Extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (ECFs) have been successfully used for constructing predictable artificial gene circuits bacteria like Escherichia coli, but their transferability between species within the same phylum remained unknown.
Tag: Bacteria
RUDN agronomists found a virus that can defeat a bacteria dangerous to plants
RUDN University agronomists have discovered a bacteriophage that destroys bacteria dangerous to cabbage and other plants.
Binghamton University biologist named Fellow of American Academy of Microbiology
Binghamton University, State University of New York researcher Karin Sauer is among 65 scientists elected as Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology this year. Fellows are elected by their peers based on their scientific achievements and original contributions to the field of microbiology.
Study Details How a Common Bacterium Resists New Antibiotic
Cedars-Sinai investigators have detailed a new way that bacteria use iron to cooperate and resist antibiotic treatment. The study, led by the Cedars-Sinai departments of Biomedical Sciences and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, is published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Microbiology and is the first to show this type of antibiotic cross-protection.
‘Dynamic duo’ defenses in bacteria ward off viral threats
Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered that bacteria can pair up their defense systems to create a formidable force, greater than the sum of its parts, to fight off attack from phage viruses.
Beyond peak season: Bacteria in the Arctic seabed are active all year round
Despite the pronounced seasonality in their habitat, the bacterial community in Arctic sediments is taxonomically and functionally very stable.
Protect Yourself Against Salmonella
David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, says proper hygiene is key to fighting against salmonella. What You Need to Know: Salmonella can cause severe diarrhea. Get a diagnosis first before treating salmonella. Salmonella symptoms include fever and…
Cold-resistant bacteria found in the Arctic can degrade crude oil
Biologists from the Research Center of Biotechnology and RUDN University found bacteria on Franz Josef Land that adapted to low temperatures and learned to degrade petroleum products.
Organic compound found in trees could prevent contact lens eye infections
A new study, by the University of Portsmouth in England and Naresuan and Pibulsongkram Rajabhat universities in Thailand, suggests a naturally-occurring material is an effective disinfectant for contact lenses and could help millions of people worldwide.
Creating a Virus-Resistant Bacterium Using a Synthetic Engineered Genome
To improve bioproducts productivity, researchers have engineered the genome of E. coli to make it immune to viral infections.
New Technology Unscrambles the Chatter of Microbes
Researchers from University of California San Diego have developed a new search tool to that can match microbes to the metabolites they produce with no prior knowledge, an innovation that could transform our understanding of both human health and the environment.
Specific gut bacteria increase risk of severe malaria
Researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice. Their findings could lead to the development of new approaches targeting gut bacteria to prevent severe malaria and associated deaths.
Rutgers Awarded NIH Grant to Study How Previous Infections Affect Immune Response to Lung Disease
Researchers will examine how the body’s adaptations to viruses, fungi and parasites change its ability to combat unrelated respiratory infections.
Novel enzyme family could provide insights into bacterial pathogenicity
Researchers discover a new family of Gram-negative bacterial enzymes related to infection capability
Using Different Flours for Sourdough Fosters Different Bacteria – and Flavors
A new study of the microbial ecosystem in sourdough finds that using different types of flour fosters distinct bacterial communities, and that these differences contribute to the variation of sourdough aromas and flavors.
Not all viruses are harmful
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people became well aware that viruses can be extremely harmful. But can viruses also be helpful? Bryan Hsu aims to find out by studying viruses that infect bacteria in the bellies of mammals.
HMS Researcher to Lead $104 Million Federal Project Tackling Antibiotic Resistance
Multi-institutional effort aims to develop technology to transform diagnosis, treatment of bacterial infections
Gotcha! New technology speeds up bacterial testing in food
It is said that there is waste in haste, but researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have proven that doing things rapidly does not necessarily mean working ineffectively.
Bacteria generate electricity from wastewater
“We engineered E. coli bacteria, the most widely studied microbe, to generate electricity,” says Professor Ardemis Boghossian at EPFL. “Though there are exotic microbes that naturally produce electricity, they can only do so in the presence of specific chemicals.
How bacteria surf cargo through the cell
The University of Michigan researchers found some bacteria ship cellular cargo by “surfing” along proteins called ParA/MinD ATPases
Race-based variations in gut bacteria emerge by 3 months of age
Variations in the gut microbiome are linked to the incidence and mortality of diseases. A new study highlights a critical development window during which these differences emerge. The findings are based on analysis of data from 2,756 gut microbiome samples from 729 U.S. children between birth and 12 years of age.
