Articles tagged with Spores
Researchers at Harvard's Wyss Institute have developed a new humidity-driven generator using bacterial spores, which can generate 1000 times more force than human muscle. The prototype captures just a small percentage of the energy released by evaporation, but could provide a new source of renewable energy if scaled up.
Researchers found that mushrooms release water vapor to cool the air locally, creating convective cells that lift spores away from the fungus. This process allows mushrooms to spread their spores even in adverse conditions.
Researchers developed a mathematical model to estimate anthrax infection risk, estimating that inhaling 11,000 spores would be needed to reach a 50% chance of infection. The study also found the optimal time to take antibiotics is 60 days after exposure.
The Asian lady beetle uses microsporidia to outcompete native species, producing a strong immune system with antibacterial peptides and harmonine. This allows it to successfully invade new habitats and ecosystems, displacing native beetles and other insect species.
Researchers have developed a new method to analyse the genomes of yeast families, which is several hundred times faster than current methods. The new method uses barcode-enabled sequencing and allows for the analysis of tetrad relationships between spores, enabling the study of complex traits.
Researchers caged dead zebras to study anthrax spread and found that scavengers' role is less significant than previously believed. The study suggests re-evaluating practices aimed at keeping scavengers away from anthrax carcasses.
Researchers discovered a gene in amoebae that enables over-sharing without reducing evolutionary fitness, challenging our understanding of cooperation and cheating. The study tested a knockout mutant 'CheaterB' and found it performed just as well as its ancestor wild strain under laboratory conditions.
A 'cheater' mutation in Dictyostelium discoideum allows it to exploit its social partner by reducing the ability of normal Dictyostelium to form spores. This enables the cheater strain to outcompete wild type for survival and resources, with no observed fitness cost or impairment to lifespan.
Researchers have developed a method to determine the viability of Asian soybean rust spores using two staining techniques. The new test allows for early detection of viable spores, enabling farmers to apply fungicides at the right time and minimizing yield losses.
A Rice University-led study has uncovered an elaborate mechanism allowing bacteria to begin preparing for survival even as it delays the decision to form a spore. The research found that nested 'feedforward' loops enable cells to process information while executing the program, making an accurate decision without delay.
Researchers at NC State have developed a new, less expensive nanolithography technique that uses cantilevers and spheres to create patterns at the nanoscale. This technique has potential applications in biological sensors and tissue regeneration efforts.
A new disinfectant, Akwaton, has been shown to effectively destroy bacterial spores at extremely low concentrations. This is a significant improvement over existing chemical compounds that require higher concentrations and can be harmful to humans.
Scientists have developed a fast and easy method to detect and identify single spores of seven common types of mold using Raman microspectroscopy. The new technique involves collecting air samples on aluminum foil and analyzing the spores for potential contamination in homes and buildings.
Researchers developed a chlorinated form of silk that kills bacteria and spores in minutes, offering potential uses for protective coatings and water purification. The treatment, which involves soaking silk in a solution similar to household bleach, has broad applications in various fields.
Scientists discovered that bacteria engage in quorum sensing to discuss options for life-or-death situations, deciding between sporing or competency. This communication process has implications for understanding human cell behavior and developing new treatments for diseases.
Scientists create a simple, inexpensive dip-and-dry treatment to convert ordinary silk into a fabric that kills disease-causing bacteria, including anthrax spores. The new 'killer silk' has potential uses for protective coatings, water purification, and mitigating toxic substances.
Experiments with social amoebae reveal that cooperation depends on kinship, and population bottlenecks can stabilize cellular cooperation. The study found that nearly all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell, and that cheater mutants are more likely to occur in groups where relatedness is low.
Researchers found that cooperation among amoebae depends on their genetic relatedness, with low-relatedness populations exhibiting high cheating rates. The study suggests that population bottlenecks can stabilize cellular cooperation by eliminating diversity and restarting the population from a single cell.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that bacteria and fungi work together to aid movement and survival. Fungal spores can attach to bacteria, allowing them to travel further, while the bacteria use fungi as natural bridges to overcome obstacles.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center discovered that larger fungal spores are more virulent and can cause worse infections. The study suggests a new way to categorize fungi based on spore size, which could lead to developing new treatments for mucor infections.
A new species of mushroom, Spongiforma squarepantsii, has been discovered in the forests of Borneo. The fungus has a bright orange color and can turn purple when exposed to certain chemicals, and it has unique gelatinous properties that allow it to revive quickly if it dries out.
