Labslink Research News

Pitt discovery holds potential in destroying drug-resistant bacteria

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:37:17 PDT

Through the serendipity of science, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a potential treatment for deadly, drug-resistant bacterial infections that uses the same approach that HIV uses to infect cells........> Full story

Contact killing of Salmonella by human fecal bacteria

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:13:03 PDT

Our gut is home to trillions of bacteria, numbering more than the cells in the rest of our body, and these bacteria help us to digest our food, absorb nutrients and strengthen our immune system. This complex bacterial ecosystem, called the gut microbiota, also helps to prevent bad bacteria from colonising our bodies and making us ill.......> full story

Research deciphers HIV attack plan

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:16:28 PDT

A new study by Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Pennsylvania scientists defines previously unknown properties of transmitted HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. The viruses that successfully pass from a chronically infected person to a new individual are both remarkably resistant to a powerful initial human immune-response mechanism, and they are blanketed in a greater amount of envelope protein that helps them access and enter host cells.......> Full story

Novel treatment approach for bladder pain using a herpes simplex virus vector reported

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:20:48 PDT

Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication, with the risk of dependency and serious adverse reactions. An alternative treatment strategy increases the levels of a naturally occurring painkiller in and around the nerves........> Full story

Drug-resistant MRSA bacteria -- here to stay in both hospital and community

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:16:52 PDT

The drug-resistant bacteria known as MRSA, once confined to hospitals but now widespread in communities, will likely continue to exist in both settings as separate strains, according to a new study........>Full story

How do bacteria clog medical devices? Very quickly

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:52:42 PDT

A new study has examined how bacteria clog medical devices, and the result isn’t pretty. The microbes join to create slimy ribbons that tangle and trap other passing bacteria, creating a full blockage in a startlingly short period of time......> Full story

Scientists find key to growth of 'bad' bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:11:33 PDT

Scientists have long puzzled over why “bad” bacteria such as E. coli can thrive in the guts of those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causing serious diarrhea. Now UC Davis researchers have discovered the answer—one that may be the first step toward finding new and better treatments for IBD.......> Full story

New, cost-cutting approach to formulating pest-killing fungi

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:08:23 PDT

The approach, dubbed "liquid culture fermentation," offers several benefits, including lower material costs and increased yields of certain forms of insect-killing fungi, including Isaria or Metarhizium, which can serve as biobased alternatives to synthetic pesticides.......> Full story

Bacterial supplement could help young pigs fight disease

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:26:03 PDT

In a study of 36 weanling-age pigs, researchers found that a dose of lipid-producing Rhodococcus opacus bacteria increased circulating triglycerides. Triglycerides are a crucial source of energy for the immune system.......> Full story

Achilles' heel of pathogenic bacteria discovered

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:32:39 PDT

Bacteria in hospitals can pose a major risk to patients: According to estimates of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, up to 600,000 people in Germany alone contract a bacterial infection there every year; 15,000 of them die from the infection......> Full story

RIT scientists decode 3 bacterial strains common to grapevines and sugarcane

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:29:54 PDT

Scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology have published the whole genome sequence of bacteria associated with Jamaican sugarcane and Riesling grapevines in the September and November issues of the Journal of Bacteriology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology........> Full story

OU study suggests the bacterial ecology that lives on humans has changed in the last 100 years

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:07:57 PDT

A University of Oklahoma-led study has demonstrated that ancient DNA can be used to understand ancient human microbiomes. The microbiomes from ancient people have broad reaching implications for understanding recent changes to human health, such as what good bacteria might have been lost as a result of our current abundant use of antibiotics and aseptic practices.......> Full story

Research team recognizes predator-producing bacteria

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:18:55 PDT

A team led by Lora V. Hooper, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and including UT Arlington assistant professor of biology Jorge Rodrigues examined the bacteriophages, or phages, produced by genetic information harbored........> Full story

Deciphering bacterial doomsday decisions

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 14:57:56 PDT

Like a homeowner prepping for a hurricane, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis uses a long checklist to prepare for survival in hard times. In a new study, scientists at Rice University and the University of Houston uncovered an elaborate mechanism that allows B. subtilis to begin preparing for survival, even as it delays the ultimate decision of whether to “hunker down” and withdraw into a hardened spore........> Full story

Video-article shows how to purify magnetic bacteria

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:29:39 PDT

Magnetotactic bacteria, like Magnetospirillum magneticum, have evolved cellular processes that allow them to take up iron molecules to produce magnetic nanocrystals like magnetite. Since they were first discovered and isolated in 1975 by Robert Blakemore, scientists continue to be fascinated by these unique bacteria.......> Full story

Arctic and Southern Oceans appear to determine the composition of microbial populations

