All The Microbiologist articles in Web Issue – Page 318
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NewsMicrobial nano-selenium breakthrough boosts tea quality and safety
Scientists developing selenium-enriched tea have identified a powerful selenium-reducing bacterium, Raoultella ornithinolytica S-1, capable of converting inorganic selenium into selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) while simultaneously promoting plant growth.
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NewsHear us out: scientists say garlic shows promise as a mouthwash alternative
Garlic extract demonstrates antimicrobial efficacy comparable to other widely used antiseptics and disinfectants, such as chlorhexidine, according to scientists. While garlic-based mouthwash may cause more discomfort than chlorhexidine, it offers longer-lasting residual effects.
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NewsResearchers subvert plasmids to combat antibiotic resistance
Scientists have devised a way to track the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in individual bacteria by measuring competition among plasmids. Plasmids evolve independently but also help drive bacterial evolution, including the development of resistance to antimicrobial compounds. They are the primary way that resistance can jump from one type of bacteria to another.
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NewsToxic gut bacteria may drive ulcerative colitis by killing protective immune cells
A toxin-secreting gut bacterium may fuel ulcerative colitis by killing protective immune cells that maintain intestinal homeostasis, according to a new study. The findings suggest potential for new treatment strategies.
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NewsRebalancing lung repair with immune damage is key to surviving severe influenza
Recovery from deadly influenza infection may hinge on helping the lungs heal in addition to stopping the virus, according to a new study in mice, which shows that pairing modest antiviral therapies with immune modulation can restore damaged tissues and lung function, even after severe infection has taken hold.
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NewsNew research confirms HPV vaccination prevents cervical cancer
Two new Cochrane reviews show strong and consistent evidence that HPV vaccines are effective in preventing cervical cancer and pre-cancerous changes, especially when given to young people before they are exposed to the virus.
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NewsGlobal Virus Network awards pandemic preparedness grants to advance global surveillance and early detection of viral threats
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is awarding pandemic preparedness research grants, totaling $160,000, to scientists across four continents, supporting innovative, investigator-led projects designed to enhance viral surveillance, early detection, and scientific preparedness.
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NewsTeam discovers cyanobacteria activate different genes by day and by night
By analyzing gene expression in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, scientists discovered that during daylight, the cells focus on metabolism. But under cover of darkness, they turn to the control of genome repair and activate various genetic elements.
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NewsScientists uncover how COVID-19 variants outsmart the immune system
Researchers have created the most comprehensive map to date showing how antibodies attach to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, and how viral mutations weaken that attachment.
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NewsNatural, non-engineered bacterium selectively targets colorectal cancer
Scientists have demonstrated that the marine bacterium Photobacterium angustum exhibits potent antitumor effects against colorectal cancer. The natural bacterium requires no genetic modification yet selectively accumulates in tumor tissues with minimal impact on healthy organs.
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NewsNew flu strain underscores urgent need for vigilance, vaccination, and investment in virus science
Virologists have issued a statement on the emergence of a new influenza A (H3N2) variant known as H3N2 subclade K that is spreading rapidly and may contribute to a more intense flu season worldwide. Public health agencies have reported sharp week-over-week increases in cases driven by this subclade.
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NewsSoil carbon decomposition varies vastly, holding implications for climate models
A new study shows that even under uniform laboratory conditions, the rate of organic carbon decomposition in soil samples collected across the U.S. differed by up to tenfold, in part due to variations in soil mineral and microbial properties.
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NewsNew vaccine against a deadly virus acts fast and protects for over a year
A research team has developed a vaccine made from a non-infectious version of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus that protects quickly and provides long-lasting immunity.
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News‘FluWarning’ system raises early alerts for virus spillovers
How can we monitor the cross-species transmission of avian flu? The answer is FluWarning, a digital system that reports abnormal changes in flu viruses. It analyses their genetic code, looking for subtle but significant changes that could indicate cross-species transmission.
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NewsSnakebites: COVID vaccine tech could limit venom damage
The same technology used in COVID-19 vaccines could help prevent muscle damage from snakebites, according to scientists who say it could be even more useful for other conditions where toxins cause harm gradually, such as blocking harmful toxins produced by bacteria during infections.
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NewsClues to origins of complex life revealed with discovery of new unicellular organism and phylum
A new paper describes the discovery of Solarion arienae, a previously unknown unicellular organism that provides new insight into the earliest stages of complex life on Earth. This microscopic protist displays two distinct cell types and a unique predatory structure unlike any seen before.
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NewsNew super pest combines broad spectrum of microbes
Researchers investigating what role the reed leafhopper’s microbial flora might have played in its rapid spread as a pest found it hosts at least seven species of bacteria and appears to be completely dependent on three of these species, which inhabit specific organs.
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OpinionWe couldn’t get people interested in science - until we started speaking their language
In 2020, Puerto Rico faced a misinformation crisis. Melanie Ortiz Alvarez De La Campa reveals how five STEM undergraduates created a sci-comm organization that helped pass legislation, educated thousands, and created an inclusive database of Caribbean scientists.
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NewsNew Arkansas Clean Plant Center partnership to boost Indian agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has entered a five-year agreement with the Indian National Horticulture Board and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to help farmers in India improve agricultural production by limiting spread of pathogens.
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NewsEmerging human and canine leptospirosis in New South Wales shows separate transmission pathways
A geospatial study of leptospirosis outbreaks in New South Wales suggests that humans and dogs may have largely independent transmission pathways.