General Microbiology

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PCR.

Staph. aureus

S.aureus

S.aureus

Porphyromonas gingivalis plays a central role in the development of periodontitis. However, it doesn't act alone. The bacterium relies on fellow mouth-dwelling microbes to cause disease. New research suggests that Fusobacterium nucleatum—a common member of the oral microbial community—uses amino acids released by other bacteria to produce compounds, called polyamines, that promote the overgrowth and spread of P. gingivalis. These findings point to a "metabolic bridge" between mouth microbes to shed light on periodontitis pathogenesis.

New threat to world 🌎

For the second time in two years, the WHO has taken the extraordinary step of declaring a global emergency. This time the cause is monkeypox, which has spread in just a few weeks to dozens of countries and infected tens of thousands of people. https://nyti.ms/3cvidEx

The fungus, Aspergillus, needs iron to survive. Restricting access to iron is one way the body defends against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a deadly infection caused by Aspergillus species. Macrophages play a central role in these iron sequestration processes, though how they mediate iron deprivation during infection is relatively unclear. To address this, researchers developed a computational model that captures the molecular events in macrophage iron-handling during contact with Aspergillus over time. The model increases our understanding of iron regulation as a critical host response during aspergillosis, and may be useful when designing iron modulation therapies as anti-fungal treatments.

This diagram highlights the key processes in iron regulation in macrophages during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Catalase test.

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Stay tuned for more info

This week in science we reached further than ever through space and back in time with the stunning new JWST images. Closer to home we discovered we're not the only mammals who farm our food!
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​JWST pics https://bit.ly/3ILUfRA
Quantum internet 'missing link' https://bit.ly/3uRnAUL
First non-human mammal found to farm https://bit.ly/3oaoY1d
Losing Y chromosomes can be deadly https://bit.ly/3zdP4qw
Record-breaking space magnetic field https://bit.ly/3cmWe2H

Molecular methods.