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.....»»
Teams identifies protein characteristics in three bacteria that convey antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance (ARE) is a threat to human health worldwide, as diverse proteins allow pathogenic bacteria to develop increasing levels of resistance to antibiotic medicines. Now, a team from the University of Tsukuba have discovered the charac.....»»
Bright gamma ray burst confounds models of black hole birth
Last October, following one of the brightest flashes of gamma rays ever observed in the sky, telescopes around the world captured a wealth of data from an event that is thought to herald the collapse of a massive star and the birth of a black hole......»»
Genome of Australian fly defeats killer bacteria by evolving to co-exist with it
The more we learn about the biological world, the more complex it becomes......»»
Using bacteria to convert CO2 in the air into a polyester
A team of chemical and biomolecular engineers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a scalable way to use bacteria to convert CO2 in the air into a polyester. In their paper, published in Proceedings of the National Acad.....»»
Climate change enables spread of flesh-eating bacteria in US coastal waters
Though the occurrence of infections is small, the mortality rate is as high as 18%. Enlarge / Magnified view of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria. (credit: Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images) Cases of a potentially fatal in.....»»
How blocking cell wall formation stops bacterial cell division
Researchers still do not understand exactly how antibiotics kill bacteria. However, this understanding is necessary to develop new antibiotics. And that is precisely what is urgently needed, because bacteria are currently showing more and more resist.....»»
Google won’t honor medical leave during its layoffs, outraging employees
Ex-Googler says she was laid off from her hospital bed shortly after giving birth. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) Would you believe that Google's mass firings from January are still going on? Google's reported mishandli.....»»
Boosting survival of a beneficial bacterium in the human gut
The microbes that inhabit the gut are critical for human health, and understanding the factors that encourage the growth of beneficial bacterial species—known as "good" bacteria—in the gut may enable medical interventions that promote gut and ove.....»»
Study sheds light on ancient microbial dark matter
Bacteria are literally everywhere—in oceans, in soils, in extreme environments like hot springs, and even alongside and inside other organisms including humans. They're nearly invisible, yet they play a big role in almost every facet of life on Ear.....»»
Self-poisoning for self-preservation—examining the function of Streptomyces nano-syringes
A novel role for molecular nano-syringes found in the antibiotic-producing bacteria Streptomyces has been revealed......»»
Research team proves bacteria-killing viruses deploy genetic code-switching to deceive hosts
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have confirmed that bacteria-killing viruses called bacteriophages deploy a sneaky tactic when targeting their hosts: They use a standard genetic code when invading bacteria, then.....»»
Inside the shark nursery: The evolution of live birth in cartilaginous fish
A new study in Genome Biology and Evolution reveals that egg yolk proteins may have been co-opted to provide maternal nutrition in live-bearing sharks and their relatives......»»
68 now sickened, 4 lose eyeballs in outbreak linked to eyedrops
The extensively drug-resistant germ continues to strike amid recalls and warnings. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Maciej Luczniewski) An alarming outbreak of extensively drug-resistant bacteria linked to eye drops has now sick.....»»
Study compares NGO communication around migration
Since 1970, the number of people living outside their countries of birth has tripled. Most migrants are looking for work or better economic opportunities. But millions seek to escape violence, persecution or natural disasters. Their integration into.....»»
Bacteria designed like corals to achieve carbon-neutral cement production
New buildings are often a cause for celebration, but there is not much to celebrate when looking at the climate footprint of the construction industry, which is among the world's highest......»»
Researchers uncover metabolic secrets of anaerobes and identify new strategies to treat C. difficile infections
A team of investigators from Mass General Brigham's founding members, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), has identified metabolic strategies used by Clostridioides difficile to rapidly colonize the gut. The f.....»»
New insights into the bacterial immune system
A research team from Kiel University describes an unknown defense mechanism in bacteria that selectively wards off foreign and potentially harmful genetic information......»»
Oxygen groups key to unlocking graphene"s antimicrobial potential, say scientists
The amount of surface oxygen in graphene materials is a key factor in how effective they could be in killing bacteria—a discovery which may help to design safer and more effective products to combat antimicrobial resistance......»»
Improved RNA sequencing technologies provide deeper insights into bacteria
How do cells work in a normal state? How do they change when they cause disease? Do they react as desired to new drugs? Nowadays, anyone seeking answers to these—and other related—questions in the laboratory can hardly do without a special techni.....»»
Newborn chicks are attracted to objects that move upwards, shows study
From birth, animals can use their spontaneous preferences (predispositions that are not learned) to decide which stimuli to attend and approach. Previous research has shown how infants and newborn chicks, with no previous experience with animals, are.....»»