ID Genomics/IEH Dipstick technology being used to detect mutations in coronavirus test samples A subset of patient coronavirus test samples, collected.
Doppler radar improves lives by peeking inside air masses to predict the weather. A Purdue University team is using similar technology to look inside living cells, introducing a method to detect pathogens and treat infections in ways that scientists never have before.
The Pew Charitable Trusts
In March, nearly 40 individuals from across the country will meet with their legislators to urge Congress to take bipartisan action to prioritize the battle against antibiotic resistance: a looming global health threat that threatens the future of modern medicine. As part of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Stand Up to Superbugs initiative, this year’s ambassadors include health care professionals, public health officials, scientists, farmers and ranchers, veterinarians, superbug survivors, and people who have lost loved ones to an antibiotic-resistant infection. They will meet virtually with federal agency leaders and members of Congress to share their superbug stories and expertise, and urge increased commitment and momentum to preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and develop urgently needed new ones.
Exploring exposure to superbacteria, researchers at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital got unexpected results from an international collaborative study conducted in real time among 20 travelers to Southeast Asia.
Study: Interbacterial toxins may contribute to bacterial genetic diversity
A toxin produced by bacteria as a defense mechanism causes mutations in target bacteria that could help them survive, according to a study published today in
eLife.
The finding suggests that competitive encounters between bacterial cells could have profound consequences on the evolution of bacterial populations.
When bacterial cells come into contact, they often produce toxins as a defense mechanism. Although it is known that the bacteria producing these toxins have a competitive advantage, exactly how the toxins affect the recipient cells is less clear.
Undergoing intoxication is not always detrimental for cells - there are scenarios in which encountering a toxin could provide a benefit, such as generating antibiotic resistance. We wanted to study the effects of a toxin that alters DNA beyond that of cell death and see how it impacts the surviving recipient cells it targets.