Microbes and More News

September 29, 2016

Rare Flu-Thwarting Mutation Discovered

Fecal Bacteria Linked to Body Fat

Swarms of Magnetic Bacteria to Deliver Drugs?

Known Viruses in World's Oceans Tripled

Latest Headlines

updated 11:26pm EDT

Component of Red Wine, Grapes Can Help to Reduce Inflammation, Study Finds

Sep. 28, 2016 — A component of red wine and grapes can help control inflammation induced by a bacterial pathogen that is linked to upper respiratory tract inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive ... read more

Fungus Makes Mosquitoes Much More Likely to Become Infected With Malaria

Sep. 28, 2016 — A fungus that compromises the immune system of mosquitoes, making them more susceptible to infection with the parasite that causes malaria, has been discovered by scientists. Because environmental ... read more

Toxins from Food Mold Weaken Airways' Defenses to Cause More Damage

Sep. 27, 2016 — Toxins from mold found growing on nuts or corn can weaken the airways’ self-clearing mechanisms and immunity, opening the door for respiratory diseases and exacerbating existing ones, suggests a ... read more

Manuka Honey Curbs Activity, Growth of Bacteria Even at Low Dilutions

Sep. 26, 2016 — Even low dilutions of Manuka honey can curb the activity and growth of bacterial biofilms - the thin but resilient layer of microbes that build up on, and stick to, any surface including plastic, ... read more

Antibiotic Resistance Can Occur Naturally in Soil Bacteria

Sep. 27, 2016 — Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in prairie soils that had little or no exposure to human or ... read more

New Discovery May Benefit Farmers Worldwide

Sep. 26, 2016 — Plant scientists have shown for the first time how an ancient crop teams up with a beneficial microbe to protect against a devastating fungal infection, a discovery that may ... read more

Alternative Oxidase from a Marine Animal Works in Mammals, Combats Bacterial Sepsis

Sep. 23, 2016 — Mitochondrial alternative oxidase from a sea-squirt works as a safety valve for stressed mitochondria. This property enables it to stop the runaway ... read more

Long-Term Monitoring of Sapovirus Infection in Wild Carnivores in the Serengeti

Sep. 23, 2016 — Sapoviruses are an emerging group of viruses of the group of caliciviruses and well known agents of gastric enteritis, but ... read more

More Than 7 Million Bacterial Genes in the Pig Gut

Sep. 21, 2016 — Pig is a main livestock species for food production worldwide and is also widely used as an animal model in biomedical research. An international consortium of researchers has now established the ... read more

New Model Could Point Way to Microbiome Forecasting in the Ocean

Sep. 22, 2016 — A new mathematical model integrates environmental and molecular sequence information to better explain how microbial networks drive nutrient and energy cycling in ... read more

Here's Why Antibiotic Resistance Has Become A Problem

Red Tide Brings Algae Worries to Texas Coast

Bacteria Found In Skeletons Confirms Source Of London's Great Plague

Watch Bacteria Become Drug-Resistant Like It's No Big Deal

Structure of the BinAB Toxin Revealed

Sep. 29, 2016 — Could we get rid of mosquitoes without polluting the environment? Yes, we can, say researchers. The BinAB toxin, produced in crystal form by a bacterium, specifically kills the larvae of Culex and ... read more

Scientists Reveal How Signals from Pathogenic Bacteria Reach Danger Sensors of Cells

Sep. 29, 2016 — An essential protein induced by the signaling protein interferon is needed to activate danger-sensing proteins in the cytoplasm of cells, scientists describe in a new ... read more

How the Anthrax Toxin Forms a Deadly 'Conveyer Belt'

Sep. 26, 2016 — Researchers have built a three-dimensional map of the anthrax toxin that may explain how it efficiently transfers its lethal components into the cytoplasm of infected cells. The study suggests that ... read more

Rapid Adaptation of Aspergillus Fungus Presents Doctors With a Dilemma

Sep. 26, 2016 — The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is capable of rapid genetic adaptation in both natural environments and in humans according to a study. This presents doctors with a dilemma: prescribe medication ... read more

