Wisconsin scientists discover a master key to microbes' pathogenic lifestyles
For some microbes, the transformation from a benign lifestyle in the soil to that of a potentially deadly human pathogen is just a breath away. Inhaled into the lungs of a mammal, spores from a class of six related soil molds found around the world encounter a new, warmer environment. And as soon as they do, they rapidly shift gears and assume the guise of pathogenic yeast, causing such s...Potato blight pathogenicity explained by genome plasticity
A team of researchers from Wageningen University report in this month's issue of that they have identified a unique genetic fingerprint in the pathogen responsible for potato blight. Some strains of the pathogen possess multiple copies of a specific gene, while other strains possess only a single copy. Certain potato plants do not recognize strains of the pathogen with on...Uniform language for describing genes of pathogenic and beneficial microbes
An international group of scientists has announced a major expansion of a lingua franca used to describe the activities of genes in living organisms. The expansion provides terms that scientists can use to describe the complex events that occur when a pathogenic or beneficial microbe encounters its host. Understanding these events is crucial for developing new interventions for preventing infect...Research Shows That Money May Not Harbour Many Pathogenic Bacteria
An Australian researcher has conducted a study that states that the long-held belief about people catching disease from handling money may be exaggerated.// Dr Frank Vriesekoop, a lecturer in food science at the University of Ballarat, conducted the research and found that there are generally very few pathogenic bacteria on banknotes and coins. He said, "The potential to spread diseas...Potentially Pathogenic Virus Found in Mad Cow Cells
The alternative view that a virus causes spongiform encephalopathies of the brain, such as 'mad cow' and Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD) disease, rather than prion// proteins, which are normally produced throughout life, is bolstered in a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers. The report published online January 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides evi...