All Microbiological Methods articles
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NewsResearchers use ‘brain-on-a-chip’ to revolutionize fight against deadly encephalitis viruses
A transparent chip no larger than a stick of gum is helping scientists transform the way researchers study the human brain and develop treatments for some of the world’s deadliest viruses.
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NewsScientists clarify how much metal in soil is 'too much' for people and the environment
A new review explains which laboratory tools, models and tests best capture the true bioavailability of heavy metals in soil and how regulators worldwide are starting to use them.
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NewsCedars-Sinai and Exobiosphere partner to launch biomedical research aboard the Haven-1 Space Station
Cedars-Sinai is partnering with Exobiosphere, a company that has developed scientific hardware to automate biomedical research in space and on Earth, and will send experiments to Haven-1, set to become the world’s first commercial space station.
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NewsGroundbreaking technique unlocks secrets of bacterial shape-shifting
Scientists have long known that bacteria come in many shapes and sizes, but understanding what those differences mean has remained a major challenge, especially for species that can’t be grown in the lab. A groundbreaking method could change how researchers study bacterial diversity.
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NewsNew global guidelines streamline environmental microbiome research
A team of nearly 250 researchers from 28 countries has developed a new set of reporting guidelines for environmental microbiomes called STREAMS. The guidelines are organized by the structure of a scientific manuscript and help ensure that important details aren’t overlooked.
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NewsResearchers subvert plasmids to combat antibiotic resistance
Scientists have devised a way to track the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in individual bacteria by measuring competition among plasmids. Plasmids evolve independently but also help drive bacterial evolution, including the development of resistance to antimicrobial compounds. They are the primary way that resistance can jump from one type of bacteria to another.
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NewsDiphtheria toxin fragment harnessed to fuse lipid vesicles at neutral pH
Researchers have discovered a novel way to fuse lipid vesicles at neutral pH. By harnessing a fragment of the diphtheria toxin, the team achieved vesicle membrane fusion without the need for pre-treatment or harsh conditions, opening the door to new applications.
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NewsResearchers diagnose disease with a drop of blood, a microscope and AI
Scientists have developed an automated, high-throughput system that relies on imaging droplets of biofluids for disease diagnosis in an attempt to reduce the number of consumables and equipment needed for biomedical testing.
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NewsBacteria ‘pills’ could detect gut diseases — without the endoscope
Researchers report that they’ve developed a sensor made of tiny microspheres packed with blood-sensing bacteria that detect markers of gastrointestinal disease. Taken orally, the miniature “pills” also contain magnetic particles that make them easy to collect from stool. Excreted from mouse models with colitis, the bacterial sensor detected gastrointestinal bleeding within minutes.
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NewsMicropores pave the way for infection research
Organ-on-a-chip technology often contains gels that imitate the 3D environment of our tissues - however, many of these gels are too dense, hindering the passage of microbes and immune cells, and movement is essential to recreate how infections really develop. In this study, the research team developed a new type of porous gel that solves this problem.
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NewsA new gateway to global antimicrobial resistance data
To support global AMR research, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) has launched the AMR portal, a central hub that connects bacterial genomes, resistance phenotypes, and functional annotations, all in one place. The AMR portal ensures long-term availability, standardisation, and reusability of AMR data.
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NewsThe leading causes of mass mortality events in sea urchins are pathogens, storms, and extreme temperatures
Researchers have identified the primary drivers of sea urchin mass mortality events over recent decades: pathogens, storms, and extreme temperatures. The team have developed an innovative method for genetic sampling in marine environments - using a swab similar to a COVID-19 test, to enable rapid and non-invasive monitoring of marine animals and underwater disease outbreaks.
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NewsManganese is Lyme disease bacterium’s double-edged sword
For decades, Lyme disease has frustrated both physicians and patients alike. Caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the infection, if left untreated, can linger for months, leading to fever, fatigue and painful inflammation. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention This digitally colorized scanning electron microscopic ...
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NewsBacteriophage characterization provides platform for rational design
Researchers have described the bacteriophage Bas63 in unprecedented detail, supporting new mechanistic understanding of how these viruses function.
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NewsAdvanced imaging reveals new fungus species in 407-million-year-old plant fossil from Scotland
Researchers have identified a new species of ancient symbiotic fungus preserved within a 407-million-year-old plant fossil from Scotland. The discovery provides unprecedented three-dimensional insight into one of the earliest known plant–fungus partnerships.
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NewsEngineered membraneless organelles boost bioproduction in Corynebacterium glutamicum
Scientists have successfully engineered liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)-driven membraneless organelles (MLOs) within the food-grade industrial strain Corynebacterium glutamicum.
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NewsNew approach expands possibilities for studying viruses in the environment
A new method vastly improves on the existing approach for single-cell genetic sequencing, enabling scientists to read the genomes of individual cells and viral particles in the environment more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
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NewsTiles, leaves and cotton strips offer practical, affordable method for measuring river health
With the aim of standardising methods for assessing river health and providing a simple, accessible guide for environmental management bodies, researchers analysed the performance of different materials that enable the decomposition processes and organic matter production to be measured.
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NewsAdvanced disease modelling shows some gut bacteria can spread as rapidly as viruses
Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria commonly found in the human gut, could spread as quickly as swine flu, new research suggests. For the first time, researchers are able to predict the rate at which one person could transmit gut bacteria to those around them.
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NewsLichens and drones reveal dinosaur bones
Scientists have found that certain lichen species preferentially colonise exposed dinosaur bones, creating distinctive spectral signatures that can be detected from 30 metres above ground using drones.