One health
Communicable diseases remain one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. There are disparities in the numbers of individuals affected by disease between low-and-middle-income countries and those in developed nations. Microbes will play in important role in drug discovery: producing anticancer drugs and antimicrobials. Applying One Health principles, to understand the interaction of pathogens and the human host, development of diagnostics, treatments, and disease prevention, applied microbiologists can shape global health and wellbeing outcomes.
News
Island birds reveal surprising link between immunity and gut bacteria
Scientists have uncovered a hidden link between gut health and the immune system, all thanks to a tiny island bird. They collected the poo of the Seychelles warbler to analyse their gut bacteria – and found that their immune genes influence which gut microbes thrive.
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NewsSeaweed has the potential to create a shield to block norovirus infection
Seaweed has certain properties which have the ability to create a shield within the human body, effectively blocking norovirus infection. Fucoidan, from brown seaweed, showed the strongest and most consistent blocking activity against two major norovirus strains, GII.4 and GII.17.
NewsAntibiotics can affect the gut microbiome for several years
Researchers have found strong links between a person’s history of antibiotic use and the composition of their gut microbiome, including the diversity of bacterial species.
NewsLow-cost preventive measures could mitigate spread of bacteria causing neonatal mortality
A new study found that a multifaceted infection prevention and control intervention could at least temporarily thwart outbreaks of infections from the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium.
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News
Specific gut bacteria species linked to muscle strength
A species of gut bacteria called Roseburia inulinivorans is specifically associated with human muscle strength and improved muscular performance in mice, finds new research. R inulinivorans changes certain metabolic processes in muscle, and converts muscle fibres to ‘fast-twitch’ (type II).
NewsNew African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms
A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world’s most widely cultivated ’magic mushroom’ – Psilocybe cubensis – may now have been settled. Scientists describe the discovery of a new species of magic mushroom from the grasslands of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
NewsBuilding protection against infectious diseases with nanostructured vaccines
Researchers have leveraged a recently developed highly versatile DNA origami nanotechnology that is both vaccine and adjuvant, named DoriVac, as an alternative to current vaccine platforms.
NewsGut bacteria drive process that protects colon tissue
Researchers have shown that the identity of distinct regions of the colon are regulated by the gut microbiome. They identified nicotinic acid, a molecule produced by certain bacteria in the gut microbiome, as a main driver of these regional differences in the colon’s sections.
NewsAntibiotic resistance can vary depending on where the bacteria live
Antibiotic susceptibility in resistant bacteria is not static. New research shows that bacteria harbouring resistance genes may respond differently to antibiotics if they are tested under conditions other than those used in standard laboratory assays.
NewsTeam simulates a living cell that grows and divides
By simulating the life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell — from DNA replication to protein translation to metabolism and cell division — scientists have opened a new frontier of computer vision into the essential processes of life.
NewsStay or stray? Scientists discover why some gut microbes persist after fecal transplants
Scientists have identified why some gut microbes successfully stay in the gut after faecal transplants, whilst others are much more transient. They tracked key genetic features of gut bacteria in 86 healthy adults over the course of a year.
NewsEnteroBiotix announces completion of enrolment in Phase 2a Trial evaluating EBX-102-02 prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation
EnteroBiotix announced that the investigator-initiated Phase 2a MAST trial has completed its enrolment of 50 adult patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for defined haematological malignancies.
NewsWhen rats run, their gut bacteria rewrite the chemical conversation with the brain
A new study suggests that exercise stimulates a molecular link between gut bacteria and the brain. The research examined what happens to the gut microbiota, circulating metabolites, and hippocampal gene expression when rats are given free access to a running wheel for eight weeks.
NewsRecent pandemic viruses jumped to humans without prior adaptation, study finds
A large-scale evolutionary analysis shows most zoonotic viruses emerge without prior adaptation, while passing through a laboratory leaves detectable genetic signatures, offering a new tool to interpret outbreak origins.
NewsTiny vesicles, big risk: Environmental sweeteners trigger antibiotic resistance transfer
A new study reveals that mixtures of artificial sweeteners can stimulate soil bacteria to release microscopic extracellular vesicles that carry antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
News‘Bugs delivering drugs’ – new approach to colorectal cancer treatment using common food-borne bacteria
Researchers have published a novel approach to fight colorectal cancer, using modified bacteria as a courier to deliver potent cancer-killing proteins into tumor cells.
NewsMpox immune test validated during Rwandan outbreak
An antibody test for the infectious disease Mpox was successfully developed during the new clade 1b outbreak in Rwanda, the first time that an assay of its kind has been validated within this setting.
NewsStudy writes the catalog of plasma membrane repair proteins
A new study identifies 80 proteins involved in plasma membrane repair in budding yeast, laying the foundation for membrane repair studies and future therapeutic applications.
NewsResearchers make probiotic safer for immunocompromised patients
Researchers have modified a probiotic yeast to make it safer for use by immunocompromised people, older adults and infants. Testing in an animal model found the modified yeast is less likely to cause infection than unmodified strains of the same organism.
NewsStudy highlights gut–brain axis in pituitary tumor–related cognitive decline
Researchers conducted a prospective cross-sectional study to evaluate cognitive function in patients with pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and examine associations among tumor lineage, hormonal abnormalities, and gut microbiota composition.
NewsGut microbes rewrite the rules of cancer immunotherapy
A review synthesizes growing evidence showing that commensal microbes enhance anti-tumor immunity by producing immune-active metabolites, remodeling the tumor microenvironment, and activating key immune cells such as dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells.
NewsMicrobe exposure may not protect against developing allergic disease
The “hygiene hypothesis” suggests exposure to diverse types of microbes may protect against developing diseases caused by allergens, but a new study in mice reveals that adults’ exposure to diverse microbes and allergens may in fact worsen certain allergic conditions.
NewsNew studies reveal how Clostridioides difficile behaves inside the body
Researchers studying C. diff at multiple levels, from how individual bacterial cells behave inside the gut to the molecular switches that help them survive and spread, are revealing hidden vulnerabilities.