Bacteria do not colonize the gut before birth
Researchers examined prenatal stool (meconium) samples collected from 20 babies during breech Cesarean delivery. By including only breech caesarean deliveries in healthy pregnant women they were able to avoid the transmission of bacteria that occurs.....»»
Positive associations revealed as key driver in maintaining soil biodiversity and ecological networks
In a study published in PNAS, researchers analyzed 151 ecosystems across six continents, delved into the intricate coexistence network among diverse species including bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates, and for the first time, linked biotic.....»»
Physicians experience worse birth outcomes than lawyers, study finds
The residency period for physicians typically lines up with their optimal childbearing years. "It can be easy to think, 'Oh, you're just focusing on your career.' But people don't realize how often women are having children during residency," said Li.....»»
Study finds commensal gut bacteria develop resistance in response to antibacterial treatment
An international team of microbiologists and immunologists has found that commensal gut bacteria develop resistance to antibacterial therapies for infections. In their study, reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group monitored.....»»
Understanding nutrient cycling between algae and bacteria could lead to increased biofuel production
The interactions between algae and bacteria are essential to the primary productivity of Earth's oceans and surface waters. Bacteria can increase the productivity of algae by producing key factors, such as vitamins, iron-chelating molecules, and grow.....»»
Gotta go? We’ve finally found out what makes urine yellow
The yellow color comes from bacteria metabolizing waste from red blood cells. Enlarge (credit: Science Photo Library) There are many mysteries in life that we end up shrugging off. Why is urine yellow? It just is, right?.....»»
Researchers create safer form of Coxiella burnetii for scientific use
Scientists have unexpectedly discovered that the weakened form of the bacteria Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) not typically known to cause disease, has naturally acquired an ability to do so......»»
Tiny hitchhikers: Scientists uncover new "mini-satellites" in sea bacteria
Microbiologists led by Université de Montréal biologist Frédérique Le Roux have made an underwater breakthrough, discovering what they're calling "mini-satellites" in sea bacteria......»»
Team unravels activation mechanism of a protein that combats bacteria
The human immune system is constantly fending off a wide range of invaders—a feat that requires a diverse array of cellular troops and molecular weaponry. Although a great deal is already known about immune defense cells and the strategies they emp.....»»
Researchers engineer bacteria that eat plastic, make multipurpose spider silk
Move over Spider-Man: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses......»»
Food-borne pathogen Listeria may hide from sanitizers in biofilms
An estimated 1,600 people in the U.S. contract a serious infection from Listeria bacteria in food each year, and of those individuals, about 260 people die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Penn State researchers may now b.....»»
New tool reveals gene behavior in bacteria
Bacterial infections cause millions of deaths each year, with the global threat made worse by the increasing resistance of the microbes to antibiotic treatments. This is due in part to the ability of bacteria to switch genes on and off as they sense.....»»
New method for incorporating structurally unusual amino acids into proteins
A team of biochemists at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge has developed a new method to incorporate structurally unusual amino acids into proteins by using bacteria. The method is described in the journal Natu.....»»
Nanoparticle spray reduces risk of airborne bacterial infections caused by air filtration systems
A novel nanoparticle spray coating process has been shown to all but eliminate the growth of some of the world's most dangerous bacteria in air filtration systems, significantly reducing the risk of airborne bacterial and viral infections......»»
Why are tweens so obsessed with Sephora? We asked them to find out.
TikTokkers say Sephora is overrun with tweens buying Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe. To find out why, we went straight to the source. My first trip to Sephora was made possible by a popular girl in my grade who had a 13 Going On 30-themed birth.....»»
When conditions cool down, a bacterial prey species becomes the predator
In a new study, two species of bacteria grown in a lab reversed their predator-prey relationship after one species was grown at a lower temperature. Marie Vasse of MIVEGEC, France, and colleagues have published these findings in PLOS Biology......»»
Immune cells drive sex reversal in zebrafish, a discovery that could improve treatments for female infertility
Mutations that disrupt development of germ cells cause infertility or birth defects. Mutations that cause female infertility in humans, such as mutations in the gene BMP15, also cause infertility in zebrafish. However, female zebrafish can undergo a.....»»
Study finds S. aureus" surface-sticking ability not evenly distributed over cell envelope
Infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus have a significant impact on human health, with tens of thousands of hospital patients dying every year from infections due to the S. aureus "superbug." Stopping the spread of bacteria like S......»»
CRISPR off-switches: A path towards safer genome engineering?
Using CRISPR, an immune system bacteria use to protect themselves from viruses, scientists have harnessed the power to edit genetic information within cells. In fact, the first CRISPR-based therapeutic was recently approved by the FDA to treat sickle.....»»
Exploding kamikaze bacteria: How a few "soldier" cells confer virulence to a population by sacrificing themselves
You suddenly feel sick—pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body. The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. Before these deadly toxins c.....»»
Bacterial immune system boosts antibiotic effectiveness against cholera, study reveals
Bacteria have an immune system that protects them against viruses known as bacteriophages. A research team from the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg has now shown how this immune system enhances the effect of specific antibiotics against the c.....»»