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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2025 at 8:38am

Scientists create an artificial cell capable of navigating its environment using chemistry alone

Researchers  have created the world's simplest artificial cell capable of chemical navigation, migrating toward specific substances like living cells do.

This breakthrough, published in Science Advances, demonstrates how microscopic bubbles can be programmed to follow chemical trails. The study describes the development of a "minimal cell" in the form of a lipid vesicle encapsulating enzymes that can propel itself through chemotaxis.

Cellular transport is a vital aspect of many biological processes and a key milestone in evolution. Among all types of movement, chemotaxis is an essential strategy used by many living systems to move towards beneficial signals, such as nutrients, or away from harmful ones.

Bacteria rely on it to find food, white blood cells use it to reach sites of infection, and even sperm cells navigate toward the egg through chemotaxis. 

 This type of directed movement can occur even without the complex machinery typically involved, such as flagella or intricate signaling pathways. By recreating it in a minimal synthetic system, researchers aim to uncover the core principles that make such movement possible.

Being able to engineer an artificial cell could help scientists better understand how cell units drive further evolution into more complex structures.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 26, 2025 at 7:02am

Meta's wristband breakthrough lets you use digital devices without touching them

Could Meta be on the verge of transforming how we interact with our digital devices? If the company's latest innovation takes off, we might soon be controlling our computers, cell phones and tablets with a simple flick of the wrist.

Researchers at Meta's Reality Labs division have unveiled an experimental wristband that translates hand gestures and subtle finger movements into commands that interact with a computer. This allows a user to push a cursor around a screen or open an app without needing a mouse, touchscreen or keyboard. The technology can even transcribe handwriting in the air into text (currently at a speed of 20.9 words per minute).

In a paper published in Nature, the team describes how its sEMG-RD (surface electromyography research) works. The wristband uses a technique called electromyography to pick up electrical signals when the brain tells the hand to perform an action. It then converts those signals into commands that control a connected device, such as your phone.

 Patrick Kaifosh et al, A generic non-invasive neuromotor interface for human-computer interaction, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09255-w

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 25, 2025 at 7:04am

Scientists discover blood protein albumin transforms harmless fungus into dangerous pathogens

A research team has uncovered a new way in which the yeast Candida albicans can damage human tissue. In a study published in Nature Communications, the scientists describe an alternative pathogenicity strategy involving the human serum protein albumin. This mechanism has not previously been described and may help explain why certain clinical isolates of Candida albicans appear harmless in laboratory tests, yet cause infections in patients.

Candida albicans is part of the normal human microbiome, colonizing mucosal surfaces without causing harm. Under specific conditions, however, the fungus can become pathogenic—particularly in people with weakened immune systems. Scientists have long known that Candida albicans causes infections using well-described mechanisms, such as toxin production and hyphae formation to invade host tissues.

Now, an international research team has uncovered another tool with which the yeast can cause damage. They found that even strains or mutants previously considered non-virulent in the lab became cytotoxic when albumin was present.

Albumin is the most abundant protein in human blood serum. It plays various roles in transport, nutrient binding, and immune regulation. In carefully controlled infection models, the researchers found that albumin triggered a shift in fungal behavior: even previously non-harmful Candida strains began to grow more strongly, form biofilms, and release a cytotoxic lipid molecule called 13-HODE, which directly damages human cells.

The fungus doesn't necessarily need to grow long hyphae or produce great amounts of toxin in order to cause infection. Depending on the condition it's facing, it will adapt—and it can take advantage of the host.

To uncover the mechanism leading to infection, the team used a combination of methods including microscopy, cell-based damage assays, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. They showed that albumin triggered a reprogramming of fungal metabolism, including lipid oxidation pathways that lead to the production of the toxic compound 13-HODE—which previously had not been associated with Candida albicans virulence.

Sophia U. J. Hitzler et al, Host albumin redirects Candida albicans metabolism to engage an alternative pathogenicity pathway, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61701-5

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 25, 2025 at 6:52am

Study links caffeine intake to decreased antibiotic potency in common bacteria

Ingredients of our daily diet—including caffeine—can influence the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. This has been shown in a new study by a team of researchers.

They discovered that bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) orchestrate complex regulatory cascades to react to chemical stimuli from their direct environment, which can influence the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs.

In a systematic screening, the researchers investigated how 94 different substances—including antibiotics, prescription drugs, and food ingredients—influence the expression of key gene regulators and transport proteins of the bacterium E. coli, a potential pathogen. Transport proteins function as pores and pumps in the bacterial envelope and control which substances enter or leave the cell. A finely tuned balance of these mechanisms is crucial for the survival of bacteria.

Their data shows that several substances can subtly but systematically influence gene regulation in bacteria. The findings suggest even everyday substances without a direct antimicrobial effect—e.g., caffeinated drinks—can impact certain gene regulators that control transport proteins, thereby changing what enters and leaves the bacterium.

