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.
Embedded in the boundary between the inside and outside of each cell are membrane proteins. They act as first responders by sensing signals, regulating which molecules enter and leave the cell, and enabling cells to quickly ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 2, 2026
0
11
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are mostly harmless bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and humans. They are the most well-studied bacteria and, often, when scientists discover something about E. coli, they extrapolate ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 2, 2026
0
10
Decades-old hospital samples have helped University of East Anglia (UEA) researchers uncover how a deadly antibiotic-resistant "superbug" quietly tightened its grip across the globe. It lurked in hospital corridors for decades, ...
Evolution
Jul 1, 2026
0
204
Hopefully, we're about to travel back to the moon relatively soon. And while the original "giant leap for mankind" was taken by a human, Neil Armstrong brought a plethora of other forms of life along with him. Humans themselves ...
Astrobiology
Jun 30, 2026
0
29
Every year, bacteria kill more than a million people worldwide through infections that no longer respond to antibiotics. In many cases, why those bacteria are so hard to stop comes down to their uniquely powerful structure.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 30, 2026
0
22
The technology at the center of the growing "resolution revolution" has again shown its value to scientists at Yale by revealing the secrets of gum disease.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 30, 2026
0
11
Scientists discovered a protein secreted by a deep-sea extremophile—an organism adapted to extreme environmental conditions—that self-assembles into a biofilm and is highly stable, boosting its potential for biomedical applications.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 29, 2026
0
7
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has offered insight into how Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, fine-tunes its internal machinery to survive stress and potentially ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 29, 2026
0
7
Certain plants, including legumes, form specialized root organs known as nodules. These plants establish symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and utilize atmospheric nitrogen. This process, termed "root nodule ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jun 29, 2026
0
4
A University of Alberta research team has designed a promising alternative for treating antimicrobial-resistant infections, a pressing global health issue. In a paper recently published in Cell Biomaterials, the team describes ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 27, 2026
0
141
