Using magnetotactic bacteria in oncology
Kamil Gareev, Associate Professor at ETU "LETI," justified the prospects of using magnetotactic bacteria to treat malignant tumors......»»
Study describes zinc oxide nanoparticle strategy for inactivation of multidrug-resistant bacteria
An article published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering describes a possible strategy for promoting selective inhibition of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which are increasingly abundant owing to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.....»»
Wound treatment hydrogel infused with amino acid kills bacteria naturally and promotes cell growth
Hydrogels are popular for use in skin ailments and tissue engineering. These polymer-based biocompatible materials are useful for their abilities to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are complicated to manufacture.....»»
Researchers explain how green algae and bacteria together contribute to climate protection
A research team at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany has now found a bacterium that forms a team with a green alga. Both microorganisms support each other in their growth. Additionally, the bacterium helps the microalga to neutralize the to.....»»
New antibiotic class effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria discovered
Scientists at Uppsala University have discovered a new class of antibiotics with potent activity against multi-drug resistant bacteria, and have shown that it cures bloodstream infections in mice. The new antibiotic class is described in an article i.....»»
Ancient Adélie penguin DNA reveals that small repeats persist for hundreds of millions of years
Microsatellites are valuable tools for studying inheritance, genetic diversity, and population dynamics across a wide range of organisms including bacteria, plants, animals, and fungi. These short, repeating sequence motifs are a common feature of bo.....»»
Study identifies protein responsible for gas vesicle clustering in bacteria
Gas vesicles are hollow structures made of protein found in the cells of certain microorganisms, and researchers at Rice University believe they can be programmed for use in biomedical applications......»»
Study finds wild nematode worms learn to avoid harmful bacteria—and their offspring inherit this knowledge
The nematode worm C. elegans will stay away from dangerous bacteria in its environment when exposed to certain bacterial RNAs—and can transmit that learned behavior to future generations. A team led by Coleen Murphy at Princeton University report t.....»»
Sniffing out bacteria: Team develops a novel approach for rapid bacterial species identification
Do you ever wonder how researchers identify bacterial infections? Traditionally, they collect samples from the infected site, grow the bacteria in a lab, and analyze them using a method called MALDI-ToF-MS. Although accurate, this method is time-cons.....»»
Biologists determine bacteria sense damage to relatives
Carnegie Mellon University biologists have discovered that Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria behind the cholera disease, can sense when its relatives die. Bacterial cell death is often accompanied by lysis, where the cell explodes, releasing internal cel.....»»
Unseen travelers: Dust storms may spread bacteria and fungi around the world
When allergy season hits, many blame their reactions on the local flora in the spring. However, African Saharan-Sahelian dust plumes, large enough to register on weather radar, travel around the globe every summer, bringing their own form of air poll.....»»
Researchers uncover key biomolecule involved in whooping cough infection
Researchers have identified a new complex-carbohydrate biomolecule, or glycan, that plays a key role in the nasal colonization of the Bordetella bacteria responsible for whooping cough. The discovery could make it possible to create a new drug or vac.....»»
Gut microbiota and antibiotics: Missing puzzle piece discovered
The intricacies of how intestinal bacteria adapt to their environment have yet to be fully explored. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg and the University of California, Berkeley, U.S., have.....»»
Research reveals new starting points for the rapid and targeted development of future drugs
Many important medicines, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, are derived from natural products of bacteria. The enzyme complexes that produce these active ingredients have a modular design that makes them ideal tools for synthetic biology. By.....»»
Non-culturable Legionella identified with sequencing
Legionnaires' disease (LD), a rare and severe type of pneumonia, is a respiratory infection caused by species of Legionella bacteria. One of the most accurate ways to diagnose LD is to perform culture on samples from a patient's lower respiratory tra.....»»
Research suggests natural electrical grid deep inside Earth enables many types of microbes to survive
To "breathe" in an environment without oxygen, bacteria in the ground beneath our feet depend upon a single family of proteins to transfer excess electrons (produced during the "burning" of nutrients) to electric hairs called nanowires projecting fro.....»»
Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil
Some soil bacteria can acquire sets of genes that enable them to pump the heavy metal nickel out of their systems, a study has found. This enables the bacteria to not only thrive in otherwise toxic soils but help plants grow there as well......»»
Brewing kombucha in silicone bags makes for less alcohol, faster process
Using glucose instead of sucrose also results in less alcohol and less sour vinegar taste Enlarge / Brewing kombucha tea. Note the trademark gel-like layer of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). (credit: Olga Pankova.....»»
New discovery highlights a potential stepping stone toward antibiotic resistance
A new study shows how heteroresistance, a transient resistance common in many bacteria, can act as a precursor to the development of antibiotic resistance. According to researchers at Uppsala University, this is the first time this link has been demo.....»»
Better kombucha brewing through chemistry
Kombucha is a fermented tea known for its health benefits and tangy kick. But brewers can find it challenging to keep kombucha's alcohol levels low because the bacteria and yeast used in the fermentation process vary from batch to batch......»»
Urban humans have lost much of their ability to digest plants
Rural populations still have lots of the gut bacteria that break down cellulose. Enlarge (credit: Nathan Devery) Cellulose is the primary component of the cell walls of plants, making it the most common polymer on Earth......»»