Topics
Bacterial growth and aging
February 12, 2020
CBC News: McMaster researchers find new antibiotics that kill superbugs ‘caught in a cage’
The antibiotics remove bacteria that cause staph infections in a way researchers have never seen before
Quebec Science: Deux nouveaux antibiotiques prometteurs au mode d’action inédit
Des chercheurs ont découvert deux nouveaux antibiotiques au mécanisme d’action inédit. Un espoir contre l’antiobiorésistance?
UdeM Nouvelles: Découverte du «Saint-Graal» des antibiotiques/Discovery of the ‘Holy Grail’ of antibiotics
A microbiologist at UdeM helps discover a novel mode of action found in two new antibiotics that adversely affects the ability of bacteria to reproduce.
May 9, 2019
An Indiana University study showing bacteria can evolve new genes from viral attackers could help advance research on bacterial resistance, other uses of bacteria
March 21, 2019
Indiana Daily Student: IU researchers make progress on new antibiotics using chemical probes
IU scientists have made discoveries about bacteria that will advance the search for new antibacterial medicine, by using new chemical probes to observe cells in a more active way.
March 29, 2018
Scientific American: Shameless Bacterial Predator Remodels Its Own Prey
Bacterial big game hunters drill into victims, brace the hole, and then seal the wound behind them.
February 22, 2017
The Bloomington Herald-Times: IU researchers fight ‘superbugs’
Cell division study could help battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
February 16, 2017
The study is the first to reveal in extreme detail the operation of the biochemical clockwork that drives cellular division in bacteria and could inform efforts to develop drugs that combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
July 25, 2016
Chemical and Engineering News: Bacterial ticker tape puts cells on display
Microfluidic device shows how microbes change over generations.
December 11, 2013
IU Newsroom: IU-designed probe opens new path for drug development against leading STD
Biochemical sleuthing by an Indiana University graduate student has ended a nearly 50-year-old search to find a megamolecule in bacterial cell walls commonly used as a target for antibiotics, but whose presence had never been identified in the bacterium responsible for the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in the United States.
May-June 2013
American Scientist: See how they grow
Nearly nondistorting fluorescent tags can capture growth patterns in bacterial cell walls.
March 25, 2013
A Moment of Science: Bacteria Portrait Sessions
A team of chemists and microbiologists has put a new spin on a type of photography: a small‑scale spin, to be precise. They photograph bacteria!
October 22, 2012
Chemical and Engineering News: Cell Wall Growth Visualized In Live Bacteria
Technique monitors peptidoglycan biosynthesis in live cells in real time.
October 9, 2012
IU Newsroom: Filming bacterial life in multicolor as a new diagnostic and antibiotic discovery tool
Multicolored probes target cell wall synthesis in the arms race with bacteria.
October 3, 2012
Chemical and Engineering News: Microfluidic device synchronizes bacteria
Cellular Analysis: Automated method produces bacterial populations in a single stage of the life cycle.
January 17, 2012
An international team of microbiologists has identified a new bacterial growth process — one that occurs at a single end or pole of the cell.
September 1995
Discover Magazine: Death and the Microbe
Most people think of bacteria as selfish individualists. But in many microbial colonies, some bugs gladly sacrifice themselves for the greater good of bugkind. pdf
Bacterial adhesion and biofilms
October 27, 2021
UdeM Nouvelles: La colle la plus puissante de la nature maintenant efficace en milieu humide ET salé/ Nature’s strongest glue now works in wet AND salty environments
Microbiology professor Yves Brun and his team explain the mechanism that allows the world’s most powerful bioadhesive to stick to things like pipes even in ocean water.
January 18, 2019
ListVerse: 10 Types Of Bacteria With Real Superpowers
#10 The super-adhesive bacteria Caulobacter crescentus
June 27, 2018
General Life Talk: A look at nature’s strongest glue
October 30,2017
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News: Bacteria Reach Out and Touch Someone
Although scientists knew that bacteria had a sense of touch, they couldn’t quite put their finger on the underlying mechanism. But now, after a pair of studies, scientists can point to two mechanisms, each involving a different mechanosensing organ.
