Bacterial communities use sophisticated strategy to communicate over long distances It’s the way we end up with a fresh cup of coffee from a clump of beans. It’s how ocean oil rigs extract petroleum from dense rock formations beneath the seafloor. It even helps explain how forest fires spread. A theory known as “percolation” is now helping microbiologists at the …

Montana State researcher wins major award to engineer microbial biofilms BOZEMAN – Just as an entomologist studies how ants organize themselves in a colony, Montana State University researcher Connie B. Chang is studying how microbes function in their own communities, called biofilms — research that could shed new light on how microbes causes disease or generate biofuel. Chang, an assistant …

Biodegradable emulsion eliminates biofilms Among multidrug-resistant bacteria, the toughest ones to beat make biofilms. These films shield bacteria and stick to surface wounds like burn injuries or bed sores. As modern medicines fail against resistant bacteria, some scientists propose turning to ancient yet proven remedies: essential oils. The challenge, however, is getting the greasy oils into water-based bacterial environments. Researchers …

Columbia University biologists have revealed a mechanism by which bacterial cells in crowded, oxygen-deprived environments access oxygen for energy production, ensuring survival of the cell. The finding could explain how some bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), are able to thrive in oxygen-poor environments like biofilms and resist antibiotics. “P. aeruginosa biofilm infections are a leading cause of death for people suffering from …

Briny pool bacteria can clean up and power up Warm and salty wastewater is a by-product of many industries, including oil and gas production, seafood processing and textile dyeing. KAUST researchers are exploring ways to detoxify such wastewater while simultaneously generating electricity. They are using bacteria with remarkable properties: the ability to transfer electrons outside their cells (exoelectrogenes) and the …