Latest Environmental microbiology Stories

Whilst some bacteria can provide health benefits there are others that can do annoying things – like kill you. So in order to save ourselves we should probably kill them first. So, stand aside bacterial wipes, hand sanitizers and antiseptic sprays there is a new bug zapper in town. Bring in the plasma flashlight – a torch that emits a plasma jet that kills bacteria on the skin in an instant. Developed by a group of Chinese and Australian scientists, including CSIRO, the flashlight...

A new hypothesis counters popular evolutionary thinking that living organisms evolve by adding genes rather than discarding them A new hypothesis posed by a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, associate professor and colleagues could be a game changer in the evolution arena. The hypothesis suggests some species are surviving by discarding genes and depending on other species to play their hand. The groundbreaking "Black Queen Hypothesis" got its name from the game of Hearts. In...

Microorganisms play pivotal functions in nature, particularly within aquatic ecosystems. Whether in an ocean or a lake, they are key players in the food chain and the vitality of individual ecosystems. A team of researchers led by Arezoo M. Ardekani, the Rev. John Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C., Assistant Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has shown that density stratification, a frequent feature of aquatic environments, has important ecological...

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today it will collaborate with Genetics Laboratory, Inc. (GenLab) on the development of a molecular diagnostic test that will be designed to rapidly detect microorganisms that cause orthopedic infections. Under terms of the agreement, Abbott, in conjunction with GenLab, will develop and commercialize the new assay for use on the PLEX-ID(TM) automated microbial identification system. In the United States,...

The first awardees for the pilot project grant program from The Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research at Baylor College of Medicine have been announced. The grants were open to BCM instructors, assistant professors and postdoctoral associates. Six researchers were chosen for the Microbiota Association Discovery award of $20,000 or the Host-Commensal Interaction Study award of $50,000. "The grants were created to support preliminary studies for faculty who are looking to...

New research at Harvard explains how bacterial biofilms expand to form slimy mats on teeth, pipes, surgical instruments, and crops. Through experiment and mathematical analysis, researchers have shown that the extracellular matrix (ECM), a mesh of proteins and sugars that can form outside bacterial cells, creates osmotic pressure that forces biofilms to swell and spread. The ECM mechanism is so powerful that it can increase the radius of some biofilms five-fold within 24 hours. The...

The bottom of a glacier is not the most hospitable place on Earth, but at least two types of bacteria happily live there, according to researchers. The bacteria -- Chryseobacterium and Paenisporosarcina -- showed signs of respiration in ice made in the laboratory that was designed to simulate as closely as possible the temperatures and nutrient content found at the bottom of Arctic and Antarctic glaciers, said Corien Bakermans, assistant professor of microbiology, Penn State Altoona. She...

By analyzing how multiple microbial species act in concert in the gut, researchers see different patterns in lean and obese people For the first time, researchers have analyzed the multitude of microorganisms residing in the human gut as a complex, integrated biological system, rather than a set of separate species. Their approach has revealed patterns that correspond with excess body weight. The collection of microbes inside the human gut is a bustling network of genetic interplays and...

Ultimate goal: Tailings water treatment plants for all oil sands operations Alberta's oilsands have water challenges. Oilsands development uses a vast amount of water and even though it's recycled multiple times, the recycling concentrates the toxins and metals leftover from extracting and upgrading the bitumen, resulting in tailings ponds that are both a lightning rod for controversy and a significant risk to the environment. A research project underway between biologists at the...

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – You may want to refrain from touching anything in a public restroom after you wash your hands. Researchers used novel genetic sequencing methods to reveal a plethora of bacteria all over public restrooms. This leads to potential public health implications, according to this study. Led by Gilberto Flores and Noah Fierer of the University of Colorado, Boulder, the researchers investigated 12 public restrooms, 6 male and 6 female, in Colorado. Using a high-throughput...