Humans are in a constant arms race with infectious bacteria. To kill these disease microbes, we develop powerful antibiotics; and in turn, the bacteria develop resistance against these drugs. So we enhance our antibiotics, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 4, 2019
0
3
Bacteria have lots of enemies. Among them are rivaling bacteria, viruses, and even DNA—namely, a special type of DNA called a plasmid, which can infect a microbe and hijack its inner resources to replicate. Luckily for ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 29, 2019
0
43
DNA is a molecular manual that contains instructions for building life. And, like any manual, DNA isn't all that useful if it remains unopened and unread. In order to transcribe DNA, the enzyme RNA polymerase, or RNAP, must ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jan 10, 2019
0
1
When foreign bodies attack, the molecular militia that comprises our immune system goes to war. In the chaos of battle, this cavalry must be careful to not to fire on its own soldiers; and organisms ranging from humans to ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 29, 2018
0
22
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is a powerful, plentiful species: It populates six continents, can carry deadly viruses, and bites with abandon. But until recently, its genome was in tatters.
Biotechnology
Nov 14, 2018
0
52
We all start out as a clump of identical cells. As these cells divide and multiply, they gradually take on distinct identities, acquiring the traits necessary to form, for instance, muscle tissue, bone, or nerves. A recent ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 8, 2018
0
130
For decades, doctors have been using antibiotics to fight tuberculosis (TB). And consistently, the microbe responsible for the disease, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been fighting back. When confronted with current drugs, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 1, 2018
0
78
DEET, thought to be the most effective insect repellent available, may not be an insect repellent at all.
Biotechnology
Sep 26, 2018
6
157
Common wisdom suggests that two heads are better than one. Yet, two heads can also butt—and when resources are scarce, competition may seem more attractive than collaboration. With that in mind, biologists have long wondered ...
Evolution
Aug 22, 2018
0
28
The mosquito, sworn enemy of exposed ankles and elbows, locates each bloody meal using a finely tuned sense of smell. Yet, not all insects can sniff out vulnerable flesh. Butterflies, for example, feed not on necks but on ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 15, 2018
0
92