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:28:36 PDT

Differing contributions of freshwater from glaciers and streams to the Arctic and Southern oceans appear to be responsible for the fact that the majority of microbial communities that thrive near the surface at the Poles share few common members, according to an international team of researchers, some of whom were supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)........> Full story

Mutation breaks HIV's resistance to drugs

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:24:11 PDT

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can contain dozens of different mutations, called polymorphisms. In a recent study an international team of researchers, including University of Missouri scientists, found that one of those mutations, called 172K, made certain forms of the virus more susceptible........> Full story

New research suggests bacteria are social microorganisms

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:42:10 PDT

New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reveals that some unlikely subjects--bacteria--can have social structures similar to plants and animals........> Full story

New Danish fungal species discovered

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:56:40 PDT

During a mushroom-hunting excursion to Eskebjerg Vesterlyng in 2009, postdoc Jacob Heilman-Clausen from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, was handed a very interesting looking fungus........> Full story

Microbes help hyenas communicate via scent

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:27:33 PDT

The results, featured in the current issue of Scientific Reports, show a clear relationship between the diversity of hyena clans and the distinct microbial communities that reside in their scent glands, said Kevin Theis, the paper’s lead author and Michigan State University postdoctoral researcher........> Full story

African research identifies strong candidate for possible single-dose malaria cure

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:30:13 PDT

A recently discovered compound from the aminopyridine class, code named MMV390048, caused quite a stir at the MMV Expert Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) meeting in Toulouse, France. The compound shows potent activity against multiple points in the malaria parasite’s lifecycle. This means that it not only has the potential to become part of a single-dose cure but might also be able to block transmission of the parasite from person to person. On this basis it was selected by MMV’s ESAC for further development – making it the first compound researched on African soil to enter preclinical development in partnership with MMV.........> Full story

Deadly outbreak of West Nile virus highlights urgent need for more research, funding

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 17:07:06 PDT

Mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) caused 26 deaths already this year, and nearly 700 cases had been reported by mid-August according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). WNV had become "old news" among the public and the media. Furthermore, funding to support research, training and education.......> Full story

UCI microbiologists find new approach to fighting viral illnesses

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:57:39 PDT

By discovering how certain viruses use their host cells to replicate, UC Irvine microbiologists have identified a new approach to the development of universal treatments for viral illnesses such as meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis and possibly the common cold.......> Full story

New bacteria-resistant materials discovered

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:33:47 PDT

Using state-of-the-art technology scientists at The University of Nottingham have discovered a new class of polymers that are resistant to bacterial attachment. These new materials could lead to a significant reduction in hospital infections and medical device failures........> Full story

Frequent traveller: Dysentery-causing bacteria spreading from Europe to Australia

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:52:36 PDT

First author, Dr Kathryn Holt from the University of Melbourne said that the bacterium strain Shingella. sonnei is easily transmitted due to the high levels of drug resistance in developed countries........> Full story

Deadly E. coli strain decoded

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:32:54 PDT

The deadliest E. coli outbreak ever, which caused 54 deaths and sickened more than 3,800 people, was traced to a particularly virulent strain that researchers had never seen in an outbreak before. In the current issue of the academic journal PLoS ONE, a team of researchers led by Shannon Manning, MSU molecular biologist and epidemiologist, suggests a way to potentially tame the killer bacteria.........> Full story

Think pink! Success of pink bacteria in oceans of the world

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:06:39 PDT

Since 2010, scientists of the Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (Leibniz Institute DSMZ German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures) have been working together with marine microbiologists, ecologists, biochemists, geneticists and information technologists.......> Full story

Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:49:48 PDT

Rice University researchers have settled a long-standing controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomaterial in the world, kill bacteria........> Full story

Jekyll and Hyde bacteria aids or kills, depending on chance

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:26:27 PDT

Living in the guts of worms are seemingly innocuous bacteria that contribute to their survival. With a flip of a switch, however, these same bacteria transform from harmless microbes into deadly insecticides......> Full story

Toward an alternative for antibiotics to fight bacterial infections?

