Bacteria in the Neisseriaceae family evolved to divide along their longitudinal axis without separating, forming caterpillar-like filaments that aid in attachment and cooperation. This unique strategy helps them survive in the oral cavity, where competition is high.
A study found that certain bacteria grow more efficiently on plastic bags than leaves and twigs, breaking down carbon compounds in the process. The bacteria's growth is stimulated by plastic pollution, which primes them for rapid breakdown of other natural carbon compounds.
Researchers at University of Southern Denmark discover that certain fatty acids can neutralize disease-causing bacteria by turning off their ability to infect and spread. The discovery has potential implications for developing new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections.
A new research group led by biologist Dr. Michael Gerth will investigate the interactions between bacteria and insects, with a focus on how bacterial DNA changes when transferred from one species to another. The team aims to identify successful host transfer strategies and understand environmental factors influencing these processes.
A study published in eLife has shown that fast-growing bacteria can resist antibiotics by displaying higher ribosome expression, allowing them to avoid macrolide accumulation. This finding highlights a new survival strategy for bacteria and offers potential avenues for developing improved antibiotic compounds.
Researchers have engineered bacteria to act as data loggers, capturing gene activity and metabolic responses in the gut. This allows for non-invasive monitoring of gut health and dietary status, enabling early diagnosis of malnutrition and inflammatory responses.
Researchers observed that bacteria change their swimming behavior to avoid getting stuck in confined spaces. In open areas, bacteria meander without discernible pattern, but upon entry into tight spaces, they straighten their paths to escape, suggesting physical features like walls and corners serve as crucial cues.
Researchers have found a group of deep-sea bacteria that stick to plastic, allowing them to 'hitchhike' across the ocean and potentially enhancing microbial connectivity. These bacteria were discovered in the North-East Atlantic and include strains previously isolated from shipwrecks and extreme environments.
Scientists discovered that bacteria adapt their gene expression to evade bacteriophages in the gut environment, reducing susceptibility to infection. This finding paves the way for improved use of phages in therapeutic purposes.
Researchers discovered that bacterial virulence factor WtsE initiates mobilization of nutrients and water into spaces where the bacteria reside in infected maize plants. This process precedes death of plant cells and could inform future breeding practices to resist devastating corn diseases.
Researchers have discovered that bacteria can convert methane into electricity, with 31% efficiency, providing a potential breakthrough for renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in contaminated water sources.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered how bacteria swim through complex fluids, shedding light on their movement in real-life situations. The findings could lead to new treatments for bacteria-causing diseases and design bacteria-based systems for delivering drugs into the human body.
Columbia University researchers have engineered a microbial encapsulation system that temporarily hides therapeutic bacteria from immune systems, allowing them to deliver drugs to tumors and kill cancer cells in mice. The system, called iCAP, controls the bacteria's surface by manipulating gene circuits.
Scientists at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have created nanoengineered bacteria for photothermal cancer immunotheranostics. The synthesized nanoparticles showed powerful photothermal conversion, high biocompatibility, and excellent tumor selectivity, facilitating clear fluorescent tumor visualization.
Researchers at San Diego State University have discovered a novel way bacteria infect cells by producing long threads, which grows up to 100 times the size of a bacterium in 30 hours. This mechanism allows the bacteria to rapidly infect multiple cells and access more nutrients for growth.
Researchers found that half of Pseudomonas syringae strains benefited from the presence of aphids, but only the honeydew itself boosted bacterial populations. The study suggests using this phenomenon to develop alternative pest control methods.
Researchers have discovered a molecular mechanism that contributed to the emergence of the seventh cholera pandemic. The study found that modified Vibrio cholerae bacteria used their type 6 secretion system (T6SS) to outcompete and kill older strains, leading to their displacement.
Researchers found that certain bacteria in the human microbiome can produce an enzyme called acarbose kinase, which renders acarbose inactive. This enzyme is present in three major categories of oral and gut bacteria and may make people resistant to the antidiabetic drug.
New research combines antibiotics and phage therapy to cure infections more effectively and reduce antibiotic use. The study found that bacteriostatic antibiotics trigger CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity in bacteria, increasing the chances of treatment efficacy.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that resistant bacteria can hide resistance genes in inactive bacteria within biofilms, creating a reservoir of resistance that can be drawn upon when antibiotics are not present. This new understanding challenges the long-held assumption that resistant bacteria lose their res...
