Scientists unveil secrets of important natural antibiotic dermcidin
An international team of scientists has discovered how an important natural antibiotic called dermcidin, produced by our skin when we sweat, is a highly efficient tool to fight tuberculosis germs and other dangerous bugs.
Scientists notch a win in war against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
A team of scientists just won a battle in the war against antibiotic-resistant "superbugs"—and only time will tell if their feat is akin to the bacterial "Battle of Gettysburg" that turns the tide toward ...
Cholera discovery could revolutionize antibiotic delivery
(Phys.org)—Three Simon Fraser University scientists are among six researchers who've made a discovery that could help revolutionize antibiotic treatment of deadly bacteria.
Iron-sulfur enzymes as candidates for antibiotic development
The iron-sulfur protein IspH plays a central role in the terpene metabolism of several pathogens. The mechanism of the reaction provides an approach for developing new antibiotics, particularly against malaria ...
Smallest, fastest-known RNA switches provide new drug targets
(Phys.org)—A University of Michigan biophysical chemist and his colleagues have discovered the smallest and fastest-known molecular switches made of RNA, the chemical cousin of DNA. The researchers say ...
Weapon-wielding marine microbes may protect populations from foes
Competition is a strong driving force of evolution for organisms of all sizes: Those individuals best equipped to obtain resources adapt and reproduce, while others may fall by the wayside. Many organisms—mammals, ...
Treating mastitis in dairy cattle with vitamin D
A natural remedy that delays and reduces the severity of mastitis infection in dairy cattle is being investigated by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Genes culled from desert soils suggest potential medical resource
Despite their ecologic similarity, soils from three geographically distinct areas of the American southwest harbor vastly different collections of small, biosynthetic genes, a finding that suggests the existence of a far ...
Court orders FDA action on antibiotic use on farms
(AP) -- A federal court judge has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to take action on its own 35-year-old rule that would stop farmers from mixing popular antibiotics into animal feed, a practice which is widely believed ...
X-rays reveal how soil bacteria carry out surprising chemistry
Researchers working at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have used powerful X-rays to help decipher how certain natural antibiotics defy a longstanding set of chemical rules a mechanism that ...
New way to tap largest remaining treasure trove of potential new antibiotics
Scientists are reporting use of a new technology for sifting through the world's largest remaining pool of potential antibiotics to discover two new antibiotics that work against deadly resistant microbes, ...
Researchers field test genetically modified mosquitoes to combat dengue fever
(PhysOrg.com) -- Oxitec, a British company spun off from Oxford University has announced the results of its field test of genetically altered mosquitoes to combat the infamous dengue fever. As they report ...
Resistance to antibiotics is ancient: study
Scientists were surprised at how fast bacteria developed resistance to the miracle antibiotic drugs when they were developed less than a century ago. Now scientists at McMaster University have found that resistance has been ...
Researchers help find natural products potential of frankia
Soil-dwelling bacteria of the genus Frankia have the potential to produce a multitude of natural products, including antibiotics, herbicides, pigments, anticancer agents, and other useful products, according to an article ...