http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/microbes_and_more/ Current science articles on microbes and more. Read about viruses, bacteria, fungi and prions. Full-text, images, free. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/microbes_and_more/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135415.htm The war between the sexes has been fought on many fronts throughout time -- from humans to birds to insects, the animal kingdom is replete with species involved in their own skirmishes. A recent study demonstrates that certain plants, with some help from fungal friends, may also be involved in this fray. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151449.htm Using novel techniques, a Dutch researcher has cast new light on the replication of coronaviruses, a family of viruses including the cause of SARS. He has shown, using luminescent viruses, how coronaviruses use host cells and how we can use the intracellular processes to attack the virus. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109142125.htm A researcher has developed thin films of silver and copper that can kill bacteria and may one day help to cut down on hospital infections. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109142125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160739.htm New anti-flu drugs could become a reality as a result of a new study. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171654.htm A plant pathology scientist was researching the molecular basis of bacterial diseases of rice when he discovered how a group of proteins from plant pathogenic bacteria interact with DNA in the plant cell, opening up the possibility for what the scientist calls a "cascade of advances." Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174347.htm A recently devised method of imaging the chemical communication and warfare between microorganisms could lead to new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and anti-cancer drugs. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174343.htm Bioengineers have made a breakthrough development that will now allow scientists to perform full delineation of the location and use of genomic elements. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121207.htm A chemical culprit responsible for the rapid, mysterious death of phytoplankton in the North Atlantic Ocean has been found. This same chemical may hold unexpected promise in cancer research. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145300.htm Researchers have discovered a fungal protein that plays a key role in causing disease in plants and animals and which also shields the pathogen from oxidative stress. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145300.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131436.htm Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate. Their study shows how bacteria talk to one another -- an understanding that may lead to new therapeutic discoveries for diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes and allergies. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132658.htm Organisms ensure the survival of their species by genetically adapting to the environment. If environmental conditions change too rapidly, the extinction of a species may be the consequence. A strategy to successfully cope with such a challenge is the generation of variable offspring that can survive in different environments. For the first time scientists have now observed the evolution of such a strategy under lab conditions in an experiment with the bacterial species Pseudomonas fluorescens. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143725.htm Scientists have developed the first atlas of bacterial diversity across the human body, charting wide variations in microbe populations that live in different regions of the human body and which aid us in physiological functions that contribute to our health. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095642.htm Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide. During a summit held this week in Washington, D.C., President Obama and Prime Minister Reinfeldt joined forces to address the urgency of the problem and the need for solutions by signing an international agreement that seeks cooperative ways in which the United States and EU countries can help combat the global health crisis. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm Unwrapping some of the mystery from how plants and bacteria communicate to trigger an innate immune response, scientists have identified the bacterial signaling molecule that matches up with a specific receptor in rice plants to ward off a devastating disease known as bacterial blight of rice. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171726.htm A major conclusion of the work is that for some organisms, possibly including humans, continued evolution will not translate into ever-increasing fitness. Moreover, a population may accrue mutations at a constant rate --- a pattern long considered the hallmark of "neutral" or non-Darwinian evolution --- even when the mutations experience Darwinian selection. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085819.htm Moose eat plants; wolves kill moose. What difference does this classic predator-prey interaction make to biodiversity? A large and unexpected one, say wildlife biologists. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085832.htm Bacteria that cause chronic lung infections can communicate with each other to form a deadly shield against the body's natural defenses. Studying these interactions could lead to new ways of treating bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102085832.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111847.htm Leprosy still affects hundreds of thousands of people today throughout the entire world. An international team has traced the history of the disease from ancient Egypt to today and in doing so has made a public health study essential for combating the disease. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111847.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141215.htm Each year, the influenza virus evolves. And each year, public health officials try to predict what the new strain will be and how it will affect the population in order to best combat it. A new study may make their task a little easier. The study breaks ground by working across scales and linking sub-molecular changes in the influenza virus to the likelihood of influenza outbreaks. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030125048.htm Scientists report a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against two deadly viruses, Nipah virus and the related Hendra virus. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030125048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028192611.htm Two genetic mutations that may put individuals at increased risk of fungal infections have been identified by scientists, increasing understanding about the genetic basis of these infections and potentially aiding the development of new treatments. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028192611.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029162024.htm Influenza viruses evade infection-fighting antibodies by constantly changing the shape of their major surface protein. Now, researchers have proposed a new explanation for the evolutionary forces that drive antigenic drift. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029162024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125538.htm As the nation copes with a shortage of vaccines for H1N1 influenza, a team of Alabama researchers have raised hopes that they have found an Achilles' heel for all strains of the flu -- antioxidants. In a new study, they show that antioxidants -- the same substances found in plant-based foods -- might hold the key in preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029125538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112102.htm Like savvy Wall Street money managers, bacteria hedge their bets to increase their chances of survival in uncertain times, strategically investing their biological resources to weather unpredictable environments. In a new study, researchers describe how bacteria play the market so well. