Articles tagged with Biofilms
Researchers have developed a biohybrid system that uses photosynthetic microorganisms entrapped in nanocellulose films to produce ethylene. The system remains productive for over four months with minimal water and energy requirements, making it a promising technology for sustainable chemical production.
A new liquid-based platform called 'floatony' can form and maintain complex three-dimensional microbial structures while preserving molecular diffusion, spatial structures, and cell mobility. This approach could offer new ways to study gut microbiota, biofilms, and other spatially organized microbial communities.
Researchers found bacteria can forcefully eject cells from communities as a survival mechanism, utilizing self-generated hydrogels. This ability allows biofilms to disperse and colonize new areas, potentially aiding in the elimination of harmful bacterial communities without antibiotics.
Scientists discovered a protein secreted by deep-sea extremophile Pyrodictium abyssi that self-assembles into a highly stable biofilm. This discovery opens new avenues for biomedical research and could lead to breakthroughs in wound dressing, medical device coatings, and tissue engineering.
Researchers found that microorganisms in the plastisphere have more functional genes to survive under extreme ocean conditions. They can absorb nutrients effectively and utilize alternative energy sources like anoxygenic photosynthesis.
Streptococcus mitis bacteriocins selectively target S. pneumoniae, highlighting potential as antimicrobial strategies. DNA exchange between species facilitates bacterial adaptation and shapes evolution in human respiratory environments.
A new study finds periphyton, a thin microbial community at the soil-water interface, captures 6-24% of applied fertilizer N. Periphyton stores approximately 0.8 teragrams of nitrogen annually, closing the paddy-field nitrogen budget gap.
A global team of scientists, led by University of Houston microbiologist Madhan Tirumalai, has identified the critical role of biofilms in human space exploration. Biofilms could influence astronaut health, drug delivery and space agriculture, while also posing risks to astronaut health.
Researchers found that silencing bacteria can worsen heart infections by promoting aggressive biofilm growth and reducing antibiotic effectiveness. The study highlights the need for targeted therapeutic strategies against infectious endocarditis.
A Dartmouth study found that plasmids can form tight clusters within bacterial communities, making them resistant to antibiotics and clinical treatments. This phenomenon introduces a new avenue for bacterial infections to become more difficult to treat.
A multi-university team, including University of Florida and Iowa State University, is working on a biological coating system to slow down or inhibit corrosion in infrastructure. The project aims to reduce the annual costs of corrosion mitigation in the US by using naturally occurring microbial biofilms growing on metal surfaces.
This narrative review explores the use of natural products as disinfectants in prosthodontics and oral implantology. Natural products like clove oil, propolis, and green tea extract disrupt microbial cell membranes and inhibit biofilm formation, making them promising alternatives to synthetic disinfectants.
A new study presents a two-step method to effectively dismantle bacterial biofilms and prevent regrowth. By using self-locomotive antibacterial microbubblers (SLAM) followed by a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid, researchers were able to prevent the regrowth of biofilms on surfaces, including medical instruments.
Researchers have found new organisms that can capture carbon dioxide and clean pollutants from the environment. By exploring extremophiles in homes, scientists can gain insights into their unique characteristics and develop sustainable solutions.
A POSTECH research team found that EGF/EGF-like domains interact with GlcNAc-based biopolymers to achieve strong underwater adhesion without oxidation, leading to durable and reversible bonds.
Scientists have identified new ways that bacteria interact with each other in the oral microbiome, finding that certain species bind more strongly than others. This groundbreaking discovery could lead to new insights into disease and the development of novel therapies.
A new study reveals how three species of bacteria coexist in biofilms by playing a game of 'nice' and then moving out when the surface becomes too crowded. The dominant species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, disperses to allow other species to thrive.
Researchers create silver nanoparticles infused with azithromycin that effectively break down biofilms and unveil a new sensing method to assess antimicrobial activity. The novel approach offers a promising solution against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with potential applications in coating medical devices.
Researchers used interferometry to study biofilm growth and found that the contact angle with the substrate plays a key role in determining fitness. The team discovered that the shape of the biofilm's edge, which resembles a spherical cap, is influenced by this geometry.
A new bioelectronic system has been developed to measure electrical conductivity in microorganisms without requiring biofilm formation on electrodes. This approach has revealed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis possess conductive properties, with potential applications in environmental energy technologies.
