Lethal weapon: bacteria's high-risk suicide strategy
(Phys.org)—New research shows how some bacterial cells keep a 'suicide complex' ready to hand at all times.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 27, 2012
3
0
Page 2 - News tagged with bacterial toxins
Bacteria poison themselves from within
(PhysOrg.com) -- The research group led by Anton Meinhart at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg has shown that proteins from the zeta toxin group trigger a self-destructive mechanism in bacteria. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 23, 2011
0
0
Researchers develop new platform that recreates cancer in a dish to quickly determine the best bacterial therapy
Engineering bacteria to intelligently sense and respond to disease states, from infections to cancer, has become a promising focus of synthetic biology. Rapid advances in genetic engineering tools have enabled researchers ...
Biochemistry
Apr 17, 2019
0
131
Study reveals how drug resistant bacteria secrete toxins, suggesting targets to reduce virulence
Antimicrobial resistance represents one of the top 10 global public health threats according to the World Health Organization, and scientists have been scrambling to find new tools to cure the most deadly drug-resistant infections.
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 13, 2023
0
101
'Like a magic trick,' certain proteins pass through cell walls
For decades, scientists have wondered how large molecules such as proteins pass through cell walls, also known as plasma membranes, without leaving a trace. That ability is part of what makes certain drugs—including some ...
Biochemistry
Oct 20, 2021
0
70
Sweet! How C. difficile toxin A enters intestinal cells
Clostridiodes difficile infection has become a leading cause of severe, sometimes fatal diarrheal illness. It flourishes best in hospitals and long-term care facilities where people are on long-term antibiotic treatment, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 3, 2019
2
148
Scientists describe detailed make-up of deadly toxin for the first time
Scientists from the University of Leicester have for the first time created a detailed image of a toxin - called pneumolysin - associated with deadly infections such as bacterial pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia.
Biochemistry
Nov 24, 2015
0
210
**Suicide system in tuberculosis bacteria might hold key to treatment
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In 2017, 10 million people around the world fell ill with TB and 1.3 million died. The genome of the bacterium that causes TB holds a special toxin-antitoxin ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 18, 2019
0
144
Exploding kamikaze bacteria: How a few 'soldier' cells confer virulence to a population by sacrificing themselves
You suddenly feel sick—pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body. The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 19, 2024
0
36
Synthetic mucus can mimic the real thing
More than just a sign of illness, mucus is a critical part of our body's defenses against disease. Every day, our bodies produce more than a liter of the slippery substance, covering a surface area of more than 400 square ...
Polymers
Mar 30, 2021
1
68
