All Microbial Genomics articles
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News Ribosome profiling identifies thousands of new viral protein-coding sequences
With the help of a technique called Massively Parallel Ribosome Profiling (MPRP), scientists have identified more than 4000 open reading frames (ORFs) across 679 human-associated viral genomes.
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NewsActivating ‘jumping genes’ speeds up bacterial evolution from decades to weeks
Scientists have developed a system to control and accelerate the evolution of changes in the bacterial genome structure, targeting small ‘jumping genes’, or DNA sequences known as insertion sequences.
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NewsShaken and stirred: why Klebsiella pneumoniae strain 007 poses a deadly threat
A new study has uncovered the secrets of a particular strain of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing a potentially deadly genetic capacity for both antimicrobial resistance and virulence.
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NewsHigh-density screening technique reveals key genes for biotechnology improvements
Scientists used a gene-silencing tool and molecular guides to probe how photosynthetic bacteria adapt to light and temperature changes, finding even partial suppression of certain genes yielded big benefits in modifying the stress response of wild microbes.
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NewsPoor oral health linked with body pain and migraines in women
A study showed that oral health, affected by the oral microbiome, has a direct link to musculoskeletal pain, including chronic migraines and headaches, as experienced by women with fibromyalgia.
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NewsResearchers design genetic tools to develop vaccines more efficiently for African swine fever virus (ASFV)
A synthetic genomic-based reverse genetics tool has been developed for African swine fever virus (ASFV) that helps vaccine development to reduce the economic losses. The system may also be adapted to other emerging viral threats.
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NewsNew study sheds light on how bacteria ‘vaccinate’ themselves with genetic material from dormant viruses
Scientists have gained understanding on how bacteria defend themselves from phages, through gaining “memories” from predecessor dormant phages. The study will inform new phage therapies for bacterial infections that confer resistance to antibiotics.
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NewsNew method uncovers dynamic microbial community in coastal sediments
Scientists utilises single celll genomics and cell staining approaches to investigate the respiratory rates and metabolic activities of the diverse microbial communities in low biomass aqautic environments, such as Maine’s coastal sediments.
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NewsFirst coronavirus similar to MERS is found in bats in South America
A novel coronavirus, which shares high genetic similarities with MERS-CoV, was identified in bats in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Experiments to find out whether it can infect humans are set to take place in collaboration with Hong Kong University.
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NewsNew automated method increases the efficiency of bioactive natural product discovery
In light of the technological advancement in machine learning and bioinformatics tools, researchers developed a fully-automated and integrated platform that enables them to easily identify bioactive natural products in Streptomyces.
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NewsTB vaccine candidate provides ‘elite’ protection
A tuberculosis vaccine candidate under development shows complete protection and superior immune response in nonhuman primates compared to the existing BCG vaccine.
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NewsResearchers develop innovative tool for rapid pathogen detection
A powerful pipeline was developed for more efficient and accurate primer design in qPCR that accelerates the diagnostic tests for infectious diseases and facilitates researches in rapidly evolving pathogens.
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NewsNew therapy may effectively control HIV in Uganda
Clinical trials showed an effective antiviral drug, known as lenacapavir, against HIV in Uganda, and has also been tested for drug resistance in different subtype strains.
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NewsScientists clarify relationships of earth tongues aka Geoglossomycetes
Researchers studied 34 samples of earth tongues from China, reconstructing the phylogenetic framework of Geoglossomycetes and introducing ten new species.
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NewsNew method ‘fishes’ for bacterial STI DNA, revealing how Chlamydia spreads and adapts
Scientists have developed a cutting-edge “target enrichment” technology for bacterial STIs. Using specially designed molecular probes, they “fished” for bacterial STI DNA from clinical samples, enabling high-resolution genome analysis.
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NewsSymbiotic bacteria ride along with marine cells in ocean’s upper layer
Symbiotic bacteria often accompany single-celled protists in the ocean’s upper layer. Some of these symbionts, scientists have discovered, are close relatives of bacteria pathogenic to animals, including humans.
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NewsReemergence of dengue serotype 3 may increase severity of outbreaks of the disease in Brazil
From the genomic and epidemiological surveillance of the circulating dengue virus strains, a more severe dengue epidemic may occur in Brazil, due to the re-establishment of dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3) and persists alongside with the serotype 1 and 2 (DENV-1 and DENV-2).
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NewsScientists recode the genome for programmable synthetic proteins
Synthetic biologists were able to re-write the genetic code of an organism — a novel genomically recoded organism (GRO) with one stop codon — using a cellular platform that they developed enabling the production of new classes of synthetic proteins.
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NewsBat genome signposts new potential pathway to fight viruses with genomic characterization
A promising discovery has been made from a study that deciphers how bats are more resistant to viral infections than human using genome annotations of transposable elements in bats to pave a way for adapting the bats’ immunity against future viral outbreaks.
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NewsNew phage platform pinpoints viruses that can deliver a knockout blow for killer bacteria
An international group of microbial experts has launched a powerful and flexible free online genomic toolkit for more rapid development of phage therapy. They say it is capable of assessing if a phage is suitable for a targeted therapy in under 10 minutes.