Researchers at Caltech identified a sugar molecule produced by beneficial gut bacteria that induces immune cells to produce anti-inflammatory molecules, potentially treating inflammatory bowel diseases. The discovery suggests a new approach to treating human diseases linked to the loss of beneficial microbial interactions with our bodies.
A French team found that a common genetic element, SymRK, is essential for nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between plants and bacteria. The study used transgenic plants to demonstrate the crucial role of SymRK in establishing symbiotic relationships.
A new study investigates the genetics behind the symbiotic relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants, finding evidence of specific genetic changes. The research suggests a common evolutionary origin of intracellular root symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in plants such as legumes and actinorhiza.
A study published in PLoS Medicine finds IBCs in cystitis patients, associated with E coli and filamentous bacteria, suggesting a need for longer antibiotic treatment. The researchers collected urine samples from women with cystitis and found IBCs in nearly one in five cases.
A team of researchers has discovered a new plant-bacterial symbiotic mechanism that allows certain leguminous plants to fix nitrogen more efficiently. This finding has significant implications for agriculture, particularly in tropical countries, and could lead to increased crop yields while reducing fertilizer use.
A team of researchers has revealed a new mode of communication between plants and bacteria that can form nodules on stems, enabling higher nitrogen fixation. This discovery calls into question the traditional model of molecular communication in rhizobia-legume symbiosis.
Researchers found that a single gene in symbiotic bacteria determines aphid thermal tolerance. The gene's mutation affects heat-shock protein production, leading to reduced reproduction and survival in hot conditions. This discovery highlights the critical role of symbiotic bacteria in insect ecology.
Researchers discovered that a single adenine deletion in a bacterial promoter can lead to reduced heat-shock gene expression in aphids, affecting their tolerance to high temperatures. This mutation appears to confer a selective advantage under cooler conditions, allowing it to be maintained in populations.
Researchers discovered that the glassy-winged sharpshooter insect has a surprising symbiosis with two bacteria, Baumannia cicadellinicola and Sulcia muelleri. The bacteria receive essential amino acids, while the insect receives vitamins and cofactors from them.
Researchers found sulfur-eating bacteria infect giant tubeworm larvae through their skin, not stomach as previously thought. The bacteria then induce tissue differentiation to form the trophosome, a specialized organ housing the symbionts.
Researchers led by Graham Walker discovered a mutant bacteria with a specific defect in the bluB gene involved in B12 synthesis. By analyzing mutations, they tracked molecular details of how bacteria provide nutrients to plants.
Researchers at Yale University have identified key features of the Sodalis genome, revealing its unique transition from free-living bacteria to a symbiotic relationship with the tsetse fly. The study has expanded understanding of host-pathogen characteristics and provided insights into the benefits of these symbiotic bacteria.
Researchers discovered a unique partnership between Osedax worms and their symbiotic bacteria, allowing them to turn over large amounts of organic carbon at an accelerated rate. This process can potentially aid understanding of adaptation between animals and microbes.
Aphids vary in their resistance to wasp parasitism, but new research suggests that the difference lies in the symbiotic bacteria carried inside them. Carrying these bacteria reduces parasitism by up to 40% and demonstrates a heritable form of acquired resistance.
Scientists from TIGR and universities uncover genetic instructions for patellamide production, allowing lab synthesis using E. coli. The discovery solves a decades-long mystery about Prochloron's role in producing these potentially important biochemicals.
Researchers discovered a symbiotic relationship between a wasp species and a new bacterial species that protects against pathogenic fungi. The European beewolf's larvae benefit from the antibiotics produced by the Streptomyces bacteria, leading to increased survival rates.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have created germ-free zebrafish, allowing them to study the molecular details of how symbionts affect animal development and physiology. The study revealed 212 genes with different levels of expression in germ-free fish compared to conventionally raised groups.
Researchers have discovered that phytochromes regulate the synthesis of bacterial photosynthetic apparatus, essential for symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants. The discovery provides new insights into the operational mechanisms of light sensors in plants and has potential applications in molecular biology.
Researchers have decoded the genome of Sinorhizobium meliloti, a bacterium that fixes atmospheric nitrogen for plants. The complete genome map could improve crop yields while reducing fertilizer use, contributing to more sustainable agriculture.