Researchers have discovered a specific type of gut bacteria in bees that can improve memory, with bumblebees showing enhanced memory when fed this bacteria. The study suggests a causal link between the gut microbiome and cognitive abilities, opening up possibilities for similar effects in humans.
A study by Anglia Ruskin University has identified potentially dangerous Pseudomonas bacteria in 21% of wild bird faeces collected from locations near the River Cam. The bacteria, which can be passed on to humans through cross-contamination, were resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem discover a 'disrupted' state in bacteria that resists current antibiotics, requiring new pharmacological agents to combat. The breakthrough model predicts bacterial population responses to treatments, offering avenues for better treatments against cancer cells.
Researchers have recorded the sharpest images of living bacteria, revealing a complex architecture that makes them harder to kill by antibiotics. The study found that bacteria with protective outer layers may have stronger and weaker spots on their surface.
Researchers discovered that bacteria exchange mobile genetic elements to defend against viruses, enabling rapid evolution of innate immunity and development of resistance. This finding has significant implications for designing phage-based therapies against bacterial infections.
Researchers identified a bacterium on healthy cats that produces antibiotics against severe skin infections in humans and pets. The discovery may lead to new treatments for MRSP infections in dogs and potentially other inflammatory skin diseases.
Researchers developed a quick test to identify beneficial bacteria species known to benefit coral, allowing for non-invasive assessment of coral health. The method enables rapid detection of specific bacterial species in seawater and coral samples, suggesting that the bacteria may be concentrated in coral.
Researchers discovered that oral TM7 bacteria decreased periodontal inflammation and bone loss in a mouse model by altering the behavior of their host bacteria. They found two mechanisms by which TM7 modulate inflammation: decreasing production of a collagen binding protein and disrupting host bacterial metabolism.
Researchers discovered that bacteria enter corn plants through natural openings at the leaf's edge, causing Goss's wilt. High concentrations of bacteria lead to freckles and disease symptoms.
The Verrucomicrobiota group of bacteria plays a crucial role in degrading polysaccharides released by algae during spring blooms in the North Sea. These specialized bacteria consume hard-to-degrade sugars, including those containing sulfate and fucose, using unique pathways and organelle-like structures to avoid toxic compounds.
Researchers found that both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria induce the resorption of alveolar bone, a key component of periodontal tissue. The study suggests that positive and negative bacteria are responsible for periodontitis symptoms.
Researchers suggest that protecting the microbiome is crucial in preventing and fighting off infections with harmful, drug-resistant bacteria. By preserving a healthy balance of beneficial microorganisms, individuals can reduce their susceptibility to these types of infections.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered that bacteria can adapt to changing environments by learning statistical regularities, enabling them to predict the future faster than traditional evolutionary methods. The study reveals a simple regulatory architecture that allows bacteria to process information and mak...
A new study published in Genome Biology found that the ability of gut bacteria to produce spores is associated with their adaptation to humans. Bacteria that can produce spores have larger genomes and are less abundant in the gut, while those that cannot have smaller genomes and are more adapted to human hosts.
Researchers found that Pseudomonas bacteria use a network of proteins to regulate twitching and respond to mechanical forces, allowing them to navigate based on what they feel in front of them. This 'sense of touch' helps the microbes move forward in the same direction when moving as a group.
Researchers at RIKEN discovered that acetate triggers an immune response against harmful bacteria by increasing IgA production and altering the balance of intestinal bacteria. The study suggests that acetate can be used to regulate the gut microbiome and prevent disease.
Targeting an RNA sequence in pathogenic bacteria could make them more sensitive to antibiotics, offering a new avenue for treating drug-resistant bacteria. The study found that eliminating this regulatory RNA sequence had an impact on urinary tract infections related to E. coli.
Research from Anglia Ruskin University found that common artificial sweeteners like saccharin and sucralose can make previously healthy gut bacteria pathogenic. The study discovered that these pathogenic bacteria can invade intestinal cells and cause damage.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered a mechanism through which 'good' viruses can target and destroy 'bad' bacteria, using a bacteriophage protein to exploit the bacterial DNA's need for repair. This finding may lead to new tools to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Scientists have discovered that bacteria found in brackish sediments can 'eat' electricity and absorb climate-warming carbon dioxide. This unusual skill was previously thought to be exclusive to freshwater bacteria, but may be common in marine bacteria.
