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Multiple antibiotic resistance is auxiliary to bacterial fitness and adaptability Could a gene regulatory network in gut microbes have evolved its elaborate and tightly regulated molecular machinery only to pump out antibiotics indiscriminately? Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) show this is an auxiliary function.

First report of a new DNA marker outside of microbes, important for sperm function Could it be that one of only three known markers directly targeting the DNA does not exist outside the realm of microbes? Now, researchers led by Xiaoqi Feng at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have demonstrated that this marker-N4-methylcytosine (4mC)-is essential for sperm development and maturation in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha , a key organism in plant evolution.

A temporary bacterial infection of the skin can cause long-lasting changes in the immune system and increase allergic inflammation. This is the result of a study led by the Medical University of Vienna and the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine, which has just been published in the leading journal "Science Immunology".

Special anatomical structures in the throat greatly enrich the vocal repertoire of New World monkeys A recent investigation led by voice scientist Christian T. Herbst from the University of Vienna and colleagues from Anglia Ruskin University provides new insights into the vocal capabilities of New World monkeys, the group of all'original primates of the American continent: They can produce "voice breaks" similar to human yodeling, but support a much wider range of frequencies.

Organoids have revolutionized science and medicine, providing platforms for disease modeling, drug testing, and understanding developmental processes. While not exact replicas of human organs, they offer significant insights. The Siegert group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) presents a new organoid model that reveals details of the developing nervous system's response to viral infections, such as Rubella.

This novel antibiotic activates an existing "suicide" mechanism in gonococci The increase of microbes resistant to antibiotics is a growing problem. These include, for example, Neisseria gonorrhoeae , a bacterium which causes gonorrhea. Researchers from the universities in Konstanz and Vienna discover a new class of antibiotic that selectively targets Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Phosphorylation serves as a key on-and-off switch in cell signaling, such as in the Akt pathway, which regulates cell growth and is often upregulated in cancer. Master students Tarik Husremovic and Vanessa Meier from the Leonard lab at the Max Perutz Labs now reveal, in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), that the phosphatases PHLPP1 and PHLPP2 - previously believed to dephosphorylate Akt and suppress tumor growth - are neither phosphatases nor tumor suppressors.

A recent study on fish allergies has gained new insights into the reactivity to parvalbumins, the main allergens in fish. A research team from Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences and the Medical University of Vienna, together with international colleagues, examined the IgE reactivity to parvalbumins from 12 different freshwater fish species from Austria.

Why is sleep so important for learning and memory? Neuroscientists from the Csicsvari group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) provided new insight into this essential function by monitoring neuronal activity in rat brains for up to 20 hours of sleep following spatial learning.

Although persons with haemophilia have nowadays reached a similar life expectancy as the general population in regions of the world with access to safe and effective therapies, little is known about the biological ageing process in the people with this congenital bleeding disorder. In a study recently published in the journal "Haematologica", researchers from the MedUni Vienna have now shown that people with haemophilia have a significantly increased biological age.

A research team from the Medical University of Vienna has made further progress in the treatment of intestinal inflammation. A study shows that the semi-synthetic bile acid NorUDCA inhibits in the intestine the formation of pro-inflammatory T helper 17 cells (TH17) and at the same time promotes the generation of anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells.

This effect even occurs with virtual nature - such as nature videos In a new study, an international team of neuroscientists led by the University of Vienna has shown that experiencing nature can alleviate acute physical pain. Surprisingly, simply watching nature videos was enough to relieve pain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers found that acute pain was rated as less intense and unpleasant when watching nature videos - along with a reduction in brain activity associated with pain.

ISTA scientists revise our knowledge about the auxin signaling mechanism in plants According to Karl Popper, a theory or hypothesis can never be definitely proven, but it can be falsified. This implies that it should be rigorously tested for its validity. Scientific progress often involves revisiting and revising established textbook knowledge.

What happens in the brain as we age? Might it be at all possible to rejuvenate nerve cells? Seeking answers to these questions, a research group led by Frank Edenhofer at the Department of Molecular Biology has succeeded for the first time in observing mini-brains age. As we get older, our brain ages along with us: we find learning new things more difficult and our memory occasionally fails us.

A recent study involving the Medical University of Vienna in an international collaboration provides new insights into bacterial vaginosis, the most common infection of the female genital tract caused by bacteria. This disease is associated with an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, HIV and premature births.

Why do our mental images stay sharp even when we are moving fast? A team of neuroscientists led by Professor Maximilian Jösch at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has identified a mechanism that corrects visual distortions caused by movement in animals. The study, conducted in mice, identifies a core function that can be generalized across the vertebrate visual system, including primates such as humans.

An interdisciplinary research team led by the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital has investigated the potential of liquid biopsies from blood and cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis and monitoring of brain tumors in children and adolescents.

New insights into our linguistic roots via ancient DNA analysis Where lies the origin of the Indo-European language family? Ron Pinhasi and his team in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna contribute a new piece to this puzzle in collaboration with David Reich's ancient DNA laboratory at Harvard University.

Painted lady butterflies are world travelers. The ones we encounter in Europe fly from Africa to Sweden, ultimately returning to areas north and south of the Sahara. But what determines whether some butterflies travel long distances while others travel short distances? A group of scientists, including from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), shows that the different migration strategies are shaped by environmental conditions rather than being encoded in the butterfly's DNA.

Nerve stimulation can help with various diseases. However, this only works well if the body's own rhythms are taken into account, says a study by TU Wien (Vienna). It doesn't always have to be medication. Some health problems, from chronic pain and inflammation to neurological diseases, can also be treated by nerve stimulation, for example with the help of electrodes that are attached to the ear and activate the vagus nerve.