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132426.htm An experimental drug cocktail that includes three prescriptions now widely available offers the best hope in developing a single agent to treat drug-resistant H1N1 swine flu, says a virology researcher. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132426.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114021.htm The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year, according to a new study. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114021.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114025.htm Scientists are reporting results of one of the first studies on the release of silver nanoparticles from laundering those anti-odor, anti-bacterial socks now on the market. Their findings may suggest ways that manufacturers and consumers can minimize the release of these particles to the environment, where they could harm fish and other wildlife. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152938.htm Genetically modified squash plants that are resistant to a debilitating viral disease become more vulnerable to a fatal bacterial infection, according to biologists. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112609.htm Researchers have identified wheat and barley lines resistant to crown rot -- a disease that costs Australian wheat and barley farmers $79 million in lost yield every year. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160106.htm Bacteria commonly used to indicate health risks in recreational waters might not be so reliable after all. Pathogenic E. coli were pervasive in stream-water samples with low concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria. This is one of the unexpected findings that may affect how we rely on indicator bacteria to determine if water is contaminated with bacteria that can make people sick. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211640.htm Researchers have uncovered what they believe could be the major factor contributing to the SARS virus' virulence: the pathogen's use of a single viral protein to weaken host cell defenses by launching a "two-pronged" attack on cellular protein-synthesis machinery. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211640.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026132937.htm Researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile, is on the rise in outpatient settings. Clostridium difficile is a serious bacteria that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026132937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027161536.htm In a new study the evolutionary history of more than 10,000 sequences from more than 400 HIV-infected individuals was compared. The idea is to identify common features of the transmitted virus, and attempt to create a vaccine that enables recognition the original transmitted virus before the body's immune response causes the virus to react and mutate. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027161536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152810.htm Globalization and industrialization are causing diseases to spread from humans to animals, a study has shown. Researchers have shown that a strain of bacteria has jumped from humans to chickens. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026180207.htm In hopes of preventing the next global pandemic and a possible death toll into the millions, researchers have launched an unprecedented international effort to find and control diseases that move between wildlife and people. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026180207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019141538.htm A workshop at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama has nearly doubled the number of people capable of quatitatively testing for chytridiomycosis, dramatically improving the ability of conservationists and regulatory agencies to monitor the spread of one of the deadliest frog diseases on Earth. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019141538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114357.htm With technology similar to that used by physicians to perform magnetic resonance imaging scans, researchers are studying the metabolic activity of a pathogen shown to cause coral bleaching, a serious threat to undersea reef ecosystems worldwide. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114357.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093230.htm The probiotic, Bacillus polyfermenticus, can help mice recover from colitis. Mice treated with B.P. during the non-inflammatory period of the disease had reduced rectal bleeding, their tissues were less inflamed and they gained more weight than mice that did not receive the treatment. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101655.htm The Mediterranean fruit fly is a world plague which represents one of the most serious problems for agriculture. However, the control methods currently present in the market for this plague are ineffective. Scientists have now isolated and identified bacteria that is extremely toxic for Mediterranean fruit fly larvae. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141121.htm The expansion of oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) affects the processes by which carbon is captured and sequestered on the seafloor. Researchers describe the metagenome of an abundant but uncultivated microbe from a fjord on the coast of British Columbia, Canada that is silently helping to shape the ecology of OMZs worldwide. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141121.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022102338.htm A NASA chemist has developed a technology intended to rapidly assess any presence of microbial life on spacecraft. This new method may also help the military test for disease-causing bacteria, such as a causative agent for anthrax, and may also be useful in the medical, pharmaceutical and other fields. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022102338.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021212245.htm In the course of doing research on the mosquito-borne pathogens chikungunya virus and o' nyong-nyong virus, researchers have discovered an inconvenient truth about an assay, strand-specific quantitative real-time PCR (ssqPCR), increasingly being used to detect and measure replicating viral RNA in infected cells and tissues. The method most labs are using for ssqPCR is unreliable. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021212245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090805150524.htm Predicting the infection patterns of influenzas requires tracking both the ecology and the evolution of the fast-morphing viruses that cause them, said a researcher who enlists computers to model such changes. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090805150524.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090830104316.htm Group B Streptococcus is a versatile pathogen that affects a variety of animals. Now studies are revealing new information about this pathogen. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090830104316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225811.htm Researchers have discovered the first RNA repair system to be discovered in bacteria. The novelty of the newly discovered bacterial RNA repair system is that, before the damaged RNA is sealed, a methyl group is added to the two-prime hydroxyl group at the cleavage site of the damaged RNA, making it impossible to cleave the site again. Thus, the repaired RNA is "better than new." Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115153.htm Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy, says a dietitian and researcher. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022134448.htm New technology has given scientists the first look ever at RNA in a live bacteria cell -- a sight that could offer new information about how the molecule moves and works. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022134448.htm