October 26, 2017
Improved method to observe cell structures involved in biofilm reveals how bacteria cling to surfaces, leading to major infrastructure, health problems.
July 29, 2015
BBC Earth: Ten bacteria with real-life superpowers
They’re too small to see with the naked eye, but these microbes have abilities that put superheroes to shame.
August 18, 2016
AskNature.org: Adhesive works underwater
Holdfast of aquatic bacterium adheres under water using powerful adhesive.
September 2, 2010
Gizmodo: This Bikini-Shaped Bacterium Produces Some of the World’s Strongest Glue
February 8, 2012
LiveScience: Bacterial ‘Glue’ is One of Nature’s Stickiest Substances
The tiny water bacterium Caulobacter crescentus secretes a sugary substance so sticky that just a tiny bit could hold several cars together.
November 29, 2011
Understanding mechanism may aid in development of infection-fighting drugs.
June 29, 2010
IU Newsroom: Deaths in the family cause bacteria to flee
IU Newsroom: La mort de leurs pairs pousse des bacteries a quitter le bercail
The deaths of nearby relatives have a curious effect on the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus — surviving cells lose their stickiness.
October 26, 2006
Téléjournal de Radio-Canada: Une colle ultrapuissante et naturelle
Un microbiologiste acadien met au point une super colle à partir d’une bactérie omniprésente dans les canalisations et les cours d’eau.
October 22, 2006
The Future of Things: Nature’s Super Glue
Researchers from the Indiana University at Bloomington and Brown University have discovered what could be nature’s strongest “super glue”, with a myriad of applications ranging from emergency wound-healing to mending damaged vessels at sea.
October 2006
Tribology and Lubrication: New adhesive fights bacteria growth in MWFs
September 12, 2006
Bacteriologist Yves Brun has been studying the tiny, kidney-beanshaped Caulobacter crescentus for many years. He has published papers on the bacterium’s genetics, the biochemistry of its components, its quirky life cycle, and most recently, the sterner stuff that helps C. crescentus remain affixed to rocks, pebbles, and the inside curve of water pipes.
Fall 2006
IU Research and Creative Activity Magazine: World’s Strongest Glue! Available Only from Nature!
Why is news about the discovery of a strong adhesive secreted by bacteria such media dynamite? Brun says simply, “People were interested in the fact that a simple bacterium could attach so strongly to a surface.”
July 2006
Microbe Current Topics: C. crescentus cells produce extraordinarily potent adhesive
Caulobacter crescentus, a gram-negative bacterium that is widely distributed in aquatic environments, makes an extraordinary adhesive—for now, considered the strongest of biological origin and also exceeding the shear strength of some commercial super glues.
July 19, 2006
Indiana Daily Student: IU research sizes up bacteria
Professor explores function, forms, and size.
Summer 2006
The College Magazine: Sticky situation
The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus lives on surfaces in rivers, streams and human aqueducts. To keep from being washed away, it produces nature’s strongest glue.
June 15, 2006
L’Usine Nouvelle: Une bactérie extrêmement collante
Par l’étude des mécanismes de fixation d’une bactérie sur un support, des chercheurs américains ont découvert une glue ultraforte.
May 24, 2006
CBC News: Companies stuck on bacterial superglue
Companies are knocking on the door of a Canadian scientist in the U.S. who has discovered bacteria that produce the world’s strongest glue.
May 17, 2006
JAMA: Nature’s glue may have medicinal uses
A unique adhesive made by
the water-dwelling Caulobacter
crescentus bacterium may have a number of potential medical and engineering applications, particularly because its effectiveness in wet environments may make it a promising adhesive for procedures such as surgeries.
May 8, 2006
The Guardian: World’s strongest glue poses sticky problem
A bug that cements itself to underwater rocks makes the world’s stickiest glue – twice as strong as the best man-made “superglues”.
May 8, 2006
Business Week: Sticky Science: If we could just get it out of the jar
Scientists say they have found bacteria able to make a glue at least twice as strong as the world’s best.
