Microbiology

Look At The Biosaline Patterns Formed By E. Coli In Salt

Researchers have detected a previously unknown interaction between microorganisms and salt. When Escherichia coli cells are introduced into a droplet of salt water and left to dry, bacteria manipulate the sodium chloride crystallisation to create biominer ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 26 2014 - 10:31am

Probiotics To Fight Obesity?

A probiotic that prevents obesity could be on the horizon, at least if an animal model translates to humans. Bacteria that produce a therapeutic compound in the gut inhibit weight gain, insulin resistance and other adverse effects of a high-fat diet in mi ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 26 2014 - 7:50pm

Gulf Oil Spill: Microbiology Approach Worked But Toxic Contaminants Remain

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a BP project in the Gulf of Mexico, began in April of 2010. The oil rig collapsed and it took some three months to cap the gusher. During that, concern was also on how to clean up the over four million barrels of oil in th ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 31 2014 - 5:15pm

How Smart Bacteria Help Each Other Survive

The body's assailants are cleverer than previously thought. New research from Lund University in Sweden shows for the first time how bacteria in the airways can help each other replenish vital iron. The bacteria thereby increase their chances of surv ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 9 2014 - 11:00pm

Immune System Stealth War: RIG-I Attacks Viruses On A Molecular Level

Our immunosensory system detects virus such as influenza via specific characteristics of viral ribonucleic acid- and the immune system's ability to prevent viruses from using molecular camouflage to escape detection is quite good. But how that works ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 11 2014 - 1:00pm

Drug Resistant, Virulent Strain Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Found In Ohio

Researchers have discovered a highly virulent, multi-drug resistant form of the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in patient samples in Ohio. Their investigation suggests that the particular genetic element involved, still rare in the United States, has be ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 11 2014 - 7:01pm

Since Bacteria's Immune System Can Kill Viruses, Let's Use That

Bacteria's ability to destroy viruses has been a mystery but researchers say they now have a clear picture of the bacterial immune system and say its unique shape is likely why bacteria can so quickly recognize and destroy their assailants. The resea ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 15 2014 - 4:00am

Gut Bacteria: Now Assuming Control Of Your Brain

It sounds like science fiction, but a new paper in the journal BioEssays  says that bacteria within us — which outnumber our own cells about 100-fold — may very well be affecting both our cravings and moods to get us to eat what they want, and often are d ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 15 2014 - 4:30pm

Zombie Ant Fungi Manipulate Where Victims Die

A parasitic fungus- Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis, known as the "zombie ant fungus"- must kill its ant hosts outside their nest to reproduce and transmit their infection,so they manipulate its victims to die in the vicinity of the colony, e ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 18 2014 - 6:00pm

3 New Ways To Separate Clostridium Difficile From Good Microbes

The bacterium Clostridium difficile causes antibiotic-related diarrhea and is a growing problem in the hospital environment and elsewhere in the community. Understanding how the microbe colonizes the human gut when other "healthy" microbes have ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 19 2014 - 9:13am