All University of Basel articles
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NewsA fatal mix-up: How certain gut bacteria drive multiple sclerosis
If gut bacteria are too similar to the protective layer of nerves, they can misdirect the immune system and cause it to attack its own nervous system. This mechanism can accelerate the progression of multiple sclerosis.
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NewsStudy reveals how bacteria resist hostile attacks from rival bacteria
When attacked by bacteria from a different species, Pseudomonas rapidly assembles the type VI secretion system (T6SS) – to inject its aggressor with a toxic cocktail. A new study probes how Pseudomonas can strike back when it has already been hit by a deadly cocktail itself.
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NewsDiphtheria toxin fragment harnessed to fuse lipid vesicles at neutral pH
Researchers have discovered a novel way to fuse lipid vesicles at neutral pH. By harnessing a fragment of the diphtheria toxin, the team achieved vesicle membrane fusion without the need for pre-treatment or harsh conditions, opening the door to new applications.
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NewsBacteria reveal how climate-damaging nitrous oxide forms in the ocean
Marine microorganisms produce large amounts of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Researchers investigated the exact processes involved during an expedition to the Pacific. The results are important for climate modeling.
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NewsSwiss genome of the 1918 influenza virus reconstructed
Researchers have decoded the genome of the virus responsible for the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic in Switzerland, revealing that it had already developed key adaptations to humans at the outset of the deadliest influenza pandemic in history.
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NewsSurvival trick: Pathogen taps iron source in immune cells
The body defends itself against pathogens by depriving them of vital iron. However, researchers have discovered that Salmonella bacteria specifically target iron-rich regions within immune cells to replicate, evading the immune defense.
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NewsSlow-growing bacteria respond more sensitively to their environment
A new study reveals that the responsiveness of bacterial cells to environmental stimuli is directly linked to their growth rate: the slower cells grow, the more sensitively they respond. This increased sensitivity can give the cells a crucial survival advantage.
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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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NewsDamaged but not defeated: Bacteria use nano-spearguns to retaliate against attacks
Scientists used state-of-the-art microscopy technology to mimic a nano-speargun, the type VII secretion system, used as a bacterial pinpoint counterattack tactic in response to cell envelope damage against rival bacteria.
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NewsSophisticated early warning system: How bacteria respond to threats
Recent research has found that exogenous petidoglycan fragments of Vibrio cholerae and other multidrug-resistant pathogens are able to trigger 3D biofilm formation as an universial danger response.
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NewsRed Queen arms race over millions of years preserves genetic diversity in water flea
Host/parasite arms races can occur without interruption over many millions of years, a much longer period than previously thought, according to scientists who compared the genetic material of millimeter-sized water fleas infected by a parasitic bacterium.
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NewsLung organoids unveil secret of how pathogens infect human lung tissue
Using human lung microtissues, researchers have uncovered the strategy used by a dangerous pathogen to invade the lungs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa targets specific lung cells and has developed a sophisticated strategy to break through the lungs’ line of defense.
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News'Failed drug' could offer new approach to Epstein-Barr virus and resulting diseases
Researchers have found that the Epstein-Barr virus triggers infected cells to ramp up the production of an enzyme known as IDO1, a discovery that offers a promising starting point for putting the brakes on EBV.
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NewsIn medieval England, leprosy spread between red squirrels and people, genome evidence shows
Evidence from archaeological sites in the medieval English city of Winchester shows that English red squirrels once served as an important host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people, researchers report.
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NewsPathogens deploy speargun nanomachine to spread unrecognized in the body
Researchers have uncovered a unique tactic certain bacteria use to spread in the body without being detected by the immune system. In their study, they reveal the crucial role of a bacterial nanomachine in this infection process.
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NewsResistant bacteria can remain in the body for years
People with pre-existing conditions in particular can carry resistant germs and suffer from repeated infections for years, according to a new study.
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NewsSyphilis-like diseases were already widespread in America before the arrival of Columbus
Researchers at the Universities of Basel and Zurich have discovered the genetic material of the pathogen Treponema pallidum in the bones of people who died in Brazil 2,000 years ago. Source: Photo: Dr. Jose Filippini Skeleton at the site in Jubuicabeira II, Brazil. This is the oldest ...
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NewsPhages found that bring slumbering bacteria out of deep sleep and then kill them
Researchers questioning whether evolution might have produced bacteriophages that specialise in dormant bacteria and could be used to target them have now shown that such phages, though rare, do indeed exist.
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NewsMore than 30 new species of bacteria discovered in patient samples
A team that has been collecting and analyzing patient samples containing unknown germs since 2014 have discovered more than 30 new species of bacteria, some of which are associated with clinically relevant infections.
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NewsFungi used to inoculate diseased fields and boost yields
A team of researchers has shown on a large scale that the application of mycorrhizal fungi in the field works.