Human teeth play a key role in our understanding of how organisms evolve. Whenever a possible new member of the hominid family is uncovered, the shape and number of teeth are used to place that individual in the family tree. Teeth also harbor information about pathogens that have plagued humans for millennia. Because bacteria use […]
In recent years, scientists have been able to refine their molecular tools to resurrect ancient DNA from human graves and determine that yes, Yersinia pestis was the causative agent for the Black Death in the 14th century and the Plague of Justinian in the 6th century. As more and more human graves have been uncovered, […]
Writing about Yersinia pestis or the Black Death, has earned me a reputation among Promega Connections bloggers. I am interested in what researchers have been able to piece together about the causative agent of ancient plagues, what modern research shows about how Y. pestis spreads in the body and the continuing reservoirs in modern times, […]
When I started writing about research on Yersinia pestis and the Black Death, I was amazed at the ability to recover 14th century bacterial DNA from human remains, show Y. pestis was the caustive agent of the Black Death and then sequence the strain to compare to modern Y. pestis strains. The publications I read […]
Sequencing Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that caused the Black Plague in Europe during 1348–50, is an amazing accomplishment. Y. pestis infection still occurs sporatically and causes fatalities despite the Age of Antibiotics. Even with animal models, there are questions remaining about the progression of infection. Nham et al. used in vivo imaging to examine the […]
On September 25, Promega Research Scientist David Mokry addressed a full audience at the International Symposium on Human Identification. The event brings together people from the forensic DNA industry – criminalists, analysts, lab directors and more – eager to learn about advancements in the field. Over the next 20 minutes, David unveiled a novel enzyme […]
Imagine if your first instinct during an epidemic wasn’t to wear a mask or stock up on groceries, but instead to start rearranging and remodeling your house. As it turns out, researchers have found that black garden ants (Lasius niger) do exactly that when confronted with the threat of disease. These tiny architects instinctively spring […]
Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox; 1) has been making the news lately. The declaration by the WHO Director-General naming mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC; 2) has a lot of people wondering what it is, how it spreads and how concerned they should be. Understandably, we are all a little jumpy when […]
What would the Olympics be without a little controversy? From spy drones to air conditioning battles and debates over the bronze medal in women’s floor exercises, the 2024 Games had their fair share. Yet, amidst all the drama, one story stood out—the transformation of the Seine River. After being off-limits to swimmers since 1923, the […]
Coral reefs are the most productive marine ecosystem known, providing essential habitats and shelters for fish and other organisms. Additionally, they help protect coastlines, support economies, provide important food sources for local fisheries, and so much more. Coral reefs are ecologically essential—but are continuing to vanish. Fire coral (Millepora) brings new hope to this marine […]
