All University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign articles
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NewsNew soil model integrates microbes and large perennial grasses
A new soil model integrates soil microbes and the distinct physiological traits of large perennial grasses into DayCent.
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NewsNewborn piglets serve as a model for studying influenza
A multidisciplinary team of researchers has studied newborn piglets to better understand the progression of influenza infections.
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NewsFirst atom-level structure of packaged viral genome reveals new properties, dynamics
A computational model of the more than 26 million atoms in a DNA-packed viral capsid expands our understanding of virus structure and DNA dynamics, insights that could provide new research avenues and drug targets, researchers report.
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NewsStudy supports disease-challenged broiler chickens through nutrition
New research suggests diet changes might help to ensure optimal growth during outbreaks of the parasitic infection coccidiosis in broiler chickens.
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NewsRefrigerate lettuce to reduce risk of E. coli contamination, researchers say
Leafy green vegetables are important sources of dietary fiber and nutrients, but they can harbor harmful pathogens. In particular, lettuce has often been involved in outbreaks of foodborne illness across the U.S. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines factors that affect E. coli ...
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NewsMice study suggests metabolic diseases may be driven by gut microbiome, loss of ovarian hormones
The gut microbiome interacts with the loss of female sex hormones to exacerbate metabolic disease, including weight gain, fat in the liver and the expression of genes linked with inflammation, researchers found in a new rodent study.
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NewsMicrobial division of labor produces higher biofuel yields
Scientists have found a way to boost ethanol production via yeast fermentation, a standard method for converting plant sugars into biofuels, using careful timing and a tight division of labor among synthetic yeast strains.
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NewsCommon food preservative has unexpected effects on the gut microbiome
Analysis of a common preservative used to kill pathogens in food shows that it affects beneficial bacteria as well, threatening the healthy balance of the gut microbiome.
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News New tool reveals gene behavior in bacteria
Researchers showed that the way in which genes are turned on and off as bacteria grow provide clues to their regulation.
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NewsGenetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters
Local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 – not the previously suspected high number of pig farms in the region.
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NewsGenetics of host plants determine what microorganisms they attract
Plants often develop communities with microorganisms in their roots, which influences plant health and development. It is unclear whether genetic variation in the host plants plays a role in recruitment of these microbes.
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NewsNew model allows for learning and prediction of microbial interactions
Researchers describe a new framework they have created to predict how species within microbiomes interact with each other to create unique compositions.
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NewsScientists discover rules for breaking into Pseudomonas
Researchers have found a way to get antibacterial drugs through the nearly impenetrable outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that – once it infects a person – is notoriously difficult to treat.
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NewsSingle model predicts trends in employment, microbiomes and forests
Researchers report that a single, simplified model can predict population fluctuations in three unrelated realms: urban employment, human gut microbiomes and tropical forests.
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NewsScientists discover alternative base modification for mRNA therapeutics
Researchers have incorporated a newly discovered base, called base Z, into mRNA to create Z-mRNA that has improved translational capacity, decreased cytotoxicity and drastically reduced immunogenicity compared to unmodified mRNA.
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NewsCows and microbes put to work to reduce greenhouse gases
An international team of scientists is recruiting a surprising ally to make a powerful dent in greenhouse gas emissions: the cow. Animal sciences researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are driving a new project to reduce methane production resulting from rumen fermentation in beef and dairy cattle. The 3-year, ...
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NewsSoil microplastics could usher superbugs into food supply
Micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soil could contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria with a ready route into our food supply, a new study warns.
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NewsSoil microbes help plants cope with drought, but not how scientists thought
Researchers have found microbes help plants cope with drought, but not in response to plants’ cries for help - instead, the environment itself selects for drought-tolerant microbes.
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NewsScientists develop all-species Covid test
In an advance that will help scientists track coronavirus variants in wild and domesticated animals, researchers report they can now detect exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in any animal species.
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NewsTracking AMR in E. coli isolated from swine reveals worrying trends
Scientists have carried out the first surveillance study in the US that looks at antimicrobial resistance in E. coli from swine at slaughter.
