Way for New Treatment Strategies

Scientists have mapped in unprecedented detail the structure of Vibrio bacteria, which can cause life-threatening infections linked to antibiotic resistance.

24 Apr 2026

New Methods Increase Understanding of How Bacteria Manage DNA

New analytical methods developed at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions have increased our understanding of how bacteria manage DNA.

23 Apr 2026

New MIND Tool Enables Precise Control of Complex Microbiomes

University of California San Diego researchers have developed a new tool for understanding and modifying any microbiome, including the human microbiome.

22 Apr 2026

Phages Communicate Across Species to Control Infection Decisions

Recent research reveals that bacteriophages can communicate across species, influencing infection dynamics and microbial ecosystems through arbitrium peptides.

22 Apr 2026

Study Reveals How Neurons Sense Bacterial Signals in Nematodes

Neural interaction with bacteria, e.g. in the gut microbiome, has important effects on brains of animals from worms to people.

21 Apr 2026

Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals How Anabaena Maintains Its Rectangular Shape

Photosynthetic bacteria helped shape Planet Earth. Among them are cyanobacteria that produced the oxygen in our atmosphere and made complex life possible, captivating scientists for decades. Now, researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) report a surprising new discovery-a system thought to separate DNA has developed to sculpt the shape of the cell in cyanobacteria instead. The results, published in Science, shed light on how protein systems evolve and how multicellularity emerged in this type of ecologically essential bacteria.

17 Apr 2026

How Microbes Use Opposing Signals To Catch Moving Nutrients

Microbial chemotaxis is reshaped by integrating fast and slow nutrient signals, allowing for improved interception of moving sources in complex environments.

15 Apr 2026

Living Together May Drive Exchange of Gut Microbes

Living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria - according to a new study from the University of East Anglia.

13 Apr 2026

Natural Skincare Hero Madecassic Acid Found to Combat Antibiotic Resistance

Fans of Korean skincare may be familiar with 'hero ingredient' Madecassic acid for its skin-soothing properties, but researchers at the University of Kent have revealed its greater potential for use in the battle against antibiotic resistance.

11 Apr 2026

Vibrio cholerae Captures External DNA to Boost Its Antiviral Defenses

Like most bacteria, Vibrio cholerae lives under constant attack from viruses. To survive, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems.

10 Apr 2026

Study Reveals How Bacteria Protect Themselves During Cell Cleavage

Bacteria reproduce by dividing into two: they form a wall, or septum, between the two future cells while remodeling the old cell walls so the so-called "daughter" cells can separate without bursting.

10 Apr 2026

Plastisphere Microbes Display Unique Genetic Traits for Survival

Plastic pollution is a global problem. It damages ecosystems, endangers animals, and in the form of nanoplastic particles, can also have consequences for human health.

8 Apr 2026

Study Reveals Microbiota Control of Intestinal Cell Plasticity

A research team led by scientists from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo, Brazil, has made significant progress in understanding the relationship between gut microbiota and intestinal cells.

8 Apr 2026

A Single-Celled Organism Uses Geometry To Sense Its World

Stentor coeruleus, a single-celled organism approximately one millimeter long, has a unique ability, according to a startling discovery made in the lab.

3 Apr 2026

Genomic Study Reveals How Bacterial ‘Armor’ Reduces Cholera Disease Severity

Cholera-causing bacteria are locked in an evolutionary arms race with a viral nemesis, according to a new genomic study.

2 Apr 2026

Phage Eavesdropping Alters Lysis and Lysogeny Decisions Incorrectly

Viruses can "eavesdrop" on each other using chemical signals – but it can backfire for the eavesdropper, new research shows.

1 Apr 2026

Antibiotic Degrading Bacteria Enhance Microbial Stability and Ecosystem Resilience

By comparing natural microbial adaptation with targeted bioaugmentation using an antibiotic-degrading strain, the study reveals how biodegradation capacity fundamentally reshapes microbial succession, stability, and resilience under sustained antibiotic exposure.

1 Apr 2026

Study Reveals Hidden Diversity in Rising Strep Bacterium

Scientists at Houston Methodist Research Institute have discovered that a fast‑rising strep bacterium comes in more forms than expected, including ones that may lead to life-threatening infections.

1 Apr 2026