Researchers have discovered a novel consortium of bacteria that can prevent and treat chronic immune-mediated colitis in humanized mouse models. The treatment targets the source of inflammatory bowel disease, restoring normal gut function and reducing symptoms.
According to NIH scientists, Salmonella bacteria establish a foothold in the GI tract by hijacking intestinal epithelial cell response, driving colonization and fecal shedding. This process fuels the bacteria's ability to invade neighboring cells and seed the intestine for transmission.
A Northwestern University study found that specific types of gut bacteria can protect other good bacteria from cancer treatments. By metabolizing chemotherapy drugs, these protective bacteria can temper short- and long-term side effects of treatment, potentially leading to new dietary supplements or probiotics.
Researchers discovered that symbiotic bacteria stimulate root hair growth and produce ethylene, a plant growth hormone, in root cells. This process enhances nutrient supply and makes crops more resistant to oxidative stresses, including heat, soil salt, heavy metals, and climate change.
A study published in Nature reveals that early life is critical for setting up surveillance mechanisms to keep good bacteria in check. The immune system learns to recognize and distinguish between good and bad bacteria, which helps prevent chronic inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease.
A component of bacteria's cell walls, cardiolipin, may hold the key to fighting antibiotic-resistant microbes. Without it, the outer membrane becomes penetrable, making bacteria vulnerable to antibiotics.
Researchers found a link between specific gut bacteria species and physical manifestations of neurodegenerative diseases. The study showed that introducing certain bacteria into worms caused protein aggregation, a common symptom of these conditions. This finding may help explain the connection between gut bacteria and neurodegeneration.
Predatory bacteria grow faster and consume more resources than non-predators in the same soil, according to a study. These active predators play an outsized role in how elements are stored in or released from soil, with some species growing 36% faster and taking up carbon 211% faster.
Scientists at the University of Reading found that handwashing shapes communities of bacteria in sink drains, with dominant families differing by location and plumbing system type. The study suggests that even thorough cleaning may not eliminate all bacteria, highlighting the need for thorough disinfection of sinks.
Research reveals that root-dwelling bacteria can enhance plant heat tolerance, with SA187 showing promising results in lab and field tests. The bacteria trigger the plant's defense system by producing metabolites that prime its heat-resistance genes for action.
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China have developed nanozymes that produce surface-bound ROS to selectively kill bacteria. The selectivity is attributed to the surface-bound nature of ROS and an unexpected antidote role of endocytosis, a common process in mammalian cells but absent in bacteria.
The NIH has awarded grants to support research on bacteriophage therapy, an emerging field that could yield new ways to fight antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Researchers will study the interaction between phages and bacteria to create lasting, re-usable therapeutics.
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has developed a novel material produced by bacteria that can effectively separate water from oil. The material consists of cellulose nano-fibers created by the bacteria Gluconacetobacter hansenii, which are then used to filter out the oil from an oily mixture.
A team of researchers has developed a new method to combat periodontitis by targeting only the bacteria that cause the disease. The approach uses a test substance that attacks glutaminyl cyclase, an enzyme in the bacteria that plays a special role in metabolism.
Researchers have developed a novel test to identify viral infections in uncultured bacterial populations, enabling faster and more affordable detection. The test, which involves fusing viral and bacterial genes together, allows for the tracking of viral infections and potential environmental consequences.
A recent study reveals that international travellers are highly susceptible to virulent strains of drug-resistant bacteria, often acquiring multiple types during a single trip. Researchers found that 70% of European volunteers colonised with MDR-GN bacteria, highlighting the need for improved infection control measures.
Research reveals that hospital wastewater selectively kills antibiotic-sensitive bacteria, while multi-resistant bacteria thrive in its presence. This finding highlights the potential for hospital wastewaters to drive the evolution of new forms of antibiotic resistance.
Researchers have identified a novel phage called ES17 that can specifically locate and destroy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The phage's ability to bind to mucins and heparan sulfate enables it to target bacteria in high-mucin environments, potentially preventing infections.
Researchers found that Lactobacillus bacteria use enzymes to manipulate bile acids, creating a favorable gut environment. The type of bile acid and the presence of specific enzymes affect the toxicity of the acids and bacterial survival.
Researchers found that two families of gut bacteria interfere with radiotherapy in mice, reducing the effectiveness of treatment. The study identified a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate as the key compound responsible for this effect, which interferes with the activation of cytotoxic T cells and dendritic cells.