Researchers found that micro- and meso-plastics accumulate heavy metals, with copper and chromium being prominent contaminants. The study reveals how surface features like holes, biofilms, and mineral crystals facilitate the collection of pollutants on plastic particles.
Researchers discover that 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM) reduces Streptococcus mutans biofilm by 90%, a main cause of plaque and cavities. The molecule also has anti-carcinogenic properties.
Researchers identified ZapE as a key regulator of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation, modulating the pqs quorum sensing system. The study suggests that ZapE is a novel target for anti-Pseudomonas compounds and has implications for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
Researchers discovered that viruses that infect bacteria and archaea in deep-sea hydrothermal vents share a common immunological memory, allowing symbiotic microbes to defend against the same virus. This challenges conventional wisdom on virus-host interactions, revealing a more nuanced relationship between these microorganisms.
A laboratory experiment shows that bacteria can digest and break down plastic, producing CO2 and other harmless substances. While microbial digestion is not a solution to the massive problem of oceanic plastic, it may provide part of the explanation for where plastic 'missing' in oceans stays.
Caulobacter crescentus uses a toxin-antitoxin system to regulate programmed cell death in response to oxygen limitation, releasing DNA that promotes sibling dispersion. This mechanism helps maintain biofilm balance and prevents overcrowding.
A novel Methylomirabilota methanotroph has been discovered that potentially couples methane oxidation to iodate reduction. This microbes could play an important role in controlling methane emissions in iodate-rich marine ecosystems.
Researchers at KAUST developed conductive membranes that stimulate microbial growth and separate biochemical products, reducing the CO2 conversion time from over 30 days to just one month. The membranes use nickel nanoparticles to catalyze hydrogen production, enhancing efficiency and stability in microbial electrosynthesis systems.
Diatoms in aquatic ecosystems have a previously unknown ability to store and use nitrate as a nutrient. They can replace oxygen with nitrate, allowing them to thrive in deep sediments and at night.
Researchers at Penn Dental Medicine have developed a microrobotics system to access the root canal with controlled precision, treating and disrupting biofilms. The technology enables diagnostic and therapeutic applications, allowing for personalized treatment plans.
A UMass Amherst team has engineered a biofilm capable of producing electricity from the energy in evaporation and converting it into a steady supply. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize wearable electronics by powering small devices and potentially entire electronic systems.
A new study in Frontiers in Microbiology found that centuries-old lava caves on Hawaiʻi Island harbor an astonishing number of previously undiscovered bacterial species, including the Chloroflexi group. These microbes play key ecological roles in their communities and may have played a crucial role in shaping life on Mars and early Earth.
Researchers at University of California - San Diego use electrical shocks to manipulate the demographic of bacterial communities, changing the ratio of cell types and controlling biofilm development. This technology offers a new tool to destabilize biofilms in healthcare and agriculture settings.
Researchers used transparent gel substrates to study bacterial colonies growing on them. They found that biofilms can exert force on surfaces, disrupting tissue damage during infections. This new understanding has potential applications in disease treatment and prevention.
An international research team analyzed the microbial community living on the carapaces of deep-sea squat lobsters, finding a diverse microbiome that likely provides benefits to both organisms. The microbes utilize energy-rich chemical compounds, while the squat lobsters may use them as a source of nutrients or have them remove toxic s...
Researchers found that sewer slime can accumulate SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which could decompose or slough off later. The slime's ability to hold onto the viral RNA was linked to the number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in late fall. Further studies are needed to assess its impact on wastewater epidemiology.
Researchers found that nitrate triggers Salmonella bacteria to switch from a sessile, biofilm lifestyle to a motile, free-swimming lifestyle in the intestine. This switch enables the bacteria to cause active infection and establish transmission to a new host.
The study demonstrated that photodynamic therapy (PDT) using chlorin e-6 can effectively reduce bacterial plaque biofilms containing cariogenic microorganisms, including Streptococcus mutans. The treatment eliminated S. mutans and decreased total microorganisms by up to 3.7 units, with approximately 99% efficacy of antimicrobial activity.
Researchers studied Bacillus subtilis biofilms using X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, finding that calcium ions accumulate in the matrix while zinc, manganese, and iron ions accumulate along wrinkles. These findings suggest a link between structure, nutrients, water, and bacterial behavior.
