Articles tagged with Microorganisms
Scientists reveal how Arctic microbes speed up glacier melting through cryoconite formation, altering ice surface albedo and creating a self-sustaining cycle. This microbial process is driving the expansion of biologically productive regions on glaciers, contributing to sea level rise.
A new technique enables rapid and accurate measurement of bacteria levels in packaged food and medical samples without physical contact. The method uses tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and can provide real-time analysis, reducing the risk of food poisoning and improving blood quality.
Researchers developed a microbial electrochemical cell that harnesses tomato waste to generate electric current. The process also helps purify the tomato-contaminated solid waste and associated wastewater. With an expected scale-up, the electrical output could be increased by several orders of magnitude.
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discover that phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms, produce massive amounts of methanol in the ocean, rivaling or exceeding land-based production. This finding challenges previous thinking on oceanic methanol sources and has implications for biofuel applications.
A review of bioprospecting studies identifies biosurfactant-producing microorganisms and sustainable production methods to manufacture low-cost biosurfactants from agro-industrial waste. The study highlights the advantages of biosurfactants over chemical counterparts, including higher biodegradability and lower toxicity.
Research has isolated tyrosinase inhibitors from diverse chemical classes in both terrestrial and marine environments. Flavonoids, terpenes, and alkaloids have been found to exhibit potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, with potential applications in treating skin disorders and neurodegeneration.
A study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2016 found that restoring gut bacteria to a youthful age was linked to improved stroke recovery in old mice. Researchers used fecal transplants to deliver a 'young' set of bacteria to mice with induced strokes, resulting in better recovery rates.
Researchers at UNSW Australia discovered a way to produce tenfold more methane gas from naturally occurring microbes, extending coal seam gas wells' lifespan and improving food waste use. The innovation uses synthetic dye forming needle-like crystals to boost methane-producing microbes' growth.
Researchers found that chronic alcohol consumption impairs the body's ability to keep microbes in check, leading to bacterial migration and increased risk of liver disease. Restoring natural gut antibiotics may help treat the disease.
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists found phytoplankton populations double in size above natural oil seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Turbulence from rising oil and gas bubbles brings up deep-water nutrients that phytoplankton need to grow.
Researchers at DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a molecule that mimics natural vitamins in bacteria, allowing for easier tracking and measurement of nutrient use. The discovery provides insight into the inner workings of living microbes crucial to energy production and carbon cycles.
A team of researchers from McGill University failed to detect active microbial life in permafrost soil from the University Valley in Antarctica, a location thought to be similar to Martian permafrost. The study's findings suggest that even in the coldest and driest conditions on Earth, it may be difficult to find signs of life.
A study from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory-based BioEnergy Science Center finds unconventional bacteria could help boost cellulosic biofuel production efficiency. Researchers analyzed six microorganisms to solubilize switchgrass, a potential bioenergy feedstock.
Researchers at Purdue University and Tsinghua University propose a novel method to teleport the internal quantum state and center-of-mass motion state of a microorganism. This breakthrough has significant implications for potential future applications in quantum information and organism teleportation.
Researchers have successfully multiplied teeth in mice by splitting tooth germ cells and implanting them into the jaw. This discovery could lead to new treatments for people born with missing teeth or who lose teeth due to accidents or disease.
Researchers discovered a bacterium that can use direct uptake of electrons from an electrode to fuel its metabolic pathway. This finding suggests the existence of electro-ecosystems, where microorganisms sustain life by electrical current, not relying on inorganic substances or light.
Scientists at Vanderbilt University have made groundbreaking discoveries about the behavior of TrCel7a, a cellulase enzyme that breaks down cellulose. By studying the enzyme's movements and interactions with cellulose fibers, researchers found that it operates slowly but is self-propelling, powered by energy from cellulose bonds.
A new study from Kansas State University reveals that gut bacteria play a pivotal role in the communication system of German cockroaches, facilitating aggregation and reproductive maturation. The research identified specific fecal volatile carboxylic acids that reflect the microorganism contents of a cockroach's gut.
A new study reveals that cheating microbes, which rely on neighbors for enzyme production, slow down decomposition and increase microbial remains in the soil. This leads to a build-up of organic matter and specifically nitrogen in the soil.
