All University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign articles
-
NewsEngineered yeast gives the US a green edge in the critical minerals market
A new, U.S.-based, environmentally friendly method for mining rare-earth elements used in consumer electronics, clean energy, defense and biomedical imaging uses oxalic acid made by sugar-eating engineered yeast, extracting almost all the rare-earth elements from low-grade ore.
-
NewsStill standing but mostly dead: Recovery of dying coral reef in Moorea stalls
In 2019, a marine heat wave struck a coral reef on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia, killing much of the coral and the beneficial algae that colonized it. A long-term study of the area is challenging scientists’ understanding of the cycles of destruction and repair that can occur on a coral reef.
-
NewsNew study finds deep ocean microbes already prepared to tackle climate change
A new study demonstrates that the microbe Nitrosopumilus maritimus may already be adapting well to warmer, nutrient-poor waters. Researchers predict that these adaptable iron-dependent ammonia-oxidizing archaea will play an important role in reshaping ocean-nutrient distribution in a changing climate.
-
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.
-
NewsNanoplastics can interact with Salmonella to affect food safety, study shows
Researchers investigating what happens when nanoplastics (polystyrene) interact with Salmonella discovered an increased expression of virulence-related genes. The bacteria also formed thicker biofilms, which indicates they are becoming more virulent.
-
NewsManagement practices can enhance soil microbiome functions in plant defense
Researchers analyzed surveys and soil samples from 85 organic farmers in New York to investigate the interaction between beliefs, management practices, and soil microbiome functions.
-
NewsGenes from corn’s wild ancestor change soil microbial community, improve sustainability
Corn bred with genes from wild relatives can reshape soil microbial communities and reduce nitrogen loss — with no yield reduction, according to new research. It’s the first time corn’s genetic makeup has been linked with inhibition of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria.
-
NewsHow a potential antibiotics ban could affect apple growers
Antibiotic resistance in human and animal health is on the forefront of public debate, but it’s a less well-known issue in plant agriculture. However, antibiotics are important tools in fruit production, and their efficacy hinges on avoiding resistance in disease-causing bacteria. Source: Tianna DuPont, WSU Extension Apple ...
-
NewsCommercially viable biomanufacturing: designer yeast turns sugar into lucrative chemical 3-HP
Using a tiny, acid-tolerant yeast, scientists have demonstrated a cost-effective way to produce industial chemical 3-Hydroxypropanoic acid, making disposable diapers, microplastics, and acrylic paint more sustainable through biomanufacturing.
-
NewsWhat are the new guidelines for infant hepatitis B vaccination?
Public health expert and infectious disease physician Janet A. Jokela comments after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC voted to discontinue its decades-long recommendation for universal vaccination against hepatitis B beginning at birth.
-
NewsAntimicrobial peptides can reduce salmonella in chickens
A new study has found that antimicrobial peptides can combat Salmonella infections in chickens, a major cause of foodborne disease in the U.S. This discovery could help improve food safety and protect public health without relying on antibiotic use.
-
NewsResearchers partner on $28M initiative to build a precision phage platform for promoting public health
Researchers have embarked on a five-year initiative that aims to harness the natural predators of bacteria – known as phages – as precision tools to shape the human microbiome and promote health.
-
NewsIn pregnant mice with severe flu, harmful molecules can breach fetal barriers
A new study shows, for the first time, that severe flu infection in pregnant mice leads to a breakdown in placental and brain barriers, leading to the accumulation of potentially harmful molecules in the fetal brain. Fibrinogen can pass into developing fetal brains.
-
NewsResearchers capture new antibiotic resistance mechanisms with trace amounts of DNA
Scientists have developed a method to isolate genes from amounts of microbial DNA so tiny that it would take 20,000 samples to weigh as much as a single grain of sugar.
-
NewsKidney fibrosis linked to molecule made by gut bacteria
A molecule made by bacteria in the gut can hitch a ride to the kidneys, where it sets off a chain reaction of inflammation, scarring and fibrosis — a serious complication of diabetes and a leading cause of kidney failure.
-
NewsReady for market: Yeast process boosts clean, cost-efficient chemical production of succinic acid
A re-engineered yeast strain that efficiently produces succinic acid has been developed, which allows this valuable chemical to be produced at a lower cost.
-
NewsBrewed chicken protein made by precision fermentation tested in pet food
In a groundbreaking new project, scientists used precision fermentation to produce brewed chicken protein and evaluated it for use in pet food. Dogs that consumed the protein in their kibble during a six-month study had beneficial digestive effects, they found.
-
NewsStudy identifies gene clusters in rhizobia linked to robust legume growth
A new study identified clusters of rhizobial genes that appear to move rapidly through bacterial populations and drive greater plant biomass in host plants. Understanding the interplay of host and bacterial genomes will help to optimize plant growth by improving the rhizosphere.
-
NewsBiologicals vs. biostimulants: study clarifies crop input confusion
Scientists have published a commentary on use of biologicals and biostimulants in agriculture, calling for more nuanced labelling and regulation.
-
NewsTheory for aerosol droplets from contaminated bubbles bursting gives insight into spread of pollution and infectious disease
Researchers have conducted a systematic study to investigate bubble bursting jets – aerosol particles sprayed when bubble surfaces rupture – when surface contaminants are present.