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.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the world's top public health threats. Often termed a silent pandemic, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria have caused millions of deaths annually. If left unchecked, the number of deaths attributed ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 3, 2026
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When scientists assess how dangerous a bacterium is, the first question often seems simple: Can it be stopped or killed? In microbiology and antibiotic research, one of the classic readouts has been whether a bacterium can ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 1, 2026
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In the fight to find better treatments for bacterial infections, one rapidly evolving therapy uses a group of viruses called bacteriophages (phages). Phages can attack and kill dangerous bacteria while leaving human cells ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 1, 2026
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How do bacteria adapt when resources run low? ISTA researchers have found that, under starvation stress, E. coli can use bacteriophages and CRISPR-Cas immunity to transfer and incorporate DNA, accelerating genetic reshuffling. ...
Evolution
Oct 1, 2026
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The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Biologically, it is regarded as a highly specialized "nutrient thief": Because chlamydia have lost the ability ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 30, 2026
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A silent, long-running competition has been taking place in Swiss alpine lakes for millions of years, killing trillions of organisms every day without anyone noticing. This competition between bacteria and viruses pushes ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 30, 2026
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A spore is a bacterium's survival capsule: dried almost solid and wrapped in protein armor, with its chemical processes shut down. Bacteria enter this state of hibernation when environmental conditions are unfavorable. What's ...
Evolution
Sep 28, 2026
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Microbial cell factories that produce pharmaceutical ingredients and other useful compounds include both the bacterium Escherichia coli and yeast, the organism used to leaven bread and ferment alcohol. The two organisms turn ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 28, 2026
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Chemosynthetic bacteria have been documented in various marine environments and in association with invertebrate hosts such as annelid worms and mollusks, but their presence in fish appears to be a new discovery. The findings ...
Ecology
Sep 27, 2026
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An estimated 38 trillion bacteria live in the human body—and only a small fraction are harmful to our health. However, the harmful ones can cause serious illness, especially when they develop resistance to antibiotics.
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 25, 2026
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