Archives

• Social dynamics within a beehive are rooted in the gut February 6, 2023
  Bees got buzz on the brain thanks to their gut microbiome!
• Acne, Antibiotics and Weak Bones January 30, 2023
  Antibiotics used to combat adolescent acne, can lead to serious problems in the development of the skeletal system. Read on to know more.
• Multicellular bacteria January 23, 2023
  While bacteria are unicellular organisms, sometimes they form multicellular entities to survive.
• MicroBites is 2! January 16, 2023
  MicroBites 2 year anniversary! Let’s have a look at the past two years in numbers.
• Demystifying death with BMI And Other Intrinsic Factors January 4, 2023
  Our unique body composition complicates solving mysteries even beyond death. Let’s explore how!
• A yeasty alternative to feeding astronauts December 26, 2022
  Eating microbes may not sound appealing but read on to learn about how it is actually a sustainable alternative to keeping astronauts fed in space!
• The Gel-ous Antibiotic December 19, 2022
  Read how a novel antibiotic’s gel diminishes its potency and how a prodrug analogue circumvents this issue to save the day!
• The lung no more!  December 13, 2022
  Goodbye oxygen, Hello carbon dioxide!
• Dusting off microbes December 5, 2022
  Learn about the different microbes in workspace dust and how they affect human health!
• Tiny surgeons battle cancer November 21, 2022
  Imagine an army of miniature fighters entering your body and battling cancer with precision and minimum side effects.
• Did flooding force bacterial multicellularity? November 7, 2022
  Environments can change lifestyles. Read on to learn about how the proximity of a flowing river allowed a novel bacterial species to embark on a multicellular journey.
• The Rise of Soil Microbes From the Ashes October 31, 2022
  Learn how wildfires change soil microbiota and what that means for our forests going forward!
• Resisting cadmium like a champ October 24, 2022
  A take on the proteins through which the bacterium Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus defies cadmium toxicity.
• Maternal instincts October 17, 2022
  During pregnancy, mothers produce a powerful antibody to protect their newborns from infection
• Recurrent UTIs and GI microbiome October 10, 2022
  Could the awful fiery burn of recurrent UTIs be linked with the gastrointestinal microbiome?
• Bacteria, Biofilms and forensic PMSI October 3, 2022
  Let’s demystify the role of bacteria on carcass – biofilms in forensic microbiology.
• Solved: A Mangrovial Microbial Mystery September 19, 2022
  Read on to learn how the biggest bacterium in town, Thiomargarita magnifica, is changing what we consider a microbe to be.
• Links Between Diseases and Bacteria in your Mouth September 12, 2022
  The role bacteria in your mouth play in the development of illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.
• Bacterial testament – the DNA of historical pathogens September 5, 2022
  Scientists recover the ancient DNA of an Escherichia coli strain from the gallstone of a Renaissance mummy.
• Recording the gut with bacterial cameras August 29, 2022
  Live streaming from the gut microbiome: harnessing engineered bacteria to record and report on gut health
• Micro-G and bacterial machinery  August 22, 2022
  Astro meets micro: A look at the ways that space factor- microgravity influences bacterial metabolism.
• When a curse becomes a blessing August 15, 2022
  Lessons learned from Alzheimer’s disease gave us hints to killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• Microbes, worms and plastic August 8, 2022
  Plastic pollution needs immediate attention worldwide. “Reduce, reuse, recycle” is still the best way forward. Scientists have recently found that worms and their gut bacteria can collectively degrade plastic.
• Disrupting pathogens with RNAs August 1, 2022
  Tiny molecules called sRNAs can prove to be very useful in reducing infections.
• Health in space and why bacteria play a role in it July 25, 2022
  Astronauts and their microbiomes are inseparable even in space. But what happens when Streptococcus mutans rebel against peaceful life in the human body?
•  Guardians of Your Bodyguard July 20, 2022
  Even your internal bodyguard can’t survive without bacteria. Recent work shows that a bacterial molecule in our gut helps guard our guardians.
• A song of gut and bacteria July 18, 2022
  While our gut bacteria have their own rhythm, they adapt to the surroundings by matching their beat and creating a unique song. Ultimately, this song benefits both the microbes and our gut.
• Tumor-fighting bacteria July 11, 2022
  Engineering a new way to fight cancer: Using bacteria as a vehicle to transport cancer-killing cargo directly to tumors, on remote command.
• Evolution of the human pathogenic lifestyle in fungi July 6, 2022
  What ticked fungi to shift towards the human host system to thrive as opportunistic pathogens over time? Here’s an overview.
• Phages reinterpret the genetic code  July 4, 2022
  The genetic code is highly conserved. However, some bacteria-infecting viruses called phages have redefined the code, possibly to fine-tune the timing of lifestyle transitions.
• Soils: Sources or Sinks of Methane? June 29, 2022
  Using omics’ to quantify methane fluxes in soils.
• World microbiome day 2022! June 27, 2022
  Enter the world of microbiomes and celebrate this day with us!
• Run-reverse-wrap! A swimming pathogen story. June 20, 2022
  Researchers discover a new type of swimming movement that boosts an efficient spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic human pathogen.
