Tag Archives: bacteria
BioID screen for bacterial virulence proteins: new tools for infectious disease research
The discovery of penicillin in the 1920s revolutionized our ability to treat bacterial infection. However despite the introduction of antibiotics, infectious bacterial pathogens remain an immense challenge for the healthcare community. The incidence of infection by antibiotic-resistant
The epibiome of endangered corals reflects their genotype
If you have vaguely followed the recent news on climate change, you have probably heard about the worldwide decline of coral reefs. Coral reefs are the backbone of important ecosystems across the globe, as they host ~1/4
Purification and characterization of a better-behaved Alzheimer’s disease protein
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an incurable disease that causes memory, reasoning and thinking to deteriorate over time. AD is marked by brain atrophy and plaque-like deposits of a small peptide called amyloid beta (Aß) outside of brain
The olive fruit fly is never alone! Can its bacterial symbionts be useful in managing this olive pest?
The notion of individual has changed trough time, and truly, we are never alone as most organisms are entangled in symbioses. As first used in 1879 by Anton de Bary, symbiosis refers to close, long-term associations between
Antibiotic tolerance in bacteria: how to regain susceptibility?
Bacteria use a plethora of mechanisms to evade killing by antibiotics. Resistance is the best documented mechanism. Here, genetic changes in the bacterial DNA result in antibiotic insensitivity. As a consequence, resistant bacteria are able to grow
Brand new weaponry in our arsenal: nanopatterns to combat biomaterial-associated infections
Humankind has witnessed unprecedented breakthroughs in (bio)medical sciences during the 20th and 21st centuries. A significant increase in life expectancy has cultivated the seeds of eagerness to live longer and healthier in the collective mind of humans.
Root nodules of plants grown on salt–affected soils: A useful source for isolating salinity tolerant N2–fixing non–rhizobial bacteria
Salinity is one of the most significant environmental challenges limiting plant productivity, particularly in arid and semi–arid climates. Soil salinity affects about 800 million hectares of arable lands worldwide. Therefore, there is a need to exploit the
How do spaghetti-like bacteria regulate their size?
Why is your thumb longer than your pinky? Answering this question and, more in general, to understand how tissues/organs regulate their size and proportions, requires to understand how individual cells control their size. Bacteria are probably the
Counting choline: why this nutrient is important and how we can measure it
Choline is an important nutrient for the growth and sustenance of living things, from humans to bacteria. Cells covert choline into phosphocholine via the activity of the enzyme choline kinase, and a change of other enzyme mediated
A drug resistance gene mediates stringent response in bacteria
Mycobacteria represent an important group of bacteria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), infects about a third of the world population, of which 5% to 15% develop active disease. Furthermore, a rapid emergence of multidrug
Apple cider vinegar can help clear bacteria and yeast infections; a natural cure
Antibiotic resistance poses a major health issue worldwide. There has never been a greater need for new anti-microbials which are natural, active on multiple organisms and ideally beneficial to the patient. Bacteria such as E-Coli, Staphylococcus aureus
Novel biophysical assay reveals that bacterial cell wall maintaining proteins change interaction conformation based on activity
Bacterial infections are increasingly difficult to treat with antibiotics due to antibiotic resistance. Knowledge on how of bacteria multiply needs to be profoundly expanded as a requirement for the development of new methods for the discovery of
Heavy metal resistant–plant growth promoting bacteria as an alternative strategy for decreasing accumulation of metals in plant tissues
In the present era, pollution of water, soil and air with heavy metals is increasing rapidly. Industrialization and technological advancement have caused serious damage to the ecosystem by releasing large quantities of heavy metals (i.e., cadmium, chromium,
How to turn bacterial metabolism into a deadly antibacterial weapon
The development of bacterial infections on and around biomedical materials, ranging from hip implants to wound dressings, is a large and growing problem. Biomaterial-associated infections are challenging to treat because bacteria tend to form colonies, called biofilms,
Bacteria with a split personality outsmart the immune system
Bacteria, whether beneficial or harmful, must adapt to changes in their environment in order to survive. This is especially true for bacteria that reside within the human respiratory tract. The bacterium nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, or NTHI, asymptomatically
Can the chloroplast division machinery be evolutionarily dated back to bacteria?
The chloroplast, known to have originated around a billion years ago, is now one of the most recognizable characteristics of the plant cell. After the engulfment of the ancient cyanobacterium by the eukaryotic host cell, the former
Bacterial melanin in dark-colored sponges: Ecological significance and biomedical applications
Sponges are second dominant to corals in terms of biomass in many coral reef ecosystems. They play a significant role in maintaining the health of reef ecosystems through processing of waste generated in the system by continuous
Transcription modulation in Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri
Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (X. citri) is a Gram-negative bacterium and the etiological agent of citrus canker, a severe disease that affects all the commercially important citrus varieties with worldwide distribution. The best method to control the
Many solutions to the same problem – cellular response to environmental challenges
When in contact with a hot object, our immediate response is to withdraw our hand. This instinctive reaction is an example of how external environment shapes our actions. In a similar fashion, bacteria are constantly monitoring and
The distressful life of FtsZ-deprived bacteria
Failure to assemble a division septum occurs in Escherichia coli cells when their supply of FtsZ is blocked. FtsZ, ancestor of eukaryotic Tubulin, is the main component of the divisome, the molecular machinery that drives septation in