Common Wristbands ‘Hotbed’ for Harmful Bacteria Including E. Coli, Staphylococcus
Routinely cleaning wristbands is generally ignored. New research finds 95 percent of wristbands tested were contaminated. Rubber and plastic wristbands had higher bacterial counts, while gold and silver, had little to no bacteria. Bacteria found were common skin residents of the genera Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas, and intestinal organisms of the genera Escherichia, specifically E. coli. Staphylococcus was prevalent on 85 percent of the wristbands; researchers found Pseudomonas on 30 percent of the wristbands; and they found E. coli bacteria on 60 percent of the wristbands, which most commonly begins infection through fecal-oral transmission.
A Single Gene and a Unique Layer of Regulation Opens the Door for Novel Plant-Fungi Interactions
Plants have a complex layer of regulation that allows beneficial fungi to colonize their roots while protecting them from harmful ones such as pathogens. Researchers recently identified the underlying plant signaling processes within this layer of regulation that permits a specific beneficial bacteria species to colonize the roots of switchgrass.
Imaging shows how solar-powered microbes turn CO2 into bioplastic
Cornell University researchers have developed a multimodal platform to image biohybrids —microorganisms that use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into value-added chemical products — to better understand how they function and how they can be optimized for more efficient energy conversion.
New Resource Harmonizes 16S and Shotgun Sequencing Data for Microbiome Research
UC San Diego scientists debut Greengenes2, a massive reference database that could be used to reconcile years of microbiome studies.
Host Genetics Play a Significant Role in the Composition of Switchgrass Root Microbiomes
A new study investigated the role of the genes in individual switchgrass plants in determining the composition of the bacterial communities associated with the plants’ roots.
Differences in alcohol metabolism play a role in the severity of alcohol hangovers
Hangovers are common among people who drink alcohol. Previous research showing that a hangover’s combination of both mental and physical misery can occur after a single episode of alcohol consumption also revealed that a rapid breakdown of alcohol into acetaldehyde is associated with less severe hangovers. Findings from an investigation of the metabolic influence of oral microbiota on hangover severity will be shared at the 46th annual scientific meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) in Bellevue, Washington.
Brain-Belly Connection: Gut Health May Influence Likelihood of Developing Alzheimer’s
UNLV study pinpoints 10 bacterial groups associated with Alzheimer’s disease, provides new insights into the relationship between gut makeup and dementia.
A Simple Antibacterial Treatment Solves a Severe Skin Problem Caused by Radiation Therapy
Acute radiation dermatitis (ARD)—characterized by red, sore, itchy or peeling skin—affects up to 95% of people undergoing radiation treatment for cancer. Severe cases can cause significant swelling and painful skin ulcers that can severely impair quality of life, yet little is known about why this condition occurs and no standardized treatments for preventing severe ARD have been widely adapted.
Deep Learning-Drives Insights into Protein-Protein Interactions
Protein-protein interactions are essential for life. Researchers used DeepMind’s AlphaFold 2 to develop a deep learning approach for predicting and modeling multi-protein interactions. The AF2Complex approach generates much more accurate structural models than previous methods for modeling a protein complex. As a proof of concept, the researchers used AF2Complex to virtually screen key proteins in E. coli, discovering unexpected protein-protein interactions.
Eye-opening Origin Story: Scientists Trace Key Innovation in Our Camera-like Vision to Bacteria
Scientists have traced the origin of a unique protein key to vertebrate’s camera-like vision back 500 million years. Their analysis of more than 900 genomes across the tree of life revealed that the protein came through horizontal gene transfer from foreign bacterial genes.
UNLV Study Sheds Light on Ancient Microbial Dark Matter
Omnitrophota are nano-sized bacteria first discovered 25 years ago. Though common in many environments around the world, until now they’ve been poorly understood. An international research team produced the first large-scale analysis of Omnitrophota genomes, uncovering new details about their biology and behavior. The team’s findings are reported in the March 16 issue of the journal Nature Microbiology.
Designing More Useful Bacteria
In a step forward for genetic engineering and synthetic biology, researchers have modified a strain of Escherichia coli bacteria to be immune to natural viral infections while also minimizing the potential for the bacteria or their modified genes to escape into the wild.
