All UK & Rest of Europe articles
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NewsA tiny bacterium with a huge impact
Researchers have discovered that gut bacteria and the compounds they produce trigger biological processes that the human body on its own can only activate with difficulty. They help suppress inflammation and may also have beneficial effects on fatty liver disease.
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NewsNew study uncovers how the malaria parasite boosts its transmission potential under stress conditions
Researchers reveal the molecular mechanism by which Plasmodium falciparum responds to stress by increasing the production of the sexual forms required for transmission.
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NewsNew study uncovers the complex history of the plague after the Black Death
A new study sheds fresh light on the long and complex history of the plague by analysing the DNA of the bacterium. Researchers reconstructed 26 genomes of Yersinia pestis from archaeological sites in Estonia, Russia, England, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
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NewsVaccination: why don’t we all experience the same side effects?
Researchers have found that, even before vaccination, some people’s innate immune systems are more reactive than others, showing a heightened response to interferons. The stronger this response, the more likely individuals are to experience these transient symptoms.
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NewsLong-acting antibodies may work with the immune system to control HIV and help reduce the reservoir
Results from a clinical trial have offered a new HIV strategy, suggesting that just one or two doses of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) can suppress the virus long-term, keeping it at undetectable levels for months and even years.
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NewsSuccession of colonising fungi reveals the dynamic nature of herbivore dung
Scientists investigating fungi colonising the dung of African herbivores, including rhinoceros, giraffe and zebra, have revealed how different groups of fungi succeed one another as dung decomposes.
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NewsTwo coronavirus master keys: new study unveils the mechanisms Covid-19 virus uses to enter our cells
To enter our cells, the Covid-19 virus fuses its surrounding membrane with the membrane of the target cell. The fusion peptides of the spike protein function as molecular keys that allow the virus to open the door to the target cell . A new study shows that SARS-CoV-2 does not have just one key, but two.
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NewsNew method reveals how virus particles can build themselves, molecule by molecule
Researchers have captured the step-by-step assembly of individual virus-like particles, revealing how simple molecular interactions can reliably build these complex biological structures. The process works rather like finding a route through a maze in which only the productive turns lock into place.
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NewsHow a pathogen turns flowers into leaves
Scientists have found how a protein produced by bacteria disrupts the mechanism that controls flower development in plants, turning reproductive organs into leaf-like structures. These findings shed light on a plant disease that is expected to spread as climate change expands the range of its insect vectors in northern latitudes.
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NewsWas Nîmes depopulated by the Plague of Cyprian?
Analyses of the carbonate deposits in the aqueduct featuring the famous Pont du Gard shed light on the water supply of the ancient city of Nîmes - and support the theory that the city was depopulated by the plague.
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NewsAn IBEC device simulates natural conditions to grow biofilms and test their antibiotic susceptibility more accurately
Researchers have developed XpertBiofilm, a simple and accessible device that allows biofilms to be grown under continuous, controlled liquid flow, similar to what bacteria encounter in the human body — for example, in lung mucus, blood or urine.
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NewsFungi neutralize spruce defense mechanisms with sugar
A newly discovered detoxification strategy employed by fungi disarms spruce defense compounds by binding a sugar to them, which makes spruce trees more susceptible to bark beetle attacks.
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NewsMolecular insight into biological nitrogen fixation close to the boiling point
Scientists have purified a nitrogen-fixing enzyme from a deep-sea microorganism that shows extreme heat-stability and is possibly of ancient origin. The molybdenum-containing enzyme has been captured in a “turnover” state, highlighting a universal mechanistic principle among nitrogenases.
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CareersMeet the Global Ambassadors: our Q&A with Sanjib Bhakta
The Microbiologist gets to know our Global Ambassador for the UK, Professor Sanjib Bhakta who is Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry at Birkbeck, University of London.
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NewsCan AI find drugs to fight infection?
Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify approved drugs that may be effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Using a dataset of molecules shown to be active against S. pneumoniae and a larger dataset of molecules inactive against another drug-resistant bacterium, the scientists trained three different learning algorithms.
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NewsBacteria in airway shape air pollution health risk
A study suggests that the subtype of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, together with air pollution exposure impacts the rate and timing of invasive disease — with some strains linked to immediate infection after air pollution exposure, and some taking several weeks.
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CareersHow a sceptic was won over: Charlotte Wilson on her internship with AMI
Fourth year PhD student Charlotte Wilson admits she was sceptical before she embarked on her PIPS internship with Applied Microbiology International’s Communications and Marketing Team - but here’s how it turned out.
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NewsDogs and cats carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria also found in people, study finds
Pets may carry strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae — a potentially serious bacterium that can cause infections that are also found in humans. The study is the first to map the global genetic makeup of K.pneumoniae carried by domestic dogs and cats, and to compare it on a large scale with the same bacteria in people.
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NewsShapeshifting plant roots rely on a balance of anatomy, metabolism, and microbes to maximize survival
Scientists have identified the mechanisms that allow plants to change their root anatomy to maximise survival when nutrients are scarce. The findings could pave the way for developing new ways to improve beneficial plant-microbe interactions in agriculture.
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NewsScientists break down shoe foam by genetically tweaking a microbe found in compost
Researchers have developed a new kind of enzyme based on a bacterium found in compost that can degrade the polyurethane material in shoe foams. The results could one day help recycle plastic waste from shoes, mattresses, kitchen sponges, and more.