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How human genes affect the microbiome

A new study has associated genetic loci with bacterial species and metabolic signatures, revealing that human genes affect the microbiome. The study found associations between lactase variants and Bifidobacterium presence, as well as C-type lectin gene variants with immune system function.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalNature Genetics·DateOct 3, 2016

Chinese investigators characterize the world of resistance gene exchange among bacteria

A team of Chinese researchers characterized the 'mobile resistome,' a network of easily transferred antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria, including humans and animals. The study found that these genes are shared among multiple human pathogens and can be disabling for six major classes of antibiotics.

SourceAmerican Society for Microbiology·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·DateSep 9, 2016

Oregon research points to mechanisms on why 'green' helps in urban life

A pilot study by University of Oregon researchers found that urban parks have unique bacterial fingerprints reflecting vegetation types, while parking lots tend to be more similar. This study provides evidence for how differences in vegetation influence airborne microbial communities and offers promising new directions for exploring th...

SourceUniversity of Oregon·JournalThe Science of The Total Environment·DateAug 2, 2016

Temporal cues help keep human looking human

Researchers at Duke University discovered a genetic circuit in bacteria that creates spatial patterns with proportional scaling, similar to those seen in animals. This finding suggests that timing cues may play a key role in pattern formation and development in other organisms.

SourceDuke University·JournalCell·DateApr 21, 2016

How bioceramics could help fight gum disease

Scientists are exploring the potential of bioceramic silicon nitride to treat severe gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The material's surface has been shown to degrade bacteria responsible for periodontitis, offering a promising therapeutic aid.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalLangmuir·DateApr 6, 2016

Oral capsule with bacterial spores may be effective treatment for recurrent C. difficile

A Phase 1b/2 trial suggests that an oral therapeutic drug containing the spores of beneficial bacteria is effective for preventing recurrence of C. difficile infection and restoring a healthy gut microbiome. The treatment achieved a 96.7% clinical cure rate, comparable to open-label antibiotic trials and fecal microbiota transplants.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·DateFeb 9, 2016

Biophysics: Partitioning by collision

Researchers have found that mixtures of equally sized particles in solution will demix, or sort themselves, if they differ in their diffusion constants. This phenomenon, known as the Brazil Nut effect, was simulated and explained by a theoretical model, showing that random particle motions play a key role in the process.

SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 5, 2016

Gregarious chimps harbor richer gut microbiomes

Researchers found that the number of bacterial species in a chimp's GI tract increases when they are more gregarious. The study suggests that social interactions with other chimps help maintain gut microbial diversity over a lifetime, just as initial exposure from mom does.

SourceDuke University·JournalScience Advances·DateJan 15, 2016

A village of bacteria to help frogs fight disease

Researchers at Virginia Tech found that naturally occurring bacteria on a frog's skin can respond to infection and adjust their structure and function to compensate for it. The study suggests that the whole community of bacteria is important, not just a single protective bacterium. This discovery offers hope in limiting the impact of c...

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalPLOS ONE·DateOct 7, 2015

Shared habitats

Researchers found that two common antibiotic-resistant bacteria coexist peacefully in the gut, occupying distinct niches that satisfy their metabolic needs. Fecal transplants from healthy donors effectively cleared one pathogen, but not the other, highlighting potential for targeted therapies to eradicate specific superbugs.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateSep 3, 2015

It takes a village... to ward off dangerous infections? New microbiome research suggests so

A study found that certain combinations of gut bacteria, such as those from the Porphyromonadaceae and Lachnospiraceae families, resist colonization by C. difficile in mice. The researchers developed a computer model that accurately predicted C. difficile's success rate for other mice based on their gut microbiome composition.