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 17:18:51 PDT

Our lab investigates the role of the innate immunity, which is of crucial importance to protect the body against bacteria and other pathogens. We started looking for genetic mutations that lead to an increased sensitivity to infections.......> Full story

Research identifies specific bacteria linked to indoor water-damage and mold

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:38:31 PDT

Bacterial contamination in water-damaged buildings has been identified as a potential cause of health problems, including infection and respiratory conditions like asthma. Which specific bacteria contribute to these problems, however, has been unknown—making it difficult for public health officials to develop tools to effectively address the underlying source of the problem.......> Full story

Zooming in on bacterial weapons in 3-D

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:09:02 PDT

Hundreds of tiny hollow needles sticking out of the bacterial membrane – it is a treacherous tool that makes pathogens causing plague or cholera so dangerous. Together with a base, embedded in the membrane, these miniature syringes constitute the so-called type III secretion system.......> Full story

Fighting bacteria's strength in numbers

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:04:39 PDT

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have opened the way for more accurate research into new ways to fight dangerous bacterial infections by proving a long-held theory about how bacteria communicate with each other.......> Full story

Pulp NonFiction: Fungal analysis reveals clues for targeted biomass deconstruction

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:21:34 PDT

Massive-scale genome sequencing projects supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and being carried out at the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI) highlight the importance of learning how the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin that serve as a plant's infrastructure can be broken down by these forest organisms to extract needed nutrients.......> Full story

Rainforest plant combats multi-resistant bacterial strains

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:46:53 PDT

PhD Jes Gitz Holler from the University of Copenhagen discovered in a research project a compound that targets a particular resistance mechanism in yellow staphylococci. The development of resistance in these specific bacteria is extremely rapid. Bacterial strains that do not respond to treatment have already been found in the USA and Greece........> Full story

Griffith's 3-D microscopy a research breakthrough

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:28:24 PDT

An initiative between the Griffith's School of Information Communication Technology and the Eskitis Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, the technology will allow the automated identification, separation and analysis of cells as complex as nerve cells in the brain.......> Full story

Innovation promises expanded roles for microsensors

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:00:09 PDT

Researchers have learned how to improve the performance of sensors that use tiny vibrating microcantilevers to detect chemical and biological agents for applications from national security to food processing.......> Full story

Dealing with stress: New research highlights the survival skills of disease-causing E. coli

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:08:49 PDT

Escherichia coli bacteria thrive in the lower intestine of humans and other animals, including birds. Most are vital constituents of the healthy gut flora, but certain forms of E. coli cause a range of diseases in both humans and poultry........> Full story

High levels of MRSA bacteria in retail meat products

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:02:39 PDT

Retail pork products in the United States. have a higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA) than previously identified, according to new research by the University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.......> Full story

Ulcer-causing bacteria baffled by mucus

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:57:55 PDT

Even the tiniest microscopic organisms make waves when they swim. In fact, dealing with these waves is a fact of life for the ulcer-causing bacteria H. pylori.......> Full story

Gulf of Mexico topography played key role in bacterial consumption of Deepwater Horizon spill

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:55:14 PDT

When scientist David Valentine and colleagues published results of a study in early 2011 reporting that bacterial blooms had consumed almost all the deepwater methane plumes after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill, some were skeptical........> Full story

How bacteria fight flouride

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:56:05 PDT

Yale researchers have uncovered the molecular tricks used by bacteria to fight the effects of fluoride, which is commonly used in toothpaste and mouthwash to combat tooth decay........> Full story

Researchers create living 'neon signs' composed of millions of glowing bacteria

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:54:13 PDT

In an example of life imitating art, biologists and bioengineers at UC San Diego have created a living neon sign composed of millions of bacterial cells that periodically fluoresce in unison like blinking light bulbs.......> Full story

Close family ties keep microbial cheaters in check, study finds

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:22:52 PDT

Any multicellular animal, from a blue whale to a human being, poses a special challenge for evolution. Most of the cells in its body will die without reproducing; Only a privileged few will pass their genes to the next generation.......> Full story

Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:24:30 PDT

A team of scientists from Oregon has collected microbes from ice within a lava tube in the Cascade Mountains and found that they thrive in cold, Mars-like conditions........> Full story

Timing is everything: Bacterial attachment mimics just-in-time industrial model

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:10:13 PDT

In the human world of manufacturing, many companies are now applying an on-demand, just-in-time strategy to conserve resources, reduce costs and promote production of goods precisely when and where they are most needed.........> Full story

E. coli bacteria engineered to eat switchgrass and make transportation fuels

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:35:09 PDT

A milestone has been reached on the road to developing advanced biofuels that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels with a domestically-produced clean, green, renewable alternative.......> Full story

Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt?

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:17:53 PDT

Bacteria and fungi are remarkably mobile. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that the two organisms enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship to aid them in that movement — and their survival.......> Full story

New compound defeats drug-resistant bacteria

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:16:32 PDT

It’s no wonder that medicine’s effort to combat bacterial infections is often described as an arms race. When new drugs are developed to combat infections, the bacterial target invariably comes up with a deterrent........> Full story

Protection from severe malaria explained

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:20:54 PDT

Why do people with a hereditary mutation of the red blood pigment hemoglobin (as is the case with sickle-cell anemia prevalent in Africa) not contract severe malaria?.......> Full story