ScienceDaily: Bacteria News

Chemists find new compounds to curb staph infection

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:33:33 EDT

In an age when microbial pathogens are growing increasingly resistant to the conventional antibiotics used to tamp down infection, scientists have synthesized a potent new class of compounds capable of curbing the bacteria that cause staph infections.

Fetch, boy! Study shows homes with dogs have more types of bacteria

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT

New research shows that households with dogs are home to more types of bacteria -- including bacteria that are rarely found in households that do not have dogs. The finding is part of a larger study to improve our understanding of the microscopic life forms that live in our homes.

Captive-bred wallabies may carry antibiotic resistant bacteria into wild populations

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT

Endangered brush-tail rock wallabies raised in captive breeding programs carry antibiotic resistance genes in their gut bacteria and may be able to transmit these genes into wild populations, according to new research.

Mosquito behavior may be immune response, not parasite manipulation

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Malaria-carrying mosquitoes appear to be manipulated by the parasites they carry, but this manipulation may simply be part of the mosquitoes' immune response, according to entomologists.

Fast new, one-step genetic engineering technology

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:12:12 EDT

A new, streamlined approach to genetic engineering drastically reduces the time and effort needed to insert new genes into bacteria, the workhorses of biotechnology, scientists are reporting. The method paves the way for more rapid development of designer microbes for drug development, environmental cleanup and other activities.

First genomic survey of human skin fungal diversity

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:11:11 EDT

In the first study of human fungal skin diversity, researchers sequenced the DNA of fungi at skin sites of healthy adults to define the normal populations across the skin and to provide a framework for investigating fungal skin conditions.

How immune system peacefully co-exists with 'good' bacteria

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:09:09 EDT

The human gut is loaded with helpful bacteria microbes, yet the immune system seemingly turns a blind eye. Now, researchers know how this friendly truce is kept intact. Innate lymphoid cells directly limit the response by inflammatory T cells to commensal bacteria in the gut of mice. Loss of this ILC function effectively puts the immune system on an extended war footing against the commensal bacteria a condition observed in multiple chronic inflammatory diseases.

Mechanism discovered which aids Legionella to camouflage itself in the organism

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

The feared Legionella pneumophilabacteria is responsible for legionellosis, an infectious disease that can lead to pneumonia. In order to infect us, this pathogen has developed a complex method enabling it to camouflage itself and go unnoticed in our cells, thus avoiding these acting against the infectious bacteria.

Minus environment, patterns still emerge: Computational study tracks E. coli cells' regulatory mechanisms

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:41 EDT

Random mutations and genetic drift, rather than design principles, may explain the emergence of regulatory network properties in E. coli.

Bacterium uses natural 'thermometer' to trigger diarrheal disease, scientists find

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:40:40 EDT

How does the bacterium Shigella -- the cause of a deadly diarrheal disease -- detect that it's in a human host? Scientists have found that a biological "RNA thermometer" monitors whether the environment is right for the bacterium to produce the factors it needs to survive within the body, according to a new study.

Vitamin C can kill drug-resistant TB, researchers find

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:12 EDT

In a striking, unexpected discovery, researchers have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding suggests that vitamin C added to existing TB drugs could shorten TB therapy, and it highlights a new area for drug design.

Resistance to last-line antibiotic makes bacteria resistant to immune system

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:12:12 EDT

Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin are also commonly resistant to antimicrobial substances made by the human body, according to a new study. Cross-resistance to colistin and host antimicrobials LL-37 and lysozyme, which help defend the body against bacterial attack, could mean that patients with life-threatening multi-drug resistant infections are also saddled with a crippled immune response.

Amazon River exhales virtually all carbon taken up by rainforest

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:43:43 EDT

Woody plant matter is almost completely digested by bacteria living in the Amazon River. This tough stuff plays a major part in fueling the river's breath. The finding has implications for global carbon models, and for the ecology of the Amazon and the world's other rivers. Until recently, people believed much of the rainforest's carbon floated down the Amazon River and ended up deep in the ocean.

Intestinal bacteria protect against E. coli O157:H7

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:42:42 EDT

A cocktail of non-pathogenic bacteria naturally occurring in the digestive tract of healthy humans can protect against a potentially lethal E. coli infection in animal models according to new research.

Bacteria use hydrogen, carbon dioxide to produce electricity

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:11:11 EDT

Researchers have engineered a strain of electricity-producing bacteria that can grow using hydrogen gas as its sole electron donor and carbon dioxide as its sole source of carbon.

