Microbiology
Plagued for millennia: The complex transmission and ecology of prehistoric Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis is the bacterium that causes plague, a zoonotic disease transmitted from rodents to humans via fleas. It is also renowned for being involved in three pandemics throughout human history. In recent years it has become evident that Y. pestis’ association with humans predates... click to read more
How cellular transport can be explained with a flip book
Transport belongs to the most important mechanisms in all living cells. To transport substances in and out of the cell, proteins form transporters in the cellular membranes. One kind of transporters, the so-called ABC-transporters, can be found in almost all organisms, from bacteria to humans.... click to read more
The Achilles’ heel of superbugs that survive salty dry conditions
Nosocomial infection is an infectious disease acquired from hospitals or other healthcare facilities. It is also known as hospital-acquired infection or healthcare associated infection. These infections are normally spread to the immunocompromised patients, particularly those who are admitted to the intensive care unit, causing severe... click to read more
New chemistry in unusual bacteria displays drug-like activity
Where do drugs come from? Most clinical molecules are either produced by chemists in a laboratory, or naturally in living organisms. While synthetic chemistry is a pipeline to drug discovery, nature-made molecules continue to have an important role as drug templates. Certain soil bacteria called... click to read more
Unlocking a new way to fight against antibiotic resistance: viruses are the key
Most of us have suffered a bacterial infection at some point in our lives. Fortunately, a prompt prescription of the right antibiotic from our doctors puts us on the path to recovery. But in re-cent years, for an increasing number of patients, antibiotic treatments are... click to read more
Editor's picks
Trending now
Popular topics