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The molecular mechanism used by many bacteria to kill neighboring cells has redundancy built into its genetic makeup, which could allow for the mechanism to be expressed in different environments, say researchers at Penn State and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their new study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of competition among bacteria. "Many organisms, including humans, acquire bacteria from their environment," said Tim Miyashiro, a biochemist and molecular biologist at Penn State and the leader of the research team. "These bacteria can contribute to functions within the host organism, like how our gut bacteria help us digest food. We're interested in the interactions among bacteria cells, and between bacteria and their hosts, to better understand these mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships." Cells of the bioluminescent bacteria Vibrio fisheri take up residence in the light organ of newly hatched bobtail squid. At night, the bacteria produce a blue glow that researchers believe obscures a squid's silhouette and helps protect it from predators. The light organ has pockets, or crypts, in the squid's skin that provide nutrients and a safe environment for the bacteria. "When the squid hatches, it doesn't yet have any bacteria in its light organ," said Miyashiro. "But bacteria in the environment quickly colonize the squid's light organ." Some of these different bacteria strains can coexist, but others can't. "Microbial symbioses are essentially universal in animals, and are crucial to the health and development of both partners," says Irwin Forseth, a program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Integrative Organismal Systems, which funded the research. "The results from this study highlight the role small genetic changes can play in microbe interactions. Increased understanding will allow us to better predict organisms' performance in changing environments."

Image credit: Andrew Cecere

Research into mercury has identified two genes in bacteria that appear to be required for turning the metal into its most toxic form, methylmercury. The study adds to a growing body of research that helps us to understand the transformations that mercury undergoes in the environment and the microbes involved in these transformations.

This year, the U.S. reported for the first time that a patient had been infected by bacteria resistant to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort. The announcement followed several years of warnings that current antibiotics aren't diverse enough to fight pathogens as drug resistance spreads. The cover story of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, sums up how researchers are trying to stay ahead of the bugs.

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Researchers have raised concerns that an increase in the use of biocides could reduce their effectiveness and, in some cases, may lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Standard risk assessment methods are urgently needed for the use of biocides in real-life situations, according to the scientists.

New research has indicated that, at its current levels in the environment, a commonly used antibiotic (chlortetracycline) is toxic to freshwater bacteria. Moreover, when combined with four other antibiotics, the collective effect is greater than the sum of the individual effects.

Research into mercury has identified two genes in bacteria that appear to be required for turning the metal into its most toxic form, methylmercury. The study adds to a growing body of research that helps us to understand the transformations that mercury undergoes in the environment and the microbes involved in these transformations.

Halogenated nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs) in water increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics, new research shows. The study found that a strain of bacteria which can cause disease in humans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, increased its resistance to a range of different antibiotics by an average of 5.5 times after the bacteria were exposed to chemicals which form as by-products of common water treatment procedures. The results highlight the risks to public health which these currently unregulated by-products may cause.

Mercury-resistant bacteria could help scientists to understand more about mercury cycling in the environment. In a new study, researchers identified one particular strain of soil bacterium that could serve as a model for the conversion of the toxic metal into less toxic forms. They also discovered a new gene involved in the conversion process.

Fuel spillages and leaks from petroleum storage facilities can lead to serious pollution of soils and underground water. In a recent study, two strains of Rhodococcus bacteria were found to be effective at degrading a number of petroleum hydrocarbons and thus helping clean up contaminated sites.

Some types of bacteria show the potential to act as self-healing agents in concrete, according to a recent study. This could make the construction material more durable and therefore more sustainable.

New low cost methods using bacteria to remove toxic metals from groundwater have been investigated using both actual contaminated groundwater and artificially controlled systems. Environmental conditions, such as changing levels of acidity or alkalinity, can have a significant effect on the removal of toxins, results show.

Bacteria taken from underground petroleum reserves could be used to effectively break down crude oil from spills at sea, new research has found. The study measured the breakdown of crude oil components in simulated seawater by four bacterial strains that had been isolated from petroleum reservoirs, as well as by four genetically modified stains. The findings raise the possibility of tailor-making organisms to clean up specific types of contamination.

A new report released by EWG details just how widespread the use of antibiotics in animals is and the disturbing problems it's causing for humans.

Video: When we use water, much of it must undergo energy-intensive cleaning at a treatment plant before flowing back to the environment. Microbial fuel cells ma

A special sugar in these greens keeps good bacteria happy.

Seafloor-dwelling bacteria may prevent methane from reaching the atmosphere by eating it up.

New study finds that nanoparticles commonly used in antibacterial socks may significantly boost greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers found that rooms exposed to sunlight kept the germ population in check better than rooms that received no sunlight at all.

Nearly two years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster gushed millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, tar balls from the spill still turn up on Alaba

Naturally occurring bacteria gobbled up at least 200,000 tons of oil and natural gas that spewed into the Gulf following the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, a new s

Bacteria live everywhere in your body, including your gut. These microbes have quite an impact on your health. Do you know what they do?

A natural method for battling bacteria like E.coli and salmonella may be on its way.

White-nose syndrome is obliterating American bats, but scientists may have found a ray of hope: bacteria that live on bat wings.

