Microbe Magazine

A new PCR-based method for identifying the fungus Exserohilum rostratum in human samples doubles the sensitivity over culture methods and reduces the analytic period from 7–10 days to a mere 2. The technique was developed and published in haste following a series of... More...

A newly recognized multiprotein complex plays a crucial role in recognizing one class of bacterial pathogens and then signaling other components of the innate immune system, according to Andreas Bäumler of the University of California, Davis (UCD), and his collaborators. These findings “considera... More...

Cytochrome proteins on the outer surface of Shewanella oneidensis bacteria interact directly with iron oxides in minerals to produce electrical currents, according to Thomas A. Clarke and David J. Richardson of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdo... More...

Transcriptors, DNA-based versions of transistors, could make cellular computers commercially competitive, thanks in this case to Drew Endy and his fellow bioengineers at Stanford University in California. They and others in this field will benefit from having standardized DNA sequences or “parts”... More...

Melittin, a peptide toxin from bee venom, disrupts the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), according to Joshua Hood and Lee Ratner at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., and their collaborators. Moreover, when embedded in and then delivered by biodegradable nanoparticles, ... More...

Transplants of human fecal material or of mixed microbial strains derived from feces are “saving lives daily,” some medical experts say, pointing to dozens of small-scale clinical trials and ad hoc procedures being done in North America and Europe. However, regulatory officials and other medical ... More...