Attacking MRSA with metals from antibacterial clays

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Medical researchers have come up with a new approach for developing effective, topical antibacterial agents -- one that draws on a naturally occurring substance recognized since antiquity for its medicinal properties: clay.

Now we know why old scizophrenia medicine works on antibiotics-resistant bacteria

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

An old medicine for schizophrenia is effective at treating something completely different than it was designed for: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So far it has been a mystery how this old schizophrenia medicine works, but now researchers have figured it out. This can lead to a new medicine against the increasingly threatening antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Intestinal bacterium Akkermansia curbs obesity

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:37:37 EDT

A dominant and useful bacterium called Akkermansia muciniphila is present in the intestinal system of all humans, from babies to the elderly. This microorganism is found in the intestinal mucus layer that protects against intruders. Even more remarkable is that this bacterium has a favorable effect on the disrupted metabolism associated with obesity.

Cells must use their brakes moderately for effective speed control

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

How cells regulate their own function by “accelerating and braking” is important basic knowledge when new intelligent medicines are being developed, or when plant cells are tweaked to produce more bioenergy. Scientists now show a model of how cells’ regulatory systems work.

Mining the botulinum genome

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:27:27 EDT

Scientists have been mining the genome of C. botulinum to uncover new information about the toxin genes that produce the potent toxin behind botulism.

Cutting-edge bacteria research leads to more effective treatment of complex infections

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:32:32 EDT

Bacteria play a huge role when inflammations attack our body. Now researchers have succeeded in revealing one of the devastating effects of bacteria, and thus it will be possible for the pharmaceutical industry to treat even very complicated bacterial infections.

Receptor proteins could hold clues to antibiotic resistance in MRSA

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:27:27 EDT

Scientists have identified four new proteins that act as receptors for an essential signalling molecule in bacteria such as MRSA.

Using bacteria to stop malaria

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient disease transmitters. New research however, demonstrates that they also can be part of the solution for preventing diseases such as malaria.

Bacterial infection in mosquitoes renders them immune to malaria parasites

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have established an inheritable bacterial infection in malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes that renders them immune to malaria parasites. Specifically, the scientists infected the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium common among insects that previously has been shown to prevent malaria-inducing Plasmodium parasites from developing in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Genes define the interaction of social amoeba and bacteria

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

Researchers have used the model of the social amoeba -- Dictyostelium discoideum -- to identify the genetic controls on how the amoeba differentiate the different bacteria and respond to achieve their goal of destruction.

Early infant growth rate linked to composition of gut microbiota

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:12:12 EDT

The composition of gut microbiota in a new-born baby's gut has been linked to the rate of early infant growth. The findings support the assertion that the early development of "microbiota" -- the body's microbial ecosystem -- in an infant can influence growth and thereby the likelihood of obesity.

Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Like pioneers in search of a better life, bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities, known as biofilms. It turns out that a lucky few bacteria become the elite cells that start the colonies, and they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to the distribution of wealth in the US economy, according to a new study.

Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:30 EDT

Viruses that infect and kill bacteria -- used to treat infections in the pre-antibiotic era a century ago and in the former Soviet Union today -- may have a new role in preventing formation of the sticky "biofilms" of bacteria responsible for infections on implanted medical devices.

First biological evidence of a supernova

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:30 EDT

In fossil remnants of bacteria, researchers have found a radioactive iron isotope that they trace back to a supernova in our cosmic neighborhood. This is the first proven biological signature of a starburst. An age determination showed that the supernova must have occurred about 2.2 million years ago, roughly around the time when the modern human developed.

Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:25:25 EDT

New research demonstrates how a biosensor can detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This new technology is a preliminary step in identifying and fighting superbugs, a major public health concern that has led to more deaths than AIDS in the United States in recent years.

Bacteria adapt and evade nanosilver's sting

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

Although nanosilver has effective antimicrobial properties against certain pathogens, it can cause other potentially harmful organisms to rapidly adapt and flourish, a new study reveals.

Genetic variations associated with susceptibility to bacteria linked to stomach disorders

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:42:42 EDT

Two genome-wide association studies and a subsequent meta-analysis have found that certain genetic variations are associated with susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that is a major cause of gastritis and stomach ulcers and is linked to stomach cancer, findings that may help explain some of the observed variation in individual risk for H pylori infection.

