A research team led by David Thanassi, PhD, of Stony Brook University, has used molecular biology and cryoelectron microscopy to successfully unravel the structure of bacterial appendages called P pili. These pili are deployed by uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli bacteria that cause kidney infections. The structure of P pili had been elusive to scientists […]
Common medications can accumulate in gut bacteria, a new study has found, altering bacterial function and potentially reducing the effectiveness of the drug. These interactions – seen for a variety of medications, such as depression, diabetes, and asthma drugs – could help researchers to better understand individual differences in drug effectiveness and side-effects, according to […]
The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, has made it imperative to have rapid, sensitive, specific, and portable testing which is deployable immediately in a point-of-care context for instant detection of the virus. Study: CRISPR-Cas based virus detection: Recent advances and perspectives. Image Credit: […]
A study of microbial populations under a prolonged period of starvation by Indiana University professor Jay T. Lennon and his laboratory could help researchers answer questions pertaining to chronic infections, the functioning of bacteria in the environment and the persistence of life itself. In a paper published online Aug. 12 by the Proceedings of the […]
In biology, the term symbiosis refers to the relationship between two or more organisms of different species. Animal-animal, plant-plant, plant-microbe, and animal-microbe symbiotic relationships exist and are well-documented. This article will discuss what a symbiotic microbial community is. Image Credit: nobeastsofierce/Shutterstock.com Microbial symbiosis – an overview Generally speaking, symbiotic relationships are arrangements that are mutually […]
Meat that is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is less likely to be contaminated with bacteria that can sicken people, including dangerous, multidrug-resistant organisms, compared to conventionally produced meat, according to a study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The findings highlight the risk for consumers to […]
The world is still failing to develop desperately needed antibacterial treatments, despite growing awareness of the urgent threat of antibiotic resistance, according to report by the World Health Organization. WHO reveals that none of the 43 antibiotics that are currently in clinical development sufficiently address the problem of drug resistance in the world's most dangerous […]
Anyone who has ever developed a urinary tract infection (UTI) knows that it can be painful, pesky and persistent. UTIs have a high recurrence rate and primarily afflict women — as many as 50% of women will experience at least one UTI during their lifetime. However, what if patients could take a vaccine that would […]
A new treatment for eliminating surface bacteria using blue light and carvacrol, a phenol derived from edible oils, creates a photoxic, bacteria-specific reaction that does not contribute to antibiotic resistance. The technique, developed by researchers from Harvard Medical School and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, is described in Science Translational Medicine. Oral and […]
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Researchers have identified the process by which adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) bacteria drive inflammation in Crohn’s disease. They found that AIEC, which colonize the intestinal mucosa by adhering to and invading intestinal epithelial cells, can produced a metabolite that interacts with the intestine’s immune cells to induce inflammation. “Our study […]