Researchers found that cooperative bacteria can evolve behaviors that eliminate fitness advantages derived from cheating within social groups. The 'policing' mechanism allows cooperators to outcompete cheaters in mixed groups, but also strongly benefits cooperator cells in certain contexts.
The University of Nottingham's YouTube sensation, The Periodic Table of Videos (PTOV), has gained a global audience of over 15 million. PTOV's creators reveal their secret to internet success by embracing spontaneity and humanizing scientists.
Researchers at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service have identified several blueberry cultivars with high resistance to mummy berry disease, caused by the fungus Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi. These cultivars, including 'Brunswick' and 'Bluejay,' can withstand both stages of the fungal infection.
Researchers at NIST found that polyester-rayon wipes and extraction solutions with surfactants improve spore recovery efficiency. The team discovered that vortexing is more effective than sonication in removing spores.
Researchers created a durable coating using polydopamine inspired by mussel adhesive to protect yeast cells from cell-digesting chemicals and slow down division. The coating could have applications in creating tiny chemical probes, single-cell factories, and cancer therapy armor.
Researchers from the Institute for Genome Sciences used genomics and microbiology to investigate the 2001 anthrax attacks, tracing the spores back to a flask containing Bacillus anthracis. The investigation led to the identification of Bruce Ivins as the perpetrator, marking the first use of microbial forensics in a criminal case.
Researchers revived resting spores of diatoms that had lain dormant for over 100 years, showing they are genetically stable and can survive extreme conditions. The study found no significant genetic impact from external sources over the past century, highlighting the adaptability of these phytoplankton.
Researchers discovered that Arabidopsis plants boost their immune system in the morning to prepare for the greatest fungal spore release. The daily cycle of defense compounds is safer and more efficient than constant production, allowing plants to adapt to pathogens' schedules.
A new study reveals that fungal spores travel farther by forming a plume that reduces drag to nearly zero, creating a wind that carries them up to 100 millimeters. By hydrodynamic cooperation, thousands of spores are ejected simultaneously, reaching speeds of 60 centimeters per second and covering distances of over a centimeter.
A fungus-based biological control agent, Beauveria bassiana, is enhanced with a sunscreen made from soybean oil and ferulic acid to protect its spores from sunlight. The 'soyscreen' successfully protects the spores for 28 weeks, improving its effectiveness in wiping out insect pests.
Fungal growth on film reels can lead to degradation of historic film and pose a risk to archivists. Common mold species Aspergillus and Penicillium are released into the air, exceeding safe exposure levels.
Researchers create 'soyscreen' oil to protect fungal spores from sunlight, expanding use of fungus as insecticide alternative. The substance successfully protects spores for 28 weeks without harming them.
Researchers discovered how bacteria aid digestion and enhance immune function by binding to B lymphocytes. This finding suggests the possibility of using bacterial spores to treat people with weakened or undeveloped immune systems.
Researchers use X-ray diffraction microscope to image the 3D internal structure of yeast spores and cells. The technique overcomes limitations of previous methods, enabling quantitative 3D imaging of whole biological specimens at nanometer-scale resolutions.
Stripe rust fungus, threatening the world's wheat supply, can adapt to resistant varieties through sexual recombination with barberry, a common ornamental. Researchers found that fungal spores from infected barberry can infect wheat within 10 days.
Rice researchers found that starving cells in slime mold have an advantage, pushing those that eat into selfless sacrifice. The study reveals a surprising strategy for survival and reproduction in single-cell organisms.
Researchers have identified a small RNA molecule that controls social behavior in Myxococcus xanthus, a soil bacterium. The mutation of interest, 'Pxr', had previously been found to give an evolved mutant of M. xanthus a competitive edge over both the mutant's immediate parent and its ancestor.
Researchers have identified a new outermost layer of protection on bacterial spores, known as the 'spore crust', which may be a common feature of all spore-forming bacteria. This discovery was made using advanced microscopy techniques and offers new insights into the survival methods of these resilient organisms.
Research by Indiana University scientists reveals that lake shape is a powerful factor controlling fungal disease epidemics. U-shaped lakes are more prone to epidemics due to the presence of Chaoborus, an invertebrate predator that spreads spores and catalyzes epidemics.