• Honeybee’s learning and memory rely on gut bacteria June 13, 2022
  Poor memory, could this be related to our gut microbiome? Recent research suggests a role of the gut microbiome in governing host’s social behavior and brain function.
• Dirt(y) plastics June 6, 2022
  Plastics in the oceans gain a lot of attention, but what is the effect of plastics on microbial communities in the soil?
• Therapeutic potential of probiotic-like drugs May 30, 2022
  The use of live biotherapeutic products is a developing strategy to treat challenging diseases. Administration of one such drug, called VE303, could become successful against recurrent C. difficile infections.
• Four antibiotics and the intestinal microbiota May 23, 2022
  The ironic role of orally administered antibiotics: savior or destroyer of our gut?
• Relationship Advice from Mucus May 16, 2022
  Healthy relationships require a fine balance between communication and boundaries. Get the best tips from mucus, mediator of our relationship with our gut microbes.
• When #2 can be your #1 solution… May 4, 2022
  Your Best Friend’s #2 could be your #1 solution to fight C-Diff infections; exploring the success of fecal transplantation for the treatment of recurrent C Diff infection.
• Attack strategy 101 of the debutant phage SI01 May 2, 2022
  Recently isolated novel phage SI01 is now here to provide some insights into how phages regulate algal growth in oceans.
• Soil protists as indicators of pollution April 27, 2022
  Although scientists know a lot about soil, the same cannot be said about soil protists. Read about these peculiar microorganisms, and how they can help with identifying polluted land areas.
• Tale of a troubled microbe April 25, 2022
  Microbes converse through the exchange of metabolites. Who knew that a simple conversation could improve the drug tolerance of microbes?
• Veillonella takes you to the Olympics! April 20, 2022
  Could your gut microbiome make you run faster or even take you to the Olympics?
• Fire! A close up look at bacterial spearguns April 18, 2022
  Spring-loaded: bacterial spearguns are ready to fire! Getting a closer look at molecular nanomachines that act as spearguns.
• An Abundant Marine Microbe Makes its Own Oxygen April 13, 2022
  This marine microbe is able to make its own oxygen in a low oxygen environment. And it can use it to its own advantage.
• Squirreling into the gut of ground squirrels April 11, 2022
  Ground squirrels are known to hold on to long periods of hibernation through the strategic help of ureolytic bacteria. Here’s the why and how this connection is important to us.
• The Bacteriophage’s gambit April 6, 2022
  Bacteriophages strategically use the protein signalling system to determine when it’s best for them to proliferate or to stay dormant
• Intraterrestrials – microbes living under our feet April 4, 2022
  Don’t you mean extra-terrestrials? Well, humans have been looking for life outside our planet, but there’s also life inside it.
• A Voice for Protists March 30, 2022
  Uncover just how widespread and versatile protists can be thanks to metabarcoding.
• Cleansing the Water from Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) March 23, 2022
  Disinfection technologies in wastewater treatment plants can contribute to the removal of microbes and their ARGs. How do we respond to resistant microbes that are still determined to survive the treatment?
• The future is green March 21, 2022
  World, where all processes are carbon-neutral, is closer than you think! Learn how and why algae are important for this transition.
• A probiotic cream to treat acne March 16, 2022
  Skin conditions like acne have been treated with antibiotics for a long time. Alternative treatments are possible now with emerging knowledge about the beneficial effects of bacteria like Lactobacilli.
• ‘You are what you eat.’ March 14, 2022
  Can bat gut microbiomes provide proof for this generalized truth? Bats with different dietary specializations have ‘distinct’ microbiomes that suit their nutritional pathways. So it turns out that you might indeed be what you eat… but it is not as straightforward as that.
• Secret growth stimulators March 7, 2022
  Most trees form an intimate relationship with fungi. Researchers have now shown for the first time how important this partnership is for the growth of trees.
• An arms race between SARS-CoV-2 and our immune systems February 28, 2022
  New covid-19 variants keep on arising and spreading, but can our bodies still recognize these variants and protect us from serious disease?
• Next-level gene editing with DARTs February 23, 2022
  Genome editing just reached a whole new level: Instead of targeting isolated bacteria, researchers developed tools to target them in their natural communities.
• Meeting the ancestors February 21, 2022
  What was the physiology of the very first bacterium? Turns out that it was not as different as you might have imagined! Read about Last Bacterial Common Ancestor to understand how it gave rise to millions of bacterial species that you know today.
• Martyrs of infection February 18, 2022
  Just like the outer skin heals itself after a wound, there is an inner skin that has its mechanisms to protect itself from infections.
• No sex life means less diversity? February 16, 2022
  The tree of life is not uniform. Some groups contain many species and others, like microbes, a lot less… Are multicellularity and sex driving these differences?
• Best Buds and Flaky Friends February 14, 2022
  Our crops have microbial friends that keep microbial enemies at bay. But who is a friend and who is an enemy? It all comes down to communication.
• A Day in the Life of a Spaniard’s Microbiome February 9, 2022
  Everyone’s microbiome is unique — changing based on factors like diet. This article focuses on a Spaniard’s microbiome and what makes it stand out.
