Noteworthy — While many of our interactions with microbes are essential for our health, microbes are also well-known causes of diseases, such as the bubonic plague, that have decimated populations. We are, therefore, fortunate to count on antimicrobial drugs to eliminate harmful pathogens. Read more →
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Protections and Interactions in the Beewolf Nursery
by Tobias Engl — Beewolves, their larvae, and their Streptomyces symbionts not only use multiple, largely different classes of chemical compounds to protect themselves against detrimental microbial competitors. To be most effective, these compounds are produced and deployed in a precisely timed sequence. Beewolves are solitary digger wasps that hunt on bees, paralyze them and provision single eggs with... Read more →
Not a bad hair day for Phage 7-7-1
Noteworthy — While the phages χ and PBS1 attach to the flagella of their hosts via the tail fibers, phage 7-7-1 of Agrobacterium sp. H13-3 has another trick up its sleeve – or better: on its head (capsid). Noteborn et al. Found that phage 7-7-1 sports a bunch of dreadlocks on its head, proteinaceous fibers with which it attaches to host flagella. Read more →
Enter the Pirates
by Christoph — Microbiologists know of only a small number of genuine rapacious bacterial species. In scientific terms, they are referred to as "predatory bacteria". Well-known examples are Myxococcus xanthus and its ilk, which practice "wolf pack" swarm hunting, and the more solitary vampires from the Bdellovibrio tribe. Enter the pirates with Captain Aureispira… Read more →
Diversity, Diversidad, Diversität...
Noteworthy — We are living through interesting times, to say the least. Not long ago, though now it may feel that it's been eons, we could freely celebrate microbial diversity, biodiversity, structural diversity, diversity of opinions, diversity of interests and, yes, human diversity even! Read more →
Lost & Found #3
by Christoph — If you want to leave 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) for any reason, you can deactivate or completely delete your account. That's it then. But if you want to take a few still interesting bookmarks with you when you move out, well, then the 𝕏odus takes a little longer. Here are three more of these salvaged bookmarks, in 'Lost & Found #3'. Read more →
Bdellovibrio–Prey Interactions
Noteworthy — The environmental bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is unique in its capacity to prey and feed on other bacteria. This predatory behavior involves attaching and entering prey cells to consume and grow on cytoplasmic macromolecules, eventually lysing the host. But how do these bacterial predators recognize and invade their prey? Read more →
Defining Life with Aristotle
by Chelsi Cassilly and Eric Bodlak — What is life? Initially, it seems like a simple question. The immediate response is often to compare and contrast the many things we encounter daily that are animate and inanimate. Yet this question becomes harder the longer you sit with it. Because life on this planet – that is, life as we know it – includes microbial life... Read more →