Researchers at UMD are exploring antimicrobials that can inhibit the pathogen on a biomolecular level, reducing the burden of Lyme disease and its symptoms like PTLDS. The grant will support preclinical testing to see whether treatment with new compounds can prevent infection.
Lemon trees showed a lower molecular response to the citrus greening disease pathogen Liberibacter asiaticus compared to orange trees. This may be due to accumulated micronutrients and upregulated protease inhibitors in lemons, which hinder photosynthesis. The study's findings could aid in developing resistant citrus varieties.
The soybean cyst nematode is the most damaging pathogen of soybean in the US and Canada, with recent estimates suggesting it causes $1.5 billion in annual yield losses. SCN was found in over 100 new counties between 2017 and 2020, highlighting the need for continued research and management strategies.
A new study published in PLOS Pathogens found that mice fed a Western-style diet high in processed foods and low in fiber developed persistent infections that led to inflammation and insulin resistance. The researchers suggest that altering gut microbiota through diet may be a means of promoting health.
A recent study found that silencing SDIR1 reduces growth of host-specialized and nonhost Pseudomonas syringae strains, while overexpressing it enhances disease resistance to both biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. Higher levels of ABA and jasmonic acid are also detected in SDIR1-overexpression plants.
Researchers found that trehalose and glycogen pathways are crucial for stress tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a significant pathogen causing pneumonia and hospital-acquired infections. Disrupting these pathways significantly reduced the bacteria's ability to survive on man-made surfaces.
The first complete genome for the bacteria that causes bacterial spot disease in pumpkins has been assembled, providing valuable resources to understand its spread, host specificity, and potential resistance to chemical controls. The study identified key genes involved in infection and compared them with other Xanthomonas species.
Researchers developed a diagnostic test to identify virulent Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Strep zoo) bacteria in pigs. The probe-based PCR assay reliably detected virulent strains while producing negative results for other pathogens.
A study found that infected dogs emit an odor attractive to female sand flies, which transmit Leishmania infantum, the parasite causing visceral leishmaniasis. The researchers suggest parasites manipulate their host's scent to improve transmission opportunities.
Researchers detect molecular changes in infected human cells and bacterial pathogen, revealing new insights into infectious disease mechanisms. The findings may lead to novel methods for combatting invasive pathogens during spaceflight and on Earth.
Researchers at Earlham Institute created a new automated workflow using liquid handling robots to identify the genetic basis of preventing plant pathogens. The new technology screened 2,880 mutants in just 11 hours, identifying a gene cluster linked to growth inhibition of the common potato pathogen.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a new technique to discover tiny antibody fragments that can target different parts of a pathogen, making them effective against variants. This approach has the potential to quickly identify multiple potent nanobodies that can neutralize pathogens.
Researchers at UCOLIVO Group reduce Verticillium wilt in commercial olive grove by integrating resistant crops and soil disinfestation practices, resulting in 3.1% Picual tree mortality vs 5.6% with traditional techniques. Frantoio trees show even greater resistance to the disease.
A new study reveals how a bacterial pathogen manipulates host senescence to cause citrus greening disease. Researchers identified an effector that promotes bacterial colonization and disease development in citrus.
Researchers studied feral and managed honey bee colonies to understand how environmental and genetic factors impact pathogen tolerance. Feral colonies showed higher levels of certain pathogens but increased immune gene expression, which correlated with survival rates.
Researchers found C. diff produces toxins causing inflammation and damage to the gut lining, allowing it to thrive in an environment with less competition for nutrients. This process enables the pathogen to utilize amino acids from collagen for growth, further promoting its survival and persistence.
Researchers developed a new heat-based treatment that eliminates pathogens without harming plants, using a two-step process involving conditioning and lethal temperatures. This method reduces phytotoxicity and dispersal of pathogens, increasing fruit quality and yield while minimizing pesticide applications.
Researchers have found that physical specimens of suspected wildlife hosts were rarely preserved, limiting our ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors recommend adopting vouchering practices and collaborating with museums to archive host specimens.
Scientists at TU Graz have identified a bacterium inside the seed of rice plants that can lead to complete resistance to a particular pathogen. The bacterium, Sphingomonas melonis, produces an organic acid that inhibits the pathogen and renders it harmless.
The parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium infects marine crustaceans globally, resulting in mortalities due to organ malfunction. The pathogen has developed into an emerging epidemic threat to China's sustainable crab culture and wild populations.