April 27, 2006
Nature News and Views: Biomaterials – Gripping Stuff
The aquatic bacterium Caulobacter crescentus can come, quite literally, to a sticky end.
April 19, 2006
Le Devoir: Une supercolle d’origine bactérienne
April 18, 2006
Bloomington Herald-Times: Stick ’em up: IU scientists discover super glue made by bacterium
Imagine a glue so strong that a quarter-sized patch of it could suspend an elephant from the ceiling.
April 13, 2005
Chemical and Engineering News: Sticky Bacterium
Chemistry behind biological adhesive’s super strength remains unknown.
April 12, 2006
NBC News: Bacteria make world’s strongest glue
Adhesive sticks better than ‘super-glue’, but can production be scaled up?
Discovery News:Bacteria create strongest superglue
Harmless bacteria that live in rivers produce a biological superglue stronger than any ever measured, scientists say.
IU Newsroom: Bacteria make super-sticky sugars
April 10, 2006
CBC News: Bacteria make super-sticky sugars
Bacteria that live in rivers and streams make nature’s strongest-known glue to stay in place on wet surfaces: a finding that could lead to stronger medical adhesive.
April 7, 2006
IU Newsroom: Nature’s strongest glue could be used as a medical adhesive
April 2006
NSF Current: Sticky Bacterium Produces Natural Superglue
Bacterial adhesive is 2-3 times stronger than common commercial glues.
Bacterial shapes, stalks and pili
November 11, 2018
Bio Logique YouTube: Bio cellulaire – Observation bactérienne
November 6, 2018
Sciences et Avenir: Une bactérie attrape un bout d’ADN au lasso
La vidéo montre une bactérie Vibrio cholerae « dégainer » un pilus pour harponner un fragment d’ADN.
October 15, 2018
Small Things Considered: Shining a light on Vibrio DNA uptake
Vibrio cholerae is a model bacterium for studying horizontal gene transfer and interbacterial competition. A recent study sheds new light (literally) on how this happens.
October 2, 2018
Medium: My favorite biology gifs
A bacterial cell uses a pilus to grab DNA and pulls it close to take it up. This was one of the most incredible videos of bacteria I’d ever seen!
July 25, 2018
IU Newsroom: Ph.D. student shines a light into the secrets of bacteria
Courtney Ellison’s research has made her the first person in the world to witness how bacteria use microscopic limbs called pili to “fish” for DNA.
July 23, 2018
Science et Vie: A la chasse à l’ADN, les bactéries sortent les micropoils
Pourquoi se fatiguer à synthétiser de l’ADN quand on peut récupérer celui qui traîne (ici en rouge) dans la nature ? Les bactéries font donc leurs courses au harpon…
July 6, 2018
Micropia Museum: Cholera bacteria take in new DNA by using ‘harpoon’
Researchers at Indiana University in the USA have managed to film bacteria fishing for foreign DNA with the aid of a harpoon. This vital process is a quick method for the bacteria to acquire new characteristics such as resistance to antibiotics.
June 24, 2018
BBC World Service: Science in Action
Bacteria fishing for DNA.
June 20, 2018
Scientific American: Bacterial Harpoons Pluck Naked DNA from the Environment for Sex, Snacks
Natural bacterial transformation happens, thanks to sticky, flexible fibers called pili.
June 19, 2018
20 minutes: Une bactérie harponne et capture un morceau d’ADN au lasso, comme un cow-boy
Ces images permettent de comprendre comment les bactéries développent une résistance aux antibiotiques…
June 16, 2018
Trust my science: Première observation d’une bactérie «harponnant» l’ADN d’une bactérie morte
Des chercheurs ont pu observer pour la première fois des bactéries « harponner » des fragments d’ADN de leur milieu, afin d’accélérer ce processus évolutif.
June 15, 2018
¿Cómo obtiene una bacteria resistencia a los antibióticos? La respuesta es devorando a sus compañeras muertas, justo lo que se aprecia en este desasosegante vídeo.
