All articles tagged with #bacteria
A microfluidics study shows E. coli can learn from past nutrient fluctuations by storing memory in ribosome subpopulations, influencing future growth. This history-dependent computation behaves like a gated recurrent neural network, offering a biological blueprint for continuous, energy-efficient learning with potential implications for medicine and AI design.
A review of 22 studies finds that flushing toilets aerosolizes droplets containing bacteria, viruses and fecal matter, sending them several feet into the air and sometimes keeping them airborne for at least 20 seconds. Higher microbial concentration and more water in the flush increase air contamination. Closing the lid helps only modestly against microscopic aerosols, so hygiene practices—regular cleaning, handwashing, and using lower-volume flushes—are advised, especially in public restrooms. More research is needed to develop effective interventions to reduce toilet-generated aerosols.
A global analysis of 43 studies involving more than 48 million people finds exposure to Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacterium, is associated with about a 1.6-fold increase in bowel cancer risk and may account for roughly 22% of colorectal cancer cases worldwide; some evidence suggests eradicating the infection with antibiotics could reduce risk, but results require long-term follow-up and causality remains unproven.
A meta-analysis of 43 studies covering more than 48 million people finds exposure to Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacterium, is associated with about 22% of global bowel cancer cases and a 1.6x higher risk, with potential risk reduction if the infection is eradicated—though causality remains unproven and more long-term research is needed.
Experts say to wash a reusable water bottle daily with lukewarm water and mild dish soap, scrub the interior and lid (using a straw brush for hard-to-reach areas), and consider vinegar or baking soda for stubborn grime; avoid relying on dishwashers for bottle cleaning, and let all parts dry completely to prevent bacteria buildup.
Eight people have died in the United States this year from vibriosis caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacterium linked to oysters and warm Gulf Coast waters. The latest fatality occurred in Bay County, Florida, as Florida and Louisiana report multiple cases. Health officials warn that infections can be severe, especially for those with underlying health conditions, and advise avoiding raw shellfish and protecting wounds from seawater.
Scientists studying E. coli’s defense system DRT3 found that the enzyme DRT3b can synthesize a repeating C-A-C-A DNA strand using amino acids in the enzyme as a template, effectively translating protein sequence into DNA without an RNA template, while DRT3a still makes DNA from RNA. The two strands form a double helix and together act as an antiviral defense, with RecBCD normally destroying such DNA; when RecBCD is disabled by viruses, accumulating DRT3 DNA halts bacterial growth to stop the virus. The finding, supported by cryo-EM structures and mutational tests, suggests this amino-acid–templating mechanism may be more widespread in nature.
Researchers mapped the full early metabolism network (420 reactions) and found that bacteria and archaea likely shifted to free-living cells independently, with LUCA possessing only about half of metabolic reactions while the rest were catalyzed by environmental metals; the study suggests a hybrid early metabolism combining metal catalysts and enzymes and proposes a pre-ATP energy source via phosphite reacting with palladium in hydrothermal-vent environments.
A Science Advances study proposes life on Earth may have arisen twice, with bacteria and archaea independently evolving metabolism before LUCA, suggesting two roots of life rather than a single lineage; enzymes may have been preceded by environmental metals and four catalytic phases led proto-cells to free-living status after their split.
A NEJM Evidence study identifies nine cow-derived bacteria found in mattress dust and cow shed air that mediate the “farm effect,” with exposure associated with lower rates of childhood asthma, hay fever, and eczema; these microbes produce metabolites that activate the AhR receptor to trigger immune responses, though more work is needed to prove causality.
Florida health officials report 1 death and 12 Vibrio vulnificus infections along the coast, with eight of the cases in Bay, Hillsborough, Lee, Marion, Okaloosa, Polk and St. Johns counties. The bacteria thrive in warm coastal waters and can infect people through contaminated seafood or open wounds; infections are rare but can be life‑threatening and may require aggressive surgeries or amputations. Last year Florida reported 5 deaths and 33 infections related to Vibrio vulnificus, and in 2024 there were 82 infections and 19 deaths. Officials warn to avoid contact between open wounds and warm seawater and to cook shellfish thoroughly.
An elderly Palm Beach County resident, aged 80–84, died after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, marking the first US fatality from the flesh-eating infection in 2026. The bacterium thrives in coastal and brackish waters and can be contracted via contaminated seawater or raw oysters; Florida has 11 cases so far this year, with infections reported in Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, and St. John’s counties. The CDC warns the infection can kill about 1 in 5 people and severe cases can require amputations, underscoring the ongoing risk during summer months.
A Nature study reveals that type I-C CRISPR–Cas loci embed diverse anti-phage defences and use small crRNA-like RNAs to guide the Cascade complex to repress promoters of these immune cassettes (CRISIS), maintaining their basal expression for antiviral activity while limiting fitness costs. When CRISPR–Cas is mutated or countered by anti-CRISPR proteins, these embedded systems become derepressed, boosting innate immunity at the expense of host fitness, thereby showing that CRISPR–Cas coordinates a layered, CRISPR-supervised bacterial immune network.
Researchers studying water in the flooded former Wismut Schlema-Alberoda uranium mine in Germany found microbes that, with glycerol as a carbon source, convert dissolved uranium into a stable pentavalent compound FeU(V)O4, reducing dissolved uranium by about 95% after 130 days. This points to a potential bioremediation approach for radioactive waters, though more work is needed to understand how to apply it broadly.
Japanese researchers isolated a gut bacterium, Ewingella americana, from the Japanese tree frog and showed that a single intravenous dose eliminated colorectal tumors in mice with a 100% complete response, while engaging the immune system and displaying a favorable safety profile; the team plans tests on other cancers and potential combinations with existing therapies.