Lipid Receptor Fosters Infection of the Uterus in Bitches

Sep. 23, 2016 — In the female dog, cells of the uterus can accumulate lipid droplets to form so-called foamy epithelial cells during late metoestrus. These cells produce a hormone that is involved in the ... read more

Culex Mosquitoes Do Not Transmit Zika Virus, Study Finds

Sep. 22, 2016 — Important results in the fight against Zika virus has been identified by researchers: Culex mosquitoes do not appear to transmit Zika ... read more

Computers Learn to Spot Deadly Bacteria

Sep. 21, 2016 — Machine learning can predict strains of bacteria likely to cause food poisoning outbreaks, research has found. The study -- which focused on harmful strains of E. coli bacteria -- could help public ... read more

Speedy Bacteria Detector Could Help Prevent Foodborne Illnesses

Sep. 21, 2016 — It seems like almost every week another food product is being recalled because of contamination. One of the more common culprits is a pathogenic strain of E. coli. To help prevent illnesses caused by ... read more

Superbug MRSA May Be Spreading Through Contaminated Poultry

Sep. 21, 2016 — A new study offers compelling evidence that a novel form of the dangerous superbug Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can spread to humans through consumption or handling of ... read more

Gut Bacteria Explain Insects' Tolerance to a Toxic Diet

Sep. 21, 2016 — The microbial communities of toxic plant feeders in the Albufera lake in Valencia, Spain have been the focus of recent research. Aside from explaining the insects’ tolerance to a toxic diet, the ... read more

To Understand the Oceans' Microbes, Follow Function, Not Form

Sep. 21, 2016 — A mathematician may have discovered a key to understanding the constantly changing distribution of microbial species in the world’s oceans—classify microorganisms by their biochemical function, ... read more

A Protein in Mosquito Spit Can Keep Dengue Virus in Check

Sep. 20, 2016 — Mosquito saliva influences transmission of viruses to a bitten mammalian host. For example, it contains factors that dampen the host immune response and so facilitate infection. A study reports on a ... read more

Bright Idea for Detecting Harmful Bacteria in Food Products

Sep. 20, 2016 — Scientists looking for traces of E. coli O157:H7 contamination in foods soon could have a new detection method on their hands -- turning off the lights to see if the bacteria glow in the ... read more

Newly Discovered Algal Enzyme for More Efficient Photosynthesis, Better Crops

Sep. 20, 2016 — For plants and algae that carry on photosynthesis, light can be too much of a good thing. On a bright, sunny day, a plant might only be able to utilize 20 percent or less of absorbed sunlight. The ... read more

Listening to the Body: Study Examines the Effects of Fasting on Infections

Sep. 20, 2016 — When people get sick with viral or bacterial infections, they often lose their appetite or avoid certain foods. According to a new study, such sickness-related food preferences may correlate with the ... read more

Plants Take It All in to Deal With Bacteria

Sep. 19, 2016 — Plants have specialized immune receptor proteins on the surface of their cells, which detect specific molecular patterns, or ligands, on harmful bacteria. New research now reveals that these immune ... read more

Microbes Help Plants Survive in Severe Drought

Sep. 19, 2016 — Plants can better tolerate drought and other stressors with the help of natural microbes, research has found. Specifically, plants that are given a dose of microbes stay green longer and are able to ... read more

How a Bacterial Virulence Factor Promotes Its Own Secretion

Sep. 18, 2016 — Many bacteria depend on their ability to attach, or adhere, to our cells for the ability to cause disease. When their survival means disease for us, we often turn to antibiotics, but his miracle ... read more

Scientists Enhance Ability of Antibiotics to Defeat Resistant Types of Bacteria Using Molecules Called PPMOs

Sep. 17, 2016 — Researchers have developed a strategy to overcome a key defense that drug-resistant bacteria use to fend off antibiotic attack. Antibiotic resistance has become a major public health problem; the ... read more

Gut Pathogens Thrive on Body's Tissue-Repair Mechanism

Sep. 16, 2016 — Why do some foodborne bacteria make us sick? A new study has found that pathogens in the intestinal tract cause harm because they benefit from immune system responses designed to repair the very ... read more

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