Scientists find microbes enhance the benefits of trees by removing greenhouse gases
Australian researchers have discovered a hidden climate superpower of trees. Their bark harbours trillions of microbes that help scrub the air of greenhouse and toxic gases.
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Unlocking the secrets of phages: DNA modification discoveries offer new weapons against antimicrobial resistance
Bacteria and their viral predator bacteriophages (phages) have coevolved for billions of years and are engaged in an endless arms race against each other. DNA modifications are among the most widespread defenses to block bacterial RM and CRISPR-Cas systems.
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The smell of the sea: how microbes shape Earth’s sulfur story
That distinctive “sea breeze” scent we associate with the coast isn’t just nostalgia; it’s the smell of microbial chemistry at work. Behind it lies an intricate web of microbial pathways turning sulfur compounds into gases that help shape Earth’s climate.
Building integrated biobanks to defeat AMR in chronic wounds
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has evolved into a complex global health issue which has outstripped the development of new antibiotics and therapeutic strategies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates 1.27 million deaths were attributed to AMR infections in 2019. By 2050, 10 million deaths are predicted at a cost of $100 ...
When movies teach us to love microbes
I have been teaching microbiology for more than 25 years. During that time, I have seen it all – students who arrive eager to learn and others who attend because they have no other choice. Over the years, I have also taught various subjects at different times of day: sometimes ...
Under the Lens video series
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 2
In our second episode, Dr Callum Cooper joins Professor Emmanuel Adukwu to talk about all things bacteriophage, from alternatives to antibiotics, social impact, and regulation.
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 1
In our first episode, Professor Raquel Peixoto joins Professor Jack Gilbert for a deep dive into coral reefs, microbes, and the future of our planet.
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 2
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 1
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We 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.
The politics behind the global divide in bacteriophage therapy
The therapeutic potential of bacteriophages (or ‘phages’) has been widely dismissed for decades in the West, despite being regularly used to treat patients worldwide in the early and mid-20th century. In an age rife with disinformation, can the true potential of clinical phage technology be communicated to a public already uneasy about scientific intervention?
Pride in Microbiology Network: the road so far
Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira, a founding member of the Pride in Microbiology Network, reveals how it has developed since it was launched three years ago - and what needs to happen next.
A day in the life of a soil microbial ecologist
Dr. Taniya RoyChowdhury, a soil microbial ecologist and biogeochemist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, describes a typical day.
Scientific Event Travel Grant: how the Safepork conference surpassed my expectations
Shan Goh from the University of Hertfordshire reports back on the International Symposium on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork held in Rennes, France, in October. Shan was supported with a Scientific Event Travel Grant awarded by AMI.
CBCTA 2024 oral presentation winners: Isabella and Lia take home the honours
Letters in Applied Microbiology sponsored the best oral presentation award at the 29th Brazilian Congress of Food Science and Technology (CBCTA 2024). Winner Isabella Bassoto Xavier and runner-up Lia Mariano Aquino take a dive into their research.
Aboard the International Space Station, viruses and bacteria show atypical interplay
In a new study, terrestrial bacteria-infecting viruses were still able to infect their E. coli hosts in near-weightless “microgravity” conditions aboard the International Space Station, but the dynamics of virus-bacteria interactions differed from those observed on Earth.
Why don’t antibiotic-making bacteria self-destruct?
Scientists discovered a promising new antibiotic in a soil sample. The molecule, lariocidin, is produced by the microbe Paenibacillus and shows broad activity against pathogenic bacteria. Now, the researchers report how Paenibacillus avoids harm by its own antibiotic.
When a virus releases the immune brake: New evidence on the onset of multiple sclerosis
A study investigating the links between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis shows that EBV can interfere with the control of B cells. One viral protein mimics a crucial “approval” signal that B cells usually require from other immune cells. Self-reactive B cells can then survive even when they should be shut down.
Food security
Vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease could deliver $1.3 billion a year in global livestock benefits
A new foot-and-mouth disease vaccine is projected to deliver over $1.3 billion in annual benefits and transform global livestock resilience.
Clean Water
Biodegradable and conventional plastics shape very different antibiotic resistance risks in river microbiomes
Biodegradable plastics are not always safer for rivers and oceans, according to a new study that tracked how different plastics change the risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria over time in a real river.
Not only toxic but also a nutrient: guanidine as a nitrogen source
Cyanobacteria are key ecological players of global carbon and nitrogen cycles. They are also becoming increasingly important for carbon-neutral biotechnology. They could serve as green cell factories for a light-driven and sustainable production of chemicals and fuels – a central pillar of the sustainable bioeconomy.
