Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Molecular Biology
Sublethal silver nanoparticle exposure changed the balance between Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in laboratory cultures. The shift depended on an E. coli pathway that released acetate and ammonium, which helped S. aureus survive.
A study used chemical imaging to compare Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms grown on a laboratory surface and on mouse lung tissue. Biofilms on lung explants showed greater production and deeper tissue penetration of pyocyanin, a phenazine involved in biofilm activity and host interactions.
A study of groundwater from 58 cities in São Paulo State, Brazil, found opportunistic bacteria carrying antibiotic-resistance, metal-tolerance and virulence genes. Five of the 66 isolates recovered were classified as resistant to multiple antibiotics.
A team engineered a bioactive wound dressing by attaching an enzyme to clinically relevant gauze. In a murine infection model using Acinetobacter baumannii, the enzyme disrupted biofilm structure, improved immune cell access, and accelerated wound healing without directly killing the bacteria.
