Canada Science News API

{
    "totalArticles": 131636,
    "articles": [
        {
            "id": "49025ac7bb0138cff7032523f9551997",
            "title": "Antiparallel stacking of Csu pili drives Acinetobacter baumannii 3D biofilm assembly",
            "description": "Many Gram-negative nosocomial pathogens rely on adhesive filaments, known as archaic chaperone-usher pili, to establish stress- and drug-resistant, multi-layered biofilms. Here, we uncover the mechanism by which these pili build three-dimensional (3D) biofilm architectures. In situ analyses of Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms using electron microscopy (EM) reveal an extensive network of ultrathin, flat stacks of archaic Csu pili interconnecting bacterial cells in 3D space. Cryo-EM structures of a single native pilus, pilus pairs, and two types of multi-pilus stacks show that the pili pack into antiparallel sheets, with their rods connected laterally by junctions at their zigzag corners. This antiparallel arrangement ensures that contacts form primarily between pili from interacting cells rather than pili from the same cell. With a remarkably short helical repeat, archaic chaperone-usher pili spontaneously establish a high density of junctions that determines the biofilm’s 3D architecture. Our findings may help develop new therapies against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections by targeting pilus-pilus interactions. Some pathogenic bacteria rely on adhesive appendages, known as archaic chaperone-usher pili, to establish drug-resistant multi-layered biofilms. Here, Malmi et al. use electron microscopy techniques to show that these pili form a network of ultrathin, flat stacks interconnecting bacterial cells, and provide a detailed description of the interactions between pili.",
            "content": "Kostakioti, M., Hadjifrangiskou, M. & Hultgren, S. J. Bacterial biofilms: development, dispersal, and therapeutic strategies in the dawn of the postantibiotic era. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Med. 3, a010306 (2013).\nLynch, A. S. & Robertson, G. T. Ba... [11410 chars]",
            "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-68860-z?error=cookies_not_supported&code=730d9dde-0912-4f75-a6fb-71b253aeaf0d",
            "image": "https://www.nature.com/static/images/favicons/nature/favicon-48x48-b52890008c.png",
            "publishedAt": "2026-02-07T19:56:07Z",
            "lang": "en",
            "source": {
                "id": "7abf0df285fbe93cdccffcc7c4088737",
                "name": "Nature",
                "url": "https://www.nature.com"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "ee195c6160d5e761cf3746495028c083",
            "title": "This tiny molecular trick makes spider silk almost unbreakable",
            "description": "Scientists have cracked a key mystery behind spider silk’s legendary strength and flexibility. They discovered that tiny molecular interactions act like natural glue, holding silk proteins together as they transform from liquid into incredibly tough fibers. This same process helps create silk that’s stronger than steel by weight and tougher than Kevlar.",
            "content": "The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by scientists from King's College London and San Diego State University (SDSU), outlines fundamental design principles that may guide the creation of a new generation... [3344 chars]",
            "url": "https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012210.htm",
            "image": "https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/1920/wet-spiderweb-dew-droplets.webp",
            "publishedAt": "2026-02-07T15:25:26Z",
            "lang": "en",
            "source": {
                "id": "81a05fd2712964dbdb32b1c6a27646fd",
                "name": "ScienceDaily",
                "url": "https://www.sciencedaily.com"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "770650b5de380121ac405c41f17a583a",
            "title": "Researchers Get Their First Ever Look At Neanderthal Nasal Cavities, And It Didn’t Look Like Models Predicted",
            "description": "History has a way of surprising us.",
            "content": "For years now, researchers thought they knew what the inside of a Neanderthal nasal cavity would look like. They assumed that it would have certain features that have been previously found in species that lived in cold climates, which help to make br... [2198 chars]",
            "url": "https://twistedsifter.com/2026/02/researchers-get-their-first-ever-look-at-neanderthal-nasal-cavities-and-it-didnt-look-like-models-predicted/",
            "image": "https://twistedsifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Neanderthal.jpg",
            "publishedAt": "2026-02-07T14:49:55Z",
            "lang": "en",
            "source": {
                "id": "ef607012c3a99a15797372646126d053",
                "name": "TwistedSifter",
                "url": "https://twistedsifter.com"
            }
        }
    ]
}