Molecules found in mucus can thwart fungal infection
Harnessing the strength of these specialized sugar molecules could help researchers develop new antifungal drugs.
Engineered bacteria could help protect “good” gut microbes from antibiotics
Microbes that safely break down antibiotics could prevent opportunistic infections and reduce antibiotic resistance.
Microbes and minerals may have set off Earth’s oxygenation
Scientists propose a new mechanism by which oxygen may have first built up in the atmosphere
Study sheds light on antibiotics-associated diarrhea
SMART researchers find explanation for why some patients might experience diarrhea after taking amoxicillin-clavulanate.
Predator interactions chiefly determine where Prochlorococcus thrive
New findings may help researchers hone predictions for where phytoplankton will migrate with climate change.
A step toward “living biotherapeutics”
Chemical engineers created a coating for microbes that could make it easier to deploy the organisms to treat gastrointestinal disease.
Research finds potential mechanism linking autism, intestinal inflammation
Infection during pregnancy with elevated levels of the cytokine IL-17a may yield microbiome alterations that prime offspring for aberrant immune responses, mouse study suggests.
Zeroing in on the origins of Earth’s “single most important evolutionary innovation”
A new study shows oxygenic photosynthesis likely evolved between 3.4 and 2.9 billion years ago.
New method opens the door to efficient genome writing in bacteria
Technique for editing bacterial genomes can record interactions between cells, may offer a way to edit genes in the human microbiome.
Mapping the cellular circuits behind spitting
Roundworms change the flow of material in and out of their mouths in response to bright light, revealing a new way for neurons to control muscle cells.
Engineering seeds to resist drought
A new seed-coating process could facilitate agriculture on marginal arid lands by enabling the seeds to retain any available water.
Engineered yeast could expand biofuels’ reach
By making the microbes more tolerant to toxic byproducts, researchers show they can use a wider range of feedstocks, beyond corn.
Four researchers earn interdisciplinary Schmidt Science Fellowships
Selective global honor supports early-career scientists and engineers in taking on new pursuits.
A safer way to deploy bacteria as environmental sensors
Encapsulating modified bacteria in tough hydrogel spheres prevents them from spreading genes to other microbes.
How industrialized life remodels the microbiome
International study reveals gut bacteria from people in industrialized societies swap genes at much higher rates.