Researchers identify a new type of bacteria, Nitrospira, capable of converting ammonia to nitrate through comammox process, revealing a long-sought organism in the nitrogen cycle. This discovery opens up new avenues for understanding the environment and wastewater treatment.
Researchers at University of California have successfully created a strain of mosquitoes capable of rapidly introducing malaria-blocking genes into its population, potentially eliminating the disease. The breakthrough uses a gene editing technique that allows for efficient creation of large populations of mosquitoes with this trait.
Scientists have developed a fast method to sequence irradiated anthrax spores, which can aid in tracking biocrimes. The new approach uses computer programming to reconstruct full DNA sequences from broken fragments.
A new study led by University of Georgia marine scientists found that oil dispersants can suppress natural oil-degrading microorganisms, promoting the growth of Colwellia and inhibiting Marinobacter. The presence of dispersants significantly altered microbial composition in Gulf deep water, hindering efficient oil biodegradation.
Researchers have discovered two new organisms that play an unknown role in greenhouse gas emissions and consumption, belonging to a previously unexplored group called Bathyarchaeota. The discovery expands our understanding of life on Earth and suggests we are missing other organisms involved in carbon cycling and methane production.
Researchers have elucidated the molecular structure of a plant sugar transporter called SWEET2, which plays a critical role in limiting the sugar supply to beneficial microbes while preventing pathogens from thriving. This discovery provides insights into how plants control carbon sequestration and energy homeostasis.
A new study from Duke University Medical Center found that using a combination of chemicals and UV light to clean patient rooms reduces the transmission of four major superbugs by 30 percent among overnight patients. This method was more effective than standard cleaning strategies, which often fail to eliminate germs on surfaces.
Scientists discovered microbes in Kabuno Bay that oxidize iron through a unique photosynthesis process, depositing large iron formations. This finding supports the theory that microorganisms played a key role in shaping Earth's chemistry and evolution of life.
Research suggests that above-water microbes contribute to the development of hydrogen-sulfide-rich caves through aerobic respiration, producing sulfuric acid. In contrast, underwater microbes only partially burn hydrogen sulfide, creating pure sulfur as a byproduct that is not corrosive to limestone.
Researchers have engineered a microbe called Clostridium thermocellum to produce up to 6 grams of isobutanol per liter, a significant improvement over previous results. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient biofuels production and overcome the challenges of recalcitrance in plant biomass.
Research reveals that humans and animals host highly specialized microbial communities, differing from earlier assumptions of generalist dominance. These findings have significant implications for the structure of biodiversity in microbial ecosystems.
A recent study found that endoscopes can harbor residual contamination and viable microbes even after thorough cleaning and disinfecting. The study tested 60 encounters with 15 colonoscopes and gastroscopes, detecting contamination on 92% of devices after bedside cleaning.
Researchers found that CF microbes thrive in saliva and mucus with limited oxygen, leading to severe symptoms. Hydrogen sulfide levels in sputum samples correlated with less severe disease.
Researchers are exploring how indoor home microbial environments change after whole-house weatherization projects, aiming to understand the impact on human health. The study will analyze ventilation-system design and its influence on exposure to airborne microorganisms.
The structure of Oskar's two domains has been solved, enabling researchers to understand how the protein functions in developing reproductive cells. The OSK domain binds to RNA, while the LOTUS domain interacts with an enzyme called Vasa helicase, which is crucial for germ plasm formation.
A newly discovered human protein called intelectin has the ability to selectively identify and distinguish between human cells and those of disease-causing microbes. This discovery could lead to the development of new antibiotics and strategies to combat infectious diseases.
Researchers at Rice University are developing gas-releasing microbial sensors to study microbe-driven processes that regulate Earth's environment. The sensors will allow researchers to test hypotheses about how microbes control environmental processes and build model ecosystems in the lab.
Research suggests that excessive vitamin A supplementation can shut down the body's trained immunity, rendering it less effective at fighting off past infections. This impaired immune response is due to vitamin A's inhibitory effects on histone methylation modifications in human monocytes.
A new study found that daily bathing of pediatric patients with antiseptic cuts can reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) by 59 percent. The practice also saved approximately $300,000 in one hospital over a six-month period.
Researchers found that type II interferon signals cause the release of CXCL10, an attractant for cells promoting inflammation. This study provides a new impetus for treating colitis with antibodies or direct administration of type III interferons.
