https://phys.org/biology-news/microbiology en-us The latest science news on microbiology and cell biology. Why are so few species able to regenerate damaged or missing body parts, even though regeneration might seem an obvious survival advantage? Researchers at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen, Germany, and colleagues have now found a possible explanation in planarian flatworms. Analyzing head regeneration abilities in a large collection of planarian species, they found that these capacities vary greatly and depend on how the different species reproduce. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-worms-regenerate.html Evolution Cell & Microbiology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 11:27:04 EDT news617020021 The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), a serious respiratory infection, to form snake-like cords was first noted nearly 80 years ago. In a study published October 20 in the journal Cell, investigators report the biophysical mechanisms by which these cords form and demonstrate how several generations of dividing bacteria hang together to create these structures that enable resistance to antibiotics. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-cord-like-aggregates-bacteria-tuberculosis-infections.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 11:00:01 EDT news617009720 The diverse characteristics of the human body's various cells are reflected in their gene expression patterns. The regulation of such gene expression is based on transcription factors that bind to specific sequences in the genome. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-representation-transcription-factor-binding-sequences.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 10:32:01 EDT news617016719 Scientists have discovered flagella in an unexpected place: hot spring-dwelling bacteria from the phylum Chloroflexota. Research shows that flagella were lost in other forms of Chloroflexota that adapted to marine environments hundreds of millions of years ago. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-marine-bacteria-ditched-flagella-traits.html Evolution Cell & Microbiology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:45:48 EDT news617013944 In a Finnish study, significant differences in the gene activity of the fetal intestine, brain and placenta were identified, depending on the microbes in the mother's body and the compounds produced by them. The findings indicate that maternal microbes are important to her offspring's development and health. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-maternal-microbiota-affect-fetal.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:32:02 EDT news617013119 Researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a combinatorial optimization approach to construct and spatially control a cytochrome P450-cytochrome P450 reductase (CYP-CPR) network in an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain to boost quillaic acid production. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-optimizing-cytochrome-p450-network-high-level.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:18:43 EDT news617012321 Controlling the process of destabilization is important when manipulating the unfolding and refolding of proteins in vitro (outside their native environment). To this end, urea and alcohol are used as cosolvents, substances added in small amounts along with water, to destabilize and denature proteins. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-modulation-protein-stability-approach-cosolvent.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:37:03 EDT news616952222 Touch plays a fundamental role in our physical, emotional, and social well-being. From a primary way of conveying emotions to sensory integration, it is crucial for the complex growth of cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral abilities especially during the early development of infants and children. Touch allows us to build connections with others, eases pain and stress, and helps us to understand the world around us giving crucial information such as the texture, temperature, and shape of objects. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-rigidity-function-protein-condensates-involved.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:49:42 EDT news616934978 Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have created a cutting-edge platform consisting of a dual-laser nonlinear optical microscope to investigate the dynamics of muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) during the process of muscle regeneration. This breakthrough has identified new mechanisms of MuSC behavior in muscle repair, paving the way for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies for muscle-related disorders. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-microscope-platform-unveil-intricacies-skeletal.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:15:05 EDT news616932784 Scientists at Tufts University School of Medicine have developed a genome-scale metabolic model or "subway map" of key metabolic activities of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Using this map, they have successfully identified two compounds that selectively target routes only used by Lyme disease to infect a host. Their research was published October 19 in the journal mSystems. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-subway-lyme-disease-pathways-potential.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:00:01 EDT news616926170 A Ph.D. researcher at the University of St Andrews studying microbes in the human gut has discovered a new molecule that acts as a "distress signal" when viruses are detected. The research is published in the journal Nature. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-molecule-combats-viral-infection.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:57:03 EDT news616931821 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse group of cell surface proteins in humans. These receptors, which can be seen as "traffic directors," transmit signals from the outside to the inside of cells and are involved in many physiological processes. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-function-human-cell-surface-protein.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:38:04 EDT news616930681 Bcl-2 family proteins are highly conserved molecules that play a crucial role in regulating the release of apoptotic proteins from mitochondria. They possess Bcl-2 homology (BH) domains, which are characterized by both sequence and structural similarities, and are essential for their interactions and functions. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-structure-destabilizing-mutations-bcl-antiapoptotic-protein.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:09:02 EDT news616928941 Microorganisms that live on or in plant tissues form what is known as a plant microbiome. This interface plays an important role in plants' survival due to the existence of beneficial microorganisms. Plants grown in distinct environments can have similar microbiomes or can change over time depending on environmental factors. This complex microbial community assembles and changes by exchanging signals between the host and microbes. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-kingdoms-microbiome.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 19 Oct 2023 06:44:15 EDT news616916652 Scientists have breathed new life into the study of a protein with an outsized link to human cancers because of its dangerous mutations, using advanced research techniques to detect its hidden regions. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-revealing-secrets-key-cancer-protein.