Researchers have discovered that living filtration membranes made from kombucha cultures can resist fouling and maintain faster filtering rates compared to conventional polymer membranes. This breakthrough could lead to an inexpensive, biodegradable, and effective way to treat water, tackling issues such as biofilm formation and clogging.
Researchers discovered that bacterial biofilms employ a developmental patterning mechanism similar to plants and animals. The 'clock and wavefront' mechanism creates intricate composite patterns of repeating segments of distinct cell types.
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...
Engineered biofilms made of E. coli bacteria exhibit emergent drug resistance properties when printed using the new technique. This study provides valuable insights into harnessing the beneficial aspects of biofilms while combating their negative effects, potentially leading to breakthroughs in medicine and materials science.
A team of scientists at KAUST has developed a novel approach for cleaning biofouled membranes in anaerobic bioreactors, combining UV irradiation with bacteriophages to eliminate bacteria. The method improved upon individual treatments and was proven effective over four cleaning cycles.
Researchers have created a flexible polymer composite microneedle array that can effectively pierce biofilm in chronic wounds, delivering oxygen and bactericidal agents simultaneously. This innovation has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for millions suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.
Researchers at Rice University are developing novel computational approaches to track environmental microbiome dynamics over time, across species and after perturbations. The team will use biofilm-based 'species abundance networks' on scaffolds to observe how they form their own genome-exchange networks.
Microbial populations in the deep subsurface are driven by host rock mineral composition, forming 'hotspots' of life. The study found that iron-rich minerals are preferred colonization sites for biofilms.
A removable, nontoxic coating has been developed to clean desalination membranes, providing a safer alternative to harmful chemicals. The coating remains stable in salty water and can be easily removed and replaced, increasing membrane efficiency by up to two-fold.
Researchers have developed magnetically propelled microbots derived from tea buds that can dislodge biofilms, release an antibiotic to kill bacteria, and clean away the debris. The T-Budbots showed promise in treating bacterial biofilms involved in hospital-acquired infections.
Research reveals Arctic mosquito populations are driven by food quality rather than predator density, contradicting initial hypotheses. The study found that ponds with better food quality had lower population growth rates and higher larval mortality.
Researchers discovered that desert microbes extract water from rocks by producing biofilms that prompt mineral dissolution. These endolithic microbes have adapted to extremely dry environments, transforming gypsum into anhydrite through a process involving structurally ordered water extraction and phase transformation.
Researchers found high concentrations of selenium in stream insects and spiders that eat them, indicating pollutants move from water to land as they form the food chain. The study showed that even streams without mining contamination can still have selenium-rich spiders, highlighting the persistence of toxic substances.
Bacteria form intricate starburst-like patterns as they grow on soft substrates, with wrinkles forming at the edges and propagating toward the center. The researchers developed a chemo-mechanical model to predict where wrinkles would form, corresponding well with experimental measurements.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that random gene pulsing plays a key role in establishing spatial structures during biofilm development. This process allows for the distribution of cell states within a population, enabling the formation of complex patterns.
Researchers have found biofilms, visible to the naked eye, in cracks of methane-rich sediment in Arctic waters. These findings shed new light on anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and its impact on climate change.
A team of engineers, dentists, and biologists from the University of Pennsylvania developed microscopic robotic cleaning crews that can precisely and non-invasively remove dental plaque. The robots use catalytic activity to kill bacteria and break down biofilms, offering a potential solution for biofilm-related infections.
Biofilm researchers at Princeton University have found a new method for removing nasty biofilms, which can cause medical infections and clog equipment. The technique, called capillary peeling, uses water to drive a wedge between the biofilm and surface, allowing for complete removal.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a novel method to enhance fermentation of Menaquinone-7, a potent form of vitamin K, using biofilm reactors. The new process is expected to reduce production costs and increase efficiency, making it a promising alternative for industrial-scale production.
A new study by University of Illinois engineers shows that chemicals used to prevent mineral buildup in drinking water pipes can actually make biofilms thicker and softer, allowing bacteria to reproduce more easily. This can lead to increased risk of pathogen release and waterborne illness.
Researchers at Tohoku University developed a novel cleaning method using microbubbles to efficiently remove dental plaque from implants. The cavitating jet technique outperformed traditional water jets in removing plaque after longer exposure, particularly on hard-to-reach areas.