New research shows that bacteria get 'hangry' too

Have you ever been so hungry that you become angry, otherwise known as "hangry?" New research by Adam Rosenthal, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, has found that some bacteria cells ...

'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 ...

A bacterial toxin that acts as a mediator rather than a killer

Traditionally, bacterial toxins have been seen as killers of target cells. But is there more than meets the eye? Umeå University Professor Teresa Frisan and her team have discovered that toxin-host interactions are more ...

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 ...

Why bacterial toxins are 'fascinating machines of death'

The coronavirus pandemic is a daily reminder of the consequences brought by a successful invasion of human cells by a pathogen. As new research on bacterial toxins shows, it does not take much for these encounters to turn ...

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