Caffeine triggers a cascade of events starting with the gene regulator Rob and culminating in the change of several transport proteins in E. coli—which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin. This results in caffeine weakening the effect of this antibiotic. The researchers describe this phenomenon as an "antagonistic interaction."

This weakening effect of certain antibiotics was not detectable in Salmonella enterica, a pathogen closely related to E. coli. This shows that even in similar bacterial species, the same environmental stimuli can lead to different reactions—possibly due to differences in transport pathways or their contribution to antibiotic uptake.

 Christoph Binsfeld et al, Systematic screen uncovers regulator contributions to chemical cues in Escherichia coli, PLOS Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003260

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 24, 2025 at 10:20am

Humanity Has Dammed So Much Water It's Shifted Earth's Magnetic Poles

Recent shifts in Earth's magnetic field have human fingerprints all over them. While it is normal for our planet's magnetic poles to sporadically wander, new research shows we've now amassed enough water behind dam walls to account for at least some of the current movements. Harvard University geophysicist Natasha Valencic and colleagues calculated that the masses concentrated in just under 7,000 of Earth's biggest dams have knocked the crust's axis of rotation off kilter by around one meter (three feet) relative to the dynamo that drives the magnetic fields beneath the crust. What's more, all this water hoarding has also caused a 21-millimeter-drop in sea levels. As we trap water behind dams, not only does it remove water from the oceans, thus leading to a global sea level fall, it also distributes mass in a different way around the world This mass redistribution can impact Earth's magnetic pole positions relative to the surface. Extra weight added to a spinning sphere pulls the weighted part towards the equator, shifting the axis around which the sphere spins. So, redistributing Earth's surface weight re-orientates its spin axis, whether that be through damming water, melting glaciers, or groundwater removal. But it's only Earth's outer crust floating over its gooey inner parts – not the inner goo generating the magnetic field – that shift, leading to a different part of Earth's surface sitting over our planet's inner magnetic north. So, while north itself hasn't really moved in space, Earth's surface has shifted around, over the top of it. This phenomenon is called true polar wander.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL115468

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 24, 2025 at 7:56am

A Fungus, Not Its Insect Host, Paints the World Red

Lac insects carry a yeast-like symbiont that produces a commercially important bright red pigment, revealing insights about insect-microbe symbiosis.

For thousands of years, artisans have been dyeing textiles, jewelry, and handicrafts with a rich, vibrant red pigment that they obtain from lac insects. The most widely-cultivated lac insect, Kerria lacca, is bright crimson because of its natural pigments called laccaic acids.

Researchers now  found that K. lacca carry a yeast-like symbiont, which produces the colorful lac pigment and provides essential nutrients that the insects’ plant diet lacks.

Their findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlight the role of fungal symbionts in insects for providing nutrition and other metabolites.

To characterize the lac insect, the research  team sequenced its genome, as well as that of its known symbionts: bacteria belonging to the genus Wolbachia, and an unidentified yeast-like fungus. They discovered that neither the lac insect nor Wolbachia carried the genes required to produce the molecules that make up laccaic acids. However, genes in the yeast-like symbiont encoded various enzymes that did, indicating the fungus as the only plausible source of the pigment. 

The researchers validated that the pigment originated in the yeast-like symbiont by spraying lac insects with fungicides. Depleting the fungal symbiont reduced the expression of genes required for pigment synthesis. Mass spectrometry revealed lower concentrations of laccaic acids in fungicide-treated insects, which also appeared paler in comparison to untreated insects. However, the fungicide treatment did not eliminate the yeast completely. “Therefore, the insects weren't completely colorless”.

Vaishally, et al. An endosymbiotic origin of the crimson pigment from the lac insect. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2025;122(25):e2501623122.

Vashishtha A, et al. Co-existence, phylogeny and putative role of Wolbachia and yeast-like symbiont (YLS) in Kerria lacca (Kerr). Curr Microbiol. 2011;63(2):206-212.

https://www.the-scientist.com/a-fungus-not-its-insect-host-paints-t...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 24, 2025 at 6:29am

Scientists use dental floss to deliver vaccines without needles

Flossing your teeth at least once a day is an essential part of any oral health routine. But it might also one day protect other parts of the body as scientists have created a novel, needle-free vaccine approach using a specialized type of floss.

In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers demonstrated that when floss laced with vaccine  components, such as proteins and inactive viruses, was applied along the gum lines of mice, it triggered an immune response.

This method of vaccine delivery is effective because the areas of gum between the teeth are highly permeable, allowing them to absorb vaccine molecules easily.

In the experiment, researchers flossed 50 mice every two weeks for 28 days, which wasn't an easy task. To floss each mouse, one person had to gently pull their jaw down with the metal ring from a keychain while another did the flossing.

Four weeks after the final vaccine dose, the mice were exposed to a lethal strain of flu.

All rodents that received the floss-based vaccine survived while the unvaccinated animals died. Additionally, the mice that had been flossed had a more widespread immune response throughout their bodies. Flu antibodies were detected in their feces, saliva and even in their bone marrow.

