Tag Archives: bacteria

Non-destructive inspection of metabolic status in bacteria using luciferase reporter

Bacteria are able to utilize various carbon sources, and change the intracellular metabolic fluxes depending on the availability. Whereas much effort has been taken to understand the underlying mechanisms, most parts of them are still elusive and

Rapid monitoring of bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility with quantum semiconductor biochips

Public Health authorities sound the alarm over the increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics and project a dark picture back to the pre-antibiotic era. One avenue of solutions proposed is to identify the spectrum of susceptibility to antibiotics

In the pursuit of personalized medicine; New technologies to study the gut microbiome

Humans have a symbiotic relationship with microbes that reside in and on our bodies.  The human digestive tract contains as many as 1014 of bacterial cells, making it one of the densest and most diverse microbial communities

How bacteria swim

Bacteria are the smallest free-living (self-replicating) organisms. Most swim in aqueous media by rotating flagella, long thin filaments driven at their base by rotary motors. In most cases, the filaments are helical and extend out into the

Towards developing an ultimate optical method for bacteria detection

Microorganism detection is an essential task for wide range areas of human activities driven by economic and healthcare factors. Total Viable Count (TVC) method is a benchmark in microbiology, which is based on visual observation of the

Panorama on camp sensation of Bacteria

Since the first six decades of the twentieth century,the autonomous unicellular organisms, bacteria with unimaginable computational and evolutionary capabilities along with collective behavior has been running. Do not consider them to be small, simple and stupid because

Bacterial infection can be diagnosed and the severity evaluated using WBC count and left shift

In the event of bacterial infection, large numbers of neutrophils migrate from the blood to the infected site in order to destroy the invading microorganism and thus protect the host. The neutrophils removed from the peripheral blood

Attenuated bacteria as a DNA-delivery system for Chagas disease vaccine

Chagas disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) one of the most neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Prevalent in developing countries, it has a major social and economic impact in

Inhibitors that reduce the acquisition of antibiotic resistance

The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance is a worldwide crisis, endangering the efficacy of antibiotic treatment. A recent article in Scientific America (December 16, 2014) highlights the importance of developing strategies for reducing antibiotic resistance and prolonging

Staphylococcal biofilms: building up “bacterial cities” through a proteinaceous matrix scaffold

Do you know that bacteria, microscopic organisms not visible by the human naked eye, can live in complex communities just like we humans do? They are perfectly able to stick together, grow and multiply in what is

Laser tool magnifies bacterial genotypic alteration as a colony phenotype

Gene manipulation tools are routinely used to create genetically engineered bacteria to understand the function of a gene or its role in pathogenesis in case of an infective microbe. Genetic engineering and manipulation of genes have been

Artilysin®s as a novel enzyme-based approach to kill drug-resistant bacteria

In recent years world leading health care authorities have warned the global community about the threat of antimicrobial resistance. We risk being cast back into the dark ages when minor infections and injuries were often lethal. However,

Microfluidic “plaque-on-a-chip” with pH new imaging concept probes individual factors in tooth decay

Your teeth are covered in biofilm called plaque. This biomaterial consists of bacteria in a protective matrix of proteins, polysaccharides and other long organic molecules. When you eat or drink, bacterial respiration and other metabolic processes convert

Dining at extraordinary locations: new species of bacteria on fatty diet

Birds are among the most popular organisms on earth. Their majestic appearance, lovely songs as well as the ability to fly have always thrilled people making them one of the most thoroughly investigated classes of the animal

Erythrocytes, not leukocytes, clear bacteria from blood circulation

After discovery of phagocytosis by Elie Metchnikoff in 1882, it has become an axiom that in human body white blood cells (leukocytes) are the main cells that engulf and destroy bacteria and other pathogens. But until recently, there has

Are the physicochemical properties and bacteriological composition of composts linked?

Compost is the product of composting, which is a biological process to valorize and recycle a variety of organic wastes. Given the benefits of composting numerous industrial units have been commercializing this type of product. The parameters

Fecal microbial transplantation: a novel approach to eradicate antibiotic-resistant gut bacteria

The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century had an enormous impact on modern medicine, dramatically reducing mortality associated with infections.  However, the emergence of drug – resistant pathogens has occurred due to greater availability and

Diversity and function of bacteria living inside a plant relevant for soil remediation of metals

Salt marshes are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth and are sometimes subjected to pollution. The vegetation in this type of environment is, as a consequence, highly specialized to endure its surroundings. For over four decades,

How do bacteria divide and multiply?

Bacteria interact with our bodies every day, resulting in both positive and negative outcomes. We rely on the billions of beneficial bacteria in our microbiome to support our digestion and immunity. At the same time, pathogenic bacteria

Intracellular/surface proteins in pathogens: Another purpose in another place?

Bacteria use proteins on their surface to interact with host cells and tissues during infection. Proteins on the bacterial cell surface can also be good targets for developing new vaccines. The significance of surface proteins prompted many