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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Ecology: Nature
Published The banana apocalypse is near, but biologists might have found a key to their survival
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The bananas in your supermarket and that you eat for breakfast are facing functional extinction due to the disease Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) caused by a fungal pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 (TR4). However, thanks to recent research from an international team of scientists we now know that Foc TR4 did not evolve from the strain that wiped out commercial banana crops in the 1950s and that the virulence of this new strain seems to be caused by some accessory genes that are associated the production of nitric oxide. The research opens the door to treatments and strategies that can slow, if not control, the as-of-yet unchecked spread of Foc TR4.
Published Probiotics during pregnancy shown to help moms and babies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Giving probiotics to pregnant mice can enhance both the immune system and behavior of the mothers and their offspring.
Published Scientists discover superbug's rapid path to antibiotic resistance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered how the hospital superbug C.diff rapidly evolves resistance to the frontline drug used for treatment in the UK.
Published Researchers help to control cancer-causing poison in corn
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated a promising sterilization technique that uses X-ray irradiation to reduce Aspergillus flavus viability in contaminated corn. This method achieves sterilization without degrading the harmful aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) produced by the fungus.
Published As human activities expand in Antarctica, scientists identify crucial conservation sites
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Establishing Key Biodiversity Areas in the Southern Ocean will be vital for safeguarding the ecosystem from the impact of human activities, researchers say.
Published Nearly 25% of European landscape could be rewilded, researchers say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Europe's abandoned farmlands could find new life through rewilding, a movement to restore ravaged landscapes to their wilderness before human intervention. A quarter of the European continent, 117 million hectares, is primed with rewilding opportunities, researchers report.
Published Surprise finding in study of environmental bacteria could advance search for better antibiotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying bacteria from freshwater lakes and soil say they have determined a protein's essential role in maintaining the germ's shape. Because the integrity of a bacterial cell's 'envelope' or enclosure is key to its survival, the finding could advance the search for new and better antibiotics.
Published Scientists map DNA of Lyme disease bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
Published Warming waters and nutrient overload: A dangerous combination threatening our rivers and lakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New international research found that food webs are becoming less complex in warmer, nutrient-rich waters.
Published Candidate malaria vaccine provides lasting protection in NIH-sponsored trials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recent trials of an experimental malaria vaccine in healthy Malian adults found that all three tested regimens were safe. One of the trials enrolled 300 healthy women ages 18 to 38 years who anticipated becoming pregnant soon after immunization. That trial began with drug treatment to remove malaria parasites, followed by three injections spaced over a month of either saline placebo or the investigational vaccine at one of two dosages.
Published Diet is main risk factor for colon cancer in younger adults, new study suggests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has identified diet-derived molecules called metabolites as main drivers of young-onset colorectal cancer risk, especially those associated with red and processed meat. The report, which analyzed metabolite and microbiome datasets, highlighted that one of the best ways a younger (less than 60 years) adult can prevent colorectal cancer is to discuss their diet with their doctor.
Published A taste for carbon dioxide
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The remarkable affinity of the microbial enzyme iron nitrogenase for the greenhouse gas CO2 makes it promising for future biotechnologies.
Published Hydrometeorology and location affect hospitalizations for waterborne infectious diseases in the US
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An analysis of 12 years of data collected from over 500 hospitals in 25 different states shows that weather, geographic location, and urban or rural location all appear to influence hospitalizations for waterborne infectious diseases.
Published Revealing the mysteries within microbial genomes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new technique will make it much easier for researchers to discover the traits or activities encoded by genes of unknown function in microbes, a key step toward understanding the roles and impact of individual species within the planet's diverse microbiomes.
Published Lake Erie walleye growth is driven by parents' size, experience
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Parent size and the conditions in which actively spawning adults lived are the most influential factors affecting growth of Lake Erie walleye, a new study has found.
Published Trojan horse method gives malaria parasites a taste of their own medicine
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source More than a quarter of Australians over the age of 50 take cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent heart disease and strokes, but our bodies also need cholesterol to survive. Now, scientists say its role as a basic building block of life holds the key to treating deadly diseases caused by parasites, including malaria.
Published Historic map reveals how mussel farm is bringing shellfish reefs back to the seabed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New analysis has shown that the UK's first large scale offshore mussel farm might in fact serve as a form of restoration rather than creating habitats never seen in the area before. A map dating from 1871 shows a large area of the seabed -- stretching from Torquay in the west and beyond Lyme Regis to the east -- as being home to 'rich shell beds'. The region has now been transformed from muddy sediment with limited biodiversity into reefs, which research has shown have the potential to benefit a number of commercial fish and crustacean species and the ecosystem more generally.
Published Hand washing is important -- but is your sink clean?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Handbasins are hotspots for dangerous microbes that can cause illnesses including pneumonia, Legionnaires' disease and wound infections, a new study warns. The environmental health study found handbasin biofilms contained a diverse range of pathogens including microbes typically found in water, and other pathogens not found in water.
Published Rising mercury pollution in soil could be related to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury went into effect, designed to help curb mercury emissions and limit exposure across the globe. However, a new study of mercury levels in soil suggests that the treaty's provisions might not be enough. The study estimates that soil stores substantially more mercury than previously thought, and it predicts that increases in plant growth due to climate change may add even more.
Published Could manure and compost act like probiotics, reducing antibiotic resistance in urban soils?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research suggests that, in some cases, boosting urban soil health with compost and treated manure may reduce the amount of pathogenic and anti-biotic resistant bacteria.