Top 11 Microbiology News In 2017

Researchers at the University of Texas have invented a new way of testing the efficacy of potential antimicrobials against fighting infection by engineering bacteria to produce toxins that are found to be potentially harmful to themselves. This new technique can open up new areas of research into antibiotic resistance.

Reference: “Discovery of Next-Generation Antimicrobials through Bacterial Self-Screening of Surface-Displayed Peptide Libraries”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

A recent study at the Case Western Reserve University revealed a novel anti-fungal compound that can be used to treat the ever resistant Candida Auris species of fungi. The drug targets proteins that attach to the cell wall of the fungus thus preventing it from growing and forming colonies that can cause infection.

Reference: “In vitro and in vivo Evaluation of the Antifungal Activity of APX001A/APX001 Against Candida auris. – PubMed – NCBI”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Scientists at the McGill University studied the immune response to tuberculosis to find a cure for the disease. Current vaccines, drugs, and regimes seem to be non-functional against the rapidly resistant pathogen. Researchers have found a way to re-program the innate cells of the immune system to identify and kill the TB pathogen.

Reference: “BCG Educates Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Generate Protective Innate Immunity against Tuberculosis”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

A recent study published in the PLOS journal has provided some insight into the genetic differences of various strains of bacteria. Findings from the study suggest that different strains of the same bacteria produce varying immune responses. These results may be attributed to the differences in people’s immune systems or bacterial strain differences.

Reference: “Strains of bacterial species induce a greatly varied acute adaptive immune response: The contribution of the accessory genome”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine recently discovered that immune cells help keep fungal growth in check in the intestines. Reduced or loss of ability of the immune cells to fight fungi may lead to forms of Crohn’s disease or inflammatory bowel disease.

Reference: “CX3CR1+ mononuclear phagocytes control immunity to intestinal fungi | Science”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

A recent study conducted at the Technical University of Munich makes it possible to study the microbial content and variation of water bodies without the need to isolate them. This can be achieved by studying the environmental DNA that the microbes release into the water body and how changing environmental factors can alter this content.

Reference: “A systematic approach to evaluate the influence of environmental conditions on eDNA detection success in aquatic ecosystems”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Scientists at the National University of Singapore have engineered a probiotic that targets colorectal cancer cells and helps transform a substance found in certain vegetables into an anti-cancer agent. The experiment was conducted in mice where this technique reduced the tumors significantly. Findings from this study suggest that an intake of cruciferous vegetables along with probiotics is necessary to keep the onset and recurrence of colorectal cancer at bay.

Reference: “Engineered commensal microbes for diet-mediated colorectal-cancer chemoprevention | Nature Biomedical Engineering”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Researchers at the Imperial College London elucidated the evolutionary history behind molecular motors found in different species of bacteria. These molecular motors are found in Cilia and Flagella which are components of the bacterial cell that help in movement. Using 3D imaging techniques, researchers have discovered how these molecular motors evolved to optimize their movement.

Reference: “Evolution of higher torque in Campylobacter- type bacterial flagellar motors | Scientific Reports”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

A recent study published in Frontiers of microbiology highlighted the role of yeast in the toxic waste cleanup. Findings from the study indicate that one particular fungus or red pigmented yeast could be resistant to gamma radiation and acid. This can prove to be an efficient and cost-effective method.

Reference: “Frontiers | Prospects for Fungal Bioremediation of Acidic Radioactive Waste Sites: Characterization and Genome Sequence of Rhodotorula taiwanensis MD1149 | Microbiology”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Scientists at the UT southwestern medical center have implemented genetic or precision editing of the bacterial genomes in the gut to bring down inflammation associated colitis. This technique targets signaling and metabolic pathways.

Reference: “Precision editing of the gut microbiota ameliorates colitis | Nature”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.

Researchers at the California Institute of technology have developed a strain of bacteria that can reflect sound waves. This technology can enable doctors to use ultrasound to detect microbial populations or therapeutic bacteria in the body.

Reference: “Acoustic reporter genes for noninvasive imaging of microorganisms in mammalian hosts | Nature”. Accessed January 15, 2018. Link.