More Healthy Land – Page 15
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NewsScientists uncover key step in how diazotrophs ‘fix’ nitrogen
There are only two ways of fixing nitrogen, one industrial and one biological. To better understand a key component of the biological process, researchers took a multi-pronged approach.
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NewsPlant cells gain immune capabilities when it’s time to fight disease
New research reveals how plant cells switch roles to protect themselves against pathogens. When a threat is encountered, the cells enter a specialized immune state and temporarily become PRimary IMmunE Responder (PRIMER) cells.
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NewsAgricultural scientists call for removal of more than 120 ‘phantom agents’ from pathogen regulatory lists
Wiping “phantom agents” from a list of suspected plant pathogens would improve agricultural efficiency and food security by updating regulations on international shipment of pathogen-free plant materials destined for countries where they are needed.
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NewsParasite ‘matchmakers’ genetically alter plant cells to attract insects
Researchers have revealed how parasitic phytoplasmas manipulate plant biology to act as matchmakers, boosting male insect appeal by modulating hosts to attract more reproductive females.
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NewsSome bacteria evolve like clockwork with the seasons
The longest natural metagenome time series ever collected, with microbes, reveals a startling evolutionary pattern on repeat.
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NewsNew study suggests RNA present on surfaces of leaves may shape microbial communities
Biologists have shown that the surfaces of plant leaves are coated with a diverse array of RNA molecules, suggersting this may play a role in shaping the microbial communities that inhabit them, potentially influencing plant health and interactions within their environment.
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NewsThese bacteria perform a trick that could keep plants healthy
Researchers have shown that some types of soil bacteria can influence a plant’s balance of growth and defense. The bacteria produce an enzyme that can lower a plant’s immune activity and allow its roots to grow longer than they would otherwise.
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NewsSugar solution fights infection in dairy cows just as well as antibiotics
A concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating a common infection in dairy cows, according to a new study.
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NewsDual activation of soybean resistance against Phytophthora sojae by pectin lyase and degraded pectin oligosaccharides
A study elucidates the mechanism by which pectin lyase, secreted by Phytophthora sojae activates plant immunity, thereby offering a theoretical foundation for further exploration of the role of pectinase in pathogen-plant interactions.
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CareersThe Space Microbiology Group
The Space Microbiology Group studies how microorganisms behave in space conditions, using tools such as microbiology, molecular biology, system biology and geomicrobiology to learn how new biotechnologies could be applied to space.
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NewsStudy reveals the fabrics most vulnerable to fungi attack during shipping - and the culprits
A new study could help consumer goods manufacturers to predict the likelihood of mold growth during shipping, enabling them to make informed decisions and mitigate economic losses.
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NewsEvolutionary study reveals the toxic reach of disease-causing bacteria across the plant kingdom
The capacity of bacteria to spread disease across the plant kingdom may be much more widespread than previously suspected, according to a comparative evolutionary analysis, using the diversity of Pseudomonas syringae bacteria.
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NewsCapybaras found dead from rabies on island in Brazil
The viral rabies strain found in the dead animals on Anchieta Island in Ubatuba was the variant transmitted by vampire bats, which probably fed on the capybaras’ blood at a time of habitat disturbance.
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NewsConnectivity loss in pond networks threatens microbial biodiversity
A recent study explored the effects of connectivity loss within pond networks, using an outdoor experimental setup of artificial ponds (mesocosms).
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NewsFlagella-free survival: How bacteria evolve by shedding their ‘wheels’
New research reveals that bacteria can evolve by losing their flagella, the structures responsible for movement.
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NewsLiving in the deep, dark, slow lane: first global appraisal of microbiomes in earth’s subsurface environments
A new study reveals astonishingly high microbial diversity in some of the Earth’s deepest, darkest subsurface environments, including gold mines, in aquifers and deep boreholes in the seafloor.
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CareersRomy Moukarzel: a year as a Junior Editor with Letters in Applied Microbiology
A year since we launched our Junior Editor programme with Letters in Applied Microbiology, Dr Romy Moukarzel, Lecturer in Plant Protection at Lincoln University New Zealand, reveals her experiences.
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NewsWhat a century-old grapevine reveals about a disease that plagues wine country
Researchers used bacterial DNA from a 120-year-old herbarium specimen to reconstruct the history of Pierce’s disease in California.
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OpinionSharing microbial sequence-based data: The way forward
Public sector data associated with health are a highly valuable resource, yet in practice data-sharing poses multiple challenges. Dr Nicola Holden, from AMI’s One Health Scientific Advisory Group, explores the murky morass of big data.
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NewsDeadly mould strains highly likely to acquire resistance to new drugs
Scientists have identified strains of one of the world’s most dangerous fungal pathogens, already resistant to our most effective antifungal drugs, which are also five times more likely to acquire resistance to desperately needed new treatments in development. Source: Ufficio Comunicazione, Azienda Ospedaliera SS. Antonio e ...