Overall, 90 percent of the ground turkey that the magazine examined had one or more of the five bacteria they tested for.

In their last year of high school, Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao went looking for a solution to their town's plastic waste problem, and found one close to home.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposal that would require makers of soaps to show that their products really work.

FDA bans 19 ingredients including triclosan and triclocarban found in antibacterial soap and suggests washing with plain soap and water.

One of the cleanest places in your home may actually be one of the dirtiest, according to a study that suggests one in five showerheads spews out bacteria.

Japanese scientists have found a special bacteria, Ideonella sakainesis, that likes to eat polyethylene terephthalate, better known as PET.

BIrds and bats don't seem to rely on their gut bacteria for the same things we do.

Bioluminescent art blends science and creativity to create images that can only be seen in the dark.

Imagine your city illuminated at night by glow stick-like lighting generated entirely from living organisms.

Scientists can now add code to bacterial DNA, and the bacteria pass it on to the next generation.

Bacteria can help solar panels convert sunlight to energy, even on overcast days.

Plant waste has been seen as a possible source of sustainable biofuels, now modified E. coli would convert plant waste into fatty acids, and then into fuel.

Copper is so effective, many experts think we should coat hospital beds, railings and other public furniture with an alloy of the metal.

A new study proposes 'the existence of a novel skin-gut axis' that helps our gut bacteria reap the benefits of sunlight.

New study indicates that people should wash and rotate their kitchen towels more frequently

TruClean stops the growth of 99.999% of bacteria & viruses and controls microbial growth for up to 12 months and – has been applied to every surface of the casino, hotel and gas station

Cannabinoids have potent antibacterial properties and studies have shown that cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) have potent effects against antibiotic resistant bacteria which makes it an ideal ingredient to add in the fight against COVID-19

Research Highlights: Researchers have found a specific bacterial profile in the gut of people with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a chronic and progressive disease that causes constriction of arteries in the lungs. The unique bacterial profile...

Materials and Methods are disclosed for producing nanoparticles linked to antibacterial ligands, including antibiotics and/or molecules which bind to bacterial markers, and for the use of the nanoparticles for the treatment of conditions treatable by the antibiotic ligands.

Antibacterial sol-gel coating solutions are used to form articles. The antibacterial sol-gel coating solution includes at least one Ti or Si-containing compound that is capable of hydrolyzing to form a base film; a regulating agent capable of regulating the hydrolysis rate of the Ti or Si-containing compounds, an organic solvent, water, and at least one soluble compound of an antibacterial metal, such as Ag, Cu, Mg, Zn, Sn, Fe, Co, Ni, or Ce.

Compositions and methods, including novel homogeneous microparticulate suspensions, are described for treating natural surfaces that contain bacterial biofilm, including unexpected synergy or enhancing effects between bismuth-thiol (BT) compounds and certain antibiotics, to provide formulations including antiseptic formulations. Previously unpredicted antibacterial properties and anti-biofilm properties of disclosed BT compounds and BT compound-plus-antibiotic combinations are also described, including preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-positive bacterial infections, and distinct preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-negative bacterial infections.

Cells that are in the process division are vulnerable to damage by AC electric fields that have specific frequency and field strength characteristics. The selective destruction of rapidly dividing cells can therefore be accomplished by imposing an AC electric field in a target region for extended periods of time at particular frequencies with particular filed strengths. Some of the cells that divide while the field is applied will be damaged, but the cells that do not divide will not be harmed. This selectively damages rapidly dividing cells like bacteria, but does not harm normal cells that are not dividing. Since the vulnerability of the dividing cells is strongly related to the alignment between the long axis of the dividing cells and the lines of force of the electric field, improved results can be obtained when the field is sequentially imposed in different directions.

Substrates for detecting microorganisms are provided, wherein the substrate comprises a set of molecular markers linked, optionally with linker molecules or moieties, to a di-, or tripeptide consisting of amino acids X1 and X2, or X1, X2 and X3, in which one of them, for example, X1, is a D-amino acid and the others, for example, X2 and X3, may be any D- or L-amino acid. The substrate preferably is used for the detection of Bacillus anthracis. Also provided are substrates for detecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa, wherein the substrate comprises a set of molecular markers linked, optionally with linker molecules or moieties to a tri-, tetra-, or pentapeptide consisting of glycine amino acids. The invention further comprises methods for detecting microorganisms, specifically B. anthracis and P. aeruginosa, with the substrates of the invention and use of the substrate(s) in such a method.

A composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6. A method of administering to an immunosuppressed patient or a patient diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock a composition having a proanthocyanidin. A method of administering to a patient diagnosed with a gram negative bacterial infection a composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6.

The present disclosure is directed toward a composition and method of treating and preventing infection of pathogenic microorganisms and endopyhtic microorganisms in a plant through the use of phosphite compositions.

Microbes are the bacteria that live in our guts. Scientists are learning how they help us process medication.

Why are there so few antivirals? The answer boils down to biology, and specifically the fact viruses use our own cells to multiply. This makes it hard to kill viruses without killing our own cells in the process.