How the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis secretes and traffics its only known exotoxin
Six years ago, Michael Niederweis, Ph.D., described the first known toxin of the deadly pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), an exotoxin that had gone undetected for 132 years......»»
Working to discover new treatments for tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, remains the leading cause of infectious disease worldwide, affecting approximately a quarter of the globe's population. Treatment of infections is problematic due to the emergence of dr.....»»
Chemokine receptor CX3CR1 structures uncover mechanism of cholesterol regulation in activation
Chemokine receptors regulate the migration of immune cells and are involved in inflammation, tumor construction and pathogen infection. Chemokines are divided into four subfamilies according to the number and distribution of conserved cysteines at th.....»»
Familiarity breeds exempt: Why staph vaccines don"t work in humans
For the most part, the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is common and harmless, posing no threat to humans with whom they coexist. Occasionally, though, it can become an opportunistic pathogen, causing skin and bloodstream infections or food poisoning.....»»
Researchers find deadly fungus can multiply by having sex, which could produce more drug-resistant, virulent strains
Researchers at McMaster University have unlocked an evolutionary mystery of a deadly pathogen responsible for fueling the superbug crisis: it can reproduce by having sex......»»
Genetic mutations enable efficient evolution of tuberculosis-causing bacteria
Researchers have identified how the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB) can evolve rapidly in response to new environments, according to a study published today in eLife......»»
Study finds evidence of bovine TB in 15% of rhinos at South African national park
The largest study ever conducted on a free-ranging population of rhinoceroses reveals that about one in every seven rhinos in a key South African national park has been infected with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the pathogen that causes bovine tub.....»»
Pompeii victim had spinal tuberculosis when he died
The study also sequenced the victim's entire genome. Enlarge / This is not what a healthy lumbar vertebra is supposed to look like. (credit: Scorrano et al. 2022) The eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompe.....»»
Tuberculosis Is the Oldest Pandemic, and Poverty Makes It Continue
Tuberculosis is preventable and curable, yet it afflicts one quarter of the world’s population—mostly because of poverty -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Study offers clues to understanding the infection mechanisms of a lethal fungus affecting more than 100 crops
An international study on Fusarium oxysporum, one of the most lethal fungi for crops, found, contrary to what had been thought to date, that the absence of a certain type of enzyme increases the rate of infection, although it decreases the pathogen's.....»»
A gene in tuberculosis bacteria is found essential for siderophore secretion and virulence
Lei Zhang, Ph.D., and Michael Niederweis, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham have made what they call "a major step" in understanding how Mycobacterium tuberculosis acquires iron from its human host—a process essential for the pathog.....»»
Molecular mechanism of ZDHHC18-mediated palmitoylation of cGAS in innate immunity inhibition
Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensing protein, plays an important role in the strong innate immune response induced by pathogen derived nucleic acids......»»
New discovery may hold key to fighting deadly infections
Centenary Institute research has revealed new insight into tackling mycobacterial infections which are responsible for chronic diseases that include tuberculosis (TB), leprosy and serious skin ulcerations......»»
Bill Gates Is So Over This Pandemic
The acerbic optimist thinks anxious people (like me) need to move on from Covid and start planning for the next vicious pathogen......»»
Novel species of pathogenic bacteria of onion identified in Texas
While conducting the survey of bacteria in onions, a team of Texas A&M AgriLife researchers in Uvalde identified a new pathogen—a bacterial species now named for where it was found......»»
Asian elephant cured of tuberculosis developed from long-term latency
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It was the leading cause of human death due to a single pathogen before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. In elephants, infections and deaths from TB have been reported.....»»
Study finds how Acinetobacter baumannii survives without water on hospital surfaces
The pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii can survive on hospital surfaces—without water—for months, an ability that has helped it become a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections......»»
Exploring the potential food contamination routes of a newly identified foodborne pathogen
People must consume enough safe and nutritious food to remain alive and healthy. Consumption of unsafe foods, contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances, is responsible for more than 200 diseases, ranging from diar.....»»
A Killer Parasite Is Wiping Out Hordes of Ants—in a Good Way
A microsporidian pathogen is annihilating tawny crazy ants, an invasive menace of the highest order......»»
Two DNA defense systems behind resilience of 7th cholera pandemic
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, a waterborne pathogen that infects the gut of humans through contaminated water and food. When ingested, V. cholerae colonizes the gut's inner surface, causing a watery diarrhea, that if left untr.....»»
How does an intestinal microbe become a pathogen?
The bacterium Escherichia coli is found in the human intestine, and elsewhere. There it is harmless, but in certain conditions it can become a pathogen. It can cause bladder infections or even sepsis. A team of researchers led by RESIST professor Mar.....»»