June 14, 2018
New York Times: Using Harpoon-Like Appendages, Bacteria ‘Fish’ for New DNA
Seeing how microbes snatch new genetic material from their environment could help in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
June 11, 2018
IU Newsroom: IU scientists watch bacteria ‘harpoon’ DNA to speed their evolution
The first direct observation of the ‘DNA uptake’ process could help advance efforts against drug-resistant bacteria.
April 19, 2018
A Moment of Science: Touched By A Bacterium
Scientists from Indiana University found that bacterium have a sense of touch.
February 5, 2018
Investigators have learned more about how bacteria sense that they have touched a surface and how that sense translates to changes in their behavior. This understanding could lead to new ways of preventing infections or harmful biofilm formation.
January 19, 2014
IU Newsroom: IU research shows how protein sequence changes drive species evolution
Study unravels mystery of cell shape diversity in bacteria.
July 10, 2007
IU Newsroom: Might stalked bacteria become bioremediation’s workhorses?
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute has accepted a proposal by an Indiana University Bloomington biologist to sequence the genomes of six bacteria known to suck up nutrients from their environments using long, rigid stalks.
July 18, 2006
IU Newsroom: Figuring out function from bacteria’s bewildering forms
The constellation of shapes and sizes among bacteria is as remarkable as it is mysterious.
Publicity, awards and grants
June 2022
UdeM Nouvelles: Yves Brun reçoit un prix d’excellence de L’alUMni de l’Université de Moncton
C’est avec beaucoup de fierté que L’alUMni de l’Université de Moncton a dévoilé aujourd’hui le nom des récipiendaires de ses Prix d’excellence. L’Ordre du mérite sera remis à l’éminent microbiologiste Yves Brun (B.Sc. 1983; M.Sc. 1985)
April 2022
Le Journal de Montréal: Belles grosses bactéries poilues
Un spectacle combine l’animation 3D façon jeu vidéo et la microbiologie pour projeter des bactéries géantes
Le Devoir: Ces bactéries qui émerveillent
Quand on porte attention à la diversité de leurs formes, fonctions, aptitudes et bienfaits, la peur se mue vite en éblouissement.
Moteur de recherch Radio-Canada: Entrevue avec Yves Brun
Le microbiologiste Yves Brun parle de ses recherches sur les bactéries.
March 2022
UdeMNouvelles: Essentielles, fascinantes, poétiques: tout ce que vous ne savez pas sur les bactéries
Le professeur et chercheur Yves Brun convie le public à sa toute nouvelle conférence immersive sur les bactéries, présentée à la Société des arts technologiques.
June 2021
UdeMNouvelles: Unir l’intelligence artificielle à la microscopie pour lutter contre l’antibiorésistance / Fighting antibiotic resistance with the power of automated microscopy and AI
Le professeur et chercheur Yves Brun reçoit une subvention pour tester une approche innovante qui pourrait permettre de découvrir de nouveaux antibiotiques.
September 2020
UdeMNouvelles: Dix membres de l’UdeM élus à l’Académie canadienne des sciences de la santé
L’Académie récompense les contributions exemplaires de 10 chercheurs de l’UdeM ainsi que la qualité et le caractère novateur de leurs travaux.
June 2020
UdeMNouvelles: Yves Brun invite les Québécois à prendre part à la lutte contre l’antibiorésistance
Dans une nouvelle étude, le chercheur Yves Brun s’intéresse à l’antibiorésistance et demande à la population d’y participer.
December 2019
June 3, 2019
UdeMNouvelles: Yves Brun est lauréat du prix Murray pour l’ensemble de sa carrière
May 15, 2019
UdeMNouvelles: L’Université de Montréal félicite ses chercheurs
Fait marquant à signaler, l’obtention de la Chaire de recherche Canada 150 et l’arrivée de son titulaire, le professeur Yves Brun. Dominique Bérubé, vice-présidente des programmes de recherche au Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH), est venue présenter le titulaire de la Chaire de recherche Canada 150 sur la biologie cellulaire bactérienne, dont la création a permis de «ramener ce brillant chercheur acadien du lointain Indiana», a-t-elle dit. Cette chaire, par sa multidisciplinarité, permettra au professeur Brun de poursuivre ses recherches pour mieux comprendre le fonctionnement des bactéries, notamment dans le contexte de leur résistance aux antibiotiques.
May 2, 2019
UdeMNouvelles: Sciences de la vie: nos amies les bactéries
À l’occasion de la rencontre EFFERVESCENCE sur les sciences de la vie, plusieurs chercheurs de l’UdeM ont participé à la conférence sur les applications du microbiote en santé humaine et animale.
March 23, 2019
C’est avec enthousiasme que le microbiologiste de renom Yves Brun a rejoint les rangs de la Faculté de médecine, en janvier dernier.
October 31, 2018
Le réputé professeur Yves Brun sera conférencier le 2 novembre au symposium sur le microbiote, organisé par la Faculté de médecine de l’UdeM, qui l’accueillera en janvier prochain.
March 29, 2018
Université de Montréal awarded prestigious research chair
Le microbiologiste Yves Brun rejoindra les rangs de l’UdeM, en janvier prochain, à titre de titulaire de la Chaire de recherche Canada 150 sur la biologie cellulaire bactérienne.
Canada 150 Research Chairs Newsroom: Canada’s Brain Gain. Round 2
June 26, 2017
IU Newsroom: Microbiologist awarded $4 million to study bacterial cell biology
Indiana University microbiologist Yves Brun has received $4 million from the NIH to advance research on bacterial cell biology.
February 13, 2017
IU Newsroom: Indiana University announces nine new distinguished professors
February 9, 2015
IU Newsroom: NIH awards IU team $3.3 million in fight against antibiotic resistance
A team of Indiana University chemists and biologists has been awarded $3.3 million to develop and use a chemical tagging method to better understand how bacteria build their cell wall, which is still the best target for new antibiotics.
Fall 2010
The College Magazine – Arts and Sciences at Indiana University: Good as Goldwater
No fewer than four undergraduate students that have worked in Yves Brun’s lab have won the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship.
April 7, 2010
“Il est possible pour les gens de par chez nous de réussir dans n’importe quel domaine.”
March 4, 2010
L’Etoile Shediac: Yves Brun est récompensé chez nos voisins de sud
Le biochemiste a remporté un prestigieaux prix américain.
February 16, 2010
IU Newsroom: Biologist Yves Brun elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
November 1, 2008
L’Acadie Nouvelle: Retour aux sources
Le chercheur Yves Brun revient à la polyvalente LJR.
October 27, 2008
Telegraph Journal Shediac: Glue binds N.B. scientist to native home
Brun honored to return to his Shediac high school and attempt to raise funds for a trust at the same time.
October 25, 2008
L’Etoile Shédiac: Yves Brun recevra la Médaille d’excellence de la Fondation Louis-J.-Robichaud
Le microbiologist a été marque par des gens de la communauté
October 8, 2008
Le Moniteur Acadien: Yves Brun est le récipiendaire de la Médaille d’excellence Louis-J.-Robichaud
January 25, 2007
IU Newsroom: $1.2 million NIH grant supports new investigation of nature’s strongest glue
A four-year, $1.2 million National Institutes of Health grant will enable Indiana University Bloomington and Brown University scientists to investigate the properties of a natural glue that has many potential applications.
Video links
June 22, 2022
Water Rangers Ripple Effect – Partnership with Les Scientifines and the Brun Lab
April 6, 2022
La poésie des bactéries – Entrevue avec Yves Brun
November 24, 2021
Yves Brun – Membres 2021 de la Société royale du Canada
June 15, 2021
Canada 150 Research Chair Virtual Symposium : Yves Brun C150 in Bacterial Cell Biology
November 2, 2018
Le monde caché des bactéries sous l’angle de ses deux champs de recherche: comment les bactéries parviennent à se lier à une surface pour la coloniser et de quelles façons elles se métamorphosent.