Nature, Published online: 08 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04108-4 The enzyme nitrogenase ‘fixes’ nitrogen gas to form bioavailable ammonia, a vital process for life. Two studies solve a long-standing mystery: how a small protein saves nitrogenase from destruction by oxygen.
Leishmania major promastigotes in culture. Credit: Michael Zhuo Wang A breakthrough in understanding how a single-cell parasite makes ergosterol (its version of cholesterol) could lead to more effective drugs for human leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that afflicts about 1 million people and kills about 30,000 people around the world every year. The findings, reported in […]
Enzymatic dispersion of K. pneumoniae biofilm–enhancing antibiotic and immune system efficacy, leading to curing of infection. Credit: Reshma Ramakrishnan Most of the disease-causing bacteria secrete matrix-like layers around themselves called biofilms. These biofilms act as thick barriers limiting the entry of drugs and helping the bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Now, a team of scientists […]