A new sequencing-based approach has been developed to determine infection clearance and microbiota recovery. The technique has shown promise in understanding the activity of microbial drug resistance mechanisms and identifying causative microbes.
Researchers develop peptide that disrupts protective outer coating of TB pathogen, making it susceptible to antibiotics and die. The peptide specifically targets the fatty acid on the pathogen's surface, allowing it to effectively kill the bacteria without harming good bacteria.
A new study reveals that periodontitis-causing bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis borrows growth molecules from harmless Veillonella parvula, enabling its replication and causing gum disease. The relationship is one-directional, with V. parvula receiving no obvious benefit from sharing its growth molecules.
Scientists explore why some plants resist certain pathogens while others are susceptible. Recent advances in technology will aid in understanding the molecular basis of nonhost resistance, enabling improved disease control strategies.
Research led by Penn State scientists found that bumble bees in low-quality landscapes had higher levels of disease pathogens. The study's findings can inform management practices to support the conservation of wild bee populations and highlight the importance of maintaining high-quality habitats.
This atlas of S. pneumoniae and host gene expression provides a comprehensive understanding of the pathogen's adaptation to different body locations and the host's response. Certain bacterial genes are highly expressed across all anatomical sites, making them ideal targets for new treatments.
Scientists have developed a potential new antibiotic for Mycobacterium abscessus, a pathogen resistant to medications with cure rates less than 50%. The compound T405 demonstrated superior potency against the bacteria, as well as an ability to prevent resistance when combined with avibactam.
Research reveals Xylella fastidiosa transmission peaks in July and August, affecting grapevine Pierce's disease in California. The study suggests late-season infections are more likely to persist, highlighting the need for regionally specific data.
A University of Massachusetts Amherst physicist found that opening the front window on the right side and the rear window on the left side can create an air current barrier, reducing airborne pathogen transmission in cars. This measure can help lower the pathogen load in confined car spaces.
Researchers identified coral GSDME as a pyroptosis-inducing protein in reef-building corals, revealing its role in pathogen-induced coral death. Activation of coral GSDME triggers rapid cell swelling and cytoplasmic content release, leading to necrotic tissue damage.
Research reveals Aspergillus fumigatus activates inflammasome through galactosaminogalactan, increasing inflammation. The fungal pathogen's GAG is essential for NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Research found that pathogens with intermediate virulence are most evolutionarily successful, as they balance harm and transmission. This challenges conventional wisdom that new diseases evolve to become harmless.
Researchers at Charité and Tel Aviv University are investigating the causes of drug tolerance in invasive fungal pathogens. They aim to identify molecular pathways that explain this phenomenon and develop new treatments for life-threatening fungal infections.
Northern Arizona University researcher Jeff Foster leads an international effort to study and track the spread of brucellosis, infecting an estimated 500,000 people annually. The team aims to understand how infected livestock transmit the disease to humans and develop effective control strategies.
A recent study has clarified the life history of the devastating plant pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae, revealing a complex life cycle with a previously unknown sexual stage. The research provides fundamental insights into the pathogen's biology and its interactions with host plants.
Research at the University of Zurich reveals that host genetic differences explain most of the variation in virus community composition. Genetic diversity within species is crucial for immune system function and should be prioritized in agriculture to improve pathogen resistance.
Scientists found that even a short dry period of 30 minutes reduced spore germination to almost zero, preventing disease on spinach. The study also revealed that standing water on leaves is essential for the spores to cause disease, enabling growers to design better management strategies.
A new rapid diagnostic system for sepsis is being developed at Penn State and Stanford University, which can identify fungal and bacterial pathogens within two hours. The five-year grant will allow researchers to bypass current blood culture steps and directly test pathogen susceptibility to antibiotics.
The causal agent of cucurbit downy mildew, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, has two genetically distinct host-adapted clades, with Clade 1 infecting squash, pumpkin, and watermelon, and Clade 2 impacting cucumber and cantaloupe. Wild cucurbits serve as reservoirs for the pathogen.
A team of plant pathologists developed a comprehensive guide for diagnosing cucurbit downy mildew, caused by the obligate pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis. The guide provides written and graphic material to help identify symptoms and diagnose the disease using DNA testing and microscopy.
