Bacteria – Page 9 – PossibleThreat Articles

Genomic migration analysis shows antibiotic resistance moving from humans to animals

September 17, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Evolutionary Biology, Genes, Human Biology, Infectious Diseases, Medical Topics, Microbes and More, Wild Animals

New results show that human-acquired antibiotic resistance genes are being transmitted to livestock, companion animals and wildlife. Researchers analyzed a global set of 901 genome sequences of the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae (aka group B Strep) from nine different host species — humans, cows, dogs, fish, frogs, gray seals, dolphins, goats and a camel — to better understand the transmission process. Streptococcus agalactiae can cause life-threatening illnesses.

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The effects of variation in T6SS and bacteria on competition in host environment

September 17, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Botany, Endangered Plants, Extreme Survival, Genetically Modified, Microbes and More, Microbiology

A group of scientists studying the ways plant-associated bacteria interact were surprised to find that strains predicted to be more sensitive to bacteria were able to coexist with aggressor strains.

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How nitrogen-fixing bacteria sense iron

September 17, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Biology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Cell Biology, Fungus, Molecular Biology, Organic, Soil Types

New research reveals how nitrogen-fixing bacteria sense iron – an essential but deadly micronutrient. The findings are an important piece in the puzzle of how life deals with iron, a nutrient it cannot do without but one it must also avoid having in excess.

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Genetically engineered plasmid can be used to fight antimicrobial resistance

September 16, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, CRISPR Gene Editing, Diabetes, Engineering, Genes, Infectious Diseases, Organic Chemistry

Researchers have engineered a plasmid to remove an antibiotic resistance gene from the Enterococcus faecalis bacterium, an accomplishment that could lead to new methods for combating antibiotic resistance.

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Sweet success of parasite survival could also be its downfall

September 16, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Biology, HIV and AIDS, Immune System, Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, Pests and Parasites, Pharmacology

Scientists have discovered how a parasite responsible for spreading a serious tropical disease protects itself from starvation once inside its human host. The findings provide a new understanding of the metabolism of the Leishmania parasite and this new knowledge could potentially be used in its eradication.

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Antibiotic resistance surges in dolphins, mirroring humans

September 15, 2019 0 Comments Bacteria, Dolphins and Whales, Fish, Marine Biology, Microbes and More, Nature, Sea Life, Wild Animals

Scientists obtained a total of 733 pathogen isolates from 171 individual wild Bottlenose dolphins in Florida and found that the overall prevalence of resistance to at least one antibiotic for the 733 isolates was 88.2%. Resistance was highest to erythromycin, followed by ampicillin. It is likely that these isolates from dolphins originated from a source where antibiotics are regularly used, potentially entering the marine environment through human activities or discharges from terrestrial sources.

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Microbes make chemicals for scent marking in a cat

September 13, 2019 0 Comments animals, Bacteria, Biology, Cats, CRISPR Gene Editing, Dogs, Microbes and More, Microbiology

Domestic cats, like many other mammals, use smelly secretions from anal sacs to mark territory and communicate with other animals. A new study shows that many odiferous compounds from a male cat are actually made not by the cat, but by a community of bacteria living in the anal sacs.