A new study reveals a complex marine phosphorus cycle with a hidden role for microbial communities. Microbes transform phosphorus into phosphonates at varying rates depending on depth, shedding light on the ocean's ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
A study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Columbia University reveals a more complex marine phosphorus cycle than previously thought, with microbes playing a key role in using and breaking down forms of the essential element. In the process, about five percent of phosphate is converted to phosphonates in shallow water samples.
A recent study found that thawing permafrost in Siberia is releasing ancient carbon into the atmosphere, which is then consumed by microbes and released as carbon dioxide. This process accelerates global warming and creates a runaway effect. Scientists are now studying the impact of this phenomenon on climate change.
Scientists are studying Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to understand the behavior of living fluids, which could lead to new treatments for lung diseases like cystic fibrosis. The research team discovered that the algae changes its swim pattern dramatically in elastic fluids, which possess both liquid and solid-like properties.
Researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that fast-swimming bacteria can form two-dimensional crystals by clustering together in a lattice structure. The crystals are held together by the rotating motion of individual cells, which creates a unique pattern similar to atoms in mineral crystals.
Researchers found that root secretions can promote soil carbon loss by freeing organic compounds from protective associations with minerals. This mechanism is known as 'priming' and challenges the assumption that mineral-associated carbon is protected from microbial cycling over millennial timescales.
A research team found oxygen in the entire thickness of nutrient-poor seafloor areas, contrary to previous beliefs that only surface layers contain oxygen. The findings have significant implications for our understanding of microbial life, geochemical processes, and Earth's interior composition.
Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in detecting methane using TILDAS, which provides details on the environment in which methane-producing microbes thrive and helps identify the temperature at which methane forms.
Engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder have invented a microbe-powered battery that can remove salts and organic contaminants from oil and gas wastewater simultaneously, producing additional energy.
Scientists studied the impact of Deepwater Horizon oil on Pensacola Municipal Beach's microbial communities, finding that generalist microbes were most successful in expanding their populations. After a year, microbial populations buried in beach sands looked similar to pre-spill levels, with some unexplained differences.
A study by scientists from Scripps Research Institute found that certain microbes promote nutritional harvest in fruit flies, rescuing their health and longevity when fed nutrient-poor diets. This natural symbiosis may offer a new strategy to treat and prevent malnutrition in humans.
Researchers discovered a type of sulfur bacteria preserved in rocks over 1.8 billion years old, which remain unchanged and indistinguishable from modern bacteria found in the same region. This finding supports Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by suggesting that evolution occurs only when environmental conditions change.
Researchers found that corn co-products have lower energy concentration than corn, but can still be used in growing pig diets. Amino acid digestibility was also reduced in the co-products, requiring additional protein sources.
A new study found that ultra-high pressure processing can improve the color, hardness, and chewiness of salmon flesh. The treatment also inhibited microorganism proliferation, increasing shelf life.
Researchers have discovered new microbes beneath the ocean crust that breathe sulfate, breaking down organic material and producing carbon dioxide. These microbes play a vital role in the global carbon cycle, which is being disrupted by human-made carbon dioxide emissions.
New research reveals hand dryers can spread bacteria in public toilets, increasing the risk of infection. Studies found airborne germ counts were 27 times higher around jet air dryers compared to paper towels.
A new computer model developed by researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory predicts that warming temperatures will return less soil carbon to the atmosphere than previously thought. The model takes into account the complex interactions between soil microbes and their surroundings, which vary over time and place.
The discovery of novel microbial life through genomic technologies has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of Earth's biodiversity. Eddy Rubin proposes a new framework for categorizing microbial life into explored, unexplored, and undiscovered categories.
Researchers have used synthetic biology to produce affordable alternatives to anti-malaria drugs, clean fuels, and pharmaceuticals. The technology has the potential to reduce costs by up to 85% for future long-duration space missions, including those to Mars and the Moon.
A new species of microbe, Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis, has been found to control the release of methane from thawing permafrost soils, affecting global climate change predictions. The study reveals that this microbe plays a significant role in amplifying climate change by controlling greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers use electrostatic force microscopy to visualize charge propagation in Geobacter's protein filaments, demonstrating metallic-like conductivity. The discovery has important environmental and practical implications for energy conversion and production.