A study has found fungal disease in snakes on military bases in 19 states and Puerto Rico, infecting 17% of the sampled snakes. The disease, known as ophidiomycosis, can cause a range of clinical signs, including skin lesions and death, and may threaten biodiversity across several habitats.
Researchers found that auxin suppresses salicylic acid-mediated plant defense responses and promotes disease in Arabidopsis thaliana. Auxin also regulates virulence gene expression in Pseudomonas syringae bacteria, leading to increased disease susceptibility.
Researchers discovered a fungal virus that converts a deadly fungal pathogen into a beneficial endophytic fungus in rapeseed plants. The transformed fungus boosts the plant's immune system, leading to increased weight, root growth, and resistance to diseases.
Scientists discovered a key transcription factor regulating T cell survival and immunological memory. Overexpressing this factor in CAR-T cells improved therapy efficiency for cancer treatments. Improved therapies could benefit patients with B cell lymphoma and other diseases.
Researchers at DZNE identified effective antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, which could trigger undesired side effects when binding to various organs. These neutralizing antibodies can prevent the virus from entering cells and reproducing, helping immune cells eliminate the pathogen.
Newly mated red fire ant queens select nest sites with lower pathogen risk based on chemical signals from actinobacteria. These bacteria produce compounds that inhibit the growth of ant-infecting fungi, allowing ants to survive and thrive in safer environments.
The paper discusses how cell-autonomous immunity, inherited from prokaryotic and single-celled ancestors, affects the human evolutionary story. It highlights the importance of understanding how pathogens manipulate these defenses, which are found in every cell in every body system.
Researchers discovered that biological control agents can substantially reduce SDS pathogen growth and promote soybean defense. Trichoderma isolates interact with roots and activate plant genes to fend off pathogens, providing a sustainable tool for managing yield losses.
Researchers at LMU find that H. pylori's genetic diversity enables it to exploit different cellular niches in the stomach lining, contributing to chronic infections and cancer risk.
Helper bacteria, such as Mycetocola tolaasinivorans, protect white button mushrooms from the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas tolaasii by enzymatically disabling its toxin and motility. This mechanism involves a lactonase enzyme that linearizes the tolaasin toxin into a non-toxic structure.
Researchers found that prior exposure to powdery mildew makes plants more susceptible to subsequent disease. In experiments and in the wild, early infection facilitated later infection, with some pathogen strains promoting infections from later-arriving strains. The findings highlight the importance of understanding interactions among ...
The study concludes that a more holistic approach to poultry food safety is needed to better protect the public from foodborne pathogens like Salmonella. It highlights the limitations of current guidelines, which only consider pathogen prevalence and do not account for other risk factors such as serotype virulence and temperature abuse.
Researchers found that COVID-19 patients often lack germinal centers, essential for a durable immune response, due to impaired helper T cell development. This can lead to short-lived immunity and increased risk of re-infection, complicating the development of herd immunity.
A two-year study found that fungal spores of Colletotrichum fioriniae, the cause of bitter rot disease, reside symbiotically within apple leaves. The research suggests that the fungus is a leaf endophyte, with most spores coming from forest samples, and has important implications for fruit tree management.
A machine learning algorithm using high-temporal-resolution growth curves distinguishes bacterial pathogen strains with 92-98% accuracy, predicting antibiotic resistance as well as genetic-based methods. The method has the potential to be faster, simpler, and less expensive than current techniques.
Scientists from CNRS and University of Nantes have developed a mathematical model to predict the risk of epidemic emergence based on seasonal factors. The 'winter is coming' effect suggests that pathogens introduced before unfavorable winter periods are less likely to cause large epidemics.
A growing evidence suggests a fungal pathogen known as Nosema is infecting native bees worldwide, with little known about its impact on these species. This infection threatens pollination and ecosystems, as native bees contribute to agricultural crop pollination and play a crucial role in local ecosystems.
A new fungal pathogen causing bitter rot disease in New York state apples has been identified, along with a second related fungus found in other fruits. The discovery highlights the need for effective management strategies to mitigate losses up to 25% per year in affected orchards.
Researchers discovered that the white mold fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum uses two detoxification mechanisms to overcome the mustard oil bomb in plants of the cabbage family. The fungus can grow on these plants by rendering the toxic isothiocyanates harmless.
A study published in Cell reveals that viruses can produce previously undetected proteins by stitching together host and viral sequences, altering the course of viral infection. These new proteins could be exploited for vaccine purposes and may hold key to understanding viral virulence.