Chatterboxes: FSU researcher develops new model that shows how bacteria communicate
In new research published by Biophysical Reports, researchers from Florida State University and Cleveland State University lay out a mathematical model that explains how bacteria communicate within a larger ecosystem. By understanding how this process works, researchers can predict what actions might elicit certain environmental responses from a bacterial community.
‘Lights out’ for antibiotic-resistant superbugs
It’s ‘lights out’ for antibiotic-resistant superbugs as next-generation light-activated nanotech proves it can eradicate some of the most notorious and potentially deadly bacteria in the world.
Beyond the average cell
Models based on an average cell are useful, but they may not accurately describe how individual cells really work. New possibilities opened up with the advent of single-cell live imaging technologies. Now it is possible to peer into the lives of individual cells. In a new paper in PLOS Genetics, a team of biologists and physicists from Washington University in St. Louis and Purdue University used actual single-cell data to create an updated framework for understanding the relationship between cell growth, DNA replication and division in a bacterial system.
New Research on Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria May Be A Step Toward New Treatments for Infections
Antibiotic resistant bacteria pose of the greatest threats to global public health. New research has the potential to reduce the amount of antibiotics used in the clinic and may pave the way for the discovery of new antibiotics that change growth rate and energy levels in bacteria.
Capsule-sized ingestible biobatteries could allow new view of digestive system
A new biobattery being developed at Binghamton University, State University of New York could power ingestible cameras in the small intestine.
Life and death of an “altruistic” bacterium
A new study led by Yves Brun shows how some bacteria living in a biofilm sacrifice themselves to ensure the survival of the community.
Microbial miners could help humans colonize the moon and Mars
The biochemical process by which cyanobacteria acquire nutrients from rocks in Chile’s Atacama Desert has inspired engineers at the University of California, Irvine to think of new ways microbes might help humans build colonies on the moon and Mars.
A disinfectant spray that deploys “billions of tiny soldiers”
Researchers have created a powerful new weapon against bacterial contamination and infection by developing a way to spray bacteriophages – harmless viruses that eat bacteria – onto food and other materials to rid them of harmful pathogens.
A new method for studying ribosome function
Scientists report a method for stable attachment of peptides to tRNAs, which has allowed them to gain new fundamental insights into ribosome function by determining the atomic-level structures of ribosomes and the shapes that peptides take inside the ribosome.
Study reveals how naturally-occurring compound kills major drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers say hydroquinine could be an effective weapon against a germ that can cause serious infections in humans, mostly hospital patients.
Research takes on a massive problem: Chronic infection linked to medical devices
Infections related to implanted medical devices are shockingly common and a research team including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York is working to address the problem.
The Thinking Undead: How Dormant Bacteria Calculate Their Return to Life
Facing extreme conditions such as starvation and stress, some bacterial cells enter a dormant state in which life processes stop. Biologists have discovered how they assess environmental conditions for a return to life, carrying implications for evaluating life on Earth as well as other planets.
Dietary supplementation may improve antibiotic-induced GVHD following stem cell transplants
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified a specific gut bacterium involved in the progression of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after antibiotic treatment of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and discovered that nutritional supplementation can prevent antibiotic-induced GVHD in preclinical models, according to a study published today in Cell.
Chula Launches a Bioproduct “Microbes to Clean Up Oil Spill in the Ocean”
Chula Faculty of Science has developed bioproducts to clean up oil spills in the ocean from their research on oil-eating microbes while getting ready to expand to industrial-scale production for ecological sustainability.
Scientists Unveil New System for Naming Majority of the World’s Microorganisms
In an article published Sept. 19 in the journal Nature Microbiology, a team of scientists present a new system, the SeqCode, and a corresponding registration portal that could help microbiologists effectively categorize and communicate about the massive number of identified yet uncultivated single-celled microorganisms known as prokaryotes.
Scientists discover compound found in trees has potential to kill drug-resistant bacteria
University researchers have found a naturally occurring compound, known as hydroquinine, has bacterial killing activity against several microorganisms.
NSF-funded engineering research to combat medical device infections
For her most recent project, “Mechanical Mechanisms of Biofilm Survival on Implant Surfaces,” Dr. Martha Grady, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Kentucky, is the recipient of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.