• Honey, I killed the bacteria. February 7, 2022
  Did you know honey has antibacterial properties? Well, its way of action has to do with how bacteria communicate.
• Living on Air February 4, 2022
  Scientists explain fascinating mechanisms of survival of bacteria in the unforgiving environment of Antarctica.
• The Space-Faring Fungus: Aspergillus niger February 2, 2022
  A common fungi’s superpower unleashed! Learn here what made it better than humans for space travel.
• MicroBites is 1! January 31, 2022
  MicroBites 1 year anniversary! Let’s have a look at the past year in numbers.
• Bitter-sweet resistance January 26, 2022
  Antibiotic resistance has been the hot topic of the current century. Recent research has shown that microbial interactions can modulate the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics.
• Kefir – A fermented drink with many health benefits January 24, 2022
  Is the rising popularity of kefir’s ‘proposed’ health/weight loss benefits backed by science or too good to be true?
• Your gut bacteria are little drug depots. January 19, 2022
  Therapeutic drugs can accumulate in gut bacteria, altering bacterial physiology and community composition, and potentially reducing the effectiveness of the drug.
• Count von Count counts all the phages January 17, 2022
  Phage Lambda uses genetic interactions to perform something human children need years to learn: counting.
• Geometry vs Bacteria and Fungi… Who will win? January 10, 2022
  Scientists already know that the soil is full of microorganisms, and that these microorganisms need to adapt and act fast to survive in this complex environment. Learn here how space and geometry can influence bacterial and fungal growth.
• The bacterial community of your old chewing gum January 5, 2022
  Scientists discover the microbial communities that exist within old, discarded chewing gum. Their work could have implications for the bioremediation of chewing gum pollution.
• A Microbe’s Gift of Life December 27, 2021
  Do you know these moments where you get gifts, and only realize three billion years later how to use them?
• Bacteria to the rescue: helping corals survive warming oceans December 20, 2021
  Probiotics are already used to improve human health but could they help corals survive climate change?
• Moving across borders: how bacterial genes become mobile December 15, 2021
  Microbes can undergo changes in their genetic composition. Mobile Genetic Elements can facilitate these changes. Is this just another travel route for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes?
• Positive news on the social life of bacteria December 13, 2021
  Negative interactions between bacteria were thought to be the rule… Until now.
• Conversations with microbes December 8, 2021
  Can scientists predict composition of a microbial community for a specific habitat? Researchers have shown that by using mathematical models and simulations, interactions amongst various microbes can be estimated relatively accurately.
• Winning Tiny “Dirt-y” Battles December 6, 2021
  Scientists uncover how a bacterium, living within a soil-dwelling fungus, protects its host from predatory nematodes.
• Desert microbes can help with fighting climate change December 1, 2021
  What mysteries are hidden under layers of sand in a desert? Scientists believe that microorganisms that live in this environment can help the human population to avoid the crisis of climate change.
• A two-pronged approach to antibiotic resistance November 29, 2021
  Antibiotics have revolutionized the treatment of deadly infectious diseases, but does that mean that these diseases are only a thing of the past?
• Fermented food fighting for us – Part II November 29, 2021
  Fermented foods are famous for helping with proper gastrointestinal function, but can they help with respiratory infections, like COVID?
• Flesh of the Fallen. November 22, 2021
  Many human cultures consider cannibalism unethical. Bacterial cultures have a different take.
• The collateral damage of antibiotics. November 15, 2021
  Scientists analyzed the “collateral damage” of antibiotics on our gut microbiome and identified potential antidotes to protect our gut bacteria.
• Improving wine with a cocktail of microorganisms November 10, 2021
  Wine is made by the fermentation of microorganisms, but do you know that the species used or association of several species can impact wine aromatic quality ?
• Life After Death: Using the Human Microbiome as a Forensics Tool November 8, 2021
  We are never alone…even in the moment of death. Our microbiomes stay with us until the last second. Interestingly enough, the moment we die, our “microbial clocks” start ticking! Learn more about this unique clock and how it can help forensic scientists solve cases in the future.
• Keeping an eye for the gut microbiota! November 1, 2021
  The gut microbiota is full of surprises! Already proven to be linked with our immunity and metabolism disorders such as obesity or diabetes, it seems like it could also affect our eyes…
• Where did viruses come from? October 27, 2021
  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 October 25, 2021
  Plants love bacteria, bacteria love plants back. Who loves who more?
• Behind the scenes: Enigma of epigenetics October 20, 2021
  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 October 18, 2021
  Xylitol metabolism by gut bacteria has unexplored and intriguing benefits.
• Computers vs. pathogens: the final frontier? October 13, 2021
  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? October 11, 2021
  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 October 6, 2021
  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 October 4, 2021
  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. September 29, 2021
  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. September 27, 2021
  Discover how bacteria and magnets get along to offer hope toward better treatment for cancer.
• How tuberculosis evades our immune response September 22, 2021
  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. September 20, 2021
  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. September 15, 2021
  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. September 13, 2021
  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 September 6, 2021
  Scientists at a dairy production company discovered that bacteria use CRISPR to defend against viruses.