Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are host-encoded antibiotics that combat invading microbes. These short immune effectors are conserved in plants, animals, and fungi. Early work showed that AMPs killed bacteria in generalist fashions in vitro: i.e. AMPs that ...
Ozonation has been applied in water treatment for more than a century, first for disinfection, later for oxidation of inorganic and organic pollutants. In recent years, ozone has been increasingly applied for enhanced municipal wastewater treatment for eco ...
Bacterial communities form biofilms on various surfaces by synthesizing a cohesive and protective extracellular matrix, and these biofilms protect microorganisms against harsh environmental conditions. Bacillus subtilis is a widely used experimental specie ...
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is initiated by the inhalation and implantation of bacteria in the lung alveoli, where they are phagocytosed by macrophages. Even a single bacterium may be sufficient to initiate infection. Thereafter, the clinical outc ...
Horizontal gene transfer can trigger rapid shifts in bacterial evolution. Driven by a variety of mobile genetic elements—in particular bacteriophages and plasmids—the ability to share genes within and across species underpins the exceptional adaptability o ...
All metazoan guts are subject to opposing pressures wherein the immune system must eliminate pathogens while tolerating the presence of symbiotic microbiota. The Imd pathway is an essential defense against invading pathogens in insect guts, but tolerance m ...