Parents who suck on their infants' pacifiers may protect their children against developing allergy

Tue, 07 May 2013 10:31:31 EDT

Allergies are very common in industrialized countries. It has been suggested that exposure to harmless bacteria during infancy may be protective against the development of allergy. However, it has been difficult to pinpoint which bacteria a baby should be exposed to, and at what time and by which route this exposure should ideally occur.

Pathogen turns protein into a virulence factor in one easy step

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:11:11 EDT

To infect its host, the respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa takes an ordinary protein usually involved in making other proteins and adds three small molecules to turn it into a key for gaining access to human cells. Researchers have now uncovered this previously unknown virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Endogenous antibiotic discovered in the brain

Mon, 06 May 2013 09:52:52 EDT

Scientists have discovered that immune cells in the brain can produce a substance that prevents bacterial growth: namely itaconic acid. Until now, biologists had assumed that only certain fungi produced itaconic acid.Scientists have now shown that even so-called microglial cells in mammals are also capable of producing this acid.

Portable device provides rapid, accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis, other bacterial infections

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:00:00 EDT

A handheld diagnostic device first developed to diagnose cancer has been adapted to rapidly diagnose tuberculosis and other important infectious bacteria. Two versions of the portable device combine microfluidic technology with nuclear magnetic resonance to not only diagnose these important infections but also determine the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

'Dark oxidants' form away from sunlight in lake and ocean depths, underground soils

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:29:29 EDT

All forms of life that breathe oxygen -- even ones that can't be seen with the naked eye, such as bacteria -- must fight oxidants to live. But neutralizing environmental oxidants such as superoxide was a worry only for organisms that dwell in sunlight -- in habitats that cover a mere 5 percent of the planet. That was the only place where such environmental oxidants were thought to exist. Now researchers have discovered the first light-independent source of superoxide. The key is bacteria common in the depths of the oceans and other dark places.

Protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse antibiotic resistance in superbugs

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:29:29 EDT

A protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse the antibiotic resistance of bacterial species that cause dangerous pneumonia and staph infections, according to new research.

Soil may harbor answer to reducing arsenic in rice

Wed, 01 May 2013 15:44:44 EDT

Agricultural researchers are studying whether a naturally occurring soil bacterium, referred to as UD1023, can create an iron barrier in rice roots that reduces arsenic uptake.

Bizarre bone worms emit acid to feast on whale skeletons: Bone-melting substance drills opening for worms to access nutrients

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:19:19 EDT

Only within the past 12 years have marine biologists come to learn about the eye-opening characteristics of mystifying sea worms that live and thrive on the skeletons of whale carcasses. Now, scientists at describe how Osedax, mouthless and gutless "bone worms," excrete a bone-melting acid to gain entry to the nutrients within whale bones.

Electron-beam pasteurization of raw oysters may reduce viral food poisoning

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:16:16 EDT

Researchers have studied how electron-beam pasteurization of raw oysters may reduce the possibility of food poisoning through virus.

First snapshot of organisms eating each other: Feast clue to smell of ancient Earth

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:41:41 EDT

Tiny 1,900-million-year-old fossils from rocks around Lake Superior, Canada, give the first ever snapshot of organisms eating each other and suggest what the ancient Earth would have smelled like.

Better wheat varieties in the future? Wheat genome shows resistance genes easy to access

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:35:35 EDT

Scientists have developed a physical map of wheat's wild ancestor, Aegilops tauschii, commonly called goatgrass. It's the first huge step toward sequencing the wheat genome -- a complete look at wheat's genetic matter. The work showed among other things, that most resistance genes seem to lie at the ends of chromosomes and can be easily accessed. The findings can lead to breeding of more productive and sustainable wheat varieties.

Thymus teaches immune cells to ignore vital gut bacteria

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:05:05 EDT

The tiny thymus teaches the immune system to ignore the teeming, foreign bacteria in the gut that helps you digest and absorb food, researchers say.

Flu and bacteria: Better prognosis for this potentially fatal combination

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:54 EDT

Scientists have provided insights into how much harm bacteria can cause to the lung of people having the flu. The results could prompt the development of alternative treatments for flu-related bacterial infections, to improve patient outcome and prevent permanent lung damage.

Thanks to rare alpine bacteria, researchers identify one of alcohol's key gateways to the brain

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

Thanks to a rare bacteria that grows only on rocks in the Swiss Alps, researchers have been the first to identify how alcohol might affect key brain proteins.

Significant step forward in combating antibiotic resistance

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:25:25 EDT

New research is a significant development in combating antibiotic resistance; it will pave the way for the creation of the inhibitors to counteract the process, allowing a renaissance in the use of antibiotics.

