Bacteria are a major domain of prokaryotic microorganisms characterized by the absence of a membrane-bound nucleus, typically possessing a single circular chromosome, 70S ribosomes, and peptidoglycan-containing cell walls. They exhibit diverse morphologies (e.g., cocci, bacilli, spirilla) and metabolic strategies, including aerobic, anaerobic, phototrophic, chemolithotrophic, and heterotrophic lifestyles. Bacteria reproduce primarily by binary fission and undergo extensive horizontal gene transfer via transformation, transduction, and conjugation, driving rapid adaptation. They occupy virtually all ecological niches, form complex communities such as biofilms, and play central roles in biogeochemical cycles, host-associated microbiomes, biotechnology, and pathogenesis research.
Scientists have discovered two new mechanisms for how a well-established antibiotic works, paving the way for the potential development of new antibiotic treatments.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 28, 2026
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24
The arms race between bacteria and antibiotics is nothing new—antimicrobial resistance has been an emerging issue in human and animal health for a long time. But in a new review published in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 28, 2026
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9
That kitchen sponge sitting by your sink is not as innocent as it looks. It could be harboring Salmonella enteritidis, E. coli or Staphylococcus aureus—and there's no way to tell just by looking at it or smelling it.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 27, 2026
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19
The dangers of antibiotic overuse have become increasingly clear in recent decades. Excessive use accelerates the evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, raising the alarming prospect of infections that no longer ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 27, 2026
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11
A patient with a severe infection is prescribed a potent antibiotic. Hopes for improvement are high, but just after treatment is given, resistance to the drug increases thousands of times. How could this happen?
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 23, 2026
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107
All cellular life—from humans to bacteria—possesses two layers of immunity: innate and adaptive. Scientists have long understood how these two types of immunity work together in higher organisms but not in the microbial world.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 22, 2026
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10
In 2012, Nature revealed that humans provide a home to thousands of different species of microbes in a series of papers that opened a path to understanding the impact of the human microbiome on our health.
Ecology
Jul 22, 2026
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48
Microbes in the gut, lungs and biofilms do not simply exist as perfectly mixed populations; instead, they grow in layered and clustered three-dimensional (3D) arrangements. This spatial organization shapes how nutrients and ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 22, 2026
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9
Members of the Horse Microbiome Research Group recently published a new study in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, led by Dr. Joy Leng, who is currently undertaking the Alborada Well Foal 2 project. This research aims ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 21, 2026
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9
Some microorganisms that hold great promise for research have long lain dormant in historical collections. But only through new methods are their diversity and potential becoming apparent. The team led by Professor Christian ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 21, 2026
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