All articles by Linda Stewart – Page 55
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NewsUshikuvirus: A newly discovered giant virus may offer clues to the origin of life
Researchers have reported the discovery of a giant DNA virus that infects amoeba. Named ushikuvirus after Lake Ushiku in the Ibaraki Prefecture of Japan, where it was isolated. This discovery offers further support for the nuclear virus origin hypothesis.
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NewsMicrobes in breast milk help populate infant gut microbiomes
A new study provides one of the most detailed portraits yet of how different combinations of bacteria in human milk contribute to the assembly of infants’ gut microbiomes.
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NewsNewly discovered gut microbial molecules in infancy may influence the risk of type 1 diabetes
An international research team has uncovered compelling evidence that gut-microbe-derived molecules may play an important role in shaping the developing immune system during early childhood.
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NewsBeyond gene scissors: New CRISPR mechanism discovered
Two studies describe how researchers found a novel CRISPR mechanism, Cas12a2, in a family of nucleases that exclusively cleave DNA. In contrast, Cas12a2 was able to broadly cleave both RNA and DNA.
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NewsWhooping cough vaccination for pregnant women strengthens babies’ immune system
Vaccinating women during pregnancy leads to the transfer of antibodies to their newborns. These antibodies were detected not only in blood, but also in the nasal mucosa, the site where whooping cough bacteria enter the body.
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NewsCommon brain parasite can infect your immune cells. Here’s why that’s probably OK
Researchers have determined how our immune systems fight back against the parasite Toxoplasma gondii when it makes it inside the CD8+ T cells meant to destroy it.
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NewsNew research decodes the bacterial “zip code” of colorectal cancer for prediction and survival
A recent study shows that bacteria living inside colorectal tumors form distinct ecosystems that are closely linked to how the disease progression and patient outcomes.
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NewsCooperation: A costly affair in bacterial social behaviour?
A new study reveals that population bottlenecks can fundamentally reshape how cooperation evolves and persists in complex microbial societies. Researchers explored how repeated bottlenecks affect cooperative traits of Myxococcus xanthus, a model social bacterium.
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NewsCholera vaccine completes phase 1 trial
A clinical trial shows promising results for PanChol, a single-dose oral vaccine aimed at the up to 4 million annual cholera cases worldwide.
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NewsSub-lethal water disinfection may accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance
A new study reveals that environmental stressors do not merely kill bacteria; they can also prime surviving cells to take up resistance genes more efficiently, raising concerns about how antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread in aquatic environments.
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NewsSome antibodies outmaneuver germs from sticking to cells
Researchers have uncovered several new mechanisms by which antibodies block E. coli bacteria that cause urinary tract infections from attaching to bladder cells. Once E. coli bacteria get a strong grip, they can be difficult to flush out.
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NewsNew study uncovers how rice viruses manipulate plant defenses to protect insect vectors
Rather than passively “hitchhiking” within insect vectors, rice viruses actively manipulate plant defense pathways to protect their insect carriers.
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NewsRibosomal engineering creates ‘super-probiotic’ bacteria
Using ribosome engineering (RE), researchers introduced mutations affecting the protein synthesis mechanism of probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). These mutant LGGs exhibit altered surface protein expression, including increased presentation of so-called “moonlighting proteins.”
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NewsFrom sediment to surface: How invisible plumes trigger harmful algal blooms
A new study shows that algal blooms can begin days earlier than previously recognized, originating from chlorophyll-rich plumes rising from lake sediments before any surface discoloration appears.
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NewsPlant-derived phenolic acids revive the power of tetracycline against drug-resistant bacteria
A study demonstrates that plant-derived phenolic acids can act as powerful antibiotic adjuvants by restoring and enhancing tetracycline efficacy against multidrug-resistant bacteria through multi-target disruption of key resistance mechanisms.
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NewsViruses in wastewater: Silent drivers of pollution removal and antibiotic resistance
New findings suggest that current monitoring strategies, which rely heavily on bacterial indicators alone, may miss critical viral-driven risks and opportunities for safer wastewater reuse.
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NewsCRISPR discovery could lead to single diagnostic test for COVID, flu, RSV
Researchers report newly discovered details about the Cas12a3 immune system that precisely targets transfer RNA in invading pathogens, without destroying host cells.
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NewsStudy identifies a molecular switch that controls transitions between single-celled and multicellular forms
How did multicellular life evolve from single cells? Researchers have identified genes in marine yeast that may help answer this fundamental question.
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NewsFatal infection risk in newborns may increase when this bacteria and fungus mix
A new study reveals that when Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) interacts with Candida albicans, GBS is more likely to spread disease and become harder to treat in newborns. Infection by both microbes reduces the effectiveness of existing GBS treatments.
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NewsDiscovery could lead to new treatments for drug-resistant fungal infections
Researchers have identified a molecule that may help turn the tide on fungal infections — butyrolactol A, a chemical compound that targets a deadly, disease-causing fungi called Cryptococcus neoformans.