Gut bacteria byproduct predicts heart attack and stroke

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:52:52 EDT

A microbial byproduct of intestinal bacteria contributes to heart disease and serves as an accurate screening tool for predicting future risks of heart attack, stroke and death in persons not otherwise identified by traditional risk factors and blood tests, according to new research.

Humans passing drug resistance to wildlife in protected areas in Africa

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:55:55 EDT

Researchers have discovered that humans are passing antibiotic resistance to wildlife, especially in protected areas where numbers of humans are limited. In the case of banded mongoose in a Botswana study, multidrug resistance among study social groups, or troops, was higher in the protected area than in troops living in village areas. The study also reveals that humans and mongoose appear to be readily exchanging fecal microorganisms, increasing the potential for disease transmission.

Fighting bacteria with new genre of antibodies

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

In an advance toward coping with bacteria that shrug off existing antibiotics and sterilization methods, scientists are reporting development of a new family of selective antimicrobial agents that do not rely on traditional antibiotics. They report on these synthetic colloid particles, which can be custom-designed to recognize the shape of specific kinds of bacteria and inactivate them.

High-nutrition and disease-resistant purple and yellow-fleshed potato clones obtained

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:10:10 EDT

Agricultural researchers have created four new potato clones which are characterized by their high antioxidant content, their good production both in size and number of tubers, as well as by their resistance to the usual diseases of this crop. The clones were obtained by natural methods through crossing varieties from South America with commercial varieties used in Europe. The result was three clones of the purple-fleshed potato and one with a markedly yellow flesh.

Battling with bugs to prevent antibiotic resistance

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:27:27 EDT

Bacteria can evolve resistance more quickly when stronger antibiotics are used, new research confirms.

Big ecosystem changes viewed through the lens of tiny carnivorous plants

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:39:39 EDT

The water-filled pool within a pitcher plant, it turns out, is a tiny ecosystem whose inner workings are similar to those of a full-scale water body. Whether small carnivorous plant or huge lake, both are subject to the same ecological "tipping points," of concern on Earth Day -- and every day, say scientists.

Contact killing of Salmonella by human fecal bacteria

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:08:08 EDT

Researchers have recently found a novel mode of interaction between Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen, and the bacteria that live in our guts. Fecal bacteria collected from healthy donors effectively inactivated Salmonella, when they were allowed close contact. Mathematical modelling of this interaction is now being used to find new ways of controlling Salmonella.

Iron in primeval seas rusted by bacteria

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:07:07 EDT

Researchers have been able to show for the first time how microorganisms contributed to the formation of the world's biggest iron ore deposits. The biggest known deposits -- in South Africa and Australia -- are geological formations billions of years old. They are mainly composed of iron oxides -- minerals we know from the rusting process. These iron ores not only make up most of the world demand for iron -- the formations also help us to better understand the evolution of the atmosphere and climate, and provide important information on the activity of microorganisms in the early history of life on Earth.

Bacteria may contribute to premature births, STDs

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:24:24 EDT

New research points to a common species of bacteria as an important contributor to bacterial vaginosis, a condition linked to preterm birth and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

Scientists cage dead zebras in Africa to understand the spread of anthrax

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Scavengers might not play as key a role in spreading anthrax through wildlife populations as previously assumed, according to findings from a small study conducted in Etosha National Park in northern Namibia.

Special E. coli bacteria produce diesel on demand

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

It sounds like science fiction but scientists have developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. While the technology still faces many significant commercialization challenges, the diesel, produced by special strains of E. coli bacteria, is almost identical to conventional diesel fuel and so does not need to be blended with petroleum products as is often required by biodiesels derived from plant oils.

Radioactive bacteria targets metastatic pancreatic cancer

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:47:47 EDT

Researchers have developed a therapy for pancreatic cancer that uses Listeria bacteria to selectively infect tumor cells and deliver radioisotopes into them. The experimental treatment dramatically decreased the number of metastases (cancers that have spread to other parts of the body) in a mouse model of highly aggressive pancreatic cancer without harming healthy tissue.

Genetic circuit allows both individual freedom, collective good

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:30:30 EDT

An investigation of the ways bacteria engage in collective decision-making has led researchers to suggest new principles for collective decisions that allow both random behavior by individuals and nonrandom outcomes for the population as a whole. The research suggests that the principles governing bacterial decisions could be relevant for the study of cancer tumorigenesis and collective decision-making by humans.