Tag: bacteria
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How Space Experiments Reveal Surprising Phage Evolution in Microgravity
Introduction: Space as a New Playground for Viral Evolution Phages, the viruses that infect bacteria, have long been studied as drivers of microbial evolution on Earth. When scientists took these tiny adversaries into space, they expected familiar dynamics—yet the microgravity environment and cosmic radiation unlocked evolutionary pathways that were previously unseen. The result is a…
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How Lectins in the GI Tract Neutralize Bacteria to Protect Your Health
Understanding the GI Mucosal Barrier The lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is more than a simple barrier. It is an active frontier of defense where mucosal surfaces host a dynamic immune system designed to distinguish between harmless microbes and potential threats. Central to this defense are specialized proteins known as lectins, which recognize specific…
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Active mechanical forces drive how bacteria switch swimming direction
Overview: A new angle on an age-old question Bacteria have long fascinated scientists for their remarkable ability to navigate complex environments. A recent study has shed light on a foundational mystery: how active mechanical forces influence the way swimming bacteria switch direction. By focusing on the physical interactions between a bacterium’s rotating flagella and its…
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How Active Mechanical Forces Drive Bacteria to Change Their Swimming Direction
Introduction: A new mechanism behind a familiar motion Bacteria swim by rotating tiny tail-like structures called flagella. For decades, scientists have relied on chemical signals and molecular timers to explain why these microorganisms switch from go-straight to tumble-and-reorient. Recent research, however, points to active mechanical forces within the cell as a key driver of swimming-direction…
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26 New Bacterial Species Found in NASA Cleanrooms: A Stop-and-Recheck Moment for Space Missions
Overview: Uncovering Hidden Microbial Guests in Pristine NASA Spaces NASA’s cleanrooms are legendary for their stringent sterile conditions. These spaces are designed to keep extraterrestrial something out and ensure that spacecraft can sail through space without hitching a ride with Earthly microbes. In a surprising turn, researchers have identified 26 previously unknown bacterial species living…
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Stop and re-check everything: 26 new bacterial species found in NASA cleanrooms
Overview: A surprising find in NASA’s sterile environments NASA’s cleanrooms are not just pristine laboratories; they are carefully controlled environments designed to prevent microbial contamination from hitching a ride on spacecraft. In a recent and surprising discovery, researchers identified 26 previously unknown bacterial species living in these ultra-clean facilities. The finding challenges assumptions about how…
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Bacteria Move Without Flagella: Sugar-Fueled Currents and Molecular Gearboxes
Unveiling a New Kind of Bacterial Motion Bacteria are renowned for their tiny flagella — whip-like propellers that broadcast their desire to roam. Yet a growing body of research from Arizona State University is changing that narrative. Scientists are documenting how bacteria can move without traditional flagella, employing less obvious tools such as sugar-fueled currents…
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Flagella-Free Bacteria Movement: Sugar Currents and Gearboxes
What’s new in bacterial movement For decades, scientists have described bacterial motion as a simple story of tiny propellers—the flagella—that propel single cells through liquids. But fresh research from Arizona State University is reshaping that narrative. The studies uncover how some bacteria can move without their flagella, harnessing sugar-fueled currents and intricate molecular gear systems…
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Bacteria Without Flagella: Sugar Currents Move Cells
New Ways Bacteria Move: Beyond the Flagellum For decades, scientists have linked bacterial movement to the flagellum, the whip-like propeller that propels many microbes through liquid environments. Yet a wave of new research from Arizona State University shows that bacteria can glide, crowd, and disperse using mechanisms that do not rely on flagella. By harnessing…
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Sped-up Evolution in Gut Microbiome Could Help Bacteria Take Hold, UCLA Study Finds
New Insights into How Gut Bacteria Take Hold The human gut hosts a vast microbiome that outnumbers our own cells and plays a pivotal role in digestion, immune function, and even brain health. While much remains to be learned about these microscopic communities, a UCLA-led team has uncovered a mechanism that could explain how certain…