All UK & Rest of Europe articles – Page 27
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NewsNew insights into how bacteria control DNA synthesis open the door to next generation antimicrobials
A new study combines structural biology, biophysical characterisation and functional assays to delineate how the bacterial transcriptional regulator NrdR’s quaternary structure responds to different nucleotide states and how these changes affect its regulatory activity.
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NewsMissed opportunity: Study shows low vaccination rates among expectant mothers in Norway against COVID-19 and influenza
A study of over 50,000 pregnant women in Norway during the 2023/24 influenza season found that only 29.9% were vaccinated against influenza and 12.1% against COVID-19 during pregnancy, remaining far below recommended targets.
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NewsNewly discovered virus linked to colorectal cancer
Researchers have discovered a previously undescribed virus in a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis. The virus appears more frequently in patients with colorectal cancer.
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NewsA break in a longstanding mystery about origin of complex life
One of our microbial ancestors was part of a group called the Asgard archaea, which today live primarily in the deep sea and other oxygen-free spaces. Now scientists have found that some Asgards use, or at least tolerate oxygen.
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NewsMissing microbes in UK infant gut and probiotics highlighted by global microbiome atlas
A global atlas mapping two key gut bacteria in infants around the world has uncovered a treasure trove of bacterial strains adapted to the infant gut and not found in commercial probiotic products. It lays the foundation for more effective, tailored infant probiotics.
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NewsA ring to transcribe them: The unique path of poxviruses
A study shows for the first time the mechanical elegance with which the viral protein VITF-3 controls the transcription process. Vaccinia viruses, the most widely studied model viruses from the poxvirus family, were examined at the molecular level.
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NewsExposing a hidden anchor for HIV replication
Scientists investigating HIV have revealed a previously unknown role for the viral protein integrase, which helps HIV insert itself into human DNA. A new study provides the first direct evidence that integrase plays a critical structural role earlier on in HIV’s life cycle — when the virus matures into an infectious force.
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NewsGlobal scientific paper establishes first consensus definition of gut health
A global group of 13 scientists and clinicians is helping establish clarity by publishing a consensus definition of gut health. They define gut health as “a state of normal gastrointestinal function without active gastrointestinal disease and gut-related symptoms that affect quality of life.”
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NewsAntimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria remains a public health concern in Europe
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in common foodborne bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter continues to be a public health concern across Europe, according to a new joint report from EFSA and ECDC.
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NewsLower tillage boosts the soil’s natural phosphorus cycle - cutting the need for costly fertilizer inputs
Long-term tillage reduction helps to restore the soil’s natural phosphorus cycle, supporting more sustainable nutrient management with less reliance on costly and finite fertilizer inputs, according to a new study published in Sustainable Microbiology.
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NewsPower grids to epidemics: study shows small patterns trigger systemic failures
Why do some systems collapse suddenly after what seems like a minor disturbance? In nature, a local disease outbreak can quickly escalate into an epidemic. New research suggests that in many cases, the key isn’t the entire system – but its smallest building blocks.
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NewsBooster jabs reduce the risks of COVID-19 deaths, study finds
Booster vaccines reduced the risk of COVID‑19–related hospitalisation and death, according to a new study of over 3 million adults who had the autumn 2022 vaccine in England.
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NewsDebilitating virus can spread in cool weather, increasing health risk in Europe
Chikungunya virus, a debilitating tropical disease caused by infected mosquito bites, poses a greater health threat in Europe than previously thought because it can be spread when air temperatures are as low as 13 degrees Celsius.
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NewsMicrobes harvest metals from meteorites aboard space station
Microorganisms can harvest crucial minerals from rocks and could provide a sustainable alternative to transporting much-needed resources from Earth. Researchers have studied how those microorganisms extract platinum group elements from a meteorite in microgravity, with an experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station.
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NewsWebinar: What does it mean when environmental microbiomes are described as resilient?
Environmental microbiomes are often described as ‘resilient’ - but what does that even mean? A free upcoming webinar and coffee hour delivered by Dr Ashley Shade, as part of the Microbes and Social Equity 2026 Speaker Series, aims to find out.
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NewsGlobal commitment on display as countries negotiate key annex to the Pandemic Agreement
Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded a weeklong round of negotiations on draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) – a key component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
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NewsBacteria frozen in ancient underground ice cave found to be resistant against 10 modern antibiotics
Researchers tested antibiotic resistance profiles of a bacterial strain that until recently was hidden in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice of an underground ice cave – and found it could be an opportunity for developing new strategies to prevent the rise of antibiotic resistance.
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NewsA yeast enzyme helps human cells overcome mitochondrial defects
An international team has experimentally uncoupled nucleotide synthesis from mitochondrial activity using ScURA, a yeast-derived genetic tool now available to the research community that will enable new explorations of cellular metabolism.
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NewsScaling up: Fungus plays key role in crafting spalted wood
A new standardized, scalable process deploys a fungal pest of deciduous trees to create a unique woodworking product - spalted wood, with its distinctive etched black markings.
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NewsScientists’ chemical breakthrough sheds light on origins of life
Researchers have discovered a tiny RNA molecule that could explain how life on Earth began. The findings reveal the team has identified a remarkably small ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule, named QT45, that can copy itself and its complementary strand.