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:28:04 EDT news616847281 A new study finds that greenspace—the vegetation in a neighborhood's yards, parks and public spaces—has a positive impact on a key genetic marker associated with exposure to stress. However, the study also finds that the positive impact of greenspace isn't enough to compensate for other environmental challenges, such as air pollution. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-greener-neighborhoods-usat-cellular.html Ecology Cell & Microbiology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:26:03 EDT news616847161 Researchers led by Prof. Zhu Ping from the Institute of Biophysics and Prof. Feng Yingang at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, both under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have revealed a unique, hitherto-unknown bacterial transcriptional promoter recognition mode by distinct σI factors in Clostridium thermocellum, both with respect to domain organization and binding mode to promoter DNA. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-reveal-unique-hitherto-unknown-bacterial-transcriptional.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:07:34 EDT news616846052 A microscopic discovery will not only enable scientists to understand the microbial world around us but could also provide a new way to control CRISPR-Cas biotechnologies. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-uncover-viruses-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:00:02 EDT news616844968 A research team led by Professor Megumu K. Saito (Department of Clinical Application) examined the dynamic transcriptional and epigenetic landscape during definitive hematopoiesis and revealed the non-redundant roles of ZEB2 and MEIS1 vital to producing hematopoietic stem cells from the hemogenic endothelium. The study is published in the journal iScience. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-delineating-dynamic-transcriptional-epigenetic-landscape.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:46:49 EDT news616844807 Lysosomes, tiny compartments within cells known as the garbage disposals for molecules that need to be degraded, are critical to cell function and a person's health; disruption of lysosomal protein function is linked to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Identifying how mutations in the genes coding for these proteins lead to disorders could provide scientists not only a better understanding of disease, but also a path to new treatments. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-lysosomal-protein-driver-neurodegenerative-diseases.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:39:02 EDT news616844338 A research group from the University of Turku and Turku Bioscience Center together with Misvik Biology Ltd in Finland have developed a new method for studying how cancer cells function in softer and stiffer tissue environments. This insight challenges the existing paradigm, opening up new possibilities for research in cancer biology and tissue engineering. The results of the study have been published in PNAS. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-secrets-cell-behavior-soft-substrates.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:31:03 EDT news616843861 Different strains of E. coli can outcompete one another to take over the gut, a new study reveals. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-multi-drug-resistant-strain-coli-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:00:01 EDT news616756154 An innovative paint that contains oxygen-producing bacteria capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) has been created by scientists from the University of Surrey. Researchers suggest this paint, known as a "biocoating," could be used in extreme environments, such as space stations. This study was published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-bacteria-pave-oxygen-capturing-carbon.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:02:13 EDT news616752131 Blue light kills both dried cells and biofilms of the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, a frequent contaminant of food processing facilities. Demise of L. monocytogenes occurred quickest when cells or biofilms were placed on polystyrene, a widely used, transparent form of plastic. The research is published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology,. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-pathogen-plagues-food-eradicated-blue.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:00:02 EDT news616750901 The legendary Alexander Fleming, who famously discovered penicillin, once said "never to neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening." And the path of science often leads to just that. New UNLV research is turning the page in our understanding of harmful bacteria and how they turn on certain genes, causing disease in our bodies. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-triggers-bacterial-pathogens-door.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:21:06 EDT news616742460 Single-cell and spatially resolved omics have helped scientists take a closer look at tissue composition, structure, and function. This comprehensive understanding paves the way for them to uncover some intricate and previously unknown disease mechanisms. Three articles in the most recent special issue of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis (JPA) discuss how single-cell and spatially resolved omics help unravel intercellular dynamics, aiding the development of novel therapeutic modalities. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-uncovering-previously-unexplored-cellular-mechanisms.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:38:28 EDT news616693104 The bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is an extremely dangerous pathogen that is found, among other places, in hospitals. Many of the bacterial strains are resistant to different classes of antibiotics. Infections with Acinetobacter baumannii were first observed on a greater scale during the Iraq War and have increased worldwide at a rapid pace ever since. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-deep-slumber-hospital-pathogen-infections.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:12:04 EDT news616691522 As biologists learn more about how microbial communities work together, a major goal is understanding how their composition determines function. What combination of strains and species makes the best team for breaking down pollutants, for example, or fighting off infections? For years, scientists attempted to crack this problem with calculations about how microbial species interact with each other, but the nearly endless potential combinations of microbes in each community render these calculations nearly impossible. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-function-microbial-communities-simpler.html Ecology Cell & Microbiology Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:05:03 EDT news616691102 Exercise. Social connections. Sunscreen. It seems there is no shortage of advice on how to stay young, but among scientists, the exact physiology behind aging remains unknown. Tufts Now asked biology professor Mitch McVey to decode the latest and most popular explanations for why all living species gradually decline, and share his views on the true aims of aging research. Hint: it's not immortality. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-qa-demystifying-biology-older.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:02:49 EDT news616687357 A new publication from a Montana State University scientist deepens existing knowledge of an ancient life-form and how it continues unique ecological processes today. The paper, titled "Methanogens acquire and bioaccumulate nickel during reductive dissolution of nickelian pyrite," was published Oct. 13 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-ancient-microbes-important-metals-environment.html Evolution Cell & Microbiology Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:15:03 EDT news616684501