Microbiomes – News and Features

New research has illustrated how metabolites from gut bacteria can improve the function of cancer-fighting immune cells, explaining why patients with a fibre-rich diet and balanced gut bacteria tend to respond better to cancer immunotherapies.

Scientists found that long-term, low doses of THC reduced inflammation and liver toxicity caused by HIV and antiretroviral therapy. The treatment increased serotonin and healthy gut bacteria while lowering harmful bile acids.

Bacteria can spread by sugar-driven “swashing” or by gear-controlled gliding, redefining how microbes colonize surfaces and cause infection.

A metagenomic study uncovers how gut bacteria influence coronary artery disease, showing a loss of protective species and activation of harmful metabolic pathways.

Scientists from Bigelow Laboratory and Atrandi Biosciences developed a method called environmental microcompartment genomics that sequences thousands of individual microbes and viruses at once.

New modeling work reveals that an antibiotic-resistant E. coli strain spreads at rates comparable to viral infections, posing a growing immune and public health threat.

Discover how soil microbes evolve in response to their climate conditions, helping plants to survive drought and other challenging conditions.

Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital report a proof-of-concept study showing how antibiotic-resistant proteins can be exploited for the development of new antibiotics.

Early gut microbiome composition may influence how emotion-related brain circuits develop, affecting risk for internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression in later childhood.

Bacterial metabolites queuine and preQ1 have been found to directly regulate protein synthesis in human cells, promoting or suppressing cell growth with implications for cancer therapy.