Latest news
Study finds promising signs of resistance to beech leaf disease
A new study has found evidence that the development of beech leaf disease symptoms is genetically controlled, providing the first indication that some American beech trees may have natural resistance to the disease.
Desert alga could hold the key to more resilient crops
A single-celled green alga from the sand dunes of the Negev Desert has, within just a few years, become a key model organism in modern photosynthesis research. Chlorella ohadii helps researchers better understand plants’ adaptability to extreme environmental conditions.
Yosemite toad killer may be hiding in animals’ own homes
The Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) fungus has long been thought to live in and infect threatened Yosemite toads through their skin when they were in the water. Biologists have discovered that previously healthy toads emerged from winter hibernation burrows heavily infected, suggesting that the fungus proliferates underground in winter.
Staphylococcus aureus is highly resistant and virulent in milk
Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in human and veterinary infections. Its ability to withstand antibiotic treatment makes it a major clinical challenge. To better understand the factors underlying this resistance, the scientists investigated the growth of the bacterium in two environments relevant to infection: milk and serum.
Germany marks first CRISPR therapy success
A 19-year-old with severe beta-thalassemia has become the first patient in Germany to receive an approved CRISPR-based therapy as part of routine medical care. Four months after treatment at Charité, he no longer requires regular blood transfusions, marking a major step in bringing gene editing from the laboratory into everyday clinical practice.
Bacterial immunity—or a form of sex?
Researchers have found that, under starvation stress, E. coli can use bacteriophages and CRISPR-Cas immunity to transfer and incorporate DNA, accelerating genetic reshuffling. The process resembles a primitive form of sexual reproduction and may help bacterial populations adapt to changing conditions.
Desert alga could hold the key to more resilient crops
A single-celled green alga from the sand dunes of the Negev Desert has, within just a few years, become a key model organism in modern photosynthesis research. Chlorella ohadii helps researchers better understand plants’ adaptability to extreme environmental conditions.
Yosemite toad killer may be hiding in animals’ own homes
The Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) fungus has long been thought to live in and infect threatened Yosemite toads through their skin when they were in the water. Biologists have discovered that previously healthy toads emerged from winter hibernation burrows heavily infected, suggesting that the fungus proliferates underground in winter.
Germany marks first CRISPR therapy success
A 19-year-old with severe beta-thalassemia has become the first patient in Germany to receive an approved CRISPR-based therapy as part of routine medical care. Four months after treatment at Charité, he no longer requires regular blood transfusions, marking a major step in bringing gene editing from the laboratory into everyday clinical practice.
AFYREN and Terrial renew their partnership for French-manufactured potash fertilizers
AFYREN and Terrial today announce the renewal of their strategic partnership with the signing of a new multi-year fertilizer supply contract, worth several tens of millions of euros This long-term contract strengthens both companies’ commitment to making French agriculture more sustainable and less dependent on international fertilizer markets.
Sharpening an essential tool for biotechnology
Scientists develop a database of validated guide RNAs to improve engineering of microbes for manufacturing applications.
Green hydrogen production and storage using alcohols, iron, and baker’s yeast
A new recyclable system uses baker’s yeast to store H₂ in organic molecules and iron ions to release it when needed - offering a promising route toward more sustainable hydrogen production and storage.
Scientists mine fragmented data for antibiotics and cancer treatments
Researchers have developed a practical strategy for recovering biosynthetic information from fragmented metagenomic data. Through this work, the researchers identified and prioritized promising natural-product candidates with potential antibacterial or anticancer activity.
Water transformed into a weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Engineers have developed a new approach for turning ordinary water into a weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a study that hinges on a new kind of crystal made from titanium dioxide. These crystals transform the normal oxygen molecules in water into a special molecule known as “singlet” oxygen.
Cell by cell: New machine-learning-based method reveals what can make bacteria dangerous
A new method detects fluorescently labelled bacteria inside human cells and uses machine learning to analyse microscopy images. This allows researchers to measure, in the same experimental system, how efficiently bacteria enter cells, how strongly they accumulate inside them, and what kind of DNA damage they induce.
Student earns competitive fellowship for research on corn’s defense against bacteria
New funding has been awarded for research focused on understanding how plants protect themselves against pathogens. Peyton Sorensen looks specifically at corn and two of its bacterial pathogens: Xanthomonas and Clavibacter, which cause bacterial leaf streak and Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight, respectively.
Soil Stars join forces to develop ambitious challenges to tackle global soil degradation
Scientists, farmers, policymakers, business leaders, investors and leading voices from science and culture have joined forces to develop ambitious new challenges designed to harness the power of soil microbes to tackle global soil degradation.
From silent killer to cellular fuel: chemist unlocks nature’s carbon monoxide sensors
While carbon monoxide (CO) is widely feared as an odorless, deadly household hazard, nature views it quite differently. In the microscopic world, carbon monoxide serves as an essential cellular messenger and a vital lifeline of energy for microbes thriving in harsh environments.