Coaxing purple bacteria into becoming bioplastic factories
In a world overrun by petroleum-based plastics, scientists are searching for alternatives that are more sustainable, more biodegradable and far less toxic to the environment......»»
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.....»»
Researchers discover rare phages that attack dormant bacteria
In nature, most bacteria live on the bare minimum. If they experience nutrient deficiency or stress, they shut down their metabolism in a controlled manner and go into a resting state. In this stand-by mode, certain metabolic processes still take pla.....»»
Status update in evolutionary race between humans and resistant bacteria: Two steps forward for us
In the span of one week, two researchers from Leiden are receiving their Ph.D.s, each of them on an important step in the battle against bacteria that are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics......»»
Researchers discover new antibiotic-resistant species of bacteria
Researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have discovered a new species of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics......»»
Study discovers how a system of proteins helps Salmonella survive inside macrophages
Salmonella is notorious for surviving and replicating in macrophages, which are normally lethal to invading bacteria because of their inhospitable environment. In a new study, researchers have discovered how a system of proteins, called TamAB, helps.....»»
Analysis of two decades" worth of antibiotic resistance shows antibiotic use is not the only driver of superbugs
For the first time, researchers have analyzed the impact of antibiotic use on the rise of treatment-resistant bacteria over the last 20 years in the UK and Norway. They show that while the increase in drug use has amplified the spread of superbugs, i.....»»
Study shows otters, beavers and other semiaquatic mammals keep clean underwater, thanks to their flexible fur
Underwater surfaces can get grimy as they accumulate dirt, algae and bacteria, a process scientists call "fouling." But furry mammals like beavers and otters that spend most of their lives wet manage to avoid getting their fur slimy. These anti-fouli.....»»
Tesla boosts pay for U.S. factory workers as UAW momentum builds
Tesla Inc. notified workers at its California car plant of pay increases across its U.S. factories, the latest bump by a nonunion automaker the United Auto Workers is trying to organize......»»
Purple teaming and the role of threat categorization
Organizations constantly work to ensure optimal threat detection and prevention across their systems. One question gets asked repeatedly: “Can we detect the threats we’re supposed to be able to detect?” Red team assessment, penetration testing,.....»»
Notorious cell subpopulation key to antibiotic failure, say scientists
Antibiotic overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance, but classic antibiotic resistance might not completely explain why antibiotics sometimes fail. Sub-populations of bacteria called persister cells can survive in the presence of lethal doses of ant.....»»
The value of information gathering in phage–bacteria warfare
Phages, the viruses that infect bacteria, will pay a high growth-rate cost to access environmental information that can help them choose which lifecycle to pursue, according to a study......»»
Fighting superbugs with medical nanomachines
Instruments smaller than a human hair are being designed to eradicate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fight cancer......»»
Network-connected wrenches in factories can be hacked for sabotage or ransomware
Researchers identify 23 vulnerabilities, some of which can exploited with no authentication. Enlarge / The Rexroth Nutrunner, a line of torque wrench sold by Bosch Rexroth. (credit: Bosch Rexroth) Researchers have uneart.....»»
Researchers engineer skin bacteria that are able to secrete and produce molecules that treat acne
International research led by the Translational Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University has succeeded in efficiently engineering Cutibacterium acnes, a type of skin bacterium, to.....»»
Researchers discover molecular "barcode" used by bacteria to secrete toxins
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a molecular "barcode" system used by disease-causing bacteria to distinguish between beneficial and toxic molecules......»»
Researchers discover important membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria
Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside t.....»»
More than 30 new species of bacteria discovered in patient samples
Unknown germs are a common occurrence in hospitals. Researchers at the University of Basel have spent many years collecting and analyzing them. They have identified many new species of bacteria, some of which are significant for clinical practice......»»
Exploring how antibiotic-resistant bacteria become aggressive
Some strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have recently acquired disease-enhancing genes may not behave as aggressively as expected, according to a Northwestern Medicine study recently published in Nature Communications......»»
Experimental antibiotic kills deadly superbug, opens whole new class of drugs
The relatively large molecule clogs a transport system, leading to lethal toxicity. Enlarge / This Scanning Electron Microscope image depicts several clusters of aerobic Gram-negative, non-motile Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria.....»»