Breaking down the microbiology world one bite at a time
Where did viruses come from?
Viruses are surrounding us, yet we do not know their origin. Are giant viruses the missing part to understand virus evolution?
A Deeply Rooted Connection
Plants love bacteria, bacteria love plants back. Who loves who more?
Behind the scenes: Enigma of epigenetics
Epigenetics, a budding field in biology, is the study of the influence of environmental factors on the genes of an organism. Recently, researchers have utilized epigenetics to design new vaccine candidates.
The conversion of xylitol in the human colon
Xylitol metabolism by gut bacteria has unexplored and intriguing benefits.
Computers vs. pathogens: the final frontier?
The role of computers in the fight against multidrug-resistant bacteria – designer proteins enhance the production of key bacteria-killing enzymes.
Plant protein or microbial protein, which is better?
Photovoltaic-driven single-celled protein (PV-SCP) may be a sustainable protein source for the future. But what is PV-SCP and how does it compare with other protein sources?
Microbes eating plastics
Microbes are everywhere, and they have a large repertoire of degrading chemicals. Some microbes can even degrade plastics…
Death of Bacillus subtilis gives rise to new cellular structures
Sometimes, the death of a bacterial cell signifies the beginning of the development of unique cellular structures, known as nanotubes. Read below about Bacillus subtilis and its mechanism for nanotubes production!
Fighting Microbe With Microbe: the Power of Wolbachia.
As microbial pathogens continue to plague the Earth, we have found a way to combat some diseases employing their own kind: bacteria known as Wolbachia.
Targeting tumors with bacterial magnets.
Discover how bacteria and magnets get along to offer hope toward better treatment for cancer.
How tuberculosis evades our immune response
Tuberculosis survives most of what our bodies have to throw at it. What tricks does it employ that other diseases don’t?
Smart slime – memory without a nervous system.
Memory is generally used to describe behavior in organisms with a nervous system. However, a slime mold is capable of encoding the location of (past) food sources in its tube-like body!
Microbes and immune cells battling antibiotic resistance.
From one tissue environment to the next, pathogens are challenged and react in different ways. Researchers have found two novel mechanisms by which the microbiota and immune system interact to protect against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
How Ancient Microbes Can Change the Future of Science.
Current technological advances in the fields of genetics and biology offer exciting opportunities for future research. But can these technologies be applied to study ancient microorganisms?
Prokaryotic origins of science’s biggest gene editing technology
Scientists at a dairy production company discovered that bacteria use CRISPR to defend against viruses.
Competition is the rule in culturable microbes.
In the environment, microbes don’t live alone but rather in a community. But do microbes necessarily cooperate within these communities in order to survive?
There’s no such thing as inefficiency.
All nitrogen in living things is fixed by microorganisms. One enzyme is better at this than the others, so why do others exist at all?
Bioreactors in Bacteria: the Bacterial Microcompartment
To great surprise, many bacteria possess organelles that function as microscopic bioreactors, helping them thrive in niche environments.
An ancient chemical weapon against viral predators.
We’re not so different after all. Researchers have discovered that a human antiviral defense strategy likely originated in earth’s most ancient microbes.
From Antarctica to our freezers.
Have you ever wondered what makes frozen food last so long in the freezer? The answer to this question lies 9,000 miles away in Antarctica.
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