Researchers at Loyola University Health System failed to find evidence of TB bacteria forming spores, contradicting a provocative theory. The new findings could help ensure that efforts to improve treatments for tuberculosis are focused on productive directions.
A study led by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers reveals that the decline of iconic ice age animals like mammoths and mastodons preceded a dramatic shift in North America's plant communities, fueled by wildfires. The research sheds light on the dynamics of extinction and its impact on landscapes.
Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the molecular characteristics of bacterial spores, discovering that they have entirely different properties than previously thought. The findings suggest that changes in the physical properties of spore water may be crucial to their heat resistance.
Researchers capture high-speed footage of tiny water droplets jumping off a man-made surface, similar to the ejection of spores from certain mushrooms. The phenomenon has applications in energy harvesting and thermal management, offering an efficient mechanism for removing condensate.
A team of scientists led by U of C grad Casey Hubert detected high numbers of thermophilic bacteria in subzero sediments in the Arctic Ocean. The bacteria may provide a unique opportunity to trace seepages of fluids from hot sub-seafloor habitats and potentially point towards undiscovered offshore petroleum reservoirs.
The Fox Chase-Penn Ovarian SPORE program will focus on three central concepts in ovarian cancer: epigenetics, predictive biomarkers, and targeted therapeutics. The grant will fund five main research projects and three core facilities to support multidisciplinary research efforts.
A Caltech-led team demonstrates how partial penetrance enables evolution to make large developmental leaps by allowing genetic mutations to have varying effects on different organisms, leading to twin spores in bacteria that normally produce only singletons. This process involves random fluctuations and noise working alongside partial ...
Researchers have found that antibiotic treatment can induce the transmission of C. difficile by creating a 'supershedder state' in mice, where they shed high levels of spores even without symptoms. This suggests widening infection control measures to include all patients receiving antibiotics could be necessary.
A Uppsala University research group has made a groundbreaking discovery that mycobacteria, the bacteria causing tuberculosis, can form spores. This finding challenges long-held beliefs and opens up new possibilities for understanding how these bacteria cause latent infections.
A new environmentally friendly coating has been developed using spores from a bacterium to prevent microbial corrosion of metals in seawater. The coating was found to be substantially more effective than existing treatments and could be heat cured at temperatures up to 90°C.
Researchers have long focused on Toxin A, but a new study reveals Toxin B is the real culprit behind C-diff's deadly effects. The discovery has significant implications for treatment and prevention strategies.
Researchers at Harvard University discovered that many fungal species produce spores with aerodynamically optimized shapes, allowing them to minimize air resistance and maximize travel distance. In contrast, spores transported by animals lack these drag-minimizing features.
Researchers captured spore discharge mechanisms using ultra-high-speed cameras, revealing that fungi propel spores with explosive pressure loss, similar to inkjet printer nozzles. This breakthrough has implications for plant disease control, terrestrial ecology, and biomimetics.
A gardener's death due to inhaling fungal spores from dead plant material has highlighted the risk of aspergillosis. The case report suggests that prompt treatment with an appropriate antifungal agent is vital in such cases.
A Canadian team found that up to a third of hospital patient toilets were not properly cleaned, leaving C. difficile spores lingering in loo surfaces. The use of UV lotion helped detect contamination in toilets and commodes used by patients with diarrhoea, highlighting the need for improved cleaning protocols.
Researchers have developed reliable methods to assess the concentration and viability of anthrax spores after prolonged storage using DNA analysis techniques. This study provides essential steps in developing a reliable reference standard for anthrax detection and decontamination.
A genetic study found that chance determines the fate of B. subtilis bacteria, with only a portion producing proteins that benefit the colony and help them form spores. The study used computer simulations to analyze the genes controlling protein production and spore formation.
Researchers discovered over 100 mutant genes that allow the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum to cheat on spore production. This challenge evolutionary theory and suggests a constant battle between 'cheaters' and non-cheaters, with adaptations driving evolution.
Researchers have developed a rapid and non-disruptive decontamination system that can kill anthrax spores in two to three hours without lingering effects. The system uses X-rays and ultraviolet-C light simultaneously to attack and destroy the bacteria, making it an improvement over existing methods.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have uncovered the biological gateway that allows anthrax to enter healthy cells. The study reveals how the bacteria uses the Mac-1 receptor to proliferate and trigger lethal consequences, paving the way for new drugs and vaccines.