These beetles tuck symbiotic bacteria in “back pockets” during metamorphosis
When adult females emerge from pupae, friction shuffles the bacteria to genital area. Enlarge / Certain species of beetle have evolved unusual "back pockets" to safely house symbiotic bacteria during metamorphosis—the only known inst.....»»
Phage cocktail shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers have a new battle tactic to fight drug-resistant bacterial infections. Their strategy involves using collections of bacteriophages, viruses that naturally attack bacteria. In a new study, researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker.....»»
2-billion-year-old rock could help understand very early life on Earth and the hunt for evidence of life on Mars
Pockets of microbes have been found living within a sealed fracture in a 2-billion-year-old rock. The rock was excavated from the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, an area known for its rich ore deposits. This is the oldest example of living.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
These New Biomaterials Can Help Decarbonize Fashion and Construction
Designers are imagining a future where bacteria powers both clothing and cement—and their ideas are coming to a shop near you......»»
Bacteria-derived enzyme shows potential for polyethylene biodegradation
Every year, 400 million tons of plastic products are produced worldwide, half of which are single-use items discarded within a year. In particular, non-biodegradable plastic waste, which takes over 500 years to decompose naturally, is mostly treated.....»»
Filament structure found to activate and regulate CRISPR-Cas "protein scissors"
CRISPR-Cas systems help to protect bacteria from viruses. Several different types of CRISPR-Cas defense systems are found in bacteria, which differ in their composition and functions. Among them, the most studied proteins today are Cas9 and Cas12, al.....»»
Scientists inject bacteria into fungi to study endosymbiosis
Endosymbiosis is a fascinating biological phenomenon in which an organism lives inside another. Such an unusual relationship is often beneficial for both parties. Even in our bodies, we find remnants of such cohabitation: mitochondria evolved from an.....»»
LEGO-inspired RNA sensors enable customizable gene control
A research team has developed an RNA-based sensor platform that can regulate gene expression in bacteria. Their findings were recently featured in the journal Advanced Science......»»
Bioinspired yarn can harvest water from fog
Scientists have developed a bioinspired yarn capable of harvesting water from fog, providing an innovative solution to water scarcity in arid regions. By imitating the alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic patterns seen in desert beetles and the wa.....»»
Raman spectroscopy study decodes symbiotic interactions in marine algae
In a recent study, researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena have shown how they can non-invasively and non-destructively investigate the growth and interactions of the gre.....»»
Hunting down giant viruses that attack tiny algae
They were said to come from outer space, and there were even claims that they were actually bacteria and that they undermined the very definition of viruses. Giant viruses, nicknamed "giruses," contain enormous quantities of genetic material—up to.....»»
Exploring the role of hydrogen sulfide in the expression of iron uptake genes in E. coli
Antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress response are important biological mechanisms that help bacteria thrive, especially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a chemical messenger molecule, regulates several intracel.....»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
Tailwinds don’t help “everesting” cyclists
"There are no clever tricks to get around the necessary diet and exercise." Enlarge / Physicist Martin Bier in an aerodynamic tuck, a cycling position that reduces wind resistance. (credit: Martin Bier) Many avid bicycli.....»»
Bacterial "flipping" allows genes to assume different forms
Imagine being one cartwheel away from changing your appearance. One flip, and your brunette locks are platinum blond. That's not too far from what happens in some prokaryotes, or single-cell organisms, such as bacteria, that undergo something called.....»»
Ultra-high speed camera for molecules: Attosecond spectroscopy captures electron transfer dynamics
In nature, photosynthesis powers plants and bacteria; within solar panels, photovoltaics transform light into electric energy. These processes are driven by electronic motion and imply charge transfer at the molecular level. The redistribution of ele.....»»
Better together: Gut microbiome communities found to have enhanced resilience to drugs
Many human medications can directly inhibit the growth and alter the function of the bacteria that constitute our gut microbiome. EMBL Heidelberg researchers have now discovered that this effect is reduced when bacteria form communities......»»
Graphene spike mat uses ordinary fridge magnet tech to fight antibiotic resistance
With strong bactericidal properties, graphene has the potential to become a game changer in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So far there have been no efficient ways to control these properties—and thus no way to make use of graphen.....»»
Chemists discover new ways in which single-celled organisms organize their DNA
It has only recently been discovered that single-celled organisms (bacteria and archaea) also have histones—proteins that structure DNA. Now, Leiden Ph.D. candidate Samuel Schwab has found that the histones in these organisms are much more diverse.....»»