Microbiology

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Harnessing High-Performance Computing to Unravel the Emergence of Novel Viruses

Suddenly they appear and - like the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus - can trigger major epidemics: Viruses that nobody had on their radar.

14 May 2024

Unraveling the Rhizobia-Diatom Relationship in the Ocean

Nitrogen is an essential component of all living organisms. It is also the key element controlling the growth of crops on land, as well as the microscopic oceanic plants that produce half the oxygen on our planet.

10 May 2024

Cooperative Synthesis of Vitamin B12 by Marine Bacterial Partners

A German-American research team led by microbiologist Dr Gerrit Wienhausen from the University of Oldenburg (Germany) has come an important step closer to a better understanding of highly complex interactions between marine microorganisms.

9 May 2024

Rice University Develops AI-Powered Tools for Unraveling Microbial Genomes

Since the first microbial genome was sequenced in 1995, scientists have reconstructed the genomic makeup of hundreds of thousands of microorganisms and have even devised methods to take a census of bacterial communities on the skin, in the gut, or in soil, water and elsewhere based on bulk samples, leading to the emergence of a relatively new field of study known as metagenomics.

8 May 2024

New Insights into E. coli's UTI Survival Strategy

Due to anatomical peculiarities, women are particularly vulnerable to UTIs; nearly 50% of them will experience one at some point in their lives.

6 May 2024

Novel Lantibiotic Unveiled Against Skin Microbiome Rivals

Many bacteria produce substances to gain an advantage over competitors in their highly competitive natural environment.

30 Apr 2024

A New Pathway to Universal Donor Blood

The effort to generate universal donor blood has made a significant step ahead. Researchers at DTU and Lund University identified enzymes that, when combined with red blood cells, could eliminate particular sugars found in the A and B antigens of the human ABO blood types. The findings are reported in the scientific journal Nature Microbiology.

30 Apr 2024

Study Reveals Molecular Assembly of One of the Most Common Anti-Phage Systems

One of the many secrets to bacteria's success is their ability to defend themselves from viruses, called phages, that infect bacteria and use their cellular machinery to make copies of themselves.

29 Apr 2024

The Evolution of CRISPR Technology in Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance

Assistant Professor Ibrahim Bitar of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital in Plzen, Charles University in Prague, Plzen, Czech Republic, will provide an overview of the molecular biology of CRISPR technology and highlight its potential applications in combating antimicrobial resistance in the second new research review.

29 Apr 2024

Barley Varieties Influence Soil Microbial Communities, Finds Study

Different types of barley recruit distinct communities of soil microbes to grow around their roots by releasing a custom mix of sugars and other compounds, according to a new study led by Jacob Malone of the John Innes Center, UK, publishing April 25th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

26 Apr 2024

Researchers Make Fundamental Discovery to Combat Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat

Fungal disease Fusarium head blight (FHB) is on the rise due to increasingly humid conditions induced by climate change during the wheat growing season, but a fundamental discovery by University of Adelaide researchers could help reduce its economic harm.

26 Apr 2024

Revealing the Genetic Mechanisms Driving SARS-CoV-2 Variants

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, exhibits a troubling tendency to produce variants frequently.

23 Apr 2024

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

Copper Beads in Pig Feed Could Impact Gut Microbes

Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals.

18 Apr 2024

Bacterial "Vampirism" Fuels Deadly Infections

The world's deadliest bacteria actively seek out human blood to feed on, a phenomenon that scientists are referring to as “bacterial vampirism”.

17 Apr 2024

Mysterious Plasmid in Human Gut Holds Potential for Health Hazard Detection

A component of the human intestinal flora that has been little studied to date is the focus of a new study.

17 Apr 2024

Breakthrough RNA-Based Vaccine Strategy Offers Universal Protection

Scientists at UC Riverside have demonstrated a new, RNA-based vaccine strategy that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised.

16 Apr 2024

Unlocking the Potential of CRISPR/Cas13 for Antiviral Therapy

RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2 demand new solutions. CRISPR/Cas13 tools work well against these viruses in the cell's nucleus, but not in the cytoplasm, where many replicate.

15 Apr 2024

Can Pets Harbor and Spread Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?

According to new research, pet dogs and cats are major contributors to the spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

15 Apr 2024

Deciphering the Significance of m6A RNA Modification in HIV-1 Genome

A chemical modification in the HIV-1 RNA genome whose function has been a matter of scientific debate is now confirmed to be key to the virus's ability to survive and thrive after infecting host cells, a new study has found.

13 Apr 2024