Microbe Magazine

The swell of enthusiasm for analyzing microbial genomes continues, with keen interest in doing more and more genomes in smaller analytic formats at lower costs. Even while greater numbers of microbiologists jump into this fray, some continue to fret over what to make of these expanding findings, ... More...

Officials of the Food and Drug Administration in July issued new rules for the handling of eggs that aim at preventing food-borne illnesses by reducing levels of contaminant Salmonella enteritidis, a pathogenic bacterium. Among other requirements, the new rule mandates testing in poultry h... More...

Several natural compounds made by and that protect Callophycus serratus, a red seaweed, against marine fungi also inhibit the malarial parasite Plasmodium but not Candida albicans, a yeast that is an opportunistic pathogen of humans, according to biologist Julia Kubanek of th... More...

Despite steadfast opposition as well as political uncertainties within the U.S. Congress, there were renewed signs last July of forward momentum for H.R. 1549, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). Moreover, top officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sign... More...

Bacterially derived minicells provide a vehicle for delivering anticancer agents, including small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes to overcome drug resistance and, separately, cytotoxic drugs to destroy malignant cells directly, thereby reducing overall levels of drugs administered to lower the r... More...

Mat-like photoautotrophic microbial communities thrive in volcanic vents, or fumaroles, at 6,051 meters above sea level, making this the highest known natural microbial habitat, according to microbial ecologist Steve Schmidt from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his collaborators. Meanwhi... More...

Exxon Mobil of Irving, Tex., and Synthetic Genomics, Inc. (SGI) of La Jolla, Calif., in July formed an alliance to harness photosynthetic algae for the purpose of producing fuels. The $600-million deal “could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future if our efforts result in an economica... More...

The new pandemic H1N1 influenza viral strain that is now circulating causes more lung damage than does a seasonal influenza strain in several tested species, including mice, ferrets, and macaques, but does not cause disease symptoms in pigs that it infects, according to Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the U... More...

Thermophilic bacteria can degrade woody plant biomass from poplar and switchgrass, without any high-temperature chemical treatment—a key step toward developing renewable petroleum substitutes, according to Michael Adams of the University of Georgia, Athens and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in... More...