News tagged with bacterial genes

Single gene mutation can sweep through bacterial population, opening the door for the concept of 'species'

Bacteria are the most populous organisms on the planet. They thrive in almost every known environment, adapting to different habitats by means of genetic variations that provide the capabilities essential ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Apr 05, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Plant pathologists put the squeeze on citrus disease

(PhysOrg.com) -- With Florida's $9 billion citrus industry threatened by a deadly bacterial disease, Rick Kress '73 asked scientists at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva for ...

Biology / Ecology

created Jan 17, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Unique E. coli protein may be not after all

A bacterial protein recently thought to be a unique mechanism for utilizing iron may not be after all. Researchers from the University of Georgia, the Fellowship for Interpretation of Genomes, the University of Oklahoma and ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Jan 03, 2012 | popularity 2.5 / 5 (8) | comments 0

Tiny protein helps bacteria 'talk' and triggers defensive response in plants

Scientists have discovered a new signal that helps invading bacteria communicate but also helps targeted rice plants coordinate defensive attacks on the disease-causing invaders, a finding that could lead to new methods of ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Dec 12, 2011 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Antibiotics in swine feed encourage gene exchange

A study to be published in the online journal mBio on November 29 shows that adding antibiotics to swine feed causes microorganisms in the guts of these animals to start sharing genes that could spread antibiotic resistance.

Biology / Biotechnology

created Nov 28, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Triple threat: One bacterium, three plasmids

Researchers from Australia found something completely new while conducting a genetic study of the pathogenesis of an enteric disease in birds. They report what is believed to be the first bacterial strain to carry three closely ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Nov 14, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genetic difference in staph offers clues as to why some patients get infections from cardiac implants

New research suggests that some patients develop a potentially deadly blood infection from their implanted cardiac devices because bacterial cells in their bodies have gene mutations that allow them to stick ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Oct 24, 2011 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (5) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Simple genetic circuit forms stripes: Synthetic biology helps scientists sort out pattern formation

Many living things have stripes, but the developmental processes that create these and other patterns are complex and difficult to untangle. Now a team of scientists has designed a simple genetic circuit that creates a striped ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Oct 13, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Research finds novel method for increasing antibiotic yields

A novel way of increasing the amounts of antibiotics produced by bacteria has been discovered that could markedly improve the yields of these important compounds in commercial production. It could also be valuable in helping ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Sep 05, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Engineered bacteria mop up mercury spills

Thousands of tonnes of toxic mercury are released into the environment every year. Much of this collects in sediment where it is converted into toxic methyl mercury, and enters the food chain ending up in the fish we eat. ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Aug 12, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

It's not who you are, but what you do

(PhysOrg.com) -- When you're a tiny creature in a vast ocean it pays to hang out with the right crowd, regardless of whether they are related to you or not, a new study into the amazingly diverse world of ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Aug 09, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Proteins enable essential enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA

Scientists have identified a family of proteins that close a critical gap in an enzyme that is essential to all life, allowing the enzyme to maintain its grip on DNA and start the activation of genes.

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Jul 21, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

When viruses infect bacteria

(PhysOrg.com) -- Viruses are the most abundant parasites on Earth. Well known viruses, such as the flu virus, attack human hosts, while viruses such as the tobacco mosaic virus infect plant hosts.

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Jun 30, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Evolutionary biology experiment may one day help with chronic diseases

Working to better predict general patterns of evolution, a University of Houston (UH) biologist and his team have discovered some surprising things about gene mutations that might one day make it possible ...

Biology / Evolution

created Jun 02, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Deadly bacteria may mimic human proteins to evolve antibiotic resistance

Deadly bacteria may be evolving antibiotic resistance by mimicking human proteins, according to a new study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

Biology / Biotechnology

created Jun 01, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 1 | with audio podcast