Finding antibodies in the bone marrow suggests the mice's bodies had established a long-term immune response. The researchers also saw an increase in T Cells (a type of immune cell that fights off infections) in the mice's lungs and spleen.

Next, the researchers wanted to see whether flossing would be a viable approach for humans. So they asked 27 healthy volunteers to floss with dental picks coated with food dye. On average, the dye reached the gums about 60% of the time.

The mouth and nose are the primary entry points for many viruses, making the oral cavity an ideal site for vaccine delivery. However, scientists have faced significant hurdles in developing needle-free vaccine alternatives for these areas due to the body's tough defenses against foreign invaders. A floss-based approach could bypass these challenges, offering a promising new method.

 Rohan S. J. Ingrole et al, Floss-based vaccination targets the gingival sulcus for mucosal and systemic immunization, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-025-01451-3

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 23, 2025 at 2:15pm

Engineered bacteria pave the way for vegan cheese and yogurt

Bacteria are set to transform the future of dairy-free milk products. Scientists have successfully engineered E. coli to produce key milk proteins essential for cheese and yogurt production, without using any animal-derived ingredients. This paves the way for plant-based dairy alternatives that mimic traditional dairy at a molecular level but are sustainable and cruelty-free.

A recent study published in Trends in Biotechnology reported two methods for producing casein (a milk protein) that are nutritionally and functionally similar to bovine casein.

Casein is a highly sought-after component in both infant and adult diets, as it is digestible, of high quality, and provides several essential amino acids our body needs.

The food and pharmaceutical industries have utilized microorganisms as cell factories for the large-scale production of biomolecules, dietary supplements, and enzymes for quite some time. Scientists were curious to see if the same approach could be used for recombinant casein proteins, produced through genetic engineering in microbial cell factories. However, these techniques often fail to replicate a key factor that imparts casein its unique properties—phosphorylation, a biological process where a phosphate group is added to a protein.

Phosphorylation of serine residues (amino acid components) is critical for casein's ability to bind calcium, which makes milk stable and provides it with nutritional properties. Calcium binding also ensures the formation of nanoscale protein structures called casein micelles, which act as delivery agents for bioavailable calcium and phosphate.

To overcome this issue, the researchers adopted two main strategies. First, they engineered bacteria to co-express three Bacillus subtilis protein kinases, which are enzymes that catalyze the addition of phosphate groups to proteins. Second, they designed a phosphomimetic version of αs1-casein, in which serine residues normally phosphorylated in the naturally occurring protein were replaced with aspartic acid to mimic the negative charge and functional effects of phosphorylation.

The team carried out structural analysis, calcium-binding tests, and simulated gastrointestinal digestion of the derived αs1-casein. The results indicated that both the phosphorylated and phosphomimetic caseins of bacterial origin had a high calcium-binding capacity, and their digestibility and structure were comparable to that of cattle-derived casein.

The researchers highlighted that while kinase-mediated phosphorylation provides a route for closely mimicking native casein, phosphomimetic casein provides a simpler path for producing functionally similar proteins. 

 Suvasini Balasubramanian et al, Production of phosphorylated and functional αs1-casein in Escherichia coli, Trends in Biotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.05.015

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 23, 2025 at 2:10pm

Quantum internet moves closer as researchers teleport light-based information

Quantum teleportation is a fascinating process that involves transferring a particle's quantum state to another distant location, without moving or detecting the particle itself. This process could be central to the realization of a so-called "quantum internet," a version of the internet that enables the safe and instant transmission of quantum information between devices within the same network.

Quantum teleportation is far from a recent idea, as it was experimentally realized several times in the past. Nonetheless, most previous demonstrations utilized frequency conversion rather than natively operating in the telecom band.

Researchers recently demonstrated the teleportation of a telecom-wavelength photonic qubit (i.e., a quantum bit encoded in light at the same wavelengths supporting current communications) to a telecom quantum memory. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, could open new possibilities for the realization of scalable quantum networks and thus potentially a quantum internet.

 Yu-Yang An et al, Quantum Teleportation from Telecom Photons to Erbium-Ion Ensembles, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/3wh8-2gh1.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on July 19, 2025 at 9:41am

The researchers also investigated how sleepy a participant felt when they woke up. While participants felt the sleepiest when awoken from REM sleep, the impact of the slow waves in non-REM sleep stages is quite intriguing.

They found a new aspect in which slow waves can present very distinct and opposite behaviors. Some slow waves are actually acting like arousal elements—they are part of the 'wake up!' signal. The more these waves occur just before awakening, the more alert you tend to feel upon awakening. While the other slow waves—whether they are present before waking up or persisting after—are the reason we sometimes feel so sleepy in the first moments of the day.
These findings can be used for future research into sleep disorders, such as insomnia or conditions involving incomplete awakenings.

Aurélie M. Stephan et al, Cortical activity upon awakening from sleep reveals consistent spatio-temporal gradients across sleep stages in human EEG, Current Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.06.064

Part 2

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