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Cell & Microbiology news
Cancer's hidden switch may sit in the cell membrane, forcing growth receptors into permanent overdrive
Cells are enveloped by a lipid membrane that gives them structure and provides a barrier between the cell and its environment. However, evidence has recently emerged suggesting that these membranes do more than simply provide ...
Cell & Microbiology
17 hours ago
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Cyanobacteria surprise scientists with evolutionary shift
Photosynthetic bacteria helped shape planet Earth. Among them are cyanobacteria that produced the oxygen in the atmosphere and made complex life possible, captivating scientists for decades. Now, researchers at the Institute ...
Evolution
20 hours ago
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Scientists unlock shape-shifting living tissue, programming cells to fold flat sheets into precise 3D forms
Biological tissues have a remarkable ability to organize and change shape, driven by forces generated by their own cells. One of the major challenges in bioengineering is harnessing this natural behavior to design synthetic ...
Cell & Microbiology
20 hours ago
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Ancient viruses serve as gene delivery couriers to help bacteria resist antibiotics
Research has shed important new light on the enemies-turned-allies that allow bacteria to exchange genes, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The insights, which expand our understanding of the major ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 16, 2026
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Cells have a secret 'courier system' that could open hard-to-reach targets for RNA and gene therapies
Researchers at University College Dublin have discovered a previously unknown "courier system" that cells use to deliver coherent biological messages between each other, opening new possibilities for medicine and biotechnology. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 16, 2026
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Foxes and birds could be 'early warning system' to survey spread of antibiotic resistance into ecosystems
Red foxes and birds regularly cross between human-dominated and natural ecosystems. For this reason, they may be heralds of spreading antibiotic resistance into ecosystems unexposed to antibiotic pressures, a study done in ...
Ecology
Apr 16, 2026
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Stress-triggered protein clusters reveal how cells sort damaged cargo
Inside every cell, a cleanup operation runs around the clock. Proteins are constantly damaged by wear and tear. Some can be repaired, while others must be dismantled and recycled. When this system fails, damaged proteins ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 15, 2026
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Earth's microbes may hide a near-universal plastic-eating arsenal, with 600,000 proteins poised to attack waste
Researchers have identified more than 600,000 microbial proteins capable of breaking down natural and synthetic plastics, revealing a far broader biodegradation potential across microbes than previously known.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 15, 2026
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Some lake bacteria survive by slashing half their genome and never looking back
Researchers at the University of Zurich have analyzed the genome of bacteria living in Lake Zurich to conclude that microbes employ two different strategies to colonize new habitats. Some acquire new traits, as expected—but ...
Evolution
Apr 14, 2026
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Picky methane-consuming microorganisms prefer carbon monoxide, opening the door to more greenhouse gas release
Research by microbiologists Reinier Egas and Cornelia Welte of Radboud University shows that many methane-consuming microorganisms actually prefer carbon monoxide over methane. When carbon monoxide is present, they consume ...
Ecology
Apr 14, 2026
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Parasites get trapped inside host cells when MIC11 is removed, exposing a crucial escape mechanism
Parasites are a major global health problem, underlying many human diseases worldwide. For example, Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for malaria, plays a well-established role; however, its complex life cycle ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 14, 2026
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AI spots hidden behavior patterns in self-organizing bacteria
Life moves in mysterious ways—and perhaps especially so for organisms that undergo dramatic shifts in levels of self-organization, such as Myxococcus xanthus. A custom-built artificial intelligence system developed by Rice ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 14, 2026
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Protein clusters reshape cell movement and may help cells build amino acids faster
Cells can be thought of as cities, with factories, a transport system, and lots of building activity. An international team led by scientists at the University of Groningen studied cells growing under different conditions ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 13, 2026
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Disrupting genome architecture selectively impairs developmental genes
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have found that temporarily disabling a protein complex that organizes DNA into loops inside the cell's nucleus drastically disrupted the three-dimensional structure of the genome, but surprisingly, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 13, 2026
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Irish bog plant revives ancient remedy as a new weapon vs superbugs
Long before we had modern antibiotics to rely on, people often turned to traditional medicines from plants to treat infections.
Plants & Animals
Apr 11, 2026
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Microbial hockey: Scientists discover how bacteria rotate tiny pucks
At the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Jérémie Palacci's research group is venturing into metallurgy—albeit with a twist. Instead of traditional tools, the scientists use E. coli bacteria, often associated ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 11, 2026
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'First contact' that may have led to complex life on Earth finally witnessed by scientists
On the shores of the west coast of Australia lies a window to our past: the stromatolites and microbial mats of Gathaagudu (Shark Bay).
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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SNIPE bacterial defense system shreds phage DNA before infection can begin
What if the Trojan horse had been pulled to pieces, revealing the ruse and fending off the invasion, just as it entered the gates of Troy? That's an apt description of a newly characterized bacterial defense system that chops ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Scientists identify kinesin-2 motor assemblies that selectively transport proteins to specific regions within neurons
Intracellular transport is a vital process that allows cells to move proteins and other molecules to specific locations. This process is especially important in neurons, which have highly polarized structures with long extensions ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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Rod-shaped synthetic swimmers reveal a 'sweet spot' for active turbulence
Inspired by the collective dynamics of bacteria like E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, researchers at the University of Twente asked a simple but fundamental question: what happens when artificial swimmers are made rod-shaped ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
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More news
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Examining embryo model ethics beyond box-checking
This giant virus just gave up its atomic blueprint
AI uncovers hidden immune defenses inside bacteria
A 'stemness checkpoint' helps control stem cell identity
Split shift: A surprising twist in the biology of aging
Glucose transport may hinge on a fleeting transition-like state
Researchers clarify how cells remove damaged endoplasmic reticulum
This protein helps cancer cells survive treatment—and points to new treatments
Other news
As modern crops turn 'lazy' underground, old sorghum may hold key to future food security
If birds are fancy dancers, are they smarter, too?
Iron plus UV light turns alcohol into hydrogen with catalyst-like efficiency
Catching a scramblase in the act could pave the way to improved blood disorder and cancer treatments
Laser-plasma accelerator drives free-electron laser for record 8 hours
Navigating the past with ancient stone compass needles
Scientists identify potential new target for disrupting mosquito reproduction
Cell 'snowball' may be answer to large-scale tissue engineering
Stopping algae blooms with bacteria-busting buoys
Bacterial enzyme uses a donut-shaped ring to shred tough collagen, study reveals
How mitochondria organize our 'second genome'
Cell lineage tracing reveals early‑segregated germline in plants
This tiny organism simply loves corners, using geometry to sense its world
Engineered E. coli dependency may help contain microbes to defined areas
Can we trust the science shaping our lives?
Novel technique drills more detail into ice core records
Confirming altermagnetism in an abundant mineral
Massive Atlantic sargassum blooms traced to West Africa
