All Microbiological Methods articles – Page 2
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NewsWorld’s largest bat organoid platform paves the way for pandemic preparedness
Researchers have created the world’s most comprehensive bat organoid platform. These ’mini-organs’ are grown from five common bat species found across Asia and Europe and represent four different organs—airway, lungs, kidneys, and small intestine.
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NewsCombining laboratory techniques yields wealth of information about deadly brain tumors
In a new study, researchers injected into the tumor a virus aimed at killing glioblastoma cells. Surgeons took tumor tissue samples and ran them through multiple advanced laboratory techniques to demonstrate that even small tissue samples can yield additional insights.
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NewsResearchers reveal lipid-based communication between body and gut microbes
A new study shows how a host protein can specifically recognize bacterial lipids, thus triggering beneficial immune responses. It also highlights a new way the body actively shapes the gut microbiome by communicating with microbes to maintain balance.
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NewsStudy uncovers why so many microbes fail to grow in the lab
Many microorganisms die when attempts are made to cultivate them. A new study suggests that that their survival does not depend solely on the needs of individual microbes but on a hidden web of relationships that can be caused to collapse by even small structural changes.
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NewsScientists ID previously unknown enzymes that can produce potentially antimicrobial agents
Micro-organisms generate potential agents for combating bacteria and fungi. Researchers have identified and optimized enzymes that can specifically generate a certain functional group of these natural substances, expanding the toolkit of potential agents.
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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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NewsNovel point of attack to combat dangerous tropical diseases
Researchers have compiled a high-precision inventory of the membrane proteins of cell organelles of the African sleeping sickness pathogen, offering hope for new treatment approaches for dangerous tropical diseases.
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NewsBacteria: Recording gene activity more efficiently
Researchers have presented a step-by-step protocol for creating single bacterial transcriptomes with MATQ-seq. The protocol also includes the experimental and computer-aided analysis of the data.
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NewsViruses under the super microscope: How influenza viruses communicate with cells
Scientists have characterized a new model of influenza A infection: binding to MHC class II complexes as an alternative receptor and the associated dynamic reorganization of the cell surface.
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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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NewsAI plays detective to help scientists find hidden microbes
A team of researchers has created a novel machine learning tool that’s cracking open one of biology’s trickiest puzzles: finding the rarest microbes on Earth. Ulrb not only identifies rare microorganisms but also works with non-microbial data.
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NewsPlacebo-testing vaccines is unethical, ‘a waste of time and money,’ expert says
The proposal to require that all new vaccines undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials is ethically problematic and will slow testing down for no good reason, warn scientists.
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NewsBacteria deployed as living test tubes to study human gene mutations
Bioengineers have developed a new simple approach to rapidly check on human gene changes and also screen chemicals as potential drugs by turning everyday bacteria into living test tubes.
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NewsNew AI technique can uncover antiviral compounds using limited data
Artificial intelligence algorithms have been combined with traditional laboratory methods to uncover promising drug leads against human enterovirus 71 (EV71), the pathogen behind most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.
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NewsScientists repurpose gene editing tool to help uncover hidden microbial diversity
Pioneering research has repurposed a gene editing tool to help shed light on the true biodiversity present in natural environments. The study could help pave the way for more productive soils and improved health.
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NewsNo more copy-pasting: DNA base editing for better Lactobacillus strains
Scientists were able to edit the DNA of Lactobacillus strains directly without a template from other organisms. This technique is indistinguishable from natural variation and enabled them to create a strain that doesn’t produce diabetes-aggravating chemicals.
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NewsOpen benchmarking of CycloneSeq™ for complete bacterial genomes
Benchmark data and analysis of new CycloneSEQ using novel nanopore sequencing technology demonstrates the ability to sequence complete bacterial genomes.
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NewsInfectious disease surveillance platform BEACON launches as a new open-source global resource
The Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON), an open-source infectious diseases monitoring tool powered by AI and human experts, has been launched.
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NewsThe very first structural images of a tuberculosis-fighting virus
Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to provide a detailed look at how a tiny virus, known as a phage, invades Mycobacteria. The research could pave the way toward phage-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant mycobacteria.
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NewsResearchers develop UV and machine learning-aided method to detect microbial contamination in cell cultures
This is the first novel technology that utilises machine learning to analyse unique ultraviolet light “fingerprints